PROGRESSIVE ROCKMINI-GUIDE & CATALOG - Edition 2007

What is prog rock?

2007-06-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

“Progressive rock - also known as “prog rock,” “classical rock” or “art rock” - is a unique form of rock music, occurring at the intersection between rock, soul, blues and jazz styles with classical and symphonic sounds and structures.”

The problem of the "correct terminology" is back - “progressive music” or “progressive rock” (or “prog,” for close friends) - with you to choose! The etymology of those terms has become almost “evil,” creating such a “headache” that it is difficult even to consider, much less catalogue this diverting genre of music. But is the “essence” of something not specific to each one of us? After all, what good is it to disparage an album if one has not listened to it? With “progressive rock,” one often only truly enjoys an album after having listened to it several times. Our tympanums are our interpreters, but the “spirit” is our only judge.

It would take a very astute mind to define prog clearly. Many such minds have tried, with varying degrees of success, but ultimately each person has his/her own definition. Given human nature, there is nothing surprising about that, and yet even I have not yet offered a definition to anyone… yet. Now I do so, with, inevitably, an ounce (or maybe more…) of partiality:

I would like to dispense with the myth that “Progressive Rock” emerged in the United Kingdom like a phoenix from the ashes. Indeed, the majority of bands who were newly formed at the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s were very much inspired by the examples of British and American acts such as The BEATLES, FRANK ZAPPA, PINK FLOYD, CREAM, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, SOFT MACHINE, The NICE, PROCOL HARUM, and The MOODY BLUES. They were quickly followed by a new geneneration of progressive rock bands like KING CRIMSON, YES, GENESIS, EMERSON LAKE & PALMER, JETHRO TULL, GENTLE GIANT, VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR and many others from all over the world. Also, there were other bands who were looking for totally new forms and methods of playing together, such as HARMONIUM and RUSH (Canada), ANGE and MAGMA (France), AMON DUUL, CAN, ELOY and TANGERINE DREAM (Germany), BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO and PFM (Italy), TRIANA (Spain), STYX and KANSAS (USA), and GONG (muti-national), to name but a few.

By pushing the research a little further, one realizes that, in general, most definitions of “progressive rock” share in common such terms as “EVOLUTION,” “PROGRESSION,” “INNOVATION” and “UNCOMMERCIAL."

The main defining characteristics and tendencies are that the compositions are more elaborate than the standard rock song structure of verse, chorus etc. Musicianship is often taken to the limit - and indeed, many of innovative and open-minded bands in "prog rock" had their origins in the late 1960s art school of Britain. They were created to represent a philosophical approach to rock by experimenting with unusual musical instruments including wind sections (flute, saxophone) and string sections (violin, cellos, harpsichord, etc.), electronic experiments (MOOG & ARP synthesizers, the Mellotron, HAMMOND B-3 organ) and full orchestration. The arrangements incorporate stylisation based on jazzy theory, classical elements, world or even avant-garde music. The lyrics, where they exist, are often poetic, conceptual (a musical "journey" with intricate melodies and harmony) or based in fantasy.

With regard to musical structure, “prog” usually offers complex arrangements - often including long, beautiful instrumental sections (pieces from 6- to 20-minutes long) - and virtuoso musicianship, combining technical mastery and emotional solos. An early example is the 23-minute “Echoes” by PINK FLOYD. Other famous examples include YES’ “Close to the Edge” (18 minutes) and GENESIS’ “Supper’s Ready” (23 minutes). When not forced into using “mainstream” structures, artists have freer reign to integrate their individual and collective cultures and influences - classical (early symphonic prog), jazz, traditional - into the “energy” of their music.

“My ears are lucky to hear

These glorious songs

Of inspiration

And voices crafted fromThunder

The power of life”

- Happy Rhodes, “Feed The Fire” (Warpaint version)

The progressive rock movement began in Britain in the late 1960s and early 1970s branching off from the fields of psychedelic and underground rock - that somehow progressed beyond the constraints of traditional musical structures by adopting influences from jazz-rock fusion ("jazz-rock" in the U.K. & "fusion" in the U.S.), classical, folk, avant-garde, experimental and world music. It is through these various tendencies that many sub-genres later will be established : Canterbury, symphonic prog (probably the most famous names in prog), space rock, folk prog, Krautrock, Zeuhl, neo-prog, prog metal, post-rock, experimental etc… and it is today one of the most interesting and widely overlooked musical phenomena of the 20th Century.

Like any music, "progressive rock" has subgenres, defined according to the way in which various artists interpreted the new "current." Ultimately, if one wanted to complicate matters, one could "define" an almost unlimited number of subgenres.

However, without being completely exhaustive, the various tendencies (or forms of progressive rock music) are:

Psychedelic (PINK FLOYD), jazz-fusion (FRANK ZAPPA), the Canterbury School (CARAVAN, GONG), Experimental in the Sixties (SOFT MACHINE, KING CRIMSON). There are also theatrical (GENESIS), traditional (EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER), symphonic (YES, CAMEL), Folk Progressive (JETHRO TULL, GENTLE GIANT, RENAISSANCE, the STRAWBS), Italian Progressive Rock (BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO, LE ORME, PFM), Hard Progressive (RUSH), German Progressive Current (ELOY - space rock; AMON DUUL II - krautrock), Progressive Electronic (TANGERINE DREAM), Progressive Instrumental (MIKE OLDFIELD), Rock In Opposition, or RIO (HENRY COW), Zeuhl (MAGMA), and art rock/“pomp prog” in the ‘70s and through the ‘80s (SUPERTRAMP). There are even Neo-Progressive in the Eighties (MARILLION, ARENA, PENDRAGON), Progressive Metal (DREAM THEATER, AYREON, PAIN OF SALVATION), and Experimental & Post-Rock in the Nineties (TORTOISE, GOODSPEED YOU BLOCK EMPEROR!).

