A Mirror Of Dreams – Andrew Wild
The Progressive Rock Revival 1981 to 1983
Please note this is a PRE-ORDER – for UK CUSTOMERS ONLY and will not be shipping until 21st June 2024.
All non-UK customers should order from Bandcamp where the correct postage will be applied. https://twelfthnightuk.bandcamp.com/merch/a-mirror-of-dreams-pre-order
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‘A Mirror Of Dreams’ is the first of two books which provide the definitive account of the intertwined stories of the six bands which led the progressive rock revival in the 1980s: Marillion, IQ, Pallas, Pendragon, Solstice and Twelfth Night.
As well as covering the formative years of these bands, especially in 1978, 1979 and 1980, the book covers the years 1981 to 1983 in great detail. It includes a chapter about the Reading Festival in 1983 at which all six bands performed or attended. There are also chapters covering home demos, fanzines and a history of The Marquee Club: the venue where all of these bands made such an impact.
The period from 1981 to 1983 was an exciting time for us in Twelfth Night as it began with the recording of the ‘Live At The Target’ album and ended with Geoff’s farewell gigs at the Marquee released as the ‘Live And Let Live’ album. In between there were two more albums, nearly 150 gigs, a TV appearance with David Essex, and both our appearances as the Reading Festival.
‘A Mirror Of Dreams’ will be published by Kingmaker Publishing. It has been edited by Big Big Train’s Greg Spawton and includes a 2,000-word foreword by Prog magazine’s editor Jerry Ewing. The book features over 200 photographs and illustrations, many of which have either been previously unpublished or are very rare.
All pre-orders received by 31 May will make the purchaser eligible to attend a free book launch / Q&A event to be held in London later this year attended by the author, Greg and some of the musicians interviewed in the book.
The second volume, due for publication in 2025, will cover the years 1984 to 1989.
Greg Spawton comments: “This is a book which I have long wanted to see written. It’s the story of how, in the early 1980s, a number of rock bands ignored the naysayers and fashioned a second coming for the much-maligned and misunderstood genre of progressive rock.”
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For this book Andy Wild interviewed over 85 musicians and other participants in the 1980s progressive scene. These included…
From Marillion: Steve Rothery, Diz Minnitt, Mick Pointer, Brian Jelleyman, Ian Moseley, Mark Kelly, Neil Cockle, Pete Trewavas
From IQ: Martin Orford, Mike Holmes, Peter Nicholls, John Jowitt, Paul Cook, Paul Menel, Tim Esau
From Pallas: Euan Lowson, Graeme Murray, Mike Stobbie, Alan Reed, Niall Mathewson, Ronnie Brown
From Pendragon: Nick Barrett, Clive Nolan, Peter Gee, Fudge Smith, John Barnfield, James Colah, Julian Baker, Mat Anderson, Nigel Harris, Rik Carter
From Solstice: Andy Glass, Martin Wright, Ken Bowley, Marc Elton, Mark Hawkins
From Twelfth Night: Andy Revell, Brian Devoil, Andy Sears, Clive Mitten
To fill out the story, Andy also spoke to members of Abel Ganz, Airbridge, Comedy Of Errors, Electric Gypsy, Galahad, Haze, It Bites, Jadis, Janysium, Lahost, The Lens, Liaison, Multi Story, No-Man, Pride Of Passion, Quasar, Tamarisk, Trilogy and Twice Bitten as well as key non-musical players such as veteran Aylesbury Friars promoter David Stopps, former Marillion manager John Arnison, and Nigel Hutchings, the former manager of the legendary Marquee Club in London.