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We explore the enigma of the Alan Parsons Project on the cover of the new issue of Prog, on sale now!
The new issue of Prog magazine features the Alan Parsons Project on its cover as the band marks its 50th anniversary. The edition examines the partnership between studio engineer Alan Parsons and songwriter Eric Woolfson, whose studio-based approach helped the project sell more than 50 million albums despite not performing live during its commercial peak.
The magazine also revisits the group’s debut, Tales Of Mystery & Imagination, which is likewise 50 years old, and includes an interview with Woolfson’s daughter Sally. Other features cover Phil Collins, Supertramp’s new Crime Of The Century live release, Popol Vuh, The Anchoress, and tributes to Dave Greenslade and Dee Palmer.
In short
- Prog celebrates 50 years of the Alan Parsons Project.
- The issue explores the group’s unusual studio-led success.
- It also features Collins, Supertramp and Popol Vuh.
Explained simply
The Alan Parsons Project was a British progressive rock partnership formed in the mid-1970s by Alan Parsons, a recording engineer and producer, and Eric Woolfson, a songwriter and musician. Parsons had worked on major albums including Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon, while Woolfson supplied much of the group’s songwriting and lyrical direction.
Rather than operating like a conventional touring band, they used a changing group of singers and musicians in the studio. Their albums often combined polished rock music with elaborate concepts, including their first release, Tales Of Mystery & Imagination, inspired by the writing of Edgar Allan Poe.
The project became commercially successful around the world, with songs such as Eye in the Sky reaching a wide audience. Its unusual studio-led model and long-running partnership place it among the better-known acts associated with progressive rock’s more accessible side.