New book documenting the 80s prog scene to be published in June

A brand new book about the 80s progressive music scene in the UK is to be released in June.

Mirror Of Dreams – The Progressive Rock Revival 1981 To 1983 is published by Kingmaker Publishing on June 21, and has been written by Andrew Wild, who has also written Play On: The Authorised Biography Of Twelfth Night and His Love. Art, Music and Faith. The Authorised Biography of Geoff Mann.

Over 80 musicians and other participants in the early 1980s progressive rock scene were interviewed for the book, including most of the members of Marillion, IQ, Pallas, Pendragon, Solstice and Twelfth Night as well as Abel Ganz, Airbridge, Comedy Of Errors, Electric Gypsy, Galahad, Haze, It Bites, Jadis, Janysium, Lahost, The Lens, Liaison, Multi Story, No-Man, Pride Of Passion, Quasar, Tamarisk, Trilogy and Twice Bitten.

There are also interviews with key non-musical figures such as veteran Aylesbury Friars promoter David Stopps, former Marillion manager John Arnison and Nigel Hutchings, the former manager of the legendary Marquee Club in London.

Mirror Of Dreams – The Progressive Rock Revival 1981 To 1983 also features a foreword by Prog magazine editor Jerry Ewing, and the book features over 200 photographs and illustrations, many of which have either been previously unpublished.

A second volume, due for publication by Kingmaker in 2025, will cover the years 1984 to 1989.

The latest issue of Prog Magazine features a cover story devoted to the same era.

Pre-order Mirror Of Dreams – The Progressive Rock Revival 1981 To 1983.

80s prog book — (Image credit: Kingmaker Publishing)

Artists

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.