Following the break-up of Van der Graaf Generator in late 1972, Peter Hammill pursued his solo career in earnest. Released in 1973 and 1974, respectively, both Chameleon In The Shadow Of The Night and The Silent Corner And The Empty Stage were primarily acoustic affairs, showcasing Hammill’s one-man show (but not without contributions from former VdGG members).

Kraan’s third record, Andy Nogger, was their first recorded with legendary producer Conny Plank. It’s a significant relationship, one that would extend across many years and projects together, both as a producer and musician. As the excellent “Stars” demonstrates, Kraan has a highly energetic and original sound—somewhere between rock and jazz, but nowhere around the then-current idiom of fusion.

Though based in Germany, Down To Earth saw Nektar back to recording in the UK at Chipping Norton Studios, with producer Peter Hauke in tow. The album revolves around the concept of a circus; popular at the time, Argent would also use this theme. The band leave behind most of their psychedelic trappings and long-form jamming, and instead deliver an album of expertly-crafted songs. The lively "Astral Man" glibly sets the stage; these British expatriates may have been taking a stab at their countrymen's otherworldly opuses, or perhaps even a little at their own.

Hailing from Pennsylvania, Todd Rundgren was first heard in Nazz, a band whose 60s-garage rock styling was released to no particular acclaim. In 1970, he formed Runt with Hunt and Tony Sales, and scored a hit with the blue-eyed soul of "We Gotta Get You a Woman." In 1972, Rundgren released the double-album Something/Anything? It provided another couple of hits: "I Saw the Light" managed to chart on both sides of the Atlantic, while a re-recording of Nazz's "Hello It's Me" entered the US Top 5.

Hailing from Florence, Sensations' Fix was really a front for Franco Falsini; in addition to playing guitar and keyboards, he also wrote and produced most of the band's music in-wait for it-Virginia. Joining him were two Americans: bassist Richard Ursillo, previously with Campo di Marte, and drummer Keith Edwards. Their debut album, Fragments Of Light, was released in 1974 on Polydor, and is certainly the most un-Italian of all the progressive rock to come out of Italy.

Under the guise of Popol Vuh, the Munich-based Florian Fricke created one of the most original bodies of work during the 1970s. His first two records were krautrock of the most kosmische type. Released in 1970, Affenstunde ("Monkey Hour") saw Fricke's hand on the Moog synthesizer; he was one of the first in Germany to own one. By 1972, he had switched to organ for the following In Den Gärten Pharaos (now recording for the Pilz/Ohr label), but had yet to find the quintessential Popol Vuh sound.

Hailing from the Finland, Blues Section was (you guessed it) a blues-inspired band fronted by British expatriate Jim Pembroke, drummer Ronnie Österberg, bassist Måns Groundstroem and others. They released an eponymous album in 1967, on the Finnish Love Records. But soon after Pembroke and Österberg left, and after a few more singles, the band broke up. Österberg then set out to form Wigwam, drafting Pembroke and organist Jukka Gustavson, with bassist Pekka Pohjola arriving in 1968 for their second album, Tombstone Valentine.

The arrival of ex-Gnidrolog drummer Nigel Pegrum on 1974’s Now We Are Six saw Steeleye Span’s music take a nod towards the progressive. Of course, having Ian Anderson in the producer’s chair certainly pushed things along: “Thomas the Rhymer” has that complex meter that is quite like Jethro Tull. Whether this is vindication of their progressiveness or proof positive that Anderson was a folkie at heart is another matter. Whatever the setting, and despite rather strange production, the band presents first-rate music here.

France never really took to rock ‘n' roll the way other Europeans did; in the 60s, French rock bands were few and far between, the yé-yé of Johnny Hallyday notwithstanding. Yet in the early 70s, "rock progressif" slowly infiltrated French culture; and of those bands that did emerge (Atoll, Catharsis, Mona Lisa), Ange was certainly the most quintessential. Formed in 1970 by brothers Christian and Francis Décamps, the band had consolidated into their most classic lineup in 1971, with Jean-Michel Brézovar on guitar, Daniel Haas on bass and Gérard Jelsch on drums.

David Bedford's classical credentials included study at London's Royal Academy of Music and tutelage under Italian avant-garde composer Luigi Nono. He crossed over into the rock world as the keyboard player for Kevin Ayers and the Whole World in 1969. In 1970, that band performed Bedford's The Garden of Love, written—in true avant-garde form—for "pop group." This association led to further collaboration with guitarist Mike Oldfield and others on the Virgin roster.