After the debut album by the half-British, half-German band Message, the group with a slightly altered line-up featuring Tom McGuigan (vocals, saxophone, Mellotron), guitarist Allan Murdoch, Horst Stachelhaus on bass and drummer Gunther Klingel returned to Dieter Dierks’ studio in Stommeln in the spring of 1973 to record their follow-up album, From Books And Dreams. Once again produced by Peter Hauke, the quartet this time played rather sombre, heavy soundscapes, a mixture of cosmic hard rock and raw, psychedelic-traumatic arrangements, which were even given an occasional jazzy touch thanks to the saxophone work of lead singer Tommy McGuigan.

The extremely creepy cover by Helmut Wenske, depicting a skull with a snake in its eye sockets, reminiscent of the cover of McChurch Soundroom's Delusion LP, perfectly visualised the oppressive musical atmosphere. The album, re-released in the summer of 1973 on the progressive Bellaphon sub-label Bacillus Records, failed to attract much interest and sold poorly, yet is regarded by many as the band’s masterpiece. Following a change of label, several further LPs were released, but their first two albums, as German first pressings, remain by far the most sought-after rarities.