Another fundamental characteristic of this “cerebral” genre, is its universality (without any commercial or media support) : vibrant "progressive rock" communities span the globe, in South America, Japan, Western Europe (Italy, Holland, Sweden and where it all started, in the UK), Eastern Europe (Poland and Hungary), the USA and in Quebec, Canada with concerts, magazines and specialised distributors devoted to the cause of quality music.

With the advent of the World Wide Web, it is safe to assert that "Progressive Rock" is in full expansion, even though it will probably never again dominate the charts, destined to “progress” perpetually beyond the shallow silliness that has, for so long, been polluting the airwaves.

"You call yourselves progressive

I say it's all regressive

You think you can stand in judgement

So listen here and I'll remind you :

Preaching the converted

’cause it's all you know

Music's dead because

It"s all about the money now…"

(Preaching the converted - "Test Of Willis" - MAGELLAN 1995)

"Music speaks through one language but in many dialects."

(Tracts Promo Discipline Global Mobile 1996)

All intelligent music lovers should be made aware of the wonders of this style!

Letters U - V - W - X - Y - Z / Numbers 0-9

2007-02-21T15:24:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

LETTER U
U.K. (UK) - Monster prog rock band with famous members: John WETTON (vocals, bass), Eddie JOBSON (keyboards, electric violin) and Bill BRUFORD (drums)
ULYSSES (Germany) - Neo-prog rock of the 90’s in the same style like the British guides PENDRAGON, IQ and SHADOWLAND. Reunion in 2004 as NERONIA
URBANE, The (UK) - More pop-oriented side-project from vocalist and keyboarder John MITCHELL (ARENA, KINO)

LETTER V
VAN DER LINDEN, Rick (Netherlands) - Famous leader of EKSEPTION and TRACE. Brilliant keyboarder with amazing electronical music and classical solo performances. Essential!
VANDEN PLAS (Germany) - One of the leading German prog metal bands marked by unique voice of vocalist Andy KUNTZ (ABYDOS)
VARIUS MANX (Poland) - Polish pop prog band starting in the early 90’s with changing female vocalists
VAST (USA) - Relaxing and melancholic soundscapes by Jon CROSBY using samples of native Indian vocals
VIIMA (Finland) - Retro-symphonic rock in the vein of the 70’s with psychedelic parts and lyrics in Finnish. Sometimes a CAMEL feeling comes to mind
VIMAL, Richard (France) - Phenomenal electronic music with smoothly melodic soundscapes. Keyboard heaven!
VIOLET HOUR (UK) - Symphonic melody prog with folk factor from the early 90’s. Charasteristic attributes are great female vocals and wonderful flutes
VISION DIVINE (Italy) - Powerful metal band goes melodic progressive metal ways
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS (Austria) - Power and symphonic prog metal with female and male vocals similar to EDENBRIDGE, NIGHTWISH and WITHIN TEMPTATION
VISSER, Ad (Netherlands) - Excellent multimedia space opera composed by author and hi-tech electronic pop artist Ad VISSER. Bizarre and exotic electronic adventure!
VISSER, Hans (Netherlands) - Solo ambitions by FLAIRCK founder and guitarist
VOX TEMPUS (USA) - Prog metal four piece with atmospheric keyboards and hard rock guitar playing. FATES WARNING, RUSH and also QUEENSRYCHE comes to mind
VOYAGER (Australia) - Professional prog rock with pretentious and partly experimental electronic compositions

LETTERS W
WAKEMAN, Oliver (UK) - In the footsteps of his father Rick WAKEMAN. Temporarily collaboration with Clive NOLAN (PENDRAGON, ARENA). Lots of bombastic keyboards
WAKEMAN & COUSINS (Germany) - Conglomerate of keyboarder Rick Wakeman (STRAWBS, YES) and charismatic singer Dave COUSINS (STRAWBS), very similar to STRAWBS
WATERS, Roger (UK) - Famous guitarist from prog rock dinosaurs PINK FLOYD
WESLEY, John (UK) - Well-suited slightly melancholic rock. He was also tour and studio guitarist for FISH and PORCUPINE TREE
WETTON, John (UK) - All-star guitarist got famous by membership in bands like U.K., KING CRIMSON, YES and ASIA
WETTON / DOWNES (UK) - Consortium by John WETTON (U.K., YES, ASIA) and Geoffrey DOWNES (YES, ASIA, BUGGLES) playing prog in the ASIA-style
WHITE (UK) - New group led by Alan WHITE (YES) with a mix of melodic and prog rock. Cover art-work by famous painter Roger DEAN. A must for ASIA fans!
WINDS (Norway) - Mature mix of classical prog and subdued dark progressive metal
WINGER, Kip (UK) - Vocalist and keyboarder from hard rock band WINGER on his own solo trip with very melodious and dreamy progressive songs
WINTERGARDEN (Germany) - Straight Deutschrock from the late 70’s/early 80’s with some jazzy arrangements
WISHING TREE (UK) - MARILLION with crystal-clear female vocals comes to mind, but that’s no fortuity - it’s a side-project by guitarist Steve ROTHERY and bassist Pete TREWAVAS
WITHIN TEMPTATION (Netherlands) - Progressive gothic metal from the better kind recommendable for fans of NIGHTWISH and EDENBRIDGE
WITHOUT WARNING (USA) - Well thought-out and clever presented melodic prog metal likened to DREAM THEATER and FATES WARNING
WITTHÜSER, Bernd (Germany) - Known from 70’s psych-folk duo WITTHÜSER & WESTRUPP with solo work in the same style
WOLVERINE (Sweden) - Amazing good progressive hard rock with emphasis to melodic mellotron-driven prog, featured like a mix of SIEGES EVEN and EVERON but not so complex
WOOLFSON, Eric (UK) - Better known by his song writing and producing with his partner Alan PARSONS for ALAN PARSONS PROJECT
WUTHERING HEIGHTS (Denmark) - Progressive speed metal comparable to the Italian band RHAPSODY

