Classic Rock 77 Items

In 1995, Zao released their first album, "All Else Failed," on Steadfast Records. Never a band to repeat a past success and always searching for new boundaries to push within their own music, "The Well-Intentioned Virus" finds Zao utilizing just as many familiar touchstones from their catalog as introducting new ones. Dense and clastrophobic one moment, beautiful and spacious the next. Vinyl version includes digital download.

Yes (1969) is considered among the first progressive Rock albums. We've included a bonus LP to the original package, with early versions of other songs, previously not included on the album. With remastered audio and augmented by a 4-page booklet, this is an essential Prog collector's item!

Historical Graffiti is the band’s fourth full-length, out in 2016. Gary Arce, the guitarist, seems comfortable sitting on a single vamp throughout the opener ‘The Wind Cries Edalyn’, allowing the additions of violin and bandoleon accordion (played by the tango musicians Sara Ryan and Adolfo Trepiana, respectively) to weave melodies in between. Despite the titular connection to the Jimi Hendrix song, it bears no discernible resemblance to ‘The Wind Cries Mary’ and it is a deceptive number; what seems such a simple, almost easy-listening song reveals more colour with every listen. ‘Her Phantom Finger of Copenhagen’ is slightly darker and almost sounds, with the slight distortion on Arce’s guitar, as if it could have come from Pot Head, the EP the band released in 2005. Mario Lalli, the bass player, begins the third song, ‘Naomi Crayola’ with a throbbing single note, aided by Bill Stimson’s metronomic drumming. Imagine if Can grew up near the beach, it’s that sort of vibe. The only problem with the song – and the album, as it happens – is that it is too short. Ryan’s violin returns in ‘The Secret Language of Elephants’, this time playing the role of keeping the main vamp alive while Arce’s guitar generates an evocative soundscape that opens in your mind a wide, violet sky like that above a desert the moment after the sun disappears for the night. The closing song and title track is the most free of the five on the album, with Stimson’s beat conjuring memories of Kyuss’s more mellow moments from Welcome to Sky Valley, Lalli’s bass marking the simplest of bottom ends and Arce having a ball over the top. (taken from the band's Bandcamp)

Historical Graffiti is the band’s fourth full-length, out in 2016. Gary Arce, the guitarist, seems comfortable sitting on a single vamp throughout the opener ‘The Wind Cries Edalyn’, allowing the additions of violin and bandoleon accordion (played by the tango musicians Sara Ryan and Adolfo Trepiana, respectively) to weave melodies in between. Despite the titular connection to the Jimi Hendrix song, it bears no discernible resemblance to ‘The Wind Cries Mary’ and it is a deceptive number; what seems such a simple, almost easy-listening song reveals more colour with every listen. ‘Her Phantom Finger of Copenhagen’ is slightly darker and almost sounds, with the slight distortion on Arce’s guitar, as if it could have come from Pot Head, the EP the band released in 2005. Mario Lalli, the bass player, begins the third song, ‘Naomi Crayola’ with a throbbing single note, aided by Bill Stimson’s metronomic drumming. Imagine if Can grew up near the beach, it’s that sort of vibe. The only problem with the song – and the album, as it happens – is that it is too short. Ryan’s violin returns in ‘The Secret Language of Elephants’, this time playing the role of keeping the main vamp alive while Arce’s guitar generates an evocative soundscape that opens in your mind a wide, violet sky like that above a desert the moment after the sun disappears for the night. The closing song and title track is the most free of the five on the album, with Stimson’s beat conjuring memories of Kyuss’s more mellow moments from Welcome to Sky Valley, Lalli’s bass marking the simplest of bottom ends and Arce having a ball over the top. (taken from the band's Bandcamp)

Mexican rock had a strong renaissance in the eighties, when most bands, majorly coming from the prog scene, turned to Spanish language again. One of the big acts from that era was Jorge Reyes' led Chac Mool. Chac Mool counted on its ranks with Carlos Alvarado, who was an accomplished musician on its own and who would record one of the most interesting electronic prog albums of the era, on which Reyes also collaborated. Originally released on mexican private label Momia in 1980. Carlos Alvarado's Via Lactea (Milky Way) is now reissued on vinyl 35 years later. Eurock was especially interested in electronic Cosmic Music exploring both the inner and outer spaces of sound and consciousness. Of all the great music I had heard from Germany’s Klaus Schulze to Tangerine Dream & Spain’s own Neuronium, the album by Carlos stood apart from the rest. The Wah Wah reissue, made under license from and with the help of Carlos Alvarado himself, comes with remastered sound and will include one bonus track not on the original LP. Like the original, it will be housed on a flapped envelope style cover, this time in luxury silk screened metallic copper cardboard. Features are a colour insert with photos and notes, plus a bonus Momia sticker based on the one given on the original release. This is a limited edition, only 500 copies pressed.

