John Wetton – An Extraordinary Life
The launch of the official book about the legendary singer and bassist John Wetton at http://www.johnwettonbook.com has been announced. The sign-up is now open for people to be a part of this much anticipated book created with John’s family and management. Some seventy-plus people who knew and worked with John, from his school days through…
Jethro Tull Announce New Album – RökFlöte
Having left nearly twenty years between last year’s album The Zealot Gene and its predecessor, The Jethro Tull Christmas album in 2003, Jethro Tull has announced the release of a new album RökFlöte on 21st April 2023. The record is based on the characters and roles of some of the principle gods of the old…
Album Review – Asia- Fantasia, Live in Tokyo 3lp
You know you’re getting old when you realise that there may be some people reading this review who weren’t around when Asia first burst onto the scene. They weren’t listening to music when the astonishingly fresh and vibrant sounds of the barnstorming debut album by this supergroup first came out. And for those of us…
Asia – FANTASIA – LIVE IN TOKYO 2007 3 LP Set
Pop-prog supergroup Asia has announced the release, for the first time ever on vinyl, of Asia Fantasia, Live in Tokyo 2007 as a 3LP set. Recorded on Asia’s 25th anniversary 2007 world tour, and featuring the reformed original line-up, Fantasia Live is to be issued on vinyl as a 3LP set with booklet, including band…
Roots in January
Luke Daniels & The Cobhers – Luke Daniels & The Cobhers Started in 2019 by Luke Daniels (melodeon, guitar & vocals) he’s joined by Matt Tighe (fiddle), Scott Turnbull (guitar), Michael Biggins (piano) and Elanoe Dunsdon (clasarch). The album is produced by Paul Savage (Mogwai, Paulo Nutini). He’s got an interesting track record – Riverdance…
Roots in December
Bonfire Radicals – The Space Between Bonfire Radicals is a zesty 6-piece folk/world band that embraces original and traditional material: Katie Stevens – Clarinet/Kaval/Vocals; Michelle Holloway – Recorders/Flute/ Vocals; Sarah Farmer – 5 string Viola/Vocals; Pete Churchill – Bass/ Vocals; Emma Reading – Guitar; and Ilias Lintzos – Drums. They tout themselves as playing “(un)tradtional folk” The fiery fiddle tune opener…
Focus – Yardbirds Rock Club Grimsby 27 Nov 2022
Focus was the most successful and appreciated of all Dutch music exports back in the 70s. Fronted by founding member Thijs Van Leer, and best known for their hits “Hocus Pocus” and “Sylvia”, I remember buying ‘Moving Waves’ on cassette and seeing schoolmates looking cool with the LP ‘Hamburger Concerto’ under their arms. After a…
News of a Jethro Tull album
Prog rock veterans Jethro Tull reports that it has completed work on the recording of their twenty-third studio album, following swift on the heels of their critically-acclaimed return earlier this year with ‘The Zealot Gene’, their first album in two decades. Ian Anderson checks in with the below: “We have been putting the finishing touches…
1st of December : The Spirit @ Christmas The Dame + Ghost of the Machine + The Far Meadow
It’s only a few weeks to go now until we play host to NL based The Dame, and what a treat we’ve got got you all. It’s at Corporation, Milton Street, Sheffield , S1 4JU Returning to support them are Ghost of the Machine and as an amazing extra bonus we’ve got The Far Meadow.…
Keith Emerson Biography
A book celebrating Keith Emerson is being released on what would have been his seventy-eigth birthday, 2nd November. It is lavishly illustrated, and features family, friends, colleagues and fans talking about the Keith’s life, work and legacy. There are two deluxe editions – the Classic, and the Signature which is signed by author Chris Welch…
CD Review – My Soliloquy- Fusion
“There has seldom been a more pressing question than the mystery of our own divinity. It has consistently presented humankind with its BIG question, and, in equal measure, big conflict. Both personally and collectively, our species has tried to reach an answer we can all agree on. Are we foundation’d in the eternal? Are we…
Roots in November
Eddi Reader – Light is in the Horizon This is a new album of previously unreleased recordings left behind from the sessions of her “Vagabond” and “Cavalier” albums, featuring many of Eddi’s longtime collaborators (Boo Hewerdine, John Douglas, Alan Kelly, Roy Dodds) and featuring numerous talented musicians. What sets Eddi apart is the depth and…
Focus UK Dates
Dutch progressive favourites Focus seem to have a favourable following wind nowadays.. In 2019 Focus released the band’s first studio album for 6 years, Focus 11, which came complete with brand new Roger Dean artwork. The year was then spent touring from South America to Japan and everywhere in between in support of the new…
Yes Finally Tour Relayer
Yes does not let the dust settle before departing on another tour. The band has announced UK dates for their long-awaited Album Series 2023 Tour featuring their 1974 Relayer album in its entirety together with a selection of other classic Yes favourites. Tickets are on sale from 10am on Friday 14 October. The Relayer Tour…
CD/LP REVIEW – Steeleye Span – Live at the Rainbow Theater 1974
Steeleye Span are still one of the most influential names in British roots music. Pioneers of folk-rock, they took folk music out of its niche, gave it a good shake up and toured the life out of it. Or should that be toured fresh life into it. Members? Members have come and gone over the…
Roots in October
Captain of the Lost Waves – Mysterium Tremendum This trilogy closer to Hidden Gems Chapter 1 and 2 was made during lockdown, recorded separately. This, and family health issues following a car accident, seem to have given determination to be a testament to much loved music over the decades: musical drama a la Jeff Wayne’s…
CD Review – SiX By SiX – Six By Six
