Rick Steve

True believers in the prog rock gospel don't really need to know anything about this disc beyond the fact that it's a solo album by Yes, Asia, and GTR alumnus Steve Howe. Prog rock agnostics will be a bit more wary, but may take comfort from the power-trio instrumentation and from the presence of bassist Tony Levin, who is the very Buddha of taste and professionalism…

Originally released in 1979, this album of Hillage's self-styled "elektric gypsy musick" was spread across two vinyl discs; when subsequently reissued during the digital era the guitarist/singer's cosmic space rock set - including a version of George Harrison's "It's All Too Much" - fit onto a single CD.
The album was recorded at the peak of Hillage's popularity (although peak might be too strong a word!) at a variety of gigs during 1977 and 1978, in and around the London (UK) area. The songs are primarily taken from Hillage's first album "Fish rising", "L" (which appears virtually in full) and "Motivation radio".

After two late-'60s albums on Columbia, Johnny Winter hit his stride in 1970 working with Rick Derringer and the McCoys, now recruited as his sidemen and collaborators (and proving with just about every note here how far they'd gotten past "Hang on Sloopy"). In place of the bluesy focus on his first two albums, Winter extended himself into more of a rock-oriented mode here, in both his singing and his selection of material. This was hard rock with a blues edge, and had a certain commercial smoothness lacking in his earlier work. Derringer's presence on guitar and as a songwriter saw to it that Winter's blues virtuosity was balanced by perfectly placed guitar hooks, and the two guitarists complemented each other perfectly throughout as well.

A brilliant vintage live performance from Gong guitar guru and one of the most innovative guitarists of his era, Steve Hillage! Crystal clear soundboard recording that captures Hillage at the height of his powers with performances from his second solo album including a psychedelic cover of Donovan s Hurdy Gurdy Man plus the epic length Hurdy Gurdy Glissando, Lunar Musick Suite and more!…

Not only did this album help pave the way for progressive rock, but it also introduced the unbridled energy and overall effectiveness of the synthesizer as a bona fide instrument…