Progressive Rock 90,s

After Arthur Brown briefly ascended to stardom via the Crazy World of Arthur Brown's only album, it was a long three-year gap until the release of the next LP bearing his lead vocals, Kingdom Come's Galactic Zoo Dossier. (Although the material on Brown's Strangelands had been recorded in the interim, that record wasn't released until the late '80s.) And if not for Brown's immediately recognizable vocal histrionics, it could be the work of an entirely different artist. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown's exhilaratingly jazzy, madcap psychedelia had been jettisoned for far darker excursions into mordant early progressive rock.

Clepsydra is a Swiss neo-progressive band that was formed in 1990 by Aluisio Maggini (vocals), Lele Hofmann (guitars), Philip Hubert (keyboards), Andy Thommen (bass) and Pietro Duca (drums). In 1991 Clepsydra released their first album "Hologram", which was followed by the EP "Fly Man" in 1993. Clepsydra then signed to InsideOut, who released their second album "More Grains of Sand" in 1994. This CD included the song Moonshine on Heights, which by many is regarded as neo-prog classic. 1994 also saw them performing two songs on national Swiss TV, a rare occurrence for a progressive rock band at that time.

Coming out of the ashes of the Crazy World of Arthur Browne, Atomic Rooster always had the reputation of being an early progressive rock band. In many ways, they do not really fit into that progressive rock label, coming across as a lot more straightforward and less adventurous than many of that ilk. However, they really did present a very unique sound that seemed to build on the strangeness of Brown's outfit while infusing it with a more serious tone. This compilation includes quite a few killer cuts from the group's career. Seeming to be a good introduction to the sound of this outfit.

Clepsydra is a Swiss neo-progressive band that was formed in 1990 by Aluisio Maggini (vocals), Lele Hofmann (guitars), Philip Hubert (keyboards), Andy Thommen (bass) and Pietro Duca (drums). In 1991 Clepsydra released their first album "Hologram", which was followed by the EP "Fly Man" in 1993. Clepsydra then signed to InsideOut, who released their second album "More Grains of Sand" in 1994. This CD included the song Moonshine on Heights, which by many is regarded as neo-prog classic. 1994 also saw them performing two songs on national Swiss TV, a rare occurrence for a progressive rock band at that time.

German/British rock band, established 1971 in Krefeld, led by Colin Orr. In Germany, a British band, Janus, who were re-writing the rules of progressive music, by combining ear-shattering rock with classical and flamenco music, were the first band to be signed to Harvest in Germany. They released the legendary “Gravedigger” album, and one single, at the tail end of 1972, but then went into self-destruct mode, by burning through their advance royalties in a 12 month party, which may well have achieved an even greater legendary status than their debut album.

EKSEPTION is a Dutch band that was famous during the late sixties/early seventies for the way it combined themes from classical composers with contemporary rock and jazz in a blend of dominating, virtuoso keys and trumpet plus sax(es). The story of EKSEPTION as we know it begins when they won the first prize at the Loosdrecht Jazz Festival in 1968, and they were rewarded with a record contract with Philips.

Djam Karet is an all instrumental progressive rock, proto-jam band. As evidenced by their sizable catalog of recordings, whose varied sounds and compositions owe to early prog bands such as King Crimson, Soft Machine, and Pink Floyd, and jam rockers the Grateful Dead, they also hold several traits in common with peer explorers Porcupine Tree and Ozric Tentacles. Founded in 1984 in the Los Angeles area, the group's "trademark" sound is characterized by a shapeshifting meld of blistering guitar solos, ambient and atmospheric sonic passages, organic and electronic drums, and prodigious use of old-school prog rock keyboards alongside postmodern sampling technologies.

The release of Good Time Warrior by Lucifer's Friend saw the departure of legendary rock vocalist John Lawton (who exited for a stint as Uriah Heep vocalist) and the entrance of another English talent Mike Starrs. The album also marked a change of direction for the group. Earlier albums like Mind Exploding and Where the Groupies Killed the Blues demonstrated the German groups flair for progressive and experimental rock,while Good Time Warrior contained a more straight ahead rock sound. Such tracks as "Old Man Roller" and "Sweet Little Lady" demonstrate this the best and pave the way for future band releases such as Sneak Me In and Sumo Grip. The albums last cut "Warriors" is a lengthy and moody piece which harkens to the groups earlier sound while providing a solid platfrom for Starrs' vocals.