Psychedelic Garage & Heavy Psych From The Golden Voice Label'. If you think that all the cool & obscure U.S garage-psych 45s have been already exhumed, please listen to this! Golden Voice was a custom label and state-of-the art studio based in Pekin, Illinois. In the 1960s-'70s, countless garage bands from the area recorded there, releasing custom-made 45s in very limited quantities. This vibrating scene had not been documented, 'til the release of this 15-track compilation. The music here is prime cut hard psychedelia, punk-a-delic sounds and proto hard-rock from the late '60s-early '70s with lot of fuzz-wah guitars, groovy organs and effects. All tracks are taken from obscure 45s and previously unreleased master tapes.

60s hard-to-find garage classics from the Downey label!

Alle fünf Studioalben der Band um Rio Reiser versammelt auf acht 180g Vinyl-Platten in dieser Box plus Buch und Poster sind wieder erhältlich.

Live at Leeds is the first live vinyl record by the English rock band The Who. It was the only live album that was released while the group were still actively recording and performing with their best known line-up of Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon. The complete 33 track set form Leeds University, 14 February 1970. Mastered At Abbey Road Studios. This record was cut using half-speed mastering. In their early prime the Who hit #4 U.S. with "Tommy" ('69), "Who's Next" ('71) and maybe the best live album ever, "Live at Leeds." The 1970 LP only featured six songs from the band's storming set at Leeds. The 1995 CD upped the songs from that show to 14, then a 2-CD edition (2001) finally unveiled all 33 songs the Who played at Leeds-but the running order was not true to the original performance. That "Leeds" us (sorry) to this: the 180-gram triple-vinyl deluxe edition, which restores their storied set's original sequence and boasts superior sound due to half-speed mastering at Abbey Road. If ever an album was meant to be turned up to 11, it's this: "I Can't Explain," "Young Man Blues," "Happy Jack," "Substitute," "The Acid Queen," "Pinball Wizard," "Tommy Can You Hear Me?," "I'm Free," "Summertime Blues," "My Generation," "Magic Bus" and more of the Who on stage at their electrifying best in 1970! Universal UK.

“Havana Moon” captures the historic, once in a lifetime concert by The Rolling Stones in Havana, Cuba on 25th March 2016. Directed by Paul Dugdale (Adele, Coldplay) this epic, record breaking concert is packed with hits and classic tracks. Filmed at the end of the “América Latina Olé” Tour, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood performed a truly spectacular set to an estimated 1,2 million adoring fans. The highly anticipated free show attracted a huge audience in the same week as President Obama became the first serving US President to visit Cuba in 88 years. TV News reported that Obama was 'the warm up act' for the Rolling Stones and Obama paid tribute to the Stones in his first speech to the world's media in Havana. As the Stones took to the stage under a perfect “Havana Moon” for a show that will forever go down in history books as a life changing moment for a country on the brink of change, there was nothing that was going to come between the band and their fans including the Vatican in Rome who had objected to rock n roll in Havana on Good Friday.
This release contains 3LPs and the DVD.

UK psychedelia moved into prog rock with spices of hard rock in the late sixties, some even coined a new label to describe the strong textures resulting of the mixture of rockier blues sounds, jazz, revolutionized freakbeat and the hardest side of popsike - ‘heavy psych’. Amongst the best works of the era were the two splendid LPs recorded by Welsh band Eyes Of Blue.

The Eyes Of Blue where formed in 1966 and soon won the Melody Maker Beat Contest, a fact that secured them a recording deal with Deram records. The label issued their first 45s, they were good but -due to company pressure- more Blue Eyed Soul or even bubblegum oriented. By the time they released their first LP, on Mercury, their real sound had surfaced, showing influences by some of the coolest bands from the US West Coast like The Doors or Love, and also counted on the help of Graham Bond.

Originally released in 1969, In Fields Of Ardath was the follow up to their superb debut LP, expanding the path of heavy Hammond based psychedelic progressive rock at its best with their aim of experimentation. This album contains also material they recorded for the movie Toy Grabbers in collaboration with Quincy Jones.

Members of Eyes Of Blue would later join Man, Pete Brown & Piblokto! and Gentle Giant.

