What's your favourite old prog rock

[Bosko Schwartz]

PS: I enjoyed reading Nigel's argument with ORH about The Flaming Lips (my favorite CURRENT band), and can see both sides completely.  I don't think a band necessarily has to have concept albums (although the Lips do have at least two) and lyrics including wizards, fairies, leprechauns, spaceships, Bible passages, ancient civilizations, forests, mythological beasts, etc., nor does one necessarily need to have 20-minute songs or excessive keyboard, drum, and guitar solos to be considered "progressive."  Nigel, if you just take the definition of "progressive" and look at it objectively and separately from the already established phrase "progressive rock" or "prog rock," you will understand ORH's point.  I mean, Zaireeka, for shit's sake ... come on!  What's more progressive than that?

HOWEVER, in many people's eyes, only the inclusion of the aformentioned absurd elements and so many more will truly qualify as "prog rock," and I can respect that opinion as well, being a sort of prog geek/purist myself.

On a different note, check out Curved Air, a semi-prog band, and one of the only ones in history to have a female lead singer.  In addition to all of the others already mentioned in this thread (and I strongly second votes for the standard Yes, King Crimson, Tull, and Genesis, along with the lesser known Soft Machine, Gentle Giant, and Van der Graaf Generator), some other good prog or semi-prog bands that flew under the radar would be Mushroom, Gong (the best incarnation included Steve Hillage), Caravan, Khan (more Steve Hillage), Focus, and Hawkwind, to name a few.

[godinqc]

Rush .. for sure, I grew up listening to Rush, I saw then a couple of times in concert .. I think their best albums are "Farewell to Kings" and "Hemispheres", I still listen to these tunes ..
.
Dream Theater is pretty good also ..
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Salut !

[Bluesberry]

Rush .. for sure, I grew up listening to Rush, I saw then a couple of times in concert .. I think their best albums are "Farewell to Kings" and "Hemispheres", I still listen to these tunes ..
.
Dream Theater is pretty good also ..
.
Salut !

I couldn't agree more on those two Rush albums.  Love it.

[Ferryman]

PS: I enjoyed reading Nigel's argument with ORH about The Flaming Lips (my favorite CURRENT band), and can see both sides completely. 
HOWEVER, in many people's eyes, only the inclusion of the aformentioned absurd elements and so many more will truly qualify as "prog rock," and I can respect that opinion as well, being a sort of prog geek/purist myself.

On a different note, check out Curved Air, a semi-prog band, and one of the only ones in history to have a female lead singer.  In addition to all of the others already mentioned in this thread (and I strongly second votes for the standard Yes, King Crimson, Tull, and Genesis, along with the lesser known Soft Machine, Gentle Giant, and Van der Graaf Generator), some other good prog or semi-prog bands that flew under the radar would be Mushroom, Gong (the best incarnation included Steve Hillage), Caravan, Khan (more Steve Hillage), Focus, and Hawkwind, to name a few.

LOL, you nailed it again Bosko. Now I've released my inner prog, I agree that the best bits of prog are really cool and that the Lips do possess those. They don't do the excesses (silk kimonos, persian carpets, 30 minute solos, Michael Moorcock poetry and thank goodness for that).

Curved Air, careful, I may need to have a lie down. Sonja Kristina, goodness what a front person for a band. Her and Stacia (the dancer out of Hawkwind Space Ritual era) were teenage fantasies of mine. And I loved Curved Air. I had that album, the first ever picture disc, about one inch thick! Also enjoyed Darryl Way's Wolf.

That list of bands you wrote pretty much sums up how I spent the years 1973 to 1976. I saw most of them. Then I saw the Damned in early 77 and changed overnight. But that's another story.....

Cheers,

Nigel

[Ted]

I just discovered this topic.

Here are a few I didn't see mentioned for your prog enclopedia:

Brand X: Evolved into a side project for Phil Collins--and completely misled Genesis fans about the direction Collins' solo career would take.  I particularly like the album Product.

Horslips: Celtic rock, but prog enough.  I liked The Book of Invasions.

UK: What do you to if you are Bill Bruford and John Wetton--and Robert Fripp has kicked you out of Club Crimson?  You blow minds without Little Bobby. The first album is the best.

David Sancious: More talented than God, he's a side man who has played with a few prog acts.  I saw him with Jon Anderson and with Jack Bruce--two shows I might not have seen otherwise.  Check out the albums True Stories and Just as I Thought.

And if anyone wants to argue that these aren't prog (Nigel), I'll concede.  (Even though you'd be wrong).

[Ferryman]

Ted, I may be wrong  but Brand X are more jazz than prog. They went in a direction I couldn't follow (as you'll understand from my post).

Horslips, now there's a band - had pretty much everything they ever did on vinyl, never got to see them live, except on the TV. Not "true" prog in all of the excesses but definitely prog in their concepts - historical concept albums, taking traditional Irish music and fusing it with rock. Very cool band and now I realise a massive influence on the kind of thing I am doing now - prog with a 4/4 beat!

If you don't know Horslips, then check this out:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5G8AJf4Xzw

Don't know David Sancious, will have to check him out and also listen to more UK.

Cheers,

Nigel

[Greeny]

Do The Wombles count?! 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP7CDvQULXw

[Geir]

Tull, genesis, yes, elp, .... any many others mentioned here by others too !!

One band nobody has brought up is Kansas! Not hardcore prog maybe but still !! Listened to a lot of their work, .... well I have almost every record they made


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCYIiHAhIdo

[Ferryman]

Do The Wombles count?! 

Hmmm, well they have ridiculous costumes, a whole concept behind them, so.....

But I don't remember Uncle Bulgaria's penchant for silk kimonos and samurai swords, nor Madame Cholay's 30 minute dulicimer solos, so probably not....

Cheers,

Nigel

[Ferryman]

Tull, genesis, yes, elp, .... any many others mentioned here by others too !!

One band nobody has brought up is Kansas! Not hardcore prog maybe but still !! Listened to a lot of their work, .... well I have almost every record they made

Yup, that's prog. The violinist's hair qualifies before you even hear the music!!!

Cheers,

Nigel