1972: When Progressive Rock Ruled The World

1972 was the year progressive rock came of age, when bands and artists still revered today produced some of their most ground-breaking, inventive and enduring musical creations. In this absorbing book, Kevan Furbank looks at some of the artists and albums that made 1972 such a watershed in musical achievement. He follows their development from the first tentative notes and chords to the full-blown recordings that, more than 50 years later, are still seen as masterpieces of the genre, and the gold standard by which all prog is judged. Travel Close To The Edge with Yes, dance a Foxtrot with Genesis, tussle with Gentle Giant’s Octopus and discover you don’t have to be Thick As A Brick to enjoy Jethro Tull’s 40-minute opus. There’s a Trilogy by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, some Demons And Wizards from Uriah Heep, and a Grave New World courtesy of The Strawbs. The author also ‘Focuses’ on manic yodelling, the End Of The World (Aphrodite’s Child), an island Obscured By Clouds (Pink Floyd) and a cult album by Bo Hansson that could be hobbit-forming. Written with passion and wit, the book is a must-have book for every music-lover with an open mind and open ears.

Now retired, Kevan Furbank was Managing Editor Reach Ireland, publishers of the Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Daily Star and a journalist on local and national newspapers for more than 40 years. He has published books on local history and written stories, articles and columns on practically every subject under the sun. This is his fourth book for Sonicbond. His music tastes encompass prog, rock, folk and jazz and in his spare time, he likes to pretend he can play guitar, bass and mandolin. He lives in Holywood, Northern Ireland, and is married with two grown-up daughters.

© 2025 Sonicbond Publishing (Ebook): 9781789522075

Release date

Ebook: 11 March 2025