Prog Features

Ian Anderson wonders if he should have sent a flute into space, and regrets William Shatner went there too

By Johnny Sharp published 6 April 26

Jethro Tull leader on the true value of space travel, which he doubts is Elon Musk’s reason for funding it – and why he wishes the Star Trek star had never gone up either

“How dare he revolutionise rock’n’roll then walk away!” Syd Barrett was never lost. He just didn’t want to be found

By Tommy Udo published 6 April 26

In the 90s a Prog writer set out to doorstep the former Pink Floyd mastermind and demand an explanation for his disappearance from music. It didn’t go to plan – which came as a great relief

“There would be no Holiday In Cambodia without Hawkwind”: How Jello Biafra discovered space rock

By Jo Kendall published 5 April 26

The former Dead Kennedys leader admits he hasn’t loved every line-up of Dave Brock’s outfit, but that doesn’t affect their impact over the years

It took nearly 50 years for Happy The Man to hear their music the way they’d intended

By Dom Lawson published 4 April 26

Tripped up by record company machinations, the American pioneers – who nearly became Peter Gabriel’s backing band – didn’t think their first two records would ever sound like they had in the studio

Cool new proggy sounds you need to hear from Plini, Chimpan A, William Gilmour & John McGuigan, Playgrounded and more in Prog's brand new Tracks Of The Week

By Jerry Ewing published 3 April 26

Ace new prog from Oh Hiroshima, Telepathy, The Prominent Citizens and more in all new Tracks Of The Week

Why Steve Howe didn’t join The Nice or Atomic Rooster, and didn’t even go to his Jethro Tull audition

By Sid Smith published 3 April 26

Yes guitarist looks back on starting to play without learning to read music, the wide range of career options he had, and names the album he regards as his greatest achievement

The band who brought George Orwell, Casio calculators and a pop producer into the realm of prog

By Lin Bensley published 2 April 26

Inspired by King Crimson and T. Rex, and led by a quickly-disillusioned synth pioneer, this band didn’t want your name – just your number

“I wake up in the night thinking, ‘What if we hadn’t gone with Alberto?’”: Big Big Train and Woodcut

By Johnny Sharp published 2 April 26

Since the death of David Longdon, the band have been through massive changes which were all brought to bear on their first full-narrative concept album

“What I did was appalling. I hope that’s all behind me”: When Robert John Godfrey rebooted The Enid

By Malcolm Dome published 1 April 26

In 2011 the symphonic prog rock progenitors staged a comeback bid, with their leader expressing a new drive to reclaim a leading position – while retaining all his eccentricity

The prog stars who influenced a comedy musician’s career – and made him become a milkman for a while

By Jo Kendall published 31 March 26

Graham Fellows, creator of Jilted John and John Shuttleworth, started out with ELP before finding Yes, Focus, The Enid and Pink Floyd (although he has no time for The Dark Side Of The Moon)

Kavus Torabi on the new adventures of psychedelic rock, jazz, space-rock and more collective Gong

By Jo Kendall published 31 March 26

Since being handed the role of Gong gatekeeper by late founder Daevid Allen, Kavus Torabi has guided the band through a trilogy of albums

Just two examples of when Rush took being Rush too far

By Philip Wilding published 30 March 26

One track from Moving Pictures and one from Vapor Trails illustrates the trio’s habit of getting too clever in the studio, then suffering for it later

Why ELP drummer Carl Palmer’s musical icon is a trumpeter

By Sid Smith, Prog published 30 March 26

He explains his lifelong passion for innovator’s style and attitude – while a member of Steven Wilson’s band offers another perspective of the man at work

King Crimson’s rock star moments: A unique marriage proposal, a food fight and an adult movie soundtrack

By Sid Smith published 29 March 26

John Wetton recalled a unique proposal in Italy as he argued that the band had plenty of edgy adventures – they just didn’t get caught

“It was not pornographic. It was serious”: Vangelis’ fury at the treatment of Aphrodite’s Child album 666

By Mark Powell published 29 March 26

The late keyboard genius was never interested in fame, but in promoting the belief that music is science, as he explained in a rare interview

Excellent proggy sounds you must hear from Bruce Soord, Exploring Birdsong, The Claypool Lennon Delirium and more in Prog's brand new Tracks Of The Week

By Jerry Ewing published 27 March 26

Great new prog from VLMV, Aisles, Lost In Kyiv, Long Distance Calling and more in all new Tracks Of The Week

The bloody-minded duo who dared to delete a Robert Fripp solo in front of him

By Rob Hughes published 27 March 26

Their groundbreaking 1994 album has stood the test of time – but their refusal to compromise with label and management made it look as if their time was up

Phil Collins’ first show as Genesis singer, 50 years ago

By Chris Roberts published 26 March 26

Shaking with nerves, the band’s former full-time drummer took over the main mic in Canada in March 1976

The woman who became a prog star after being asked to lead the singing at anti-nuke marches

By Paul Sexton published 25 March 26

She’d had no plans for a life in music, but wound up working with some of the biggest names of the 60s folk resurgence