These few selected albums make a short history of my interacting with music, my music 'milestones' in a way. They gave me an awful lot, often helping me get through the hard days. I'm very sentimental and probably biased towards them, so excuse me if get over-excited about them. Maybe they're not so perfect for you - but I can't change my feelings...

1. DIRE STRAITS Brothers In Arms
This is actually the first album that was able to affect me in a way. For the first time I realised there is music that does not leave you neutral, which filters through into you deeply and stays there. The CD contains beautiful ballads, as well as hard, rock pieces, all performed very tastefully and majestically. Since that time I became a huge Dire Straits fan. (note: Dire Straits are generally not classified as 'progressive rock')

2. MARILLION Brave
In the meantime a friend of mine dropped me a few tapes filled with Marillion music. I enjoyed them very much, but I can't point out the favourite one among those recorded with Fish, as I listened to Marillion from that period at that time. But the unforgetable year 1994 eventually came. Final secondary school exams, then entrance ones to the High School. In the meantime... 'Brave'. It was the next stage of my development as a music listener and I must say I have never been affected more by anything since then. The story of a girl who jumped down from a bridge, and, luckily rescued, was so shocked she couldn't utter a word. The hardest soul would soften after listening to this moving story. The richness of sound reached by Marillion is enormous, but it only serves one aim: to extend the level of expression of this outstanding concept-album.

3. PORCUPINE TREE Up The Downstair
And here's a place for a deserved monument for Piotr Kosinski. My fascination towards Marillion was long dominant, but there was a time when I began to feel like listening to something different for a change. But what could do a little progressive soul in the ocean of hopeless mediocrity? Well, it could certainly turn on the radio on Sunday at 8 p.m. on RMF FM. I learned about this programme quite late, but after the Polish part of the "Afraid Of Sunlight" Marillion tour I became a regular listener. It opened my eyes to many new groups, and Porcupine Tree in particular. I came across the "Up The Downstair" cassette in a shop and bought it. What a lucky accident it was! I delighted in it the whole long winter 1996. Breathtaking piece of psychodelia coming straight from the heart of Steve Wilson, thrilling, though dull at the first sight "Up The Downstair" and "Burning Sky", exciting "Always Never" or disquieting "Small Fish" - you've got to try this!

4. CAMEL Harbour Of Tears
Since then excellent albums started to fall into my hands in great numbers, so I have to choose. The next big music expierience was "Harbour Of Tears" of Camel. Again a beautiful, full of sorrow story telling us about emigration of many thousands of Irish people to America. Andy Latimer's crying guitar may make you go mad. An album perfect in every detail, although it sounds so simple and natural. Symphonic arrangements are very suitable to be combined with exceptional Latimer's playing style.

5. COLLAGE Moonshine
The time has come for a Polish album. The greatest ever album of Polish rock had hidden from me for almost two years. But when I discovered it... no no, it didn't bring me down on my knees, nothing like this. It took me about two months to build up a majestic music from the lushness of themes and arrangements. Every listening ravished me more and more to finally make Moonshine my favourite album ever. The only album one takes on the deserted island. It contains all ingredients to be the essence of the power of progressive rock: extraordinary and exciting melodies, breathtaking virtuoso's instrumental parts, incredible power awaken by numerous mood changes, excellent production boosting even more the final outcome: This is an ideal album, an album you just cannot stop listening to!

6. ABRAXAS Abraxas
It was a memorable October... I bought the Abraxas CD as soon as I could, at the Arena gig, where Abraxs performed as a warm-up. The music of Abraxas worked on me with an enormous impact. In felt completely mad, entirely abused again. Each time I came back from school I escaped into the mysterious world created by the musicians. Very unusual and spirited lyrics of Adam Lassa are the essential part of it. Adam guides us with passion over all corners of his imagination, helped by thrilling moods generated by the synth and killer energetic guitar parts by Szymon Brzezinski. The long time that has passed since most songs were written polished up all tracks in every detail. All interested are welcome at my Official Abraxas Home Page created by me.

7. ANGLAGARD Hybris
This time I put up a monument for Jurek Debski - a crazy progressive rock fan living currently in the U.S., who sent me this album on tape - it is virtually sold-out on CD. Undoubtedly one of the best, if not THE BEST group established in the Nineties. An amazing mixture of the flute, electric and accoustic guitar and mellotron sound, making it somehow a combination of the styles of Genesis and King Crimson, mood changes that don't give the listener the rest for a single moment, wringing the heart gorgeous themes that Genesis would be proud of, virtuosity of virtually all players - it is more than enough to include both Anglagard releases: "Hybris" and "Epilog" to the timeless masterpieces of the genre. Let's keep our fingers crossed for the possibility of reviving the cooperation of Anglagard members, to the advantage of the music and ours.

8. TWIN AGE Lialim High
The same person opened my eyes to two outstanding bands - I'm speaking of Jerzy Debski of course. Twin Age however, is a band from a different tale; virtually unknown even among most experts, they still haven't made any career. It's just a five-piece group from Gothenburg fascinated by the musical world created by early Genesis, that decided to create music in this style themselves. But I loved it from the first sight; their amazing, very fresh sounding melodies affect my deepest senses. With the extraordinary rythms and its repetitive changes you never know which note are they going to play next. The album really begins to impress you after you have learnt it by heart. And in the end comes the extasy. If you are in the right frame of mind, the twisted guitar solo's by John Lowenadler will easily make you roll with joy on the floor. Someone said once that progressive rock is a musical masturbation - in this case I would agree with him, but changing the negative point of this statement by 180 degrees.