Poppies From A Tray

A tribute to Rick Wright, all too often overlooked in the Pink Floyd story but a keyboard player and a writer who was both utterly crucial to their imperial phase in the 1970s and then again as the inspiration behind the band's farewell, "The Endless River".

A few thoughts on The Yes Album and especially on the contribution of the mighty Chris Squire, moving force behind the band throughout his life, wonderful songwriter, brilliant vocal arranger and a genius who reinvented the bass guitar.

Finally, edition four of Poppies From A Tray arrives hot off the presses, featuring the legendary drummer Jerry Marotta, who has worked with Paul McCartney, Robert Fripp, Kate Bush, Hall & Oates and a multitude more. Perhaps best known among Poppies aficionados for his work with Peter Gabriel in the 1970s and '80s, Jerry has rekindled that music with The Security Project, a great band that brings those early PG albums back to life on stage. He was kind enough to welcome on their tour bus for an interview a while back when they played a show at Trading Boundaries. It's fascinating stuff from a master musician.

Episode 3 of Poppies From A Tray concludes our lengthy interview with Greg Spawton, songwriter, bassist, 12 string guitarist and cornerstone of the mighty Big Big Train. This second part concentrates on the Far Skies Deep Time EP, including the arrival in the band of an additional songwriter, David Longdon

The second edition of Poppies From A Tray is the start of a two parter with Greg Spawton, songwriter, bassist, 12 string guitarist and cornerstone of the mighty Big Big Train. In the first part of our interview, we talk in depth about the writing and recording of The Underfall Yard, undoubtedly a progressive rock classic

The first edition of Poppies From A Tray features an in depth interview with Steve Hackett, looking at how he found his musical calling, a brief dalliance with gymnastics, the impact of John Lennon's patronage and finally, "Blood on the Rooftops" takes on "Eleanor Rigby"...