Now, it might seem strange to review a documentary on UFOs on a site like this, but this 1978 documentary UFO Journals deserves special mention. First, and foremost, the narrator. He has that tone of voice where it’s just so hilarious that it’s hard to believe anything that comes out of his mouth. The subjects […] Continue reading →

It seems like in the 1990s, many prog rock artists have been recording sequels to their classic albums that were released in the 1970s. For example, Mike Oldfield giving us Tubular Bells in 1973, and then in 1992 giving us Tubular Bells II and in 1998 giving us Tubular Bells III. Rick Wakeman gave us […] Continue reading →

In December 1972, the original lineup of Ash Ra Tempel, that consisted of guitarist Manuel Göttsching, bassist Hartmut Enke, and drummer/keyboardist Klaus Schulze (who just came back after recording his first solo album, Irrlicht in 1972) made their return and got to work recording Join Inn, which was released in April, 1973. After experimenting with […] Continue reading →

Family’s Music in a Doll’s House (1968) is perhaps one of the finest examples of psychedelia I know of. But of course, the band couldn’t stay on the psychedelic route forever. Between Music in a Doll’s House and this one, Fearless, the band had released three more albums, Family Entertainment (1969), A Song For Me […] Continue reading →

I generally don’t consider myself a fan of Kraftwerk, at least not the electronic pop albums they released from the mid 1970s to the 1980s. I admit they were largely influencial, for good or for bad, the electronic pop and new wave of the early 1980s (you wouldn’t have the likes of Gary Numan, Human […] Continue reading →

After experimenting with a couple of big band jazz fusion albums in 1972 with Waka Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo, Zappa decided to record an album of more standard rock songs, but with Zappa’s usual eccentric lyrics. Zappa decided to resurrect the Mothers, but by this time, the Mothers only existed by name only (he […] Continue reading →

You may know C.J. Stone for being a past Guardian columnist, but it is this book where he really allows the reader into his past. An autobiography, The Last of the Hippies is a quirky insight into the life of the extraordinary Brummie, complete with graphic details of his past drug habit and rampant sex […] Continue reading →

It’s really interesting to hear how Van der Graaf Generator progressed over four albums from the folky psychedelic proto-progressive sound of The Aerosol Grey Machine (1969) right up to the far more aggressive and hard-edge sounds of Pawn Hearts, their fourth album released late in 1971. Pawn Hearts is regarded by many as their high […] Continue reading →

Porcupine Tree was basically a project lead by Steven Wilson. Their earliest albums was recorded all by Wilson himself, but once he decided to tour, he assembled a real band. Like the Ozric Tentacles, Porcupine Tree got started by releasing privately-issued cassettes. Those cassettes were Tarquin’s Seaweed Farm (1989) and The Nostalgia Factory (1991). Their […] Continue reading →

The Dutch Experience The inside story: 30 years of hash and grass coffeeshops By Nol van Schaik Reviewed by Skip Stone BUY THIS BOOK! With this compelling book, Nol van Schaik, has done what no one else dared; expose the inside workings of the Dutch Coffeeshop system. In doing so, he reveals the truth about […] Continue reading →