LETTER X
XANDRIA (Germany) - Gothic prog with crystal-clear female vocals and plenty of keyboard sounds reminds to NIGHTWISH and WITHOUT TEMPTATION
XCARNATION (Turkey) - Progressive mixture from electronic, rock and heavy metal with a slightly worldmusic touch by multi-instrumentalist Cenk EROGLU
XENN (Poland) - Futuristic art rock project by former members of Polish prog band ABRAXAS, sounds a bit like PORCUPINE TREE

LETTER Y
YOLE (France) - Ethnic progressive rock influenced by the masters of the 70’s with elements of Indian and Eastern music. Uncommon but excellent!

LETTER Z
ZENIT (Switzerland) - Great melodic prog which sounds sometimes like early MARILLION
ZHORN (Germany) - Imaginative and eclectic progressive rock created by ex-LANFEAR vocalist and keyboarder

NUMBERS 0 - 9
7 MONTH (Italy) - Marvellous melodic rock with progressive touch but without to be too complex guided by an impressive male vocalist
7 SAMURAI, The (Italy) - Project realized by “The Finnish Progressive Music Association Colossus” together with the Italian prog bands CAP and TAPROBAN as well as Venezuelan TÉMPANO - similar projects are THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES, KALEVALA and THE SPAGHETTI EPIC. Highly recommendable!

Letter T

2007-02-20T14:10:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

T (Germany) - Frontman and vocalist of SCYTHE with stunning retro-prog and new art rock
TALE (Germany) - Powerful prog rock with impressive male vocals and sometimes trips into prog metal
TALIS (Germany) - Independent melody-oriented prog rock as an intersection of SCAPELAND WISH, KINO and POOR GENETIC MATERIAL
TANGERINE DREAM (Germany) - Legendary pioneers of electronical music led by mastermind Edgar FROESE. Pathfinder of the Berlin School. Non-stop active by now 40 years from the late 60’s until today. Former well-known musicians over the years are Christopher FRANKE, Klaus SCHULZE, Peter BAUMANN, Michael HOENIG, Johannes SCHMOELLING and up to date Jerome FROESE. More than 80 albums (original, soundtracks and live recordings)
TANZBÄR (Germany) - Folk rock mainly enrooted in traditional German songs
TARKA (UK) - Neo-romantic orchestral project by GENESIS’ Anthony PHILLIPS together with Harry WILLIAMSON
TAYLOR, Lou Maxwell (Canada) - Dreamlike intimate progressive singer/songwriter rock with mesmeric atmospheres and folky and electronical moments
TEN (UK) - Great melodic hard rock and prog metal led by vocalist Gary HUGHES. Great!
THANATEROS (Germany) - Celtic folk metal with strong progressive appendages
THETIS (Germany) - Excellent song writing in the style of medieval, folk rock and traditional guitar oriented rock
THINKMAN (UK) - Producer Rupert HINE with his own band project - not so progressive as his solo works
THIRSTY MOON (Germany) - Fusion of amazing classical progressive rock and proggy jazz rock
THOMPSON, Linda (UK) - In the 70’-80’s wife of and musician together with Richard THOMPSON, late solo career after 17 years in the early new millennium
THOMPSON, Richard (UK) - Vocalist, guitarist and mandolin player with great folk rock, well-known as leader of FAIRPORT CONVENTION and member of the MORRIS ON project
THOUGHT SPHERE (Germany) - Well-balanced prog metal, but with a bit less metal and a bit more prog
THRESHOLD (UK) - Stunning melodious prog metal by founding member Karl GROOM (SHADOWLAND, CASINO, engineering work for ARENA and PENDRAGON)
THUROW, Matthias (Germany) - Ex-EULENSPYGEL member (in the 70’s) and multi-instrumentalist with electronic music, soundtracks and jazzy arrangements
TILES (USA) - Prog metal close to DREAM THEATER and RUSH
TIME REQUIEM (Sweden) - Symphonic and classical influenced prog metal by keyboarder Richard ANDERSSON with members of FLOWER KINGS as rhythm section
TIME MACHINE (Italy) - Ordinary prog metal deeply influenced by melodious metal, hard rock and symphonic prog rock
TOC (Finland) - Formerly known as THRONE OF CHAOS with a fusion of prog and metal, soonest comparable to PAIN OF SALVATION
TOLKKI, Timo (Finland) - Leader of power metal band STRATOVARIOUS with emotional and mostly calm prog rock quite different to his band work
TOOL (USA) - Very dark heavy rock goes more and more progressive pathways with a touch of gothic rock
TORNAOD (USA) - Folky prog rock with symphonic style
TOWNSEND BAND, Devin (Canada) - Prog metal to be described by chaos, bombast and high-speed. Unorthodox!
TOYZ (Netherlands) - Impressive instrumental progressive rock from the end-90’s
TRAUMPFAD (Germany) - Melancholic lyrical prog rock with German vocals similar to NOVALIS and HOELDERLIN
TREACLE PEOPLE (Germany) - Modern psychedelic hard rock in the vein of the 70’s like a conglomerate from DEEP PURPLE, PINK FLOYD and KING CRIMSON
TURILLI, Luca (Italy) - Headman of prog metal group RHAPSODY with melodic progressive songs and slightly less speed than his master-band
TYNDALL (Germany) - 80’s German leaders of a mixture from electronic sounds with new age feeling

