The Magic Mushroom Band's terribly epigonic career produced only an embarrassing sequence of trashy records. Compared to the similarly styled Ozric Tentacles, however, it represented a less snobbish and intellectual version of the progressive rock revival. The spirit, if not the inspiration, was indeed that of eccentric prog-rock masters Gong.

Formed in 1982 by guitarist Gary “Moonboot” Masters and keyboardist Kim “Of Oz” Russell, the Magic Mushroom Band debuted with albums such as The Politics Of Ecstasy (1986), Bomshankar (Aftermath, 1987) and Eyes Of The Angel (1989), with the catchy You Can Be My LSD, in which the teachings of Pink Floyd and the Canterbury bands (and Gong in particular) were diligently brushed up. More than art it was, in short, antiquarian work.

After incorporating violinist and keyboardist Sam Turner (who was also in Harrold Juana), Process Of Illumination (Fungus, 1990) marked the mature season and a sound that, while losing something of its easy-going riotous intemperance, was able to joust more creatively around the sound of the classics.

Spaced Out (Mystic Stone, 1991), perhaps more magical and exotic (featuring on saxophone and flute David Jackson of masters Van Der Graaf Generator), begins the transition to dance music with pieces like Pictures Of My Mind and Aravinda, a transition completed by the remixes of Rehash (Magick Eye, 1992): under the banner of the techno music that rages all over Europe, the new sound is made for the discos.

If Spaced Out 2 simply ricycles low-value detritus, Magic (Magick Eye, 1995) admits the confusional state of the band, which clearly cannot decide which direction to take. Overlife Sensation and When Dreams Collide prove, more than anything else, great arranging skills.

Gary Masters and Kim Russell formed (with keyboardist Marc Swordfish and guitarist Ed Bones) the parallel project of Astralasia, which released: Astralasia (Fungus, 1991), with a mixture of techno and prog-rock and with again Dave Jackson on sax, including the single Rhythm Of Life/ Celestial Ocean (1991); The Politics Of Ecstasy (Magick Eye, 1992), i.e. an album that copies the title of Magic Mushroom Band's first album, now transitioning to ambient music but still featuring dance pieces like Realise Your Purpose (1992) and Sul E Stomp (1992); Pitched Up At The Edge Of Reality (1993), an album of the age of Mad (1993) and especially Univeria Zekt (1993); and Whatever Happened To Utopia (Magick Eye, 1994), which completes the transition from psychedelia to new-age music in the same year of the singles Unveria Zekt (1994), Hashishin (1994) Mother Durga (1994) and Sul E Stomp (Re Release) (1994).

By then Astralasia had become a solo Swordfish project.

The lengthy Mushroom single, Fungus Amongus (Magick Eye, 1994), seemed to mark the beginning of a convergence between Mushroom's cynically retro style and the more modern style of Astralasia.

But Swordfish's Astralasia sounded like the winning project. Axis Mundi (1995), Astralogy (1995) and The Space Between (1996) are the albums that led to the baroque and danceable style of Seven Pointed Star (1997), White Bird (Magick Eye, 1998), with the hypnotic Special World, and of the five-track EP Seven by Seven (1997). The singles of this prolific and repetitive period are: Nomad (1995), High Planes Drifter (1996), Alien Love Song (1996), Seven Pointed Star (1997) One Fine Day (1998) and Snowman (1998).

Something Somewhere (Transient, 2001) crowns Astralasia's progress towards a form of symphonic techno, highlighted by Melanie Taylor's sensual vocals (the sexy and cosmic trip of Come Inside) and thumping beats (Fantasize Realize).

Many other recordings came out as Astralasia: Away With the Fairies (2006), Cluster of Waves (2007), A Coloured In Dream (2010), with A Coloured In Dream (13:18) and Room 7 (19:18), Fantasia (2010), Voyage Til Tomorrow (2012), which contains two lengthy suites, Inbound and Outbound, Wind on Water (2014), with the lengthy Wind On Water and The Innosense, etc.

Blue Spores (2014) collects early recordings and rarities.

During the covid lockdown, Astralasia partnered remotely with "friends" and made the music of the six-disc The Darkest Voyage (2020).