Category Archives: Prog Rock

GUS DUDGEON-PRODUCTION GEMS.

Gus Dudgeon-Production Gems. Label: Ace Records. Format: CD.  The late, great Gus Dudgeon never set out to become a producer. It was something he had never considered after leaving school and being fired from eleven jobs over a four year period. Working in a toy shop, advertising agency and even a clip joint wasn’t for …

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CULT CLASSIC: PORCUPINE TREE-LIGHTBULB SUN.

Cult Classic: Porcupine Tree-Lightbulb Sun. Between 1987 and 2010 progressive rockers Porcupine Tree released ten studio and twelve live albums. Their sixth studio album was Lightbulb Sun which was released  on May the ‘22nd’ 2000 and was the much-anticipated followup to Stupid Dream, which was released in March 1999. It marked the start of a …

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CULT CLASSIC: PORCUPINE TREE-LIGHTBULB SUN.

Cult Classic: Porcupine Tree-Lightbulb Sun. Between 1987 and 2010 progressive rockers Porcupine Tree released ten studio and twelve live albums. Their sixth studio album was Lightbulb Sun which was released  on May the ‘22nd’ 2000 and was the much-anticipated followup to Stupid Dream, which was released in March 1999. It marked the start of a new …

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MICHAEL ROTHER-FROM SPIRIT OF SOUNDS TO THE SOLO YEARS

Michael Rother-From The Sprit Of Sounds To The Solo Years. By the early seventies, the German music scene was thriving, and  was one of the most vibrant in Europe. Some of the most influential and innovative music was being recorded and released by German bands who were part of a new musical movement and were making Kosmische musik. Its roots …

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PINK FLOYD-LIVE AT KNEBWORTH 1990.

Pink Floyd-Live At Knebworth 1990. Label: Pink Floyd Records. Format: CD. On June the ‘30th’ 1990, some of the great and good of British rock made their way to the village of Knebworth, in the north of Hertfordshire where they were to be presented with the Silver Clef Award for outstanding contributions to UK music. …

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CULT CLASSIC: QUICKSAND-HOME IS WHERE I BELONG.

Cult Classic: Quicksand-Home Is Where I Belong. Musical history is littered with examples of groups who only ever released one album during their what proves to be a short-lived career. Especially, during the late-sixties and early seventies when many record companies had unrealistic expectations. All too often, when a band’s debut album failed to find …

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PORCUPINE TREE-STUPID DREAM.

Porcupine Tree-Stupid Dream. Label: Transmission. Format: CD. When Steven Wilson founded Porcupine Tree in 1987, the nascent progressive rock group was essentially a solo project for the twenty year old songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He had no idea that the group would eventually release ten studio and twelve live albums. The story begins in 1988. In …

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FAREWELL RODION LADISLAU ROSCA.

Farewell Rodion Ladislau Rosca. Nowadays, the word innovator is used far too often, but the music that Rodion Ladislau Rosca the founder of Romanian experimental rock group Rodion G.A. recorded  was innovative, influential and way ahead of its time. Sadly, living and making music behind the Iron Curtain meant music fans in the West never …

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PORCUPINE TREE-LIGHTBULB SUN.

Porcupine Tree-Lightbulb Sun. Label: Transmission. Format: CD. Between 1987 and 2010 progressive rockers Porcupine Tree released ten studio and twelve live albums. Their sixth studio album was Lightbulb Sun which was released  on May the ‘22nd’ 2000 and was the much-anticipated followup to Stupid Dream, which was released in March 1999. It marked the start …

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CULT CLASSIC: ENO/CALE-WRONG WAY UP.

Cult Classic: Eno/Cale-Wrong Way Up. Brian Eno and John Cale first worked together in 1974, when they also recorded the album June 1, 1974. When it was released twenty-seven days later on the ‘28th’ of June 1974 it was credited to Kevin Ayers, John Cale, Brian Eno and Nico. Two of the three men who …

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CULT CLASSIC: QUICKSAND-HOME IS WHERE I BELONG.

