Latest articles by Sid Smith
“Robert Fripp said he wanted to revolutionise rock’n’roll with us. I wasn’t sure, given what I’d just heard. But they were about to throw us out the squat”: The League Of Gentlemen led to Beat-era King Crimson
The band lasted only seven months, and felt like a bad movie for some of those involved – but the musical experiment inspired Fripp to reform King Crimson for their 80s brilliance
Mike Oldfield’s personal bravery shines throughout Hergest Ridge: 50th Anniversary
Long overshadowed by illustrious predecessor Tubular Bells, his 1974 hymn to the British landscape has never sounded so brooding or beautiful
“We broke up… Somehow we kept going”: The story of King Crimson’s remarkable Beat era
What happened when the eternally unpredictable prog machine returned in the 80s with an Anglo-American line-up and delivered Discipline, Beat and Three Of A Perfect Pair
Jack Bruce’s Harmony Row; more prog than you might know
Leaving Cream behind, his third solo album was a proggy affair, composed in a single sitting, exploring one day in the world of a Glasgow tenement
John McLaughlin doesn’t know why his music sold so well. In fact, he knows he knows nothing
The jazz rock pioneer on being fast and loud, walking away from success, and why a musician is actually exploring the meaning of life
Pink Floyd At Pompeii – MCMLXXII is a stunning historical artefact
Restoration shines new light on classic footage shot during a transitional moment that would change music for ever
Adrian Belew on survival, orchestra music and Frank Zappa
Now touring with King Crimson offshoot Beat, the Bowie, Shatner and Hancock collaborator has long been confident that the future is secure on the road – which pleases him because he loves it
Why Bill Bruford demoted himself from the King Crimson, Yes and Genesis league
Bill Bruford retired in 2009 and later sold most of his equipment to Tool’s Danny Carey. Then he found he wasn’t finished on stage – and he’s come back re-energised
“Gong’s appeal? Not becoming too commercially successful”: Daevid Allen’s grateful farewell
Months before his death from cancer, he encapsulated his unique vision in a forward-looking album, then left others to continue his work
Peter Sinfield, the prog poet who gave voices to King Crimson, ELP and Roxy Music
Lyricist, art director, producer and all-round creative who aimed to enlighten, provoke or stir died in November 2024 without being fully aware of what he’d achieved
“We were whisked off in a limo and I joined them on their Learjet. I overslept in Jon’s hotel suite because they’d been very generous with spliffs”: My 39 days as a cosmic brother of Yes, by Gryphon’s Brian Gulland
He once gatecrashed Chris Squire’s dressing room because he knew nothing about concerts. Later, when his own band were at their proggiest, he took everything he could out of opening on Yes’ Relayer tour of 1974
"He was such an interesting man. A funny combination of intensity and craziness." King Crimson's Jamie Muir remembered...
King Crimson biographer and Prog writer Sid Smith pays tribute to percussionist Jamie Muir, who died this weekend, aged 82
“Things come more difficult to him than anyone”: Peter Gabriel, as seen by his collaborators
Robert Fripp, Ian Anderson, Steven Wilson, Martin Scorsese, Mike Portnoy, Tom Morello, Trevor Rabin and many others share their thoughts on the Progfather
"Behind those dark glasses and unsmiling visage, he presented an inscrutable presence." Soft Machine's Mike Ratledge remembered
Prog writer Sid Smith pays tribute to the former Soft Machine founder and keyboard player Mike Ratledge, who sadly died after a short illness, aged 81
“These pieces aren’t so much produced as dramatised”: Soft Machine’s Softs vinyl remaster
John Etheridge’s arrival adds a harder, defined edge to the band’s 1976 album
“Manifesting grief too terrible for words”: David Crosby’s solo debut carries prog credentials
If I Could Only Remember My Name, created during a challenging time in the folk rock icon’s life, demonstrated joy in artistic freedom as he pushed boundaries to prove his uniqueness
Dave Cousins’ life with Strawbs, Rick Wakeman, Sandy Denny and Led Zeppelin
Prog veteran recalls connecting with Sandy Denny, his band’s attempt to fire him, being loved by Led Zeppelin, why they’ve never had a Steven Wilson remix, the “albatross” of Part Of The Union and the unreleased, more political version
“We’d play cards on stage. Ian had no clue”: Ex Jethro Tull members share favourite moments
Mick Abrahams, Clive Bunker, Jeffrey Hammond, Peter John Vettese and Tony Iommi recall what they learned from – or what they did to – band leader Ian Anderson
Ben Short saved a Stravinsky album from a skip, and A Formal Horse was the result
The avant-rockers released debut album Here Comes A Man From The Council With A Flamethrower in 2019, when their guitarist-vocalist told Prog how they took their time and finally got there
How Yes struggled then scored with 1974 album Relayer, in their own words
The band suffered a few false starts before delivering a triumph with a daring album that explored a new kind of energy
Elephant9’s Mythical River has tributaries including ELP, John Paul Jones and coffee
Latest album Mythical River has artistic tributaries including John Paul Jones, Motorpsycho, Hedvig Mollestad Trio, Dungen, Red Kite – and also coffee
Kevin Ayers’ All This Crazy Gift Of Time box set is a delight - especially the live sets
Lavish 10-disc package celebrates the Canterbury legend, with hard work done to deliver contemporary commentary and revitalize his 1970 Hyde Park show
“Curiously retro, these tunes are mostly short and to the point”: Steve Howe’s Guitarscape
Inspired by a new synth, the Yes veteran has created something of a taster showreel in his latest outing with son Dylan
