The Prog Rock, Art Rock and Electronic Music Thread

[Mirror Image]

Goodness, Henry Cow, of course!

Never got into them or their ilk. That whole RIO movement wasn't particularly noteworthy to these ears. I like the more 'symphonic prog' and this makes up probably 95% of the major prog groups of the day: King Crimson, Genesis, ELP, Yes, among others. A band like Gentle Giant incorporated a lot of different progressive styles into their own with hints of symphonic prog and Canterbury.

[Sef]

Never got into them or their irk. That whole RIO movement wasn't particularly noteworthy to these ears. I like the more 'symphonic prog' and this makes up probably 95% of the major prog groups of the day: King Crimson, Genesis, ELP, Yes, among others. A band like Gentle Giant incorporated a lot of different progressive styles into their own with hints of symphonic prog and Canterbury.

Talking of Canterbury, I have been a fan of Caravan since I was a teenager. Any group who can release an album entitled "Cunning Stunts" gets my vote, though I like most of their earlier stuff better.

[Mirror Image]

Talking of Canterbury, I have been a fan of Caravan since I was a teenager. Any group who can release an album entitled "Cunning Stunts" gets my vote, though I like most of their earlier stuff better.

Caravan were a pretty cool group. I have several of their early recordings. My favorite album of theirs is For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night, but I'm not a huge fan of their music. The same goes for National Heath and most of the Canterbury bands. Like I said, I'm a fan of the symphonic prog bands the most.

[Gurn Blanston]

Talking of Canterbury, I have been a fan of Caravan since I was a teenager. Any group who can release an album entitled "Cunning Stunts" gets my vote, though I like most of their earlier stuff better.

God defend us from spoonerisms though.... 

[Sef]

God defend us from spoonerisms though.... 

You asked for it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtL8PTpsalA

[Gurn Blanston]

You asked for it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtL8PTpsalA

Yikes!   I repeat.... 

[DaveF]

Never got into [Henry Cow] or their ilk.

It does wander a bit, I'd be the first to agree - perhaps for a full appreciation you need to be on whatever Messrs Frith and Hodgkinson were when they composed it - if indeed it was composed.  But it's an interesting antidote to symphonic rock at its most symphonic - if Genesis are Beethoven or Bruckner, then Cow are Xenakis - not of course in their sound, but in the bloody-minded open-endedness of their forms.  I'd probably put King Crimson in the same category.

DF

[Henk]

Many prog rock sounds too artificial to me. However I like the latest by Van Der Graaf (Alt) and Discipline (To Shatter All Accord). And of course Pink Floyd.

Henk

[NJ Joe]

Anyone wishing to explore Henry Cow further should check out the live box, which is essential for fans:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_40th_Anniversary_Henry_Cow_Box_Set

Individual discs can be had on iTunes.

[NJ Joe]

Can, anyone?

[71 dB]

Goodness, Henry Cow, of course!

I have heard some tracks by Henry Cow on radio and it' is an interesting group for sure. Buying their albums is difficult (expensive) if I remember right.
In fact, exploring prog rock in general is somehow pain in the ass. Such an overlooked music genre and the record labels re-release hardly anything.
The market for Henry Cow is very limited so record labels milk people with re-releases of more popular artists.

[Mirror Image]

So my favorite progressive rock bands are Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, and Pink Floyd. What about you guys?

[Mirror Image]

Can, anyone?

Strange album...that's for sure. I think I own a few Can albums. I definitely have Tago Mago, but I think the other one has a can on the front cover. To be honest, they're not my cup of tea, but I'm not fond of Krautrock in general. I prefer symphonic prog and psychedelic above all others.

[chasmaniac]

So my favorite progressive rock bands are Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, and Pink Floyd. What about you guys?

Yes, Genesis and Crimson certainly, Floyd when the mood was on me.

Strawbs was a proggy band at times, liked Hero and Heroine and Grave New World. Tull at times too, however strenuously Ian Anderson denies it. Remember UK? proggy fusiony sort of thing -- one super album. Bruford's solo stuff, again fusiony, was also a big hit with me back when.

[DavidW]

I haven't heard King Crimson. 

Genesis (pre-Collins), Pink Floyd, Tool, Dream Theater and Opeth for me.  I haven't heard Rush, I have a colleague that is a huge Rush fan, has all of the albums and has seen them in concert many times.

So someday I will listen to King Crimson and to Rush!

[Mirror Image]

I haven't heard King Crimson. 

Genesis (pre-Collins), Pink Floyd, Tool, Dream Theater and Opeth for me.  I haven't heard Rush, I have a colleague that is a huge Rush fan, has all of the albums and has seen them in concert many times.

So someday I will listen to King Crimson and to Rush!

Wow, I can't believe you haven't heard any King Crimson or Rush. Well, you not hearing King Crimson is excusable because they seldom received any radio play, but Rush, on the other hand, were all over the radio in the 80s and probably still receive airings, although I haven't listened to radio in any kind of serious way for close to 20 years.

So, let me reiterate here, you haven't heard Rush songs like Tom Sawyer, Limelight, Subdivisions, New World Man, Spirit of the Radio, etc.? All of these were 'hits' for the band and have received tons of radio play.

[Mirror Image]

After reading Dave's comment about Rush, it has me questioning where he lives...



Is this about right, Dave?

[Mirror Image]

Yes, Genesis and Crimson certainly, Floyd when the mood was on me.

Strawbs was a proggy band at times, liked Hero and Heroine and Grave New World. Tull at times too, however strenuously Ian Anderson denies it. Remember UK? proggy fusiony sort of thing -- one super album. Bruford's solo stuff, again fusiony, was also a big hit with me back when.

Yeah, UK were great. Their self-titled album anyway. Probably my favorite Holdsworth performances (not a fan of his guitar playing in general). I've heard of The Strawbs, but I haven't heard a note of their music. I believe Rick Wakeman was in this band at one point right? I think I read this somewhere. Bruford's solo stuff is pretty good, but I can take or leave the whole jazz-fusion thing. There were a few standout albums in this genre. One I have fond memories of were Al Di Meola's early solo albums like Elegant Gypsy, Land of the Midnight Sun, and Splendido Hotel. There were a few Weather Report albums I enjoyed as well.

[chasmaniac]

Yes, Wakeman left Strawbs to join Yes (the first time). If you've never heard Strawbs, give Hero and Heroine a spin on Youtube.

As for Rush, I grew up with their music, but thought of it as prog-inspired rather than prog. Maybe I was wrong. First concert I ever saw was them at Maple Leaf Gardens at Xmas 1977, touring Farewell to Kings.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, Wakeman left Strawbs to join Yes (the first time). If you've never heard Strawbs, give Hero and Heroine a spin on Youtube.

As for Rush, I grew up with their music, but thought of it as prog-inspired rather than prog. Maybe I was wrong. First concert I ever saw was them at Maple Leaf Gardens at Xmas 1977, touring Farewell to Kings.

Will do. Yeah, I think of Rush as 'prog-inspired' as well. I do think their earlier work, especially on Hemispheres and Farewell To Kings was definitely within progressive rock, but, according to the site, Prog Archives, they're labelled as 'heavy prog' along with bands like Porcupine Tree and The Mars Volta.