Letter S

2007-02-18T15:27:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

SAINT-PREUX (France) - Nice prog rock from the 80’s with classical adaptations in the vein of SKY and EKSEPTION
SALTATIO MORTIS (Germany) - Dark folk metal rock with melodious folk tunes and heavy folky metal riffs
SAMSAS TRAUM (Germany) - Odd progressive gothic rock with imaginative verses sung in German language and created by mastermind Alexander KASCHTE. Essential!
SANDSTONE (Poland) - Ordinary melodious prog metal
SARACEN (UK) - Bombastic and epic melody rock group from the 80’s in the vein of KANSAS or early MAGNUM, with a great comeback in 2006
SARCASME (France) - Neo-progressive rock group with affinity to ANGE, PINK FLOYD and PULSAR with predominance of flute
SAVA (Germany) - Melancholic medieval folk rock and beautiful renaissance music tunes
SCAB, Dom F. (Spain) - Wonderful electronic music adapted from the 70’s Berlin School ideals like Klaus SCHULZE and TANGERINE DREAM
SCHANDMAUL (Germany) - The best German folk rock band of the new millennium. Combination of pretty lyrical songs and harder tracks with a little approach to folk metal
SCHERPENZEEL, Ton (Netherlands) - Ex-CAMEL member and classical solist with an CAMEL-like side project
SCHIFF, Don (USA) - Stick player from ROCKET SCIENTISTS, Eric NORLANDER and Lana LANE with high technical instrumental music between progressive rock, rock, jazz and fusion
SCHMOELLING, Johannes (Germany) - Early TANGERINE DREAM member with very ambitious solo works in the same electronical genre
SCHÖNHERZ (Austria) - Independent music between Krautrock and electronic by Richard SCHÖNHERZ
SCHØNNING, Klaus (Denmark) - Spheric symphonical electronic music with mostly long tracks
SCHRÖDER, Robert (Germany) - Great electronic music in the vein of Berlin School. For fans of Klaus SCHULZE and TANGERINE DREAM a must!
SCHULTZE, Kristian (Germany) - Keyboarder from famous German jazz rock group Klaus DOLDINGER’S PASSPORT with his own electronic progressive music
SECOND CALLING (Germany) - Prog rock with a little portion of prog metal and very good ballads
SECTION A (Denmark) - Exciting progressive metal experience with an own unique brand
SEVEN STEPS TO THE GREEN DOOR (Germany) - Very peculiar prog rock with elements of jazz, rock, rap and alternative music. Great!
SEVENTH KEY (USA) - KANSAS vocalist and guitarist up from the mid-80’s until today with his own project supported by KANSAS members Steve WALSH, Phil EHART, Richard WILLIAMS and other well-known musicians. Brilliant!
SEVENTH WONDER (Denmark) - Very good prog metal band in the vein of DREAM THEATER, but without to be a clone
SHAA KHAN (Germany) - Essential symphonic Deutschrock from the end-80’s with a splendiferous vocalist
SHARAM, Max (Australia) - It’s not a pseudonym by Tori AMOS, but it seems so. Brilliant female singer. A must!
SIEGES EVEN (Germany) - One of the best German prog metal bands with very complex and melodious songs and lightly jazzy influences
SIGUR RÓS (Finland) - Famous new art rock band of the beginning of the new millennium with spheric soundscapes, native lyrics and marvellous verbal paintings
SILLY WIZARD (UK) - Famous Scottish folksters with excellent (traditional) folk rock led by John and Phil CUNNINGHAM
SILVER (USA) - Excellent melodic hard rock with progressive ingredients
SINCLAIR, Dave (UK) - Famous keyboarder and founder from brilliant group CARAVAN with his own work in the Canterbury style
SIOBAN (Belgium) - Very good neo-prog with excellent mellotron chords and partly near to early MARILLION
SIXTY-NINE (Germany) - First-grade Krautrock from the beginning 70’s with very good mixture of prog rock and psychedelic
SJÖBLOM, Rikard (Sweden) - Instrumental interpretation of Swedish novel ‘Cyklonmannen’ by rock group and classic orchestra. For fans of EKSEPTION and TRACE
SKY (UK) - Instrumental progressive rock supergroup with classical themes by well-known musicians Tristan FRY, Francis MONKMAN, John WILLIAMS, Herbie FLOWERS and Kevin PEEK, similar to TRACE and EKSEPTION
SLAMER (USA) - Melodic hard rock with progressive approach by Mike SLAMER. Terry BROCK (STRANGEWAYS) on vocals
SNOWBALL (Germany) - Popular Krautrock band in the late 70’s with a mix of rock, jazz and blues
SOLAR (UK) - Sophisticated solo project by ARENA vocalist Robert SOWDEN with John MITCHELL (ARENA, KINO) as guest musician, but it’s more straight rock music than neo-prog
SOLAS (Ireland) - Refreshing, dreamy and mystical folk rock with amazing songs and tunes
SONÍQ THEATER (Germany) - One-man project by Alfred MÜLLER, keyboarder of RACHEL’S BIRTHDAY, with instrumental symphonic progressive rock, electronic music and ambient soundscapes
SOPHE LUX (USA) - Theatralic prog rock with grandiose female vocals like Kate BUSH or Tori AMOS
SOUL CAGES (Germany) - Fantastic prog rock/prog metal with calmer songs predominantly, but also very good faster tracks
SOURCE, THE (USA) - Wonderful symphonic rock with long-tracks in the 70’s tradition
SPACELEMON (Germany) - Excellent space music with a lot of progressive and psychedelic elements
SPECTACULATIUS (Germany) - Fantastic folk rock from medieval annual fairs with traditional instruments like hurdy-gurdy, shalm, mandolin, rauschpfeife, flutes, lutes, bagpipes and historical drums
SPHERIC UNIVERSE EXPERIENCE (France) - Amazing progressive metal band with great instrumentalists and mainly beautiful melodies in the classic prog metal style
SPIN GALLERY (Sweden) - Very good hard rock respectively adult-oriented rock with an approach to prog rock
STAINTON, Lisbee (UK) - Contemporary singer/songwriter prog rock with refreshing female voice and lyrics
STRAIGHT SHOOTER (Germany) - Mix of straight hard rock and melancholic progressive Krautrock
STRAMONIO (Italy) - Recognizable and strong sounding progressive metal act with stunning songs
STRANGE FLOWERS (Italy) - Relaxed and melodic psychedelic rock as well as multicoloured jamming space rock which reminds to PINK FLOYD in the Syd BARRETT era
STYX (USA) - AOR supergroup with ingenious pop rock and influences of symphonic and art rock led by vocalists Dennis DE YOUNG (keyboards) and Tommy SHAW (guitar)
SUNSTORM (USA) - Beautifully constructed melodic rock and first class song writing covering from up-tempo ballads to straight rock songs by mastermind Joe Lynn TURNER (RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE)
SUPPER’S READY (Luxembourg) - As the name suggests: GENESIS clones, but absolutely well-done!
SWEENEY’S MEN (Ireland) - One of the first modern folk-traditional groups in the mid to late 60’s in the same league as STEELEYE SPAN and FAIRPORT CONVENTION
SYMPHONY X (USA) - Ingenious killer prog metal with phat and bombastic epics as well as crystal clear melodies

