10 Artists With Incredible Gaps Between Studio Albums

Beloved by prog-rock fans, though somewhat overshadowed by their more commercially-successful peers, English band Gryphon formed in 1972 and quickly fashioned a highly distinctive sound which blended medieval, Renaissance and traditional folk styles with contemporary rock. Founding members Brian Gulland and Richard Harvey were both graduates of The Royal College of Music. Joined by guitarist Graeme Taylor and drummer Dave Oberle, these four comprised the original line-up of the band.

Gryphon are probably best known for their left-field classic album, Red Queen to Gryphon Three (1974), on which the aforementioned players were joined by Philip Nestor, Ernest Hart and Peter Redding on bass, organ and acoustic bass respectively. Featuring four lengthy pieces, loosely based on a game of chess, it remains a classic of its genre.

The band's original run ended with the release of 1977s Treason, with members citing a loss of momentum, the advent of punk and Harvey's outside commitments as contributing factors. Over four decades later, Gryphon returned to the studio to record a new album, the appropriately titled ReInvention (2018). Of the original quartet, only Richard Harvey is absent from this set.