Following his excursions with fusion in Chapter Three, Manfred Mann’s next venture sought something “earthier” and closer to rock. In 1971, Mann formed the Earth Band with drummer Chris Slade, bassist Colin Pattenden and guitarist and vocalist Mick Rogers. Dubbed Manfred Mann's Earth Band, they churned out four albums in the space of almost two years. Both Glorified Magnified and Messin' (US title Get Your Rocks Off) were solid efforts, illustrating that Mann had indeed assembled one cohesive band.

Kraftwerk starts and ends with Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. The duo first recorded with Organisation, a band that released one album, Tone Float in 1970, before establishing themselves as Kraftwerk (with the others off to Ibliss). Both Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother (later of Neu!) interned with a Schneider-led band early on, which is well-documented in the video "Truckstop Gondolaro" from German Beat Club television. The duo reunited for their second album, now substituting a rhythm machine for a drummer.

Robert Fripp and Brian Eno paired up for this recording more than a year prior to its release. At the time, Eno was still in Roxy Music (but soon on his way to a solo career), while Fripp was busy recruiting for King Crimson. Recorded in Eno's front room, the album's centerpiece is "The Heavenly Music Corporation;" it's Fripp's guitar feed looped-back through two tape recorders. The result? You guessed it: heavenly music.

Having road-tested some of the material the previous summer, Remember The Future splits its single title down the album's two halves; the individual track names banded on the vinyl, Nektar offers two song cycles that run continuously. The story revolves around a bluebird and a blind boy, but I won't go there; I'll let Nektar relate that to you. The sprightly opening section, "Images of The Past," bounces beneath Roye Albrighton's rhythm guitar. Immediately, the vocal harmonies hit you: one of Nektar's endearing trademarks.

Violist Geoffrey Richardson jumped aboard Caravan in late 1972, while bassist John G. Perry joined after the Australian tour. They were two significant additions to the band, as both musicians would impart a significant influence on Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan. The band hired Dave Sinclair for a tour in the spring; but by the time they entered the studio to record their fifth record, For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night, Sinclair had returned as fulltime keyboardist.

Although released in July as a budget-priced album, the performances on Genesis Live were priceless; the record rose to No. 9 on the UK album charts. Live albums had started to appear during the early 70s, ostensibly to fill the album-per-year requirement most labels demanded. Of course, other than earning an easy buck or two, they also gave bands a breather to jump-start the creative process or fill a vacant role, and often served as a bookmark in a band's development. For Genesis, it closed the chapter that began with Trespass.

Faust were uniquely German; and, in all likelihood, were the antithesis of the aesthetics of British prog rock. In fact, Faust's raison d'être had more in common with post-modern art than anything remotely romantic; however, their relative success (courtesy of Virgin Records) was tightly tied to the progressive era. Their first two albums for Polydor, both produced by Uwe Nettelbeck, were instant krautrock classics, though not easy listening by any stretch.

Le Orme's third album, Felona & Sorona, was a concept album: a sci-fi saga concerning two planets and their eventual destruction. An English-language version of the album, recorded at Charisma boss Tony Stratton-Smith's request, sports a translation by none other than Van der Graaf Generator's Peter Hammill, but still features the same production of Gian Piero Reverberi's original mix. The record combines gentle progressive music with Le Orme's highly original and Italian feel, and it's certainly one of the finest examples of rock progressivo Italiano.

Jethro Tull headed off to Michel Magne's famous Château d'Hérouville studio in France to record the follow-up to the previous year's Thick As A Brick. Unfortunately, the sessions were abandoned, and the band returned to England without a record. (The sessions were ultimately released on CD in 1993 as Nightcap.) Reconstituted in London, Tull started anew and recorded another album-length epic, this time centering on the altogether heavier topic of life and death. Though a concise edit (#8) was found for a single, A Passion Play is best taken whole.

Violinist Darryl Way left Curved Air earlier in the year to form Wolf, and assembled a remarkably talented group: young guitarist John Etheridge had his professional start here, while Ian Mosley had previously drummed for Walrus. Canadian Dek Messecar joined on bass and vocals, and King Crimson's Ian McDonald produced Wolf's ensuing debut album, Canis Lupus. Needless to say, expectations were high. Way carried on his brand of progressive music, predictably mixing classical elements with heavy rock.