Warm Dust - 1971 - Peace For Our Time & 1972 - ... Apr 2026

Before Paul Carrack became the "Man with the Golden Voice" of 80s pop-soul, he was a long-haired experimentalist in Warm Dust , a British prog-jazz sextet named after radioactive debris. Formed in Sheffield in 1969, the band’s brief but ambitious career—spanning three core albums between 1970 and 1972—offered some of the era's most complex "brass rock". 1971: Peace For Our Time – A Pacifist Concept

It’s a significant step up from their debut, featuring tighter structures and strong bass lines that hint at early funk.

The album includes a psychedelic take on Richie Havens' "Hole in the Future" and even a brief nod to Modest Mussorgsky’s "A Night on the Bare Mountain". Legacy: From Prog to Pub Rock Warm Dust - 1971 - Peace For Our Time & 1972 - ...

Ambitious to their core, the band met Pope Paul VI in April 1971, where they reportedly startled him by asking why the Church hadn't banned war. 1972: The Self-Titled Swan Song

Released in August 1971, Peace For Our Time is a concept album that tackled human conflict and exploitation from the 1930s through the Vietnam era. The title ironically references Neville Chamberlain's 1938 speech, and the music reflects this tension with a blend of heavy organ work and dual woodwinds. Before Paul Carrack became the "Man with the

The standout of this era is the 18-minute suite "The Blind Boy." Reviewers often cite it as one of the greatest prog tracks ever produced, featuring restless bass and "vocal gymnastics" from singer Les Walker—all without a lead guitar in sight.

Today, Warm Dust remains a "rough gem" for collectors of early British prog—a band that swapped traditional guitar solos for dual-saxophone assaults and a fearless, if sometimes pretentious, commitment to the "mad music" of the early 70s. The album includes a psychedelic take on Richie

Their 1972 self-titled third album (often appearing on the German label ) saw the band veering toward a bluesier, more commercial sound on its first half, before diving back into lengthy prog epics.