Gerard Bassols - 2019 - The Musical Instruments of Progressive Rock (Book)

(Grupo Editorial Círculo Rojo SL)

When it comes to books on progressive rock then I probably have more than the average punter. I own multiple band biographies, have contributed to a couple, and have plenty of books on the wider scene itself (including all three editions of ‘The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock’), and have just compiled my fifth book of my own writings, but I must admit the concept behind this one is new to me, and absolutely fascinating. Published in 2019, and available in both English and Spanish, Gerard works through the progressive scene telling its story through the instruments used, who by, with a vast number of photos and even diagrams detailing how certain instruments operated. Keyboards went under the biggest change during the Golden Age of prog, which is why that particular chapter is by far the largest, but he ensures he covers all areas. Somewhat interestingly he also at times focuses in on instruments which are associated with just one musician, such as Brian May’s “Red Special” guitar or the Synthaxe, which was only ever really mastered by Allan Holdsworth. We even get Jem Godfrey’s infamous Ironing Board.

What makes this such a fascinating and important book is the attention to detail and the knowledge of the person writing it. Gerard told me it took him two years to research and pull it all together and I am stunned that it only took him that long. Printed on glossy paper, this is a high-end publication with full colour photos throughout, and at nearly 300 pages in length is stunning. It is not something which people are going to sit through and read end to end, but is a perfect coffee table book, and the index is of the instruments, not the musicians using them, but while this telling the story of progressive rock through a very different fashion it is obviously designed to appeal to those who already understand and appreciate the genre as opposed to someone coming in from outside. This is not something the lay person will pick up to discover what happened with King Crimson, ELP or Yes, but if one is interested in what instruments were key in the development of their music then this is the place to not only start but probably finish as well.

While many of us have discussed the impact of certain instruments within an album, and the Mellotron is a fine example here, we do not discuss the history of the factory making it, the story of the Chamberlin and Birotron, nor include a diagram explaining how the tapes worked, yet we have all that here. I am pleased that Gerard reached out to me to see if I would be interested in seeing this as it is compelling, and alongside Charles Snider’s ‘The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock’ and my own ‘The Progressive Underground’ series should form part of every progheads’s library. Surely this is something to which the term “Bible” should be associated as this is absolutely essential. Available through Amazon in the UK for just £25.59 and in the States for $31.22 it is a bargain.

Kev Rowland, July 2023

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/people/Gerard-Bassols/100064242906410/
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