Category Archives: Blog

It’s Almost Time

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Getting close to the end of the year and I only have 19 days to finalise the top 15 Prog albums of 2025 for the ProgWinds website!

That said, I have set myself a new target – I will publish the list before PROG Magazine comes out!

I’m not going in competition (honest injun Jerry) I remember the days when I was responsible for the local NHS magazine and the copy and pics for the March edition had to be to the printers before the February edition came out! I’m just trying to silence the naysayers that think we all wait for the ‘popular’ choices!

PROG comes out on 29 December so my “Top 15 PROG albums of 2025” will be published no later than 28 December! (Save the Date) If my maths serves me right that means I now have 15 days! That was a quick 4 days!!

In the meantime Prog On

Johnny XX

Nektar’s ‘Fortyfied’ Receives Definitive Re-Mastered Re-Release After Being Unavailable for 15 Years

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Nektar was formed in Hamburg in 1969 and is well known for iconic progressive rock albums such as A Tab in the Ocean, Remember The Future and Recycled. After four decades of successful albums and tours, the band reformed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Nektar’s formation.

The tour was recorded and released under the name Fortyfied. This live album was only briefly available on Roye Albrighton’s own label but has been unavailable for over 15 years. This is the first mainstream release of the recordings.

This re-mastered 2CD set features a line-up of Roye Albrighton, Ron Howden, Peter Pichl and Klaus Henatsch. This remastered re-release is endorsed by the relevant line-up of Nektar including the estate of Roye Albrighton.

The album is out now and expect a review on this page very shortly!

Amazon 2CD set: https://geni.us/40fied

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/fortyfied-live-live-2025-remaster/1852092120

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0Az7PuTffnB74lFANToqSE

Also available via Cherry Red’s website: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/label/explore-rights-management/nektar-fortyfied-cd-edition

A Plague of Lightbulb moments

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On the back of their 2025 release ‘Breadcrumbs’ I have been checking back on Detroit based Progressive rock band Disciplines back catalogue! Shame on me that I didn’t do this before now!

The music is most definitely Prog and very expertly delivered, however it was Matthew Parmenters’ voice that intrigued me. I struggled with what he reminded me of for a few days then it finally came to me in a lightbulb moment! He sounds like a more cheerful, more composed and altogether more tuneful and enjoyable Peter Hammill!

I have always found Peter Hammill difficult to listen to, someone, who shall be nameless once described him as ‘Marmite, which I thought summed his music up perfectly. I sort of ‘like’ Van Der Graff Generator but when it comes to Hammill’s solo output, I’m sorry but it leaves me wanting!

There will be those of you out there throwing up your arms in horror but that will be tempered by the many that are nodding their heads sagely! Yes Peter Hammil is a good songwiter and yes, Van Der Graaf Generator were at the forefront of Progressive Rock in it’s infancy but for me there was something missing!

I think for me, what was missing, and this won’t read the same for everyone, was a bit of warmth in the delivery! Discipline provide that warmth while still having the edginess of VDGG! There is no doubting that Matthew Parmenter might have based his vocal delivery on Peter Hammill but he just does it in a more listener friendly way IMHO!

Wouldn’t it be a strange world if we all thought the same way about music and wouldn’t music be a sadder and less interesting medium of communication than it is right now if that were the case?

Your thoughts?

Johnny XX

It’s like this …..

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I am nearly at the end of compiling my top 15 Prog albums of 2025 …or so I thought!

Let me explain. The way I do it is as albums come out and I listen to them and like them I might add them to a playlist on iTunes! Don’t get me wrong I don’t download music for free, I purchase it because I firmly believe that if the artist has put their time into creating this music and I am enjoying it then the least I can do is to recompense them for their efforts.

What happens in the playlist stays in the playlist, sad to say the scoring goes onto a paper list. I give every album points out of ten as I listen to them, sometimes on a second or third listen (fourth or fifth even) points may be added or deducted! And what do points mean? Yeah … me scribbling away on an A4 pad sometimes until the early hours of the morning!

So anyway, here’s me thinking I’m all sorted and the top 15 is coming together nicely thank you then a certain band that shall be nameless – (check my Facebook page) release an album in the last week of November! I think I might have referred to it as “throwing a fucking curveball”! Anyway, panic over, it didn’t cause any major difficulties in the scoring! You see I am nicely situated because I can take this right up until 31 December before I publish the results. Having worked in the printing and publishing domain I can feel sorry for Jerry Ewing et al who are tied to the constraints of having to meet deadlines in order to get a printed copy out to the masses!

I digress! As I said I thought I was sorted, the top 5 are all but set in concrete give or take a late night listening but they will only move up or down minimally! So lets have a look at the rest….! This is where I took another look, then another look, then demanded a recount! I have 15 albums all on seven points! As I looked at the list I noticed a couple languishing below with six points which I immediately upgraded to sixth place, along with 16 others! Is there such a thing as VAR for Prog?

You see my problem! The easy (cowards) way out would just to make them all equal sixth but that’s not fair! The only fair way is for a serious listening binge! Sorry Ali (my wife) but this means listening in the kitchen while cooking, in the car, in the mancave and on headphones via the ancient iPod in bed! On a sidenote Alexa can fuck off! I’ve tried her with albums I have purchased on Amazon and she gets three songs in then throws a wobbler and tells me what the weather is at the moment where I live! I already know FFS! We have windows and I have been out with the dog! Yes I know it is fucking raining thank you!

Calm down Johnny you will get there!

I will, and I promise this years Progwinds Top 15 Prog albums of 2025 will be published before the final bell of Big Ben on New Years Eve. Right, headphones on and I’m off to bed!

Goodnight and Prog on
Johnny