1973 was the year when the progressive rock reached maturity and public acceptance. Many of the key bands of the era
including Yes, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd
were amongst the biggest selling artists of the year worldwide. Covers 20 of the key albums of the year, plus an overview of the year and the burgeoning selection of sub-genres connected to the best sellers. During a decade that defined progressive rock, 1973 was a pivotal year. Influential bands like Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull and King Crimson released some of their best-selling albums and there was a plethora of releases from less well known, but equally worthy acts. This book is a journey through this creative period; stopping off on route to explore symphonic rock, the Canterbury scene, Krautrock, fusion, progressive folk, art rock, space rock, album artwork and much more. The author was in his late teens in 1973 with an insatiable appetite for music and remembers the period with affection but this book is much more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane. It’s a comprehensive and knowledgeable guide to an era when music with multiple sections, rich textures, intricate time signatures, inspired arrangements and diverse influences performed by skilled musicians was a universal language. For the discerning music lover, it was possible to journey to the dark side of the moon, take a dip in topographic oceans, encounter pot head pixies from a distant planet and still be home in time for larks’ tongues in aspic. AUTHOR: Geoffrey Feakes is an author and music journalist. He has published three previous books, The Moody Blues On Track in 2019 and The Who On Track in 2020 and Steve Hackett On Track in 2021. He has been a writer for the Dutch Progressive Rock Page since 2005 with hundreds of reviews and interviews to his credit. He lives in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK and when he’s not writing, he spends a good deal of time listening to music including contemporary progressive rock.