First ever legit vinyl reissue, in a limited run of only 500 copies, including two bonus tracks from a non-LP 45, in remastered sound and featuring an insert with photos and liner notes.

Quarta Pagina (Poliziesco) is an unique obscure recording by The Braen's Machine Now available for all music library lovers." - Despite a long series of reissues and rediscoveries that are throwing the ultimate light on one of the most fascinating and enigmatic periods of Italian music history - that of sonifications - the project that goes by the name Braen's Machine continues to evade categorization, and positive information. If you are among the many who got their hands on the beautiful "Underground", republished by Schema a few months ago, you will already know of the involvement of, among others, Piero Umiliani, Alessandro Alessandroni - the name Braen seems to be his alias - and Oronzo (Rino) De Filippi, real name of the other credited author, the mysterious Gisleri. For this new chapter from Braen's Machine, the beautiful and hard to come by "Quarta Pagina (Poliziesco)", published apparently in 300 copies, there are few available pieces of information, pointing to an involvement of Giuliano Sorgini, hidden under the name of Raskovich, and author of five out of the eleven tracks on the release.

The lack of reliable information and the enigmatic flavor surrounding the project Braen's Machine, as opposed to the ease with which the music allows us instant identification, are among the secrets that make their records unique. Unlike "Underground", "Quarta pagina" portrays with great skill some possible - who knows if they ever have been realized - crime scenes, with hard-boiled and dark atmospheres, alternating with the psych funk rides that have always characterized many of the projects related to the Italian cinematic genre. All this without excluding, however, avant-garde attitudes and atonal passages that makes "Quarta pagina (Poliziesco)" comparable to the best pages of the Gruppo d'Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza.

The track titles, fascinating as usual, tell of "Fraud", "Shadowing", "Remorse", "Soliciting", and emphasize decisive moments as in the case of "The Victim", "On the Run" or "In Prison", while the indications that accompany the pieces will be a treat for fanatical collectors of sonifications. It's not that hard to imagine situations of "exotic full moon, preparation for a violent action, spiritualism, facing fear, sexual freedom, preparation for a revolt" while listening to these precious eleven tracks, which alternate between "slow and animated". And, believe it, you don't even need a dose of LSD (as per the advice of "The Den") in order to travel back to 1971, the year of the album's first release. A page 4 ("Quarta pagina") crime story perhaps, but a legacy of sound that largely deserves a nine-column headline on the front page ...

“Live At The Hollywood Bowl” shows the great and magic atmosphere of the band’s sold out concerts in the Hollywood Bowl from the years 1964 and 1965. This is the first ever vinyl release of the material. The records are pressed on 180g vinyl and will be housed in a beautiful gatefold cover.

Like a puff of smoke, Stoned Jesus have risen above the Carpathian Mountains as not only the heaviest, but perhaps the most important rock band to emerge from Ukraine. Prior to Stoned Jesus' first communion, affable frontman Igor Sydorenko was just another familiar face among local progressive rockers. But after rekindling his old flame for metal amidst a stormy period in his personal life, Igor and his two new bandmates went off in search of more crushing highs. When it first arrived back in 2014, even Stoned Jesus were surprised by The Harvest. Having already reached the summit of stoner metal after just two albums, the band planned on digging into their progressive rock roots. With its synth-laden passages and weaving guitar solo, "Silkworm Confessions'' definitely sows those seeds. But while it leans heavily into the album's sci-fi narrative, "Here Come the Robots" comes busting out the gate with a hard-charging riff that's so aggressively catchy, it could've been programmed by alt-rock radio. "Yet another proposition / I don't want this anymore", Igor rattles off with biting swagger. With The Harvest, Stoned Jesus reaped fresh seeds of invention from stoner metal. For fans of Queens of the Stone Age, Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath 1. Here Come The Robots 2. Wound (03:14)3. Rituals Of The Sun 4. YFS (05:10)5. Silkworm Confessions 6. Black Church

