Purple disco machine

The grand parade of lifeless packaging? Far from it, as this much-delayed blockbuster reissue of one of prog’s most fascinating and frustrating albums finally proves.

Every month we get inside the mind of one of the biggest names in music. This issue: Roy Harper . Since the mid-60s, the progressive folk singer-songwriter has enjoyed a successful solo career that’s also found him collaborating with everyone from Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel to Kate Bush and Ian Anderson. But he’s never quite reached the commercial heights of his peers. As his Final Tour: Part Two fast approaches, he looks back over highlights from his career so far and teases a brand-new album.

The Thom Yorke collaborator and electronic musician discusses working with the Radiohead singer, their latest release Tall Tales and the genius of Gentle Giant.

Robert Reed and Steve Balsamo’s progressive electronic duo Chimpan A are back with their long-awaited third album, the teasingly-titled Music Is Art – Vol. 1 . Comprising original material and some surprising cover versions, the double-length record also includes a host of impressive musical guests. The pair discuss making big-sounding songs, fanboy moments in the studio and their plans to cast us all under the Chimp spell!

IF PARADISE LOST guitarist Gregor Mackintosh gets his wish, music fans might be adding the gloom-driven sounds of his band’s Ascension LP to their Christmas playlists this year, perhaps alongside Yule

The great and good of progressive music give us a glimpse into their prog worlds. As told to Grant Moon.