1972 Albums

As with most bands signed to Doug Smith's Clearwater Productions, Skin Alley were associated with the underground and the free festival scene. Founded by bassist Thomas Crimble and drummer Alvin Pope, the band included Bob James on sax and guitar and Krzysztof Henryk Juszkiewicz on keyboards. They released two albums on CBS before Crimble left for Hawkwind. His replacement was Nick Graham, fresh from Atomic Rooster; while Tony Knight replaced Pope on drums. Now signed to Transatlantic, Skin Alley recorded their finest album, Two Quid Deal?, in 1972.

In 1970, keyboardist Tony Pagliuca ventured to the Isle of Wight festival in Seaclose Park, UK, befriending noted photographer Armando Gallo from the Italian weekly Ciao 2001. Upon returning to Venice, he gathered Michi Dei Rossi and Aldo Tagliapietra and resurrected Le Orme as one of Italy's first progressive rock group. The band took off in a direction similar to that of The Nice and Quatermass, with keyboards at the fore. Supported by producer Gian Piero Reverberi and a contract with Philips Records, the band recorded a new album, Collage, released in 1971.

Caravan's fourth album was a bit of a departure: Richard Sinclair brought in new keyboard player Steve Miller, previously in Delivery, to "jazz" up the Caravan sound. "Waterloo Lily," a song about a heavy-set hooker, would be one of the last songs Sinclair would sing with the band. It's a simple number, but Miller's extended electric piano solo signals the change.