Tones behind the tracks

In 1974, Mike Oldfield defied the critics and hit the top of the UK charts with Hergest Ridge, the ambitious follow-up to his unexpectedly successful debut Tubular Bells . To coincide with the release of the 50th-anniversary edition, the musician, his siblings and collaborators recount the story of an album created by an overwhelmed 21-year-old taking refuge near the Welsh borders.

The month’s best guitar music – a hand-picked selection of the finest fretwork on wax

Album: Without The Pain (Snakefarm Music)

Breadcrumbs PROGROCK.COM ESSENTIALS US prog veterans’ first ...

Dennis Morris is most famous for his images of music superstars and documentary work in London. He spoke to Steve Fairclough about his major new retrospective exhibition and book

Strawbs co-founder Dave Cousins died in July following a long illness. The singer, songwriter and guitarist enjoyed an active musical career spanning more than six decades and has been name-checked by many musicians as a key influence and inspiration. We reflect on his rich legacy and reveal plans for a number of posthumous releases, including the long-awaited new Strawbs album.