The Progressive Musings of Ken Slater – Episode 002

Having had the chance to reflect on my first podcast, I realised that I did not explore American Prog in any real way. So I have put that right this time around. The ‘Now and Then’ feature returns with KYROS (and Synaesthesia) and it is the first outing for the ‘Special Artist’ feature, the subject of which is the Swedish guitarist and singer songwriter from the Flower Kings, Roine Stolt.

Playlist

Overhead – Haydenspark (Live)

The Tangent – The North Sky

IZZ – We Are The Third

KYROS – Esoterica

Synaesthesia – Epiphany

Azure – The Azdinist – Den Of Dawns : Fym

Manfred Manns Earth Band – Give Me The Good Earth : Launching Place

King Crimson – Starless

Octarine Sky – 5

Digital Life Project – New Beginnings

Kaipa – A Complex Work Of Art

Agents of Mercy – The Black Forest

Transatlantic – Black As The Sky

Anderson-Stolt – Invention

The Sea Within – Ashes of Dawn

The Flower Kings – Mother Earth

Echolyn – Always The Same-As The World

Orpheus 9 – Eightfold Way

Pangea – Necromancer

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.