Caravan

As 1960s bohemia gradually made its way to Kent, a collection of oddball characters, jazz obsessives, blues musicians and free spirits gathered in what became known as "the Canterbury Scene", a movement which produced a number of cult bands who pioneered early progressive rock. Alongside Soft Machine, Gong and Robert Wyatt, Caravan fused the psychedelic styles of the time with earthy folk tunes, ambitious rock grooves and experimental, avante garde ideas; and produced the classic cult albums If I Could Do It All Over Again. (1970) and In The Land Of Grey And Pink (1971). Led by Pye Hastings, the band went on to record with a full orchestra on Caravan & The New Symphonia (1974), toured America with Cunning Stunts (1978) and influenced the likes of Pink Floyd, Genesis and Yes. But, like many acts of the era, they became unfashionable when punk rock came snarling into view. Through break-ups, line-up changes and the death of drummer Richard Coughlan, the band continued to remain active in the 2000s and released their fourteenth studio album Paradise Filter in 2013.

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