Eela Craig

Eela Craig was an Austrian rock band of the 1970s and 80s that combined progressive rock with Jazz and classical music influences as well as Christian lyrics. The band's name is without known meaning. The band was founded in Linz in 1970 and recorded its first album entitled Eela Craig in 1971 with a circulation of 1500. Critics compared this album with established bands such as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, King Crimson, Gentle Giant and Colosseum. The band had a few onstage performances with the Zürich Chamber Orchestra in 1972, which led to more performances in well known opera houses of Italy, Germany and Austria, very uncommon venues for a rock band at the time. The band signed a contract with Virgin Records in 1975 to release a number of singles and albums, including the Christian concept album Missa Universalis and a signature ethereal style cover version of Chris de Burgh's A Spaceman Came Travelling, both released in 1978.