Charles Snider's blog

Reggie's Rock Club will host the fourth edition of Progtoberfest beginning on October 18th (pre-party with Chicago-based Porcupine Tree tribute Cloud Zero, District 97 and Ugly Radio Rebellion with Ike Willis) and running through Sunday, with FM and Soft Machine headlining, and Chicago's Lovely Little Girls and a special performance of Bill Bruford's One Of A Kind album! I'll be there selling books, stop by and enjoy a few great nights of music in Chicago!

From Charles:
"Like the other movies in this series, Romantic Warriors - A Progressive Music Saga are not superficial documentaries. They are intimate conversations directly with the artists about their history, their music, and their stories. Essential viewing for all progressive music fans!"
Just in from Jose and Adele:

Seemingly out of nowhere (actually, TV2 from Sweden) comes a documentary on keyboardist Bo Hansson from 1976, with English subtitles!

News today from Prog/Louder.com:
"Hawkwind have announced that their new studio album will be released later this year. Titled Road To Utopia, it will launch on September 14 on CD and LP and sees the band hook up with songwriter and conductor Mike Batt to reimagine a selection of Hawkwind classics with an orchestral flourish. The tracklist includes Quark, Strangeness And Charm, We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago, Psychic Power and The Watcher – the latter featuring a guest appearance from Eric Clapton."

Here's some classic David Byron, train-wreck and all, of the mighty Uriah Heep. Maybe not the most musically adventurous of the 70s, but certainly one of the hardest rockin' bands of the era!

From his early days with Graham Bond and John Mayall, Jon Hiseman went on to lead Colosseum and Tempest to the heights of jazz-rock. He later worked with his wife Barbara Thompson, and most recently reunited with Clem Clempson and Mark Clarke in JCM. My condolences to his family and friends.

I had the pleasure of seeing Yes this past Tuesday, for the opening night of their 50th Anniversary tour at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, IL. Led by the invincible Steve Howe, the band, with Geoff Downes on keyboards, Billy Sherwood on bass, Jon Davison on vocals and Jay Schellen on drums, tore through an amazing set. Alan White took to the stage later in the evening, providing drums for a particularly rockin' "Yours Is No Disgrace," while original member Tony Kaye joined the band for their three encores.

If you ever wonder why I spent the time to write a book like The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock, it's because I love it when others discover the music I'm so passionate about!

MMP 540 CELESTE - IL RISVEGLIO DEL PRINCIPE out in Autumn 2018. CELESTE is a very important name within the vast world of Italian progressive rock. Like many other bands, they disbanded after only one self-titled LP released in 1976, but thanks to that beautiful album we can consider Celeste among the greatest Italian prog groups.

This year I will be travelling to Mani Neumaier's annual open air music festival in Finkenbach. The two day festival on August 10th and 11th, features an amazing lineup: Epitah, Faust, Amon Düül II and Marblewood on Friday, and Embryo, Birth Control, Kraan, Guru Guru, Jane and Vibravoid on Saturday. SEE YOU THERE!