Latest articles by Sid Smith
Unofficial Peter Hammill biography Rock And Role is perfect companion to recent box set
500-page exploration includes input from its subject along with new interviews with music and business colleagues, and an ex
“When he gave the family car back, his dad sold it as ‘formerly driven by Frank Zappa’”
He developed his own form of expression at 9 years old, taught himself to compose music at 11, and hated the Summer Of Love, drugs and lack of effort. Here’s why there’s no such thing as an ex-Zappa fan
In 1971 Greg Lake enraged Keith Emerson, who immediately quit ELP. The result was acclaimed album Tarkus
Carl Palmer recalls a crisis meeting, arguments over time signatures, and playing the whole album top to bottom in the studio – only to discover their engineer had taken a break
10 great psychedelic songs that’ll shake any prog fan’s tree (but aren’t by Pink Floyd)
Revolutionary music from Yes, John McLaughlin, Pretty Things, Tangerine Dream, Strawbs and more, including a song that was prog even before prog was prog
What members of Marillion, Dream Theater, Asia and more think of Yes’ Tales From Topographic Oceans
It was the double-album that split critics, fans and the line-up who recorded it. We asked a range of prog stars for their thoughts on the 1973 release
The secret to making King Crimson work by Peter Giles, who helped make it happen
He recalls The Cheerful Insanity Of Giles Giles & Fripp and the Brondesbury Tapes to 21st Century Schizoid Band, making music with his wife and winning athletics medals at 80
Darryl Way’s Wolf: Cadenza box set proves they should never have been out of the spotlight
3CD set shows the Curved Air man’s underdogs had plenty of bite in Canis Lupus, Saturation Point and Night Music
“Dispense with prog expectations and enjoy the fun”: Alan White’s Ramshackled
The drummer decided to make a simple album with a good band, featuring guest spots from Jon Anderson and Steve Howe. With the exception of an ill-advised cod reggae track, it’s all good – if undemanding
Yes created longer songs than Close To The Edge, but none with as much impact
Classical music, Eastern mysticism and the River Thames came together to inspire the 19-minute title track from their fifth album in 1972
The forthright attitude behind Roger Dean’s album art for Yes
Inspired by real-life landscapes and knowing what he didn’t like, the forthright creator of remarkable worlds explains his partnership with Yes
Every Jethro Tull album ranked from worst to best
Jethro Tull's 24 albums have taken in English folk and baroque instrumentation, plus enough thunderous riffs to keep hard rock fans happy
What Judy Dyble did for Fairport Convention, Robert Fripp, and me
The late singer-songwriter found fans in every genre she stepped into. For those who knew her, her joyful personality and optimism in the face of adversity was even more admirable, says Sid Smith
“Robert Fripp said he wanted to revolutionise rock’n’roll with us. I wasn’t sure, given what I’d just heard. But they were about to throw us out the squat”: The League Of Gentlemen led to Beat-era King Crimson
The band lasted only seven months, and felt like a bad movie for some of those involved – but the musical experiment inspired Fripp to reform King Crimson for their 80s brilliance
Mike Oldfield’s personal bravery shines throughout Hergest Ridge: 50th Anniversary
Long overshadowed by illustrious predecessor Tubular Bells, his 1974 hymn to the British landscape has never sounded so brooding or beautiful
“We broke up… Somehow we kept going”: The story of King Crimson’s remarkable Beat era
What happened when the eternally unpredictable prog machine returned in the 80s with an Anglo-American line-up and delivered Discipline, Beat and Three Of A Perfect Pair
Jack Bruce’s Harmony Row; more prog than you might know
Leaving Cream behind, his third solo album was a proggy affair, composed in a single sitting, exploring one day in the world of a Glasgow tenement
John McLaughlin doesn’t know why his music sold so well. In fact, he knows he knows nothing
The jazz rock pioneer on being fast and loud, walking away from success, and why a musician is actually exploring the meaning of life
Pink Floyd At Pompeii – MCMLXXII is a stunning historical artefact
Restoration shines new light on classic footage shot during a transitional moment that would change music for ever
Adrian Belew on survival, orchestra music and Frank Zappa
Now touring with King Crimson offshoot Beat, the Bowie, Shatner and Hancock collaborator has long been confident that the future is secure on the road – which pleases him because he loves it
Why Bill Bruford demoted himself from the King Crimson, Yes and Genesis league
Bill Bruford retired in 2009 and later sold most of his equipment to Tool’s Danny Carey. Then he found he wasn’t finished on stage – and he’s come back re-energised
“Gong’s appeal? Not becoming too commercially successful”: Daevid Allen’s grateful farewell
Months before his death from cancer, he encapsulated his unique vision in a forward-looking album, then left others to continue his work
Peter Sinfield, the prog poet who gave voices to King Crimson, ELP and Roxy Music
Lyricist, art director, producer and all-round creative who aimed to enlighten, provoke or stir died in November 2024 without being fully aware of what he’d achieved
“We were whisked off in a limo and I joined them on their Learjet. I overslept in Jon’s hotel suite because they’d been very generous with spliffs”: My 39 days as a cosmic brother of Yes, by Gryphon’s Brian Gulland
He once gatecrashed Chris Squire’s dressing room because he knew nothing about concerts. Later, when his own band were at their proggiest, he took everything he could out of opening on Yes’ Relayer tour of 1974
