Imagine a young musician trying to interest you in a 20-minute cassette of instrumental music, on which he played every instrument. Such was the case when Virgin Records boss Richard Branson first encountered Mike Oldfield. Not that the young Oldfield didn't have credentials: He'd been in a folk band with his older sister Sally since he was 14, and spent the past few years in Kevin Ayers's band, the Whole World.

While 1971 had been a busy year for Gong (recording three albums), the band spent the majority of 1972 touring and then dealing with lineup changes. Drummers came and went, as did almost everyone else—except for Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Didier Malherbe. In late 1972, the band attended a Kevin Ayers gig in France, where they were introduced to guitarist Steve Hillage. Ladbroke Grove's Tim Blake, around during Allen's Banana Moon sessions, was invited first as a soundman, before returning with a synthesizer.

Following the release of Doremi Fasol Latido the previous November, Hawkwind staged the concerts from which the live double-album Space Ritual was comprised. Hawkwind's visual side was always a large part of their concert event, from Liquid Len's (Jonathan Smeeton) kaleidoscopic light show to Amazonian dancer Stacia (Blake), the so-called "Barbarella of Notting Hill Gate." Although this visual artistry was reduced to a foldout gatefold cover, the album still presents the full-on live Hawkwind experience over four glorious sides of vinyl.

Following the departure of Darryl Way and Francis Monkman, Sonja Kristina and Mike Wedgwood regrouped as Curved Air and recruited two young prodigies: guitarist Kirby Gregory and keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson. Along with drummer Jim Russell, they made their debut on the 1973 album Air Cut. "The Purple Speed Queen" kicks off the album, propelled by Jobson's heavy organ and Gregory's up-in-the-mix guitar runs. "Elfin Boy" is a stark contrast: a gentle folk number with Kristina's voice to the fore.

Kingdom Come entered Rockfield Studios at the end of 1972 to record what would be their third album, Journey. Joining Arthur Brown, Andy Dalby and Phil Shutt were two new additions: Victor Peraino on keyboards and the band's so-called fifth member, the Bentley Rhythm Ace. Operated by Brown, the Bentley was, of course, one of the first drum machines; and coupled with the synthesizer work of Peraino, the two brought an original texture to the record.

Built on the keyboard talents of its namesake, Dave Greenslade and bassist Tony Reeves had previously been together in Colosseum. Reuniting here, the pair rounded out their lineup with former King Crimson and Kingdom Come drummer Andrew McCulloch and, quite uniquely, a second keyboardist, Dave Lawson, who had previously played in both Web and Samurai. The debut album from Greenslade is nothing short of classic. Don't let the Roger Dean cover fool you; there is no cosmic slop inside, just hard-driving progressive rock.

Having recently parted ways with Robert Fripp, Pete Sinfield entered Command Studios in London with just about every other King Crimson alumnus to record his first (and only) solo record. And although he'd already capably filled the producer's chair for Roxy Music and PFM, on Still, he had assistance from Greg Lake and Mel Collins.

PFM released their second album, Per Un Amico ("For a Friend"), in late 1972, and saw it rise to the top of the Italian hit parade—partly due to heavy touring at the time. The band signed to Emerson, Lake and Palmer's newly formed Manticore label to seek their fortune outside of their native Italy. Pete Sinfield was brought on as lyricist and producer for the resulting Photos Of Ghosts, the group's first English-language album.

Following six months off to regroup, Robert Fripp's next move was forming a completely new King Crimson, coaxing away drummer Bill Bruford from Yes and bassist John Wetton from Family. Whether Fripp knew it at the time or not, the rhythm section that was the core of the new lineup would go down as one of the finest in rock history. Violinist David Cross and ex-Sunship percussionist Jamie Muir rounded out the lineup. Save for the gentle track "Exiles," the album contains little of the former Crim sound.

There probably isn't a whole lot of need to introduce this album; chances are good that you are one of the countless millions who either own the record, or had one of its two enclosed posters on your bedroom wall or stickers on your notebook. The Dark Side Of The Moon refined a suite of songs Pink Floyd debuted live a year prior as "Eclipse." The band then spent the second half of 1972 recording the album, though recording was interrupted for a US tour. And yet, as the prism on the cover suggests, this was a new direction for the band.