I went from nice music ti this unhinged stuff

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

The biggest new band of the decade attract devotion like no other – but why? We asked the worshippers who gathered to witness their landmark Download headlining set

WINDINGS NO STRAIGHT ROAD TAKES YOU THERE ...

Album: Without The Pain (Snakefarm Music)

Born in the titular Kent city in the late 60s, the Canterbury scene spawned some of prog’s most creative and quirky acts. From The Wilde Flowers and Soft Machine to Caravan and Gong, each had a distinctive sound and, in many cases, image that captured the hearts and minds of their followers. But the scene’s impact didn’t end in the 70s. Phil Howitt, Facelift editor and Hugh Hopper’s biographer, explores the new breed of progressive acts inspired by it, both consciously and unwittingly, and unearths the secrets of the ‘Canterbury chord’.

PETER GILES