Ken Slaters Progressive Musings 50th Edition – The Half Century

Ken Slater Born at the end of February 1957, I suppose you can say I am a child of the sixties. My musical journey started one night in 1970. I was visiting an Aunt when her son Keith came home from Walsall’s rock pub the Dirty Duck. He was slightly drunk (on barley wine) and for some reason, ravenously hungry. He asked me if I wanted to listen to some music and I said yes. He played me tracks from Led Zeppelin II, Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats and Trout Mask Replica by Captain Beefheart. I was so impressed that I woke up the next morning wearing a cheesecloth shirt, loon pants and my hair had grown past my shoulders!!!!! During the NWOBHM (1980-83) I was one of the DJ’s who compiled the weekly Heavy Metal charts for ‘Sounds’ music paper. I did this from a number of venues in the West Midlands. Member of the Production Team for Late Night Live on Cruise to the Edge. Member of the Production Team for Prog on the Ranch in Tampa, Florida. Until late 2023 and for eight years before, I was associate promotor of Prog concerts at the Robin Club, Bilston.