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Psychedelia

Sam Gopal's Dream

Named after the tabla player, Sam Gopal's Dream were regulars on London's underground, playing at the UFO, Middle Earth, etc. They later released one eponymous album which featured Ian "Lemmy" Willis on guitar and vocals.

Founded: 1967

Location: London, England

Website: Tabla Music by Sam Gopal

Soft Machine, The

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One of two Canterbury bands formed from the Wilde Flowers, Soft Machine's earliest days were in the psychedelia of London's underground of the late 60s. By Third however the band matured into one of Britain's finest jazz-fusion bands. After Robert Wyatt's departure in 1971, the band ventured further and further into a jazz-idiom, gaining members from Ian Carr's Nucleus along the way. Archival material on Cuneiform is highly recommended.

Founded: 1966

Location: Canterbury, England

Website: SOFT MACHINE (Calyx site)

Members:

Space Ritual

Nik Turner-led band that includes Terry Ollis, Mick Slattery, Dave Anderson, Thomas Crimble and other Hawkwind stalwarts and all.

Founded: 2002

Location: London, England

Website: Space Ritual

Syn, The

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With Pete Banks, Chris Squire as a core, The Syn were the pre-cursor to Maybel Greer's Toyshop (and Yes), releasing a handful of singles in the late 60s. The latter-day reformation was primarily a vanity project for Steve Nardelli, though the albums are of some particular note, as well as the controversy.

Founded: 1965

Location: London, England

Website: The SYN

The Pretty Things with Philippe Debarge

Just in from The Bexley Brothers (Wally Waller and Jon Povey), The Pretty Things with Philippe Debarge will be reissued on September 1st, with new artwork, bonus tracks and remastering, on Snapper Records. Make no mistake, this is classic psychedelic Pretties, recorded in 1969 between S.F. Sorrow and Parachute records, and contains the suite "Peace," "Eagle's Son," "Graves of Grey," and "New Day."

The Pretty Things, Bouquets From A Cloudy Sky unboxing

Thirty-Three Essential Progressive Rock Albums

Everybody loves lists, myself included. What are my favorite progressive rock albums? Here they are, do you have them all?

Essential: 33 Progressive Rock Albums
1. The Nice – The Thoughts Of Emerlist DavJack (Immediate 1967)
2. Soft Machine – Volume Two (Probe 1969)
3. Colosseum – Those Who Are About To Die Salute You (Vertigo 1969)
4. Jethro Tull – Stand Up (Reprise 1969)
5. King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King (An Observation By King Crimson) (EG 1969)
6. The Pretty Things – Parachute (Harvest 1970)
7. Caravan – In The Land of Grey And Pink (Deram 1971)

Tomorrow

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In the beginning there was psychedelia - inspired by the liberation of drug culture, supported by the new "Underground" and musically, and bringing novel invention to music. Tomorrow were one of London's darlings during their short existence, but commercial success never quite came their way.

Founded: 1966

Location: London, England

Tomorrow's Permanent Dream released in April 28th

From the press release:
A fresh new version of Tomorrow’s legendary debut album re-imagined by Steve Howe. Post-produced using the technology now available on the balance and edits to enhance and re-present what the band were trying to achieve 55 years ago! Featuring some less well-known studio tracks, a new title, running order and sleeve, creating the psychedelic masterpiece they always envisaged."

Traffic

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Steve Winwood was already well known as the voice behind Spencer Davis Group before he started Traffic. The band always kept its R&B roots as it moved from the psychedelic pop of the first two studio albums into more progressive, jazzy territory that focused on the writing ability of Winwood and the musicianship of Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and others.

Founded: 1967

Location: Birmingham, England