Letter R

2007-02-12T03:16:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

RACHEL’S BIRTHDAY (Germany) - Well-played melodic neo-progressive rock from the mid-90’s
RADIO SILENCE (Mexico) - Well-balanced cross between progressive rock and hard rock with a touch of dark gothic rock
RADIOACTIVE (Sweden, USA) - Great melodic hard rock with progressive tendencies by mastermind Tommy DENANDER with a great line-up of guest musicians
RAGSDALE, David (USA) - Former KANSAS violinist with solo work between prog and classical. Often to hear as guest violinist by progsters SALEM HILL
RAHN, Lutz (Germany) - NOVALIS keyboardist with a very ambitious solo performance
RANDY PIE (Germany) - Legendary and excellent German Krautrock from the 70’s with a mixture from rock, jazz and soul
RED JASPER (UK) - Neo-prog and prog folk from the 90’s which sounds like a blend from MARILLION and JETHRO TULL
RELATIVITY (UK) - Celtic folk-rock project from the founders of SILLY WIZARD, John and Phil CUNNINGHAM
RENAISSANT (UK) - Project by RENAISSANCE member Terry SULLIVAN. Strongly comparable to RENAISSANCE, but only male vocals
RHAPSODY (OF FIRE) (Italy) - Formerly known as RHAPSODY they are the leading Italian prog metal band with ultra fast guitar playing, great keyboards and classical and operatic insertions
RICHARD WAHNFRIED (Germany) - Electronic music side project by Klaus SCHULZE with famous guest artists like Arthur BROWN, Michael SHRIEVE and ASHRA in the late 70’s/early 80’s
RICOCHET (Germany) - Song-oriented melodic prog rock with a good portion of prog metal as ingredient
RIECHMANN, Wolfgang (Germany) - Keyboarder from STREETMARK, unfortunately murdered by drunken guys in 1978 shortly before his first solo record release. Delightful electronic music
RIPAILLE (France) - 70’s progressive rock band plays a mix of symphonic and folk rock near to GRYPHON with a touch of GENTLE GIANT
ROBERTS, Sam (Canada) - Song-oriented band project between independent music, psychedelic rock and progressive rock. Excellent!
ROCKENFIELD SPEER (USA) - Great instrumental prog by drummer Scott ROCKENFIELD (QUEENSRYCHE) and guitarist Paul SPEER. Formidable drumming with melodic guitar and effective keyboard playing
ROCKETBOB (USA) - Pretty progressive rock by Swedish/American band with great and impressive female vocals
RONDAT, Patrick (France) - Instrumental mixture of hard rock and progessive rock by French guitar sorcerer - often guest-guitarist and discovered by Jean Michel JARRE
ROOT (UK) - Project by multi-instrumentalist David KENDALL. His music is highly influenced by PINK FLOYD and due to Steve HOGARTH-like vocals by MARILLION too
ROYAL HUNT (Denmark) - Mainstream melodic rock with some progressive influences and great keyboards by mastermind André ANDERSEN
RUDY’S JOURNEY (Germany) - Project by guitarist from German pop band PUR. Due to the fact that Michael SADLER (SAGA) and Michelle YOUNG take part as guest vocalists it’s also interesting for prog rock fans
RUTHERFORD, Mike (UK) - Songwriter and guitarist of GENESIS and MIKE + THE MECHANICS with solo works in the GENESIS style and more pop-oriented

The face of progressive music

2007-02-01T14:33:00.000-08:00

"Enter the landscape of your mind, a world so strange
and unknown that it seems untouched".

