Paul Stump reassesses Progressive Rock in terms of transcendentalism, 1960s pop culture and the rise of the rock musician as Romantic Artist. He takes a wide ranging view of the social and cultural background and has carried out extensive interviews.
Roxy Music's mix of Bryan Ferry's sexual posturing and Brian Eno's synthesizer experimentation, along with Stockhausen and Stax, exploded with an energy unlike that of any other pop band -- ensuring an unbroken string of Top 10 albums. As Roxy Music evolved, their dazzling mix of space suits and 1950s haircuts gave way to lounge-lizard chic, and the band managed to become both a pop icon and a respected musical entity. Eclectic and effervescent, Unknown Pleasures is a celebration of Roxy Music and popular culture in the 1970s.