Progressive rock? Space rock? Pigeon hole it however you like. It sounds refreshingly different from the typical crap now being played on today's "cookie-cutter" ( MOTR ) rock stations.Bands that push musical creativity to it's limits ( -with their extended instrumentals, engaging lyrics and complex "concept album" storylines ). That's what you'll find here. Wave goodbye to the "boring and predictable". Hear what you've been missing! 

"PROG  PLANET" hosted by Mark Krueger ( WMSE, 97.1 FM Milwaukee, WI. ).   Since 1977' Mark Krueger has hosted what may be the world's longest running Prog Rock show. Today, the show's called "Prog Planet" and it "airs" every Sunday night from 9:00 PM - 10:30 PM. Mark's past playlists have included music from bands such as Eloy, Omega, Hawkwind, Camel and Rocket Scientists. Definitely worth checking out!  To learn more about Mark's show go to:   WMSE Shows                                                                                                                               ( -ABOVE )  MARK  KRUEGER 1970's 

For years, cutting edge bands like: Hawkwind,  Eloy, Mahogany Rush and Camel have received little to no "airplay" on US rock stations. Equally tragic is the fact these stations have also ignored  a whole new generation of musical innovators like: Floorian, Evergrey, Kyuss and Clutch.   

The "Music From the Cutting Edge" Radio Show is dedicated to changing that!                                                                                          -Launching soon. Stay tuned!

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With a discography as long as your arm ( -including legendary British rock acts like: Hawkwind, Arthur Brown, High Tide, Magic Muscle -more recently The Bevis Frond ), Adrian Shaw is one of Britain's most prolific "stringmen". Whether supplying the bass  in a band setting or recording many of the instruments and vocals himself in his solo efforts -Adrian's music rewards the listener with it's uniquely innovative sound.

We plan to introduce American listeners to this highly original artist's music.                  ( -LEFT  )  ADRIAN  SHAW  

Beyond the perennial Hendrix comparisons, guitarist and Mahogany Rush founder Frank Marino knows a thing or two about crafting compelling guitar oriented rock.  Albums like "Strange Universe", "Tales of the Unexpected", "Mahogany Rush IV" and "Juggernaut" have firmly established his "creden-tials" not only among fans but with fellow musicians like Zakk Wylde. We plan to regularly feature Frank and Mahogany Rush's music on the show.                                                                                                                        ( -ABOVE )  FRANK  MARINO

Melding prog, metal, spacerock and "rock opera" into a whole new genre, Arjen's  music defies easy categorization. Maybe that's why his "Star One" and "Ayreon" concept-albums receive so little airplay here in the US. That's about to change with Spacerock 24.7's "Music From the Cutting  Edge of Rock" show! 

( -LEFT )  ARJEN  ANTHONY  LUCASSEN

Founder and long time creative force behind Germany's premiere progressive/ art rock band ELOY, Frank Bornemann is responsible for  some of Europe's most compelling "concept album" rock -including      his ambitious ( Two Part ) "The Vision, The Sword and The Pyre" album. Eloy's place in European rock is legendary and we're truly honored        to receive Frank's show endorsement ( -below ).                                                                                                                                                 ( -ABOVE  )  FRANK  BORNEMANN.

St. Louis is home to America's oldest FM rock station:  KSHE-95 FM.        Over the years this legendary rock station has been instrumental in helping to launch the careers of REO Speedwagon, Head East, KISS, Bob Seger and many other acts. Back in the 70's, the station ran a short Bob Burch promo proudly proclaiming 95 FM's music as "Progressive Rock". Legend has it  that "back in the day" you could even hear bands like "Eloy", "Hawkwind" or "Mahogany Rush" played on the station. But those days are long gone. Today's KSHE is a much more sedate place where "commercial" MOTR        ( "Middle-of-The-Road" ) rock reigns supreme and where playlists are      far more cautious and "choreographed" than in those early freewheeling   KSHE-95 : LOOSING LISTENERS    days of the 70's. And perhaps because of that, more and more KSHE listen-                                                    ers are switching to KWUL's ( 101.7 FM ) "more adventurous" music sets.                                                    

Don't think a show that plays "Cutting Edge Rock" can draw listeners?