When KING CRIMSON's debut ‘’In The Court Of The Crimson King’’ was released in 1969, it was a fundamental "wind of change" for the whole face of rock music history. It marked the beginning of a mysterious new musical genre henceforth called ‘’progressive rock" or "art rock’’. The entire album featured a strong structure offering various stylistic tendacies… psychedelic with classical symphonic arrangements & an avant-garde approach, free-jazz sensibility, DONOVAN-ish folk rock with medieval atmospheres, and a cacophony of apocalyptic heavy metal. Lyrically, the album is deep, with psychedelic sci-fi lyrics rivalled at the time only by Syd Barrett (PINK FLOYD). This really didn’t exist on many records; it was something that most people had ever heard before.

KING CRIMSON
"In The Court Of The Crimson King"
- October 1969 -

If these are the elements that began the history of progressive rock, then October 10, 1969 is the date that marks the true beginning of the progressive rock movement, as KING CRIMSON's "In The Court..." smashed to pieces virtually every standard and norm of rock, in as "MONSTRUOUS" a fashion as the hallucinogenic face on its cover (which was painted by 23-year-old English artist Barry Godber in 1969; Godber died of a heat attack the following year). This face, in many facets, describes the innovation, sound and intensity of this album.

This laid the blueprint for all progressive rock bands to follow. After all, at this point, most Progressive bands weren’t really progressive at all yet; The MOODY BLUES were still playing edgy British pop; PINK FLOYD was leading the way in space progressive rock & very cosmic music; JETHRO TULL was still performing their own brand of mutant blues; GENESIS was still in their British-pop phase and essentially a bunch of four schoolboys learning their trade; and YES was still searching for their direction pieces.

This album planted the roots in the genesis of progressive rock for other major names like PINK FLOYD, YES, GENESIS, JETHRO TULL, GENTLE GIANT, and VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR. The influence of KING CRIMSON has been cited by a plethora of artists ranging from MARILLION to ANGLAGARD and Steven Wilson (PORCUPINE TREE) to OPETH. As you see, ‘’In The Court Of The Crimson King’’ is there in the Olympus where all THE most important progressive albums stay, historically and musically. More than essential..!

The instrumental architecture and marvelous baroque lyrics were a culmination of a concerted effort by the band members :
o the complex drumlines of Michael Giles (of GILES, GILES and FRIPP fame);
o the melodic bass playing and the crystal voice of Greg Lake (future ELP frontman);
o the ferocious guitar playing of Robert Fripp (arguably the leader of the Progressive Rock movement);
o the assorted quasi-classical woodwind and brass (flutes & saxophone) and screaming keyboards of Ian McDonald (co-founder of FOREIGNER & multi-instrumentalist);
o plus Pete Sinfield’s Tolkien inspired lyrics.

In short, you can hear a five extended tracks (the shortest being about six minutes and the longest about twelve) by four young British musicians. This is an absolute monster (with the EXTREMELY HIDEOUS face plastered across the front cover) of A PIECE OF ART!

Label: Polydor Records 2344 093
(W. German Import)

Line Up:
Robert Fripp / guitar
Ian McDonald / reeds, woodwinds, vibes, keyboards, mellotron, vocals
Greg Lake / bass guitar, lead vocals
Michael Giles / drums, percussion, vocals
Peter Sinfield / words and illumination

Track Listing:
Side 1
1. 1st Century Schizoid Man (7:20) *****
2. I Talk to the Wind (6:05) ****
3. Epitaph (8:47) *****

Side 2
1. Moonchild (12:11) ***
2. The Court of the Crimson King (9:22)*****

***** masterpiece **** excellent *** good

VIDEO:
click on
In The Court...

Catalog - 1st Edition 2007

2007-01-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

PROGRESSIVE ROCK
FORTY YEARS OF HISTORY

THE A-Z LISTING
Catalog - 1st Edition 2007
... COMING SOON ...

Introduction To The A-Z Listing

Welcome Prog fans...!

I'm proud to provide fans of PROGRESSIVE ROCK music with any information I can : bands, comments, discographies and pictures of the album covers from the time-honoured PAST right up to the PRESENT. This extremely well-researched information might be useful for people who want suggestions on where to start. It is not yet sure, whether it will be published as a CD-ROM version (html - 500+ pages) or as an essential PROG catalog.

Suffice it to say...

Like a work in progress, I would like to compile a comprehensive A-Z LISTING with the complete discographies of over 5000 PROGRESSIVE ROCK artists & bands. This discography was originally compiled by the database of my Web Site on PROGRESSIVE ROCK music plus additional information here from different sources. Entries are arranged in alphabetical order, by band name (excluding leading words ’’A’’, ‘’An’’ and ‘’The’’) or by artist’s last name. There is something here for everybody who enjoys adventurous music that would be hard to find anywhere else.

