Prog rock

[fredmont]

Ignoring my favourites from over 40 years ago, I like this


And this

https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/ioearth

 

[chesterbells]

Be interested to hear what you think of that. I read one called “Citizens of Hope and Glory” which was ok

Great title that

 

[blueparrot]

I was reading an article on what makes a progressive rock band and it’s not easy to define. For instance:

long tracks sometimes extending beyond 20 minutes
songs having multiple time signatures
Excellent musicianship
Usually keyboards and lots of them
classical influences and sometimes classically trained musicians
abstract lyrics often accused of being meaningless/flowery

Rush in my opinion fall in to a few of those although their lyrics (much like Marillions ) were excellent

Of course the above are largely prog cliches but it’s hard to come up with a definitive list

I suppose albums like 2112, Hemispheres, were their most prog albums with hard rock leanings, where as from permanent waves they began to move away towards rock band with some prog leanings. Though Clockwork Angels with its concept would be more prog than mainstream.
I guess they straddled the two camps which explains their success.

 

[TueartsOHK]

I was reading the thread and thinking what defines a prog rock band and you posted this, it's a good definition, and sort of depends on the era as well, there haven't been many new ones over recent years.

The one's still going have tended to grow out of prog usually down to changes in personel, Genesis did, it Collins took 4 or 5 albums before he started to have a greater influence being more commercial, Gabriel really left prog behind when he went solo, Marillion found a new identity when Fish left. Floyd grew out of prog when Waters left then they individually played the old stuff to millions for years.

Yes and a few other bands still do a great job of earning a living by recreating old stuff on tour and not bothering about new stuff.

As for Rush, being a massive fan since the late 70's, I think they cross over several rock genres like no other, the first album (without Peart) was really Led Zep influenced, but after Peart joined his influence and lyric writing took them through prog rock 75-79, rock 80-84, keyboard influenced rock 85-89, rock again 91-96, the five year break saw them return in 2002 with Vapor Trails as heavy rock (not a keyboard in sight), Snakes and Arrows in 2007 has a definite Blues-Rock influence, and the final studio album Clockwork Angels combines nearly all of it, a concept album with classical string parts (definitely prog influenced), heavy guitar parts, and keyboard lead sections.

That’s a good summary of Rush. I first really noticed their keyboards on Permanent Waves but even up to Moving Pictures guitar was the dominant instrument. I love the period 2112 to Moving Pictures but from Signals onwards I stopped buying their albums as they became less and less of a rock band for me. Clockwork Angels was a decent album though.

Same with Genesis I love the Gabriel stuff and the 2 albums as a 4 piece are great. But Duke was the last album I really loved - I still bought the later albums but for me they were a different band. Still making some good songs but a lot of album fillers and novelty tracks too.

Where as Yes (aside from the 2 more commercial albums with Trevor Rabin) have consistently made Prog. Not always of the highest quality I might add. Looking at the list I posted I think Yes pretty much tick all those boxes more than any other band.

 

[OB1]

For me prog was defined by Gentle Giant and King Crimson.
I'm surprised that a lot of fan's of the genre limit themselves to the big name British bands like Yes, Genesis, Floyd, ELP etc. when there are heaps of great prog bands the world over, when prog fizzled out in the UK and Punk took over, foreign bands took up the mantle, bands like Starcastle (a Yes clone) made better albums than Yes in the 80s onwards.
Eloy from Germany, made many superb albums, and one of my favorites PFM from Italy. But there's literally hundreds of them.

Starcastle shone briefly but brightly. Wonderful band.

 

[chesterbells]

I suppose albums like 2112, Hemispheres, were their most prog albums with hard rock leanings, where as from permanent waves they began to move away towards rock band with some prog leanings. Though Clockwork Angels with its concept would be more prog than mainstream.
I guess they straddled the two camps which explains their success.

Interesting with Rush. Over the years I’ve never thought of them as prog, probably because they were more hard rock and less keyboard-centric than what I consider prog - but I can see an argument on paper for classifying them as prog I suppose.
I certainly wouldn’t think of them in the same bracket as Yes, Genesis, Marillion etc.

 

[Hart of the Matter]

Prog friendly bands from the 80s are few and far between. At a push you could make a case for Marillion and King Crimson. Palas and some other neo prog.

I also think you could include some prog leaning bands like Talk Talk and The The. I even think Frankie Goes to Holywood and Simple Minds Street Fighting Years. Ozric Tentacles were space rock/Hillage influenced. I think a lot of ambient house was also infuenced by Prog. A strange transitionay period for sure.

 

[chesterbells]

Prog friendly bands from the 80s are few and far between. At a push you could make a case for Marillion and King Crimson. Palas and some other neo prog.

I also think you could include some prog leaning bands like Talk Talk and The The. I even think Frankie Goes to Holywood and Simple Minds Street Fighting Years. Ozric Tentacles were space rock/Hillage influenced. I think a lot of ambient house was also infuenced by Prog. A strange transitionay period for sure.

Yeah, I’d have to add Asia to that first category.
Re your point about Talk Talk etc, I’ll bet those bands would have taken it as an insult back in the day if an interviewer had called them prog rock!

 

[DelToro]

Prog friendly bands from the 80s are few and far between. At a push you could make a case for Marillion and King Crimson. Palas and some other neo prog.

I also think you could include some prog leaning bands like Talk Talk and The The. I even think Frankie Goes to Holywood and Simple Minds Street Fighting Years. Ozric Tentacles were space rock/Hillage influenced. I think a lot of ambient house was also infuenced by Prog. A strange transitionay period for sure.

Pendragon
IQ
Pallas
Twelfth Night
Jadis
Trilogy
Eloy (started in the 70s)

 

[journolud]

Be interested to hear what you think of that. I read one called “Citizens of Hope and Glory” which was ok

I'm enjoying the book, first couple of chapters give an interesting history and context of the growth of "prog rock" out of psychedlia and an examination of what it actually is, inclduing the "crossover" with classical. He then gets into diferent bands, starting off with KIng Crimson and I don't think many wlould dispute that their debut was the first prog rock album. There's some interesting snippets from interviews with various band members and its offered a great insight for me (some of you may be more familiar with the story). It's led me to listen or re listen to some of the King Crimson stuff I hadn't heard before.

I've also read chapter on the first part of PInk Floyd's careeer (up to and including Dark Side of the Moon). Although I'm much more familiar with their story there are still new insights from interviews with those who were there at the time.

I thought I might lose interest when getting into discssions about bands I don't really follow, this might still happen but curently reading about ELP and rather than lose interest it has made me want to give them a listen.

I suspect that the authors very technical descriptions of some of the music might get repetetive but up to now I'd have to say I'm very glad I bought this book, well worth a read.