Latest articles by James McNair
“Rick Wakeman-like piano flair and an agile, crystalline voice”: Renaissance’s Running Hard
Clamshell set illustrates a wondrous purple patch of symphonic prog-folk from Annie Haslam and co
“There’s no denying its compositional prowess”: Greenslade’s Large Afternoon Expanded
Fruits of their short-lived new-millennium reunion provides nostalgia and commentary, with live tracks containing more meat and punch
Are the touching tales of Jethro Tull’s Minstrel In The Gallery really just fiction?
Ian Anderson reflects on giving Roy Harper his movie break, aggressively defending Dee Palmer from paparazzi intrusion, losing bassist Jeffrey Hammond, planning to quit touring – and the quiet couple of weeks he spent recording Tull’s masterful 1975 album
Pentangle’s The Albums: 1968-1972: a lavish celebration of folk’s first supergroup
Box set featuring their first six records is enhanced with out-takes, live tracks and solo material by Bert Jansch and John Renbourn
Neal Morse’s supergroup Cosmic Cathedral reassert their beliefs on debut album Deep Water
Former Spock’s Beard man with Chester Thompson, Phil Keaggy and Byron House offer strong virtuosic music – although preaching and genre-hopping may alienate some
Ian Anderson: Jethro Tull’s one-legged hammy past and their potential stripped-down future
Latest Jethro Tull album Curious Ruminant has Ian Anderson reflecting on his hammy stage performances of the past, working with William Shatner and Mikael Åkerfeldt, and how the band could have a back-to-basics future
“An evening in with the lava lamp beckons”: Middle Earth Club 3CD set
Middle Earth: The Soundtrack Of London’s Legendary Psychedelic Club features David Bowie, Family Brian Auger, Denny Laine, Yardbirds, Deviants, The Who and more
It’s great to have Alex Lifeson using Rush colours again on Envy Of None’s Stygian Wavz
Envy of None’s second album Stygian Wavz proves Alex Lifeson was right to work with other artists - might it make Geddy Lee consider doing the same?
When Balaam And The Angel tried to emulate ELP, it didn’t go well
Spectacular live disaster hasn’t killed guitarist Jim Morris’ passion for Pictures At An Exhibition
The prog credentials of Sufjan Stevens’ The Age Of Adz
After a long illness and the admission that his promise of writing an album about each State of the US had been a gimmick, he wobbled then reset with 2010 album that’s a prog-tinged curio
"Ahead of the art-rock curve": Bill Nelson’s Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam Deluxe Box Set
Ex-Be Bop Deluxe leader’s 1981 solo release is greatly expanded to impressive effect
Ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian ‘Robbo’ Robertson’s wild tales of Phil Lynott, Lemmy, David Bowie and more
Phil Lynott, Lemmy, Rush, Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins – former Thin Lizzy/Motörhead guitarist Brian Robertson crossed paths with them all and has the hangovers to prove it
“There are two experiences on offer here”: Curved Air’s Rarities Series box set
Six out-of-print discs span decades, with offerings for completists alongside a particularly pleasing 1972 live performance
The prog credentials of Luke Haines’ 9 1/2 Psychedelic Meditations On British Wrestling
The former Auteurs mastermind went further off-piste than ever with his 2011 album, which only runs to 30 minutes but delivers a real experience
“A showcase for wondrous mandolin and banjo… and the majesty and clarity of Maddy Prior’s voice”: Steeleye Span’s 50th anniversary edition of Now We Are Six
“A showcase for mandolin, banjo and Maddy Prior”: Steeleye Span’s Now We Are Six, 2024 edition
"I can't believe all these people are buying a single about death!": Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, Lindisfarne's Lady Eleanor was written during an overnight shift in a psychiatric ward
Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, Lindisfarne's Lady Eleanor was written in a psychiatric ward
Triumph were on the cusp of superstardom – then they let it all go
By the end of the 70s Triumph were living up to their name. Then came the falling-out, the split, and 20 years of toxicity before they shared a stage again
“With one eye on MTV and another on film soundtracks, big choruses with star-turn assists are go”: Steve Hackett’s Feedback ’86 and Till We Have Faces vinyl remasters
Steve Hackett’s Feedback ’86 and Till We Have Faces vinyl remasters share some DNA
How Gun survived Spanish crowds, an X-rated video and that "strange cookie" from INXS
Gun's debut album Taking On The World was a killer, and with new album Hombres their aim is once again true
White Willow’s Ex Tenebris puts their roots on display
Remaster of their 1997 second album – which began life as a Jacob Holm-Lupo solo work – includes vinyl edition for the first time
"Somebody has to be the kind of songwriter who doesn’t give a shit if he gets called pretentious." Ian Anderson on the inspiration behind Jethro Tull's RökFlöte
After a gap of more than 20 years, Jethro Tull returned with their second album of new material this decade. RökFlöte finds the band exploring Norse mythology with a harder edge than last year’s The Zealot Gene
Hey Joe, where you going with my cod & chips? Unravelling the truth behind Jimi Hendrix's historic visit to a fish & chip shop in the north of England
In March 1967, Jimi Hendrix played a club show in Newcastle before venturing to the seaside for fish & chips, perhaps a pickled egg. Or did he?
“I’d never attempted to write a whole record on my own. I wasn’t feeling confident. I was concerned I might end up with a load of outtakes and waste the money”: How Steve Hackett made Voyage Of The Acolyte
Missing his pal Peter Gabriel and sensing more change in the air with Genesis, the guitarist overcame his confidence issues to become the first member to release a solo album
“Dizzyingly diverse, full of invention and humanity… if only more bands were willing to take such risks”: Elbow’s Audio Vertigo
Guy Garvey and his band of brothers dream harder, ensuring their 10th LP is special
“I’m doing that thing that many may find tasteless but hopefully at least some may find thrilling… it’s not about control – it’s pure animal!” Why Steve Hackett ramped up the guitar attack on The Circus And The Nightwhale
On his 30th solo album, he decided to address a wide range of personal issues he’d wanted to tackle for years – taking in influence from The Hero With A Thousand Faces, The Odyssey and Pinocchio
