The Progressive Underground Volume Two - Softcover

Rowland, Kev

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1908728884 ISBN 13: 9781908728883

Publisher: Gonzo Multimedia, 2019

Synopsis

Contrary to popular belief, progressive rock didn't disappear with the advent of punk, and the lack of media support didn't prevent new bands from forming and new music being created, it just drove it underground. It is hard to imagine these days, with everyone being permanently connected, but there was a time not long ago when communication was by word of mouth and letter. With no coverage by much of the media, it was down to fanzines and independent magazines to spread the word of what was happening within the progressive rock scene, what was being released, and who was worth going to see in concert. Most of these magazines survived for just a few issues, while others continued for many years, all having their part to play in spreading the word. One of the most important during this period was 'Feedback'. It initially started as the newsletter of Mensa's Rock Music Special Interest Group in 1988, but when Kev Rowland became secretary in 1990, he determined to turn it into a magazine promoting music which often wasn't being written about in the mainstream press. 'Feedback' soon became one of the key promoters of the underground progressive scene, and Kev one of the most well-known and popular reviewers. He also became a contributor to Rock 'n' Reel, as well as writing for the Ghostland website in the early days of prog on the web. 
 
Following on from the success of Volume 1, which covers all his progressive reviews from 1991-2006 for artists A-H, he has now returned with the second of the three-volume series, this time featuring artists I-S. The final volume of the set will follow in a few months' time which contains the rest of the alphabet, DVD and video reviews, various artist and short reviews, plus interviews and gig reviews. This set provides the most comprehensive look ever compiled of a forgotten period of the genre. It was while reading yet another "definitive" book on progressive rock that Rowland realized no-one had ever really written about "his scene", the one which he has been so heavily involved for more than half his lifetime. This series of books attempts to address that. It never proclaims to be definitive or comprehensive, but rather here are the honestly given reviews of a self-confessed proghead, whose only agenda has ever been to try and promote music and musicians he felt should be heard.  
 
Along with the other two volumes in this series, this shines a spotlight onto a time when there were very few writings about the music in a constructive manner. Finally, it is again possible to discover some great music from wonderful bands, and this should be used as a guide to expand collections and understand that prog rock really didn't die, it just went underground.

About this title

About the Author

From 1990 - 2006 Kev Rowland ran Feedback fanzine in the UK, often writing about bands that were never covered in the mainstream press. He built close ties with many of the British prog groups in particular, including writing the newsletter for Freewill, getting gigs for Credo and writing the introduction to Galahad's OCMDII compilation. During this period he reviewed literally thousands of cassettes and then CDs from bands from throughout the world, and was lucky enough to interview many of them. He also contributed to the French progzine Acid Dragon, and wrote for Rock 'n' Reel, as well as the Ghostland website.

In 2006 rowland moved to NZ, and stopped running Feedback (which was then renamed Amplified on his departure, at his request) having produced over 80 editions with more than 11,000 pages of print and heaven knows how many reviews and interviews.

Although he stopped writing and reviewing when he came over to NZ, Rowland was gradually brought back into the scene and started contributing to many different sites and magazines. He is heavily involved with Prog Archives, wrote the booklets for the Red Jasper reissues, and generally tries to be as involved in the scene as he was previously. However, this all stopped in 2014 when he started to compile all his progressive reviews and interviews from Feedback into a digital format - remember, when he originally started it was using a typewriter and many of the reviews were only available in hard copy. It took more than two years to complete the initial draft, which contained more than half a million words, and Gonzo Media decided to have the text broken into three volumes and also include artwork of the covers in full cover. 

When he isn't listening to music, writing about music, or thinking about music, then he can be found on his lifestyle block in Canterbury with his wonderful and long-suffering wife Sara, and their 8 cats, 5 dogs, chickens, sheep, lambs, calves and cattle. Oh, apparently he has a day job as well. 

From the Back Cover

In this hurly burly world of rock and roll it is a damned rare thing indeed to find a journalist who you can say was 'there at the start'. Well Kev Rowland was there, back in the mists of time when the 90's Progressive Rock revival kicked in. Kev was always writing to us and other bands to catch up on the latest gigs, music releases and general prog chit chat. That was in the days when you had to write on an actual piece of paper, get a stamp, go to the post office. It took effort and Kev Rowland did that and is still making the effort to keep the good ship prog afloat today! Long may he continue.

Nick Barrett (Pendragon)

As an avid reader of Kevin's reviews over many years I am looking forward to this compilation encapsulating a fascinating era for Progressive Rock.

Martin Orford (IQ, Jadis)

From the Inside Flap

Foreword

I have been privileged to have lived with a copy of this book for a few months now, and to have known Kevin for a very long time.

I remember the first time I met him: his enthusiasm and knowledge of "the music"was addictive. I was trudging around the lower ends of the British Neo Prog scene at the time, my then band Casual Affair had been working hard for close to ten years, released a vinyl single, an album, even a long form VHS concert video, and generally whored our arses off trying to get an elusive major deal, disillusioned and exhausted by music, and my private life a "car crash" of epic proportions. We (The Band) played to the same fifty people wherever in the country we played, response was always great, but we could not break out of that circle. The British Prog scene was dying on its feet, and so were we.

Kev offered a personal and professional glimmer of light, a genuine, honest hard-working guy, whose love for music matched my own. His knowledge of the obscure bands rivalled mine. He instantly felt like a "brother from a different mother". Our relationship became more professional when he kindly agreed to represent my new band (following the demise of Casual Affair), 'Freewill', working on our newsletters and helping us with gigs.

That band folded quickly, but our friendship became stronger. I was a witness at his wedding to the ever-patient Sara, and when I eventually got married and had children he was the obvious choice to be 'God Father' to one of my sons.

Credo were just about to start a bit of a trajectory at this point, and the pages you are about to read not only chronicle a period of my life with Casual Affair, Freewill and ultimately Credo, but more importantly the entire underground Neo Prog and Rock scene in the UK.

I remember many happy hours with Kev, at gigs I was playing, bands we werewatching, family days, drunken nights (which I won't elaborate on here!). All fuelled by his encyclopaedic knowledge of the music scene, interest in the bands, and the people involved.

Sadly, for me, and I suspect for us both, Kev moved to the other side of the world just as Credo hit a run of great gigs and reviews around the world. We still have kept in touch, and my abiding wish is that one day I will look out into anaudience and see him there again.

Until then, be like me, gorge yourself on the contents and memories in this book, relive those timeless moments, see if the predictions for world fame ever came true, and reflect on the reviewer's initial thoughts on albums that have since become classics.

All that is left for me as I enter my twenty-fifth year as vocalist with Credo is to say, thanks Kev for the memories, and then, even more thanks for putting those memories into a book we can all enjoy.

Hope you enjoy the book, buckle up tight, and, come on, lets party like it's1992.........

Mark Colton, Credo

Edition details

• Publisher: Gonzo Multimedia
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1908728884
• ISBN 13: 9781908728883
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 340