Check out what "Bulldog Athens" DJ Dusty Blades did when he took his show,   

paired it with the station's "radio tune-in app", and turned the program's decidedly "unconventional music" into an international phenomenon. Skeptical program directors need to click on the following link to read my  Dusty Blades Interview.

Low-power FM station ( "Bulldog Athens", 93.3 FM ) has proven the    fans of unconventional music genres ( i.e: prog, spacerock, power-metal, punk and ska ) will rally to support stations who play their music. Here in the US, this show concept has gone nearly untapped.  It's "ripe" for exploiting by radio programmers savvy enough to see it's potential.   

Q1:  Would you attend a two or three day "Spacerock/ Prog Rock Festival" if it were held in the Midwest USA ( -like Ozarks Amphitheatre in Camdenton, Missouri for examople? )                                                                                                        Q2:  Would you like to see a "Spacerock/ Prog Rock Festival" Documentary film made of such a festival AND would you like  to see this made into a regular yearly Festival?                                                     

 *NOTE:  Leave your Q1/ Q2 responses on our "Contact" page.   We'll post a few of the more pithy and concise comments we receive below.  -CUTTING  EDGE  ROCK!   -Tomm, CTN.

From 80's "hair-metal" band member ( -Bodine, Vengeance ) to concept-album mastermind, Arjen's "rock opera style" con-cept albums have taken Europe by storm!  Featuring masterful guitar work, extended instrumentals and captivating lyrics sung by an ever-changing roster of top flight vocalists, Arjen's Ayreon albums combine rock, metal, prog and space-rock defying easy categorization. Someday, rock-stations in the USA will play his music! Check out the video ( below ) from his latest album "The Source". See what you've been missing! 

Star One "Space Metal". One of Arjen's side project albums. Songs like "Star Child", "The Eye of Ra" and "Intergalactic Space Crusaders" combine heavy metal and spacerock -exploring space and sci-fi themes. A "Special Edition" version features Hawkwind founder Dave Brock singing a truly kick-ass medley of Hawkwind tunes ( -worth the album's price by itself! ). I don't know if this "Special Edition" version is still available but it's definitely worth searching out!

Ayreon "Into the Electric Castle". Widely acknowledged as Arjen's most popular "Ayreon" album. Using vintage analog instruments and lots of guest singers -this album has some great cuts ( i.e: "Isis and Osiris", "Amazing Flight', "Time Beyond Time" to name a few ). Definitely worth checking out! 

Ayreon "Universal Migrator Part 1 & 2". This is the album that made me a believer!   It never fails to impress. Usually takes just one listen to turn most rockers into die- hard Arjen fans. Songs like "Dragon on the Sea", "The Druids turned to Stone" and "Planet of Blue" will be "go to" airplay cuts for progressive rock jocks. This album has it all! Rock,metal, prog, spacerock. Even ballads. Pink Floyd fans will absolutely love it! Some of the songs sound as if they were culled from Floyd's 1975' "Wish You Were Here" recording sessions. *NOTE:  See our full review of this concept-album masterpiece by clicking this link:  Music Review: Ayreon "Universal Migrator Part 1 & 2" 

Ayreon "The Source". The latest Ayreon album. Will find favor with "rock opera" fans.  Arjen casted guest singers as characters in the album's epic sci-fi storyline. The musicianship, vocal talent and studio craft displayed on this alum is nothing short of phenomenal. Prog rock DJ's will have no trouble finding plenty of air-play worthy cuts. Dream Theater, ELO, Jethro Tull and Camel fans will all find something to love in this album. Highly recommended! 