Like a puff of smoke, Stoned Jesus have risen above the Carpathian Mountains as not only the heaviest, but perhaps the most important rock band to emerge from Ukraine. Prior to Stoned Jesus' first communion, affable frontman Igor Sydorenko was just another familiar face among local progressive rockers. But after rekindling his old flame for metal amidst a stormy period in his personal life, Igor and his two new bandmates went off in search of more crushing highs. When it first arrived back in 2014, even Stoned Jesus were surprised by The Harvest. Having already reached the summit of stoner metal after just two albums, the band planned on digging into their progressive rock roots. With its synth-laden passages and weaving guitar solo, "Silkworm Confessions'' definitely sows those seeds. But while it leans heavily into the album's sci-fi narrative, "Here Come the Robots" comes busting out the gate with a hard-charging riff that's so aggressively catchy, it could've been programmed by alt-rock radio. "Yet another proposition / I don't want this anymore", Igor rattles off with biting swagger. With The Harvest, Stoned Jesus reaped fresh seeds of invention from stoner metal. For fans of Queens of the Stone Age, Electric Wizard, Black Sabbath 1. Here Come The Robots 2. Wound (03:14)3. Rituals Of The Sun 4. YFS (05:10)5. Silkworm Confessions 6. Black Church

Like a puff of smoke, Stoned Jesus have risen above the Carpathian Mountains as not only the heaviest, but perhaps the most important rock band to emerge from Ukraine. Prior to Stoned Jesus' first communion, affable frontman Igor Sydorenko was just another familiar face among local progressive rockers. But after rekindling his old flame for metal amidst a stormy period in his personal life, Igor and his two new bandmates went off in search of more crushing highs. While only their second album, Seven Thunders Roar marks an early milestone for Stoned Jesus. The riffs still roll downhill with all the sludgy force of a mudslide, but the band added crisp acoustic guitars to reflect their newfound inner strength. "Climbing up", Igor sings on "I Am The Mountain", a 16-minute instant classic that charges through lush folksy valleys and peaks of headbanging doom at full steam. "And we're never going to stop". For fans of Black Sabbath, Sleep, Electric Wizard. 1. Bright Like The Morning 2. Electric Mistress 3. Indian 4. I'm The Mountain 5. Stormy Monday 6. Bright Like The Morning (Extended) 7. Stormy Monday (Extended) 8. I'm The Mountain (Extended)

Like a puff of smoke, Stoned Jesus have risen above the Carpathian Mountains as not only the heaviest, but perhaps the most important rock band to emerge from Ukraine. Prior to Stoned Jesus' first communion, affable frontman Igor Sydorenko was just another familiar face among local progressive rockers. But after rekindling his old flame for metal amidst a stormy period in his personal life, Igor and his two new bandmates went off in search of more crushing highs. While only their second album, Seven Thunders Roar marks an early milestone for Stoned Jesus. The riffs still roll downhill with all the sludgy force of a mudslide, but the band added crisp acoustic guitars to reflect their newfound inner strength. "Climbing up", Igor sings on "I Am The Mountain", a 16-minute instant classic that charges through lush folksy valleys and peaks of headbanging doom at full steam. "And we're never going to stop". For fans of Black Sabbath, Sleep, Electric Wizard. 1. Bright Like The Morning 2. Electric Mistress 3. Indian 4. I'm The Mountain 5. Stormy Monday 6. Bright Like The Morning (Extended) 7. Stormy Monday (Extended) 8. I'm The Mountain (Extended)

180 Gram 45RPM Audiophile Vinyl, Numbered Limited-Edition

Colored Vinyl, download, limited to 2000, indie-retail exclusive Limited edition for Record Store Day 2015!

Straight from the vaults of the legendary Golden Voice Recording Co. comes REMEDY's funky hard-rock boogie sound. Remedy was one of the top live rock bands in Illinois in the early 1970s and their recorded legacy has remained largely unheard until now. This previously unreleased album was created from the restored four-track masters. It includes an insert with a in-depth bio and pictures of this nearly forgotten Pekin, IL band.

Cosmic acid-psych-soul-funk-prog extravaganza from Spain, 1971! A delirious concept album about the solar system and its planets, fuelled by fuzz-wah guitars, powerful and crazy vocals, bizarre electronic effects, Hammond organ, soulful horns and funky drums. This reissue also includes the previously unreleased 'Proyecto B' recordings from 1974, which were meant for the (unissued) second Proyecto A album.
This material features founder Frank Dubé backed by the famous Spanish prog band Iceberg and sax/flute player Juan Mena (ex-Maquina and Eddie Lee Mattison Band). A must for fans of Latin-psych-funk and library/cinematic sounds! The 8-page insert offers rare photos and detailed liner notes in Catalan, Spanish and English.

Love Will Tear Us Apart should have been the band's most shining moment, instead it became their tragic swan song. Released just a month after frontman Ian Curtis' heart wrenching suicide, the song came to be seen as the unheeded warning of the impending tragedy. This special edition features all three versions of the song that transformed Joy Division from mere band into legend. In addition to the original single version, we have two versions remixed by American producers Don Gehman of John Mellencamp fame (the 'radio version') and Arthur Baker (who also produced a hit single for Africa Bambaataa around this same time). The remaining tracks include "These Days" (which appeared on the original "Love Will Tear Us Apart" single), along with "Transmission" (their debut single released in 1979) and "Atmosphere" (originally released as a France-only single) in 1980.