Cult Classic: Quicksand-Home Is Where I Belong. Musical history is littered with examples of groups who only ever released one album during their what proves to be a short-lived career. Especially, during the late-sixties and early seventies when many record companies had unrealistic expectations. All too often, when a band’s debut album failed to find …

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HEDVIG MOLLESTAD TRIO-DING DONG, YOU’RE DEAD.

Hedvig Mollestad Trio-Ding Dong, You’re Dead. Label: Rune Grammofon. Format: CD. Just nine months ago award-winning Norwegian guitarist, vocalist, bandleader and composer Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen released her critically acclaimed debut solo album Ekhidna.  By then, she was one of the leading lights of Norway’s vibrant music scene. She had founded the Hedvig Mollestad Trio in 2009 …

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CULT CLASSIC: BRAINCHILD-HEALING OF THE LUNATIC OWL.

Cult Classic: Brainchild-Healing Of The Lunatic Owl. Progressive brass rock pioneers Brainchild were formed in Somerset in the late-sixties, and by the 1970 the septet had signed to A&M. This was perfect timing as the brass rock boom began in 1969 and continued until 1972. By then,  Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears and The Electric …

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CLASSIC ALBUM: KING CRIMSON-LARK’S TONGUES IN ASPIC.

Classic Album: King Crimson-Lark’s Tongues In Aspic. In October 1969, King Crimson announced their arrival when they released their critically acclaimed debut album, In The Court Of The Crimson King. This future progressive rock classic reached number five in the UK, and was certified gold in America, when it reached number twenty-eight. Following the success of In The Court Of The Crimson King …

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CULT CLASSIC: CATAPILLA-CHANGES.

Cult Classic: Catapilla- Changes. The story of Catapilla is another case of what might have been. They were formed in West London around Christmas 1970, and signed to Vertigo Records and released two ambitious and innovative albums where they combined progressive rock with experimental fusion. Sadly, neither their 1971 debut album Catapilla, nor the followup …

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CULT CLASSIC: THE THIRD POWER-BELIEVE.

Cult Classic: The Third Power-Believe. By 1967, Detroit’s eclectic music scene was thriving and new bands were being formed almost daily. Some never got beyond practising in a garage, while others graduated to playing in local bars and clubs which was where they were spotted by A&R reps for local indie labels.  Once signed, they …

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CULT CLASSIC: PIRANA-PIRANA.

Cult Classic: Pirana-Pirana. Although Australian progressive rockers Pirana were together for just over three years, they played live over 600 times and released two albums on Harvest Records. This included their 1972 debut album Pirana. It’s a cult classic and a reminder of a group that should’ve reached greater heights.  Sadly, commercial success eluded Pirana, …

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CULT CLASSIC: JETHRO TULL- STORM WATCH.

Cult Classic: Jethro Tull-Storm Watch. By September 1979, Jethro Tull was still one of the most successful British bands of their generation, and were about to release the twelfth album of their career, Stormwatch, It was the final album in a trilogy of folk rock albums and Jethro Tull hoped that Stormwatch would build on the success of which had been released …

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CULT CLASSIC: TEA AND SYMPHONY-AN ASYLUM FOR THE MUSICALLY INSANE.

Cult Classic: Tea and Symphony-An Asylum For The Musically Insane. When the original lineup of Tea and Symphony was founded in Birmingham, England, in the late-sixties, they were an acoustic group who have since been compared to Marc Bolan’s Tyrannosaurus Rex. The group was founded by Jeff Daw, James Langston and Nigel Phillips, but when they played …

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CULT CLASSIC: BREAD, LOVE AND DREAMS-AMARYLLIS.

Cult Classic: Bread, Love and Dreams-Amaryllis. When Scottish acid folk trio Bread, Love and Dreams appeared at the 1968  Edinburgh Festival, David McNiven, Angie Rew and Carolyn Davis had no idea that the concert was going to transform their lives. In the audience that night, was Ray Horricks, a Decca Records staffer, who nowadays, is …

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