Each band, from the most famous to the most obscure, is covered by a biography with a brief critical analysis (stylistic aspects & artistic influences) plus a complete record discography (including many photos of covers in color) and recommendations of particular albums. In most cases, I have tried to identify their musical genre(s) (jazz-rock/fusion, symphonic, folk, neo-prog, prog metal, experimental, etc.) of each band listed to help in the quest for PROGRESSIVE ROCK music, and then see what these people have to say about other artists you think you might be interested in. For each band, the discography lists all of their recordings (under their name) with additional date of release. As a rule I have avoided listing reissues, releases in "various artists" compilations, Singles/EPs and DVD/videos music.

PLEASE NOTE :
That this ‘’essential source of information’’ is a work in progress, and is far from complete. Many artists not already included are slated for inclusion in the future. These artists/bands are listed in the alphabetical index along with those currently available.

PROGRESSIVE ROCK music is covered only to some extent.

... COMING SOON ...
o Please let me know if you find mistakes or omissions.
o Please let me know if you think I should include other artists.
o Opinions on ‘’ratings’’ are also welcome.

NOTE:
An interesting html Web page is currently under construction (expected to be available by February 2007) that will contain an up-to-date listing, including full band details, discography, etc.

Thanks to all people who provided information.

Ronald Couture (ProgLucky)
Founder of www.progarchives.com

Quebec, CANADA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS :
o Greg Walker - USA & Thedo Roes - Germany
For their generous assistance in providing band information
o Ian Alterman – USA, Bob McBeath (Easy Livin) - Scotland & Lise Brault - Quebec (CANADA)
Improved and adapted in English

CONCLUSION:

Edition of the listing with almost all the band's progressive production (5000 references!).

For almost three years collecting information, I has compiled every band published in the whole world in the field PROGRESSIVE ROCK music - quite a monumental task. Each band appears in this list with its biography and a brief comment about them, country of origin and discography record for a big listing.

A VALUABLE RESOURCE for anyone interested in the PROG genre's more obscure offerings over the past forty years only a few days.

Enjoys your adventurous music...!

by Ronald Couture

OZRIC TENTACLES

2007-01-04T14:14:00.000-08:00

OZRIC TENTACLES - England (1985)
Psychedelic & Space Rock
Classic album: Erpland (90)

A band from another time, OZRIC TENTACLES (commonly known as the OZRICS) are certainly one of the best British bands around in the 90’s, whose music can loosely be described as a ‘’pagan psychedelic punk folk band’’. Formed in 1983 with a debt to jazz fusion as well as space rock, the band originally included founder member and guitarist Ed Wynne, drummer Nick Van Gelder, keyboard player Joie Hinton, bassist Roly Wynne and second guitarist Gavin Griffiths (through Griffiths left in 1984). In 1987, Marv Pepler replaced Van Gelder, and synthesizer player Steve Everett was also added. Inspired by a myriad of musical genres and a number of lineup changes, the music style is very hard to categorize : it is a brillant mix of their own instrumental twist on the 70’s trippy instrumental GONG, AMON DÜÜL II, HAWKWIND, Kraut-rockers KRAAN to Steve HILLAGE space-rock style. Such is its COMPLEXITY...! OZRIC's music carries on the tradition of the finest aspects of space rock with spinning in a land of space-out synthesizers versus stratospheric guitars, skanking bass and tribal drums, floating flute, lots of high energy riffing.

Beginning with 1984’s ’’Erpsongs’’, the band have released a series of cassettes (sold at gigs and via a fan club) and put out 25 albums as of 2006. Throughout, the basic motivation behind band’s existence developed their own cottage industry - studio, record label (Stretchy), tour bus - selling around a million albums worldwide despite never having major label backing. Their first label release was "Pungent Effulgent" in 1989, which was also re-released in the early 2000s, packaged with "Strangeitude". OZRIC TENTACLES’ first major release, ‘’Erpland’’ (an album dedicated to Erp) was an instrumental tour de force recorded by a ten-unit ensemble including two electronic keyboards, a sampler, four percussionists, flute, bass and guitar, and displaying an almost baroque elegance. ‘’Strangeitude’’ (1991) blended as many sources but also added dance beats to its galloping symphonic poems and colorful festivals of sounds. ‘’Jurassic Shift’’ (1993) continued to move towards the taste of the time via increasing nods to ambient, cosmic, new-age and ethnic music. ‘’Waterfalls Cities’’ closed out the decade in 1999. OZRIC TENTACLES surfaced in 2000 to release ‘’Hidden Step’’, followed by the EP ‘’Pyramidon’’. The new live double album, ‘’Live at the Pongmasters Ball’’ was recorded at their sold-out show at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire earlier this year. The DVD of this show will be released in September 2002.

With a legacy of brilliant instrumental work over the last twenty years, the OZRIC's combine progressive jazz & reggae rhythms with spacey synth & gripping guitar work to create a musical landscape of color, depth & motion.

