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Strawberry Bricks Reviewed: Prog Mag, Progression, Progsheet

Here's a few encapsulations from very recent reviews of The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock, Revised and Expanded Edition (2017):

“In this updated edition of his 2007 book, an idea of the kind of depth Charles Snider goes into can be gleaned from the revised artwork, an electron-microscope image of the grooves of Minstrel In The Gallery. It’s a heck of a project, and his dedication and breadth of choice is to be applauded. Snider’s summaries are intensely fact-packed but academic – this is still an enthusiast’s mothership.”

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Marián Varga, RIP

Marián Varga, Czech keyboardist and founder of Collegium Musicum, passed away last week at age 70. RIP, our condolences to your loved ones.

New Gentle Giant 5.1 Remix

From Amazon.de:
"This Blu-ray + CD in the Digipak contains the new Steven Wilson mixes in 96/24 PCM as well as DTS 5.1 surround sound. Furthermore, the Blu-ray contains animated videos to the tracks, instrumental mixes of all tracks, as well as all three complete original albums as 'flat transfer' in their original mixes.

What exactly is the cover image of the new book?

Exactly what you find inside the record guide! The vinyl record grooves on the book’s cover are from the Jethro Tull album Minstrel In The Gallery (Chrysalis CHR 1082). The image was taken on a Hitachi Scanning Electron Microscope SM-300 by Steven D. Price.

"One thing that I absolutely loved was the cover concept. Thank God no dragons, elves or sky wizards or Roger Dean copycat artwork." -- Kepler62 from Progarchives.com

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Strawberry Bricks Reviewed: "Une bonne acquisition… pour les anglophones."

Une autre critique de The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock, Revised and Expanded Edition (2017), cette fois depuis le site web de Jean-Philippe Haas et Chromatique.net en France.

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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."

Strawberry Bricks Reviewed: "Monsterbuch"

Eine sehr freundliche Bewertung auf Deutsch der The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock, Revised and Expanded Edition (2017), von Tobias Jehle und Musikreviews.de.

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King Crimson at the Chicago Theatre, June 28th

Game time cajoling found me committing to see King Crimson at the Chicago Theatre last night. I had previously seen this lineup when they played a three night stand at The Vic Theatre in 2014. (Had it really been that long ago?) The Chicago Theatre is quite a venue, but the math is easy - it holds three times as many people as The Vic. Prerequisite meetups behind me, the band took to the stage prompt as ever.

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Grobschnitt's Solar Movie unboxing

Just received Grobschnitt's Solar Movie box set from Amazon.de. It includes two versions of their classic live tune, including the video from 1978 WDR, and a new "conceptual" film for a live version from Berlin 1978. Highly recommended!

New solo album from Caravan's Pye Hastings, From The Half House

Due imminently from Caravan's Pye Hastings is a new solo album, via Pledgemusic.

"I have been the main songwriter, leader and founder member of Caravan since 1968. Until now all of my songwriting has been concentrated on providing material for Caravan. After many years of a solo album being suggested, the timing is now right for me to develop my new songs into making this album. These have been written and are being recorded in my studio in the highlands of Scotland.