Latest articles by Paul Lester
Inspired by Roxy Music, they developed their biggest ideas with Brian Eno, leading to a string of albums that demonstrated they were more about concepts than craft
The classic line-up fell apart after disastrous attempts to make the follow-up to Tormato in Paris, before a new line-up released Drama in 1980
They looked like they were from “Planet Zog” and sneaked through a gap created by drug addiction - but the members accept they could have made it easier for themselves
One Way Or Another provided the blueprint that turned Blondie into million-sellers and cemented Debbie Harry’s status as one of rock’s foremost badasses
Proof that the genre mattered as much in Glasgow tower blocks as it did in English universities, Jim Kerr and co drew Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and Steve Hillage in with their “combination of rock, trance and this dark futuristic thing”
Singer and guitarist has long loved an American counterpart for his eccentricity, his unpredictable creativity and his love of pyramids
Buying guide Pop-rock geniuses don’t come much more pop-rock-genius than 10cc, four men who lit up the 70s with often breathtaking music
With their third album Parallel Lines, Blondie notched up five hit singles and became as famous as Abba or Pink Floyd
Tension drowned the post-punk art quartet’s creative powers. But they point out that no one died in the making of their records
He recalls being surprised with his first hit in America, taking five minutes to write another chart-topper, and the inspiration that led to Mr Blue Sky
Making Plans for Nigel established XTC as the intelligent arm of the post-punk movement – and it's still being directed at current Nigels
Aviv Geffen expressed deep admiration for Wilson on their fifth collaborative work – but also his jealousy over the Porcupine Tree leader’s success
1974 album was a deliberate change of approach from a pop-tinged artist known for taking left turns. No one could have predicted how one listener would take it
As they tried to outdo Trevor Horn, with influences including Genesis and Yes, their second album hit No.1 in the US and No.2 in the UK. But they didn’t contribute to Bob Geldof’s world-changing charity extravaganza
Wayne Coyne and co sold 13 units of 7 Skies H3 in 2011 – and for him, it was just another example of being influenced by Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Radiohead
The story of the 1976 single that fired the starting pistol on British punk
Beyond his work with Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, Rick Wakeman and others, plus comparisons to Rush, ELP and krautrock, a commitment to audacious experimentation ran through the true icon’s entire life
Quartet with connections to Yes, 10cc, Kate Bush, The Police and many others took five years to agree their debut album was ready to release
Genesis's first single since becoming a three-piece was a savvy change of tack
Inspired by Kate Bush and a childhood of Yes, 10cc and ELO, her debut album contained dark humour – but no hint of stashed body parts
When an experimental project escaped from the studio in 1980, no one could have predicted the consequences for both prog and pop music – and not everyone was happy about it
Ron Mael (the operatic one) and Russell Mael (the staring one) never discussed being different; but as LA brothers inspired by British prog and glam, they always were. They only rule they made was: “Shake up the universe”
By the time they released The Race For Space, J Willgoose Esq and Wrigglesworth – then still a duo – were ready to accept their prog credentials
Their first with Jon Davison, and their last with Chris Squire, the 2014 album saw them continuing to release new music after many of their peers had stopped – but didn’t meet the standards expected of it