Eloy was started back in 1969 by founder, guitarist and vocalist Frank Bornemann. The band has survived numerous line-up changes, splits and career breaks from the 70's til the present. The band has gradually evolved from long instrumental oriented pieces ( i.e: Eloy, Inside, Floating albums ) to a more accessible "symphonic prog rock" style with greater emphasis upon lyrics. With a strong following in Germany and Europe, the band has amassed a smaller but dedicated following here in the US. Albums like "Floating", "Planets" and "Visionary", as well as their new "The Vision,     the Sword and the Pyre ( Part 1 )"  show the group at it's best. 

The progressive rock band "ELOY" has been around for a long, long time, since 1972 with their first self-titled album "ELOY". This album is really quite good but very different from what we have grown to love and expect from the group we know and love today. Every "ELOY" fan should have a copy of this album so you can hear for yourself what the group had become.  

( Left ) Cover from Eloy's debut self-titled album.

My favorite albums from the band are ALL ( 18 ) that I know of to date! Each album takes the band in the direction of storytelling; each album is really a work of art. With that said here is the list of what I think is the "best of the best": 

"FLOATING"  Serious Hammond B3 organ sound for keyboards, very straight forward space rock at it's best. Really gives you a feel of floating when you listen to it. "Plastic Girl" is my pick of the best track from this album.

                                             ( Right ) Cover from Eloy's "Floating" album.

"PLANETS"  Ahhhhhh, the peak of the analogue synth! Serious groove bass lines and a story from start to finish. "Mysterious Monolith" is my pick for this album. 

( Left ) Cover from Eloy's "Planets" album.

"VISIONARY"  By far the best album to date. Production is outstanding, has killer bass lines, and again a story is told. Vocals are great, and this is just as solid as it gets. My pick for this album is "Summernight Sym- phony". This track is very powerful and emotional, spiritual in many ways, deep and moving.                                                                                                      ( Right ) Cover from Eloy's "Visionary" album.  

SUMMING UP:  if you enjoy progressive rock/ space rock then you will like all of Eloy's albums. I have not heard a bad track on any album yet. I'd like to see the rest of the "formula rock" bands do that, even Pink   Floyd could not pull that off, and I really like Pink Floyd. 

-Michael W. Belcher ( 8/ 3/ 2017' ) 

STAY TUNED to our "Music Reviews" pages for a review of Eloy's ( new )     "The Vision, The Sword and The Pyre" ( Part 1 ) album. As Frank hints in     our interview with him -this album is sure to surprise! We hope to post         a review of it once it's released and Mike's had a chance to listen to it a couple of times. We're really looking forward to hearing this album!   

( Right ) Cover from Eloy's new  "The Vision, The Sword and The Pyre"  

( Part 1 ) album.

A Swedish power-metal band with intelligent lyrics that explore the human psyche, hit like a bullet and resonate long after the earbuds come off.  Evergrey has earned a reputation for their kick-ass musicianship as much as for frontman Tom Englund's insightful lyrics ( -which connect with fans on a visceral level few metal bands ever have ). 

Released in 2016, "The Storm Within" is a great introduction to Evergrey's music. Massive sounding and featuring deeply relevant lyrics, this album is        a sonic "tour de force".  It encapsulates everything metal should be but rarely  is!  For my money, the cuts "In Orbit" and "Passing Through" justify the cost      of the album alone.  But this album yields much more than just sonic fury.      You'll find more contemplative songs as well ( -"Distance" and "The Paradox    of the Flame" -featuring a vocal duo between Tom and Carina ).

The breadth and scope of this album is as wide and untamed as the vast Icelandic landscapes that serve as the backdrop for the band's videos.  This is metal for the thinking.  Highly recommended! 

Watch for our upcoming review of this album.

If you'd like to SEE as well as HEAR Evergrey in action, check out their "A Night to Remember" DVD. This DVD chronicles    the band's concert at Gothenburg's famed Storan Theater. With a ( 7 ) camera crew and complete with soaring audi-  ence shots, a great light show and enveloped in the theater's "warm" sonics -fans will love this DVD.  It includes six of the band's video clips, interviews, backstage footage and more.