Nobody is better qualified to Tarkus through the genre that wouldn’t die and its sub-categories (from jazz fusion to the art-rock of Roxy, 10cc, Japan) than Jerry Ewing. This colourful, chatty book, classily designed by Carl Glover (known for his artwork with Marillion and Steven Wilson), offers a history and health check of what Ian Anderson called “music for people who get bored easily”, and also argues that the genre is still valid and vibrant.
Paying tribute to the Big Six – Floyd, Genesis, Yes, Tull, ELP and Crimson – it emphasises that none of these icons sound alike. The same applies to its defining albums, from Caravan’s In The Land Of Grey And Pink to Rush’s A Farewell To Kings.
Where prog came from is discussed (Ewing agrees with foreword writer Steve Hackett that“it hails from everywhere”), and so is where it’s going. And it’s going strong.
Entertaining, knowledgeable and essential.