Jess and the Ancient Ones released a three-song EP titled Astral Sabbat on 22 February 2012, recorded with the Swedish sonic wizard Tore Stjerna of Necromorbus Studio in their hometown Kuopio. Astral Sabbat pushed forward the boundaries of the sound established on their first full-length and forging their own path, as personified by the rather unusual choice of cover song Long and Lonesome Road, originally written and recorded by the Dutch rock outfit Shocking Blue, known for their mega-hit Venus.

“We wanted to give these works a space entirely their own, so that listeners can focus on them completely. For this purpose, we considered an EP the perfect means. Regarding the surprising choice of cover, I had heard the song at a very young age. And now, after travelling many roads, it returned to me. It is a timeless song and I hope someone discovers Shocking Blue through us”, revealed guitarist Thomas Corpse more than 10 years ago.

Astral Sabbat proved that Jess and The Ancient Ones were already back then way beyond all those occult, prog or retro-rock tags and playing a game of their own. Svart Records will release limited 12” colored edition of Jess and The Ancient Ones mini-LP Astral Sabbath on 25 October 2024. Svart Records’ webstore also has a limited edition of 150 copies package of green/red/purple marble vinyl version of the self-titled debut album, limited edition of Astral Sabbath mini album with a special slip mat Svart Records’ webstore has a limited edition of 150 copies package of green/red/purple marble vinyl version of the self-titled debut album, limited edition of Astral Sabbath mini album with a special slip mat – all of these are packaged in a unique Jess & The Ancient Ones totebag.

Back in 2012, the Jess and the Ancient Ones debut album was an essential part of what was known as the occult rock revival. The band's progress has since then ventured beyond such sub-genres, but the debut remains a cult classic, with its triple guitar NWOBHM-influenced melodies and furious vocal delivery. On this album, the band's lyrical concept is based upon the personal occult experiences of the writers. Combined with music it creates a strong mystical atmosphere.

With the vocal talent Jess as their frontwoman and three guitars in the lineup, Jatao draws inspiration from heavy metal and rock groups of the classic era, such as Mercyful Fate, Roky Erickson, Iron Maiden and Abba. The album was recorded in December 2011 by Necromorbus Studio, known for their previous work with bands such as Watain. The result of these sessions is the eponymous album, a 53-minute moonlight ride into the nether regions of progressive occult heavy rock.

Svart Records releases the new edition of this modern classic on 25 October 2024 as a part of the record label’s 15th anniversary. Jess and the Ancient Ones’ self-titled debut album will be out on CD, black and transparent lime/black marble vinyl. Moreover, Svart Records’ webstore has a limited edition of 150 copies package of green/red/purple marble vinyl version of the self-titled debut album, limited edition of Astral Sabbath mini album with a special slip mat – all of these are packaged in a unique Jess & The Ancient Ones tote bag.

Back in 2012, the Jess and the Ancient Ones debut album was an essential part of what was known as the occult rock revival. The band's progress has since then ventured beyond such sub-genres, but the debut remains a cult classic, with its triple guitar NWOBHM-influenced melodies and furious vocal delivery. On this album, the band's lyrical concept is based upon the personal occult experiences of the writers. Combined with music it creates a strong mystical atmosphere.

With the vocal talent Jess as their frontwoman and three guitars in the lineup, Jatao draws inspiration from heavy metal and rock groups of the classic era, such as Mercyful Fate, Roky Erickson, Iron Maiden and Abba. The album was recorded in December 2011 by Necromorbus Studio, known for their previous work with bands such as Watain. The result of these sessions is the eponymous album, a 53-minute moonlight ride into the nether regions of progressive occult heavy rock.

Svart Records releases the new edition of this modern classic on 25 October 2024 as a part of the record label’s 15th anniversary. Jess and the Ancient Ones’ self-titled debut album will be out on CD, black and transparent lime/black marble vinyl. Moreover, Svart Records’ webstore has a limited edition of 150 copies package of green/red/purple marble vinyl version of the self-titled debut album, limited edition of Astral Sabbath mini album with a special slip mat – all of these are packaged in a unique Jess & The Ancient Ones tote bag.

