1977: How Progressive Rock Defied Punk

The prevailing wisdom is that, in 1977, punk rock killed prog - presumably by drowning it in spittle. But is this really true? Not at all! Prog didn’t just survive what turned out to be the short-lived rule of the barbarians, it evolved and arguably, prospered. And in 1977 - the year punk supposedly conquered the world (well, the UK anyway) - many of our most well-established progressive rock bands released some of their best albums, including Pink Floyd’s Animals, Going For The One by Yes, Rush’s A Farewell to Kings, Jethro Tull’s Songs From The Wood and the debut from American band Happy The Man, while Godley and Crème released their astonishing triple album Consequences. These were infinitely varied takes on a genre that was still - for a while at least - in rude health despite the column inches devoted to punk. In this informative, readable and - for punk fans at least - annoying book, Kevan Furbank looks at the progressive rock bands and albums that left punk reeling in the moshpit. To misquote the Sex Pistols, never mind the b*llocks - here’s the progressive rock of 1977.

Now happily retired, Kevan Furbank was Managing Editor of Reach Ireland, publishers of the Irish Daily Mirror and the Irish Daily Star and a journalist on local and national newspapers for more than 40 years. He has published books on local history and written stories, articles and columns on practically every subject under the sun. This is his fifth book for Sonicbond. His music tastes encompass prog, rock, folk and jazz and, in his spare time, he likes to pretend he can play, guitar, bass, ukulele, bouzouki and keyboards. He is married with two grown-up daughters and lives in Northern Ireland.