During the so-called British Invasion (\u201cbeat era\u201d if you\u2019re British), countless musical acts from Great Britain made inroads into the musical marketplace of the United states. Led by the Beatles, many of those artists established long and successful careers beyond the shores of their native UK, And that trend continued long past the \u201860s, well into the eras of progressive and hard rock and beyond.<\/p>\n
But even against that backdrop, there were several groups of great merit who \u2013 for whatever reasons \u2013 never quite broke through in the States. And one of the best among those was Caravan. Launched in 1968 and part of what was known as the \u201cCanterbury Scene,\u201d Caravan made ambitious music with a decidedly melodic character. But despite the quality of their music, Caravan never scored a hit single in the U.S., and only one of their albums even managed to make it onto the Billboard<\/em> 200. 1975\u2019s Cunning Stunts<\/em> climbed to a disappointing No. 152, and the band\u2019s masterwork, 1971\u2019s In the Land of Grey and Pink<\/em> didn\u2019t chart in the U.S. at all.<\/p>\n But Caravan persisted, making their brand of supremely tuneful progressive rock for a core audience of dedicated fans. Led by founding guitarist\/vocalist Pye Hastings and featuring multi-instrumentalist Geoffrey Richardson (on board since 1973), Caravan\u2019s latest release is 2021\u2019s It\u2019s None of Your Business<\/em>; in 2026 the group continues to perform.<\/p>\n In celebration of the 50th anniversary in April of Caravan\u2019s 7th studio album Blind Dog at St. Dunstans<\/em>, here are five must-hear tracks from one of progressive rock\u2019s most unjustly overlooked bands.<\/p>\n \u201cNine Feet Underground\u201d from In the Land of Grey and Pink<\/em> (1971)<\/strong>
\nConsidered by serious fans as Caravan\u2019s signature tune, the epic \u201cNine Feet Underground\u201d explores a dizzying array of musical textures over the course of its 22-plus minute runtime. But even with its progressive and arty character \u2013 supported by top-notch instrumental work from every member of the group \u2013 the song features strong, memorable melodies at its core. Soon after its release, \u201cNine Feet Underground\u201d became a centerpiece of Caravan\u2019s live set; it remains in the group\u2019s repertoire to this day, some 55 years after its debut.<\/p>\n