Now here is an unfamiliar band formed by well-known musicians. SiX by SiX is comprised of three familiar accomplished musicians from diverse corners of the globe and each with considerable pedigree. They are guitarist Ian Crichton from the notable Canadian prog rockers Saga, considered one of the top rock players in North America, along with…
Live Review – Steve Hackett – Genesis Revisited – Foxtrot at 50
Faithful reproduction or exuberant interpretation? What are live gigs about these days? Well, dare I say it, age might have something to do with where you sit on the spectrum between anarchic improvisation and note perfect replication. At my age, I’m constantly drawn back to the music of my youth, no matter how good some…
CD Review – Ryo Okumoto – The Myth of the Mostrophus
Ryo Okumoto is not the most prolific of solo artists. Undoubtedly best known in the prog world for his dazzling keyboard displays with Spock’s Beard, The Myth of Mostrophus is his first release in a couple of decades, since Coming Through in 2002. There had been a handful of releases prior to that. But it…
CD Review – Steve Hackett – Genesis Revisited Live – Seconds Out & More
“I’m so happy to release my Seconds Out & More show… A spectacular night with a band on fire tearing into that magic music combining the true spirit of Genesis with a fresh virtuosic approach and an extraordinary sound under amazing lights. This show is a feast for both ears and eyes. The best of…
CD Review – Lonely Planet – A Model Life
The original plan was that there would only be three Lonely Planet albums, a trilogy of Sci-Fi tales centred on an astronaut. Then a fourth arrived, not directly related to the first three’s story line but continuing with the Sci-Fi theme. “The truth is, I only ever intended to make three albums and then stop,”…
CD Review – Pattern-Seeking Animals – Only Passing Through
Pattern-Seeking Animals has returned with Only Passing Through, the band’s third album in fairly hot pursuit of the groups previous one, Prehensile Tales from 2020. That is pretty prompt by modern standards although the band’s hope had been to release an album every year. The group’s eponymous first album was released in 2019. The original…
Statement from Magenta re: Sheffield Cancellation
Sadly another show has bit the dust 😪, as The Citadel has closed down costing them that gig – we have been notified that Magenta have decided to cancel the Sheffield show. To be honest their reason is very viable – planning a tour is incredibly difficult and the finances are very tight. Advance ticket…
CD Review – Restive Nation – Restive Nation
It is good to come across band’s who are prepared to not do what other bands do just because that’s their genre. It is what is expected. To fight against being pigeon-holed you have to take chances, put yourself out on a limb a little bit. Think back to what many consider to be the…
CD Review – Kalandra – Kingdom Two Crowns: Norse Lands Soundtrack (Extended)
Kalandra is, ostensibly, a Scandinavian pop-rock band that describes its music as “weaving ethereal melodies into raw and eerie musical landscapes”. Although this release is a soundtrack it is neither from a movie nor television but rather was composed as the original soundtrack for the game Kingdom Two Crowns and its new world called Norse…
CD Review – PreHistoric Animals – The Magical Mystery Machine (Chapter 2)
Swedish proggers Prehistoric Animals return with this, the band’s third album which follows on from the concept from the group’s previous album with a Sci-Fi story, relating the tale of two characters, Cora and Jareth, who are collecting humanities abilities. The lyrics are not quite as plainly fanciful as that suggests and there are enough…
CD Review (Boxset) – Plainsong – Following Amelia: The 1972 Recordings & More
Plainsong formed in the early part of 1972, with key members Iain Matthews (Iain actually changed the spelling of his name from Ian in 1989), who had been a member of Fairport Convention, singing on that band’s first two albums, and Matthews Southern Comfort, along with Andy Roberts, who was known for work with Everyone…
CD/DVD Boxset Review – Man – Life On The Road: On Air (1972-1983)
Here’s a mammoth six-disc box set celebrating the broadcasts of Welsh psychedelic prog rock band Man. The collection consists of four CDs along with two DVDs, which are NTSC/region free, and brings together the extant UK radio and TV sessions, including those done for the BBC. These BBC recordings include three complete sets recorded for…
CD Review – Jakub Tirco – Alaska
It is always good to come across music that is not quite what you would expect it to be. Guitarist Jakub Tirco, who is from Prague, has released this album that falls somewhere between being outright prog and post-rock when you would expect it to be very firmly the latter on a casual brief listen.…
CD Review – Centipede – Septober Energy
Centipede was an English jazz, progressive rock, sprawling big band boasting in excess of fifty members, created and led by the British free jazz pianist Keith Tippett. It was founded in 1970, bringing together an array of young talented British jazz and rock musicians from a number of varied bands, including from Tippett’s own The…
Steve Hackett – The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Steve Hackett released Genesis Revisited Live: Seconds Out & More album in CD/Blu-Ray and DVD formats on Friday 2nd September. Vinyl formats will follow on 25th November. There is a link to live footage of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway taken from the show here: You can also view the previously released clips here:…
CD Review (Single) – Levi Nice – Come, Buried Men
Come, Buried Men from Levi Nice proves that you do not have to be an acoustic guitar wielding musician to be a singer-songwriter. Not that there is anything wrong with people who do, but Levi takes a more post-rock approach that sees him melding an over-arching guitar squall with a deep pop sensibility. The London…
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Spirit of Progressive Rock 