Luca D. Majer
Coffee  Music  and Other Things  
 

Dave Stewart (1980)

 

1980 (left) and 2009 editions

 

Lol Coxhill (1979)

 

"A fantastic book"
(Paolo Pellegrino)

"A really alternative point of view on a fundamental rock genre (...) Absolutely unmatched in its oblique reading of historical facts, artistic genesis, anecdotes on specific bands (...) A precious compass, a healthy reading"
(Michele Saran - Onda Rock)

"Compared to the mediocrity of today's, its writing style is still striking: worth of Lester Bangs"
(Domenico Monetti - Nova Muzique-Musica non convenzionata)

"A fundamental text that during the course of three decades has been studied, analysed, sometimes revered"
(Donato Zoppo)

"It is considered the Bible of Prog-rock. It's a passionated, informed and refined tale (...) News of its reprinting has been hailed with enormous enthusiam in the blogosphere"
(www.revestito.it)

"If you love the music from the Seventies or you want to discover it, and you want to enter the world of prog-rock, this is the most preferred route
 (The Mole - Rateyourmusic.com)

"An enlightened essay"
(Claudio Bonomi - Quaderni d'altri tempi)

"These extremely well written pages ooze with passion and contagious enthusiasm"
Guido Siliotto

 

"Small onomatopoeic transistor-powered goldfinches and impulses fermented by a casual contact with nature. Where entertainment starts and reason ends, there smiles the music of geometrical wizards"
 (Al Aprile - chapter on Cluster)

 

Originally published in 1980 and reprinted (once more only in Italian), this book tells the story of a music-style that does not belong to this world anymore. Without a chance of knowing we would do so, the book described progressive-rock during the most shining moment of its history.

The book has been re-published in 2009 featuring a brand new introduction ("Thirty Years After", partially reproduced in the Italian section of this site).

It has been welcomed by the "Prog-rock" community with a warm affection that left me surprised yet very glad - especially for the fond memories I still harbour in my heart of co-author Al Aprile (1960-1991) who - too early - passed sadly away.

May God bless him.