Mike Barnes

They’re unmistakably American, but their lead visionary names Henry Cow, Soft Machine, Gentle Giant and Van der Graaf Generator among his motivators, and explains why his band is definitely not punk

The self-proclaimed second-loudest drummer in Birmingham recalls his time with The Move, Black Sabbath and more – and he wants you to know he hasn’t retired

The prog supergroup were at their creative peak when they created the 1973 epic that took the world by storm, despite the apparent hordes of critics

Pye Hastings, Davy O’List and others recall the company that aimed for an audience of “groovy people” and backed The Moody Blues, Caravan, The Move, Camel, Procol Harum and others

Procol Harum singer’s first-ever song was one of the biggest hits imaginable, but he enjoyed many more career highs with and without the band that made his name

American drummer recalls his life and times with Frank Zappa, Weather Report, Phil Collins, Unitopia and even the Bee Gees

With a pre-King Crimson John Wetton on bass and a clutch of idiosyncratic songs with busy arrangements, the 1972 release cemented Roger Chapman and co’s position as one of the most influential bands of the era

The 1973 release steered a new line-up into uncharted waters, resulting in a work that could only have been made by a band who were “prepared to jump off the cliff”

Ram's influence on second-generation Beatles fans-turned-musicians cannot be underestimated

How the UK prog legends took on a surrogate German line-up and reclaimed their prog drown with new album The Other Side

Jazz rocker explores modes, plaintive tones and mysticism on his album, featuring old bandmate Dave Bainbridge

1971's Once Again album. only the band's second album, saw Oldham's prog quartet Barclay James Harvest working with an orchestra to striking effect

Semi-biographical time-travel story The Circus And The Nightwhale echoes the intentions (but not the music) of Genesis’ The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper

They were forced into an untimely demise after just three years. But the unique bond of two synth geniuses left a catalogue that justifies their reputation as a “thinking man’s band”

Lessons learned from Frank Zappa and always-on personal connections mean they avoid the pitfalls that can kill jam band performances

Chris Wright operated a business model that was more like a balancing act, with jail as the penalty for toppling - but Procol Harum, Trevor Rabin, Gentle Giant and others benefited from the approach

The multi-genre drummer spent over two decades with the band – but insists it was surprisingly easy to leave when the time came

The “brothers in keyboards” had plans for a show together, a tour with Jon Lord and perhaps even an album before tragedy made it all impossible

Now Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch has moved from the kitchen to the stage, he enjoys ”giving a heavy kicking to received opinion”