Jess and the Ancient Ones released a three-song EP titled Astral Sabbat on 22 February 2012, recorded with the Swedish sonic wizard Tore Stjerna of Necromorbus Studio in their hometown Kuopio. Astral Sabbat pushed forward the boundaries of the sound established on their first full-length and forging their own path, as personified by the rather unusual choice of cover song Long and Lonesome Road, originally written and recorded by the Dutch rock outfit Shocking Blue, known for their mega-hit Venus.

“We wanted to give these works a space entirely their own, so that listeners can focus on them completely. For this purpose, we considered an EP the perfect means. Regarding the surprising choice of cover, I had heard the song at a very young age. And now, after travelling many roads, it returned to me. It is a timeless song and I hope someone discovers Shocking Blue through us”, revealed guitarist Thomas Corpse more than 10 years ago.

Astral Sabbat proved that Jess and The Ancient Ones were already back then way beyond all those occult, prog or retro-rock tags and playing a game of their own. Svart Records will release limited 12” colored edition of Jess and The Ancient Ones mini-LP Astral Sabbath on 25 October 2024. Svart Records’ webstore also has a limited edition of 150 copies package of green/red/purple marble vinyl version of the self-titled debut album, limited edition of Astral Sabbath mini album with a special slip mat Svart Records’ webstore has a limited edition of 150 copies package of green/red/purple marble vinyl version of the self-titled debut album, limited edition of Astral Sabbath mini album with a special slip mat – all of these are packaged in a unique Jess & The Ancient Ones totebag.

The classic 1974 album by this highly rated German progressive band, reissued as a beautiful picture disc LP! This is an edition of 1.000 hand-numbered copies, presented with a coloured 4-page LP-size insert.

This double vinyl set is a 150g pressing on grey and blue Colored Vinyl, packaged in a gatefold jacket with photos and liner notes.

Colosseum was one of England's prime rock-jazz outfits. Valentyne Suite takes the band out of their bluesy comfort zone into something closer to prog rock. The album is generally seen as their best album and still extremely enjoyable.

180 gram vinyl version!

Steve Howe's recording career began as early as 1964 under the production of Joe Meek when he was the lead guitarist of the savage R&B outfit The Syndicats. He then joined The In Crowd, who soon became Tomorrow, legendary pioneers of UK psychedelia who along with Pink Floyd and Soft Machine changed the face of pop music forever. When Tomorrow's singer Keith West's first solo single became a huge success (it was a part of the "lost" Teenage Opera project by Mark Wirtz) all band members went their separate ways. Drummer Twink joined The Pretty Things and then formed The Pink Fairies, bassist Junior Wood -along with Twink- tried luck in Aquarian Age and Steve Howe accompanied West on tour before finally giving birth to Bodast in 1968.

Bodast was formed by Steve Howe (Guitar), Dave Curtiss (bass, vocals) and Bobby Clark (drums). The name was creatied by taking the first two letters of their names (BObby, DAve, STeve). Curtiss and Clark where veterans of the early UK scene, having been members of Screaming Lord Sutch's Savages or Vince Taylor's Playboys, and they had also worked in France backing Françoise Hardy.They were soon joined by Clive Skinner (vocals) and Bruce Thomas (bass), and also acted for a while as Canto.

While back in the era no recordings of Bodast saw the light of day, the fact is that they did record a whole LP under the production of Keith West. Ten incredible songs that are the missing link between Tomorrow and Yes, a stunning progressive opus which still has it's share of psychedelia, and which should have been a classic since day one but, sadly, the album was filed and left unreleased, and Bodast finally disbanded. Howe got some offers to join other established groups. He took the one from Yes, with whom he soon entered the studio to record The Yes Album, to which he added parts of the lost Bodast compositions (the most evident being Nether Street, an important part of it ended up in Starship Troopers). And the rest, as they say, is history.

The Bodast LP finally saw the light of day in 1981, when Cherry Red issued 8 of the recorded songs as The Bodast Tapes. The original tapes had been newly remixed by Steve Howe himself. It was, again, issued in the 1990s by C5, same remix, with the addition of two extra tracks. That version was also available on CD. In 2000 RPM released a new CD version, this time rescuing the original 1968 mixes, and with the addition of four tracks by Canto (essentially the same band, who changed the name for a while).

Now, for the first time ever on vinyl the original 1968 mixes, which are rawer than those early eighties ones done by Steve Howe, are issued by Wah Wah Records Supersonic Sounds, on a limited edition of only 500 copies, housed in a nice three backflaps sleeve like they did them in the UK in the sixties!