DISCOGRAPHY :

Erpsongs (85) / Tantric Obstacles (85) / There Is Nothing (86) / Live Ethereal Cereal (86) / Sliding Gliding Worlds (88) / Pungent Effulgent (89) / The Bits Between the Bits (89) / Erpland (90) / Sploosh / Live Throbbe - EP (91) / Strangeitude (91) / Live Underslunky (92) / Afterswish (92) / Ozric Tentacles (93) / Jurassic Shift (93) / Arborescence (94) / Vitamen Enhanced (94) / Become the Other (95) / Curious Corn (97) / Spice Doubt (98) / Floating Seeds (99) / Waterfall Cities (99) / The Hidden Step (00) / Swirly Termination (00) / Pyramidion - EP (01) / Live at the Pongmasters Ball (02) / Spirals In Hyperspace (04) / Eternal Wheel - Best of (04) / Waterfall Cities / Hidden Step (05) / The Floor's Too Far Away (06)

BEST ALBUMS : Erpland (90) / Strangeitude (91) / Jurassic Shift (93)

GROBSCHNITT

2007-01-01T08:59:00.000-08:00

GROBSCHNITT - Germany (1972)
Kraut Rock & Symphonic Progressive Rock
Classic album: Rockpommel's Land (77)

Formed in 1970 the band existed till 1989, GROBSCHNITT (which translates to ROUGH CUT) was the best German band from the mid-Seventies (ELOY were then in a more PINK FLOYD... and ambient style). All of the members of the band adopted pseudonyms, namely "Eroc", "Mist", "Wildschwein", "Lupo" and "Popo". The band was created by Joachim "Eroc" Ehrig (drums, percussion), Stefan "Wildschwein" Daneliak (guitars & vocals), and Gerd-Otto "Lupo" Kühn (guitar, vocals). This nucleus was later completed by Wolgang "Popo" Jäger (bass) and Volker "Mist" Kahrs (keyboards, Mellotron, synthesizers). They were best known as a clone of YES (symphonic progressive group), but they also explored other progressive rock styles (either psychedelic prog or more cohesive "Krautrock" with some stunning instrumental passages that will be familiar to anyone into the likes of MAN, AMON DUUL II, WISHBONE ASH and many similar bands). Their sound was characterized by sometimes long suites allowing ambitious composition developments, with intermingled themes, rhythms, climates changes and symphonic passages. A VERY COMPELLING BRAND OF MUSICAL MOODS: haunting melodies, funny voices (by Eroc), wonderful guitar work, great synthesizer sounds, strange drumming/effects man, and sophisticated arrangements. This eclectic German band became one of the most popular live acts in German history.

The group released about fifteen albums and added touches of absurd humor to their records and live shows. Their first five albums are all classics. Vocals are mostly in English, although some albums were released with German vocals for the home market and English vocals for export. "Ballermann" (1974) consisted of two LP's, one filled with symphonic progressive rock, and the other that contained a space rock suite... the original version of "Solar Music". "Rockpommel's Land", the fourth studio album exhibited intricate ensemble work, delicate dual lead guitars and theatrical vocals which dominate the music. A solid concept album in the YES/GENESIS tradition, the record told the story of a boy's adventures in a strange land and ultimately finding some sort of wisdom about human nature, as well as piece of mind. The beautiful cover painting looks exactly like an early Roger Dean cover. "Solar Music Live" (1978) is sometimes considered one of the best live albums of all time (similar to early PINK FLOYD's albums in space/cosmic rock).

DISCOGRAPHY:
Grobschnitt (72) / Ballermann (74) / Jumbo (75) / Rockpommel's Land (77) / Solar Music - Live (78) / Merry-Go-Round (79) / Volle Molle (80) / Illegal (81) / Razzia (82) / Kinder + Narren (84) / Sonnentanz (85) / Fantasten (87) / Last Party - Live (89) / Die Grobschnitt Story (94) / Die Grobschnitt Story 2 (98) / The History Of Solar Music Vol. 1 (01) / The History Of Solar Music Vol. 2 (02) / The History Of Solar Music Vol. 3 (02) / The History Of Solar Music Vol. 4 (03) / The Grobschnitt Story 4 - Illegal Live (03) / Die Grobschnitt Story 5 (2004) / The International Story (06) / Story 6 - Rockpommel's Land And Elsewhere... (06)

BEST ALBUMS:
Ballermann (74), Rockpommel's Land (77), Solar Music - Live (78)

MINI-GUIDE TO PROG ROCK Part II

2007-01-01T07:35:00.000-08:00

ESSENTIAL MINI-GUIDE TO
PROGRESSIVE ROCK- PART II
... COMING SOON ...

After two years of intensive research, I present to you the first edition of my Mini-Guide to PROGRESSIVE ROCK Part II. It covers over 1000 to 2000 ??? old and new prog bands to whom countless new groups refer to when laying claim a PROGRESSIVE ROCK heritage. A heritage that started some forty years ago.

FEATURING:

- ??? pages of essential PROGRESSIVE ROCK references
- A description of 20 new and influential PROGRESSIVE ROCK bands with their best albums
FRANK ZAPPA (66) - SOFT MACHINE (68) - AMON DUUL II (69) - BARCLAY, JAMES & HARVEST (70) - MAGMA (70) - TANGERINE DREAM (70) - ANGE (72) - GROBSCHNITT (72) - GRYPHON (73) or MAGENTA (01) - HARMONIUM (74) - KANSAS (74) - UNIVERS ZERO (77) - PALLAS (81) - OZRIC TENTACLES (85) - ANGLAGARD (92) - SYMPHONY X (94) - OPETH (95) - GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR (97) - The MARS VOLTA (03) - The TANGENT (03)
- An in-depth review of the 30 all-time best PROGRESSIVE ROCK albums (Past & Present - Part I & II)
- An analysis of the artwork of PROGRESSIVE ROCK
- A comprehensive A-Z listing of over 1000 to 2000 PROGRESSIVE ROCK bands and their brief musical description

"All intelligent listeners should be made aware of the wonders of this style"
Source: FreeSon Music (Montréal, CANADA)
http://www.freesonrock.com

Letter Q

2006-12-30T11:02:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

QNTAL (Germany) - Middle-Ages folk rock with beautiful female vocals in several old languages and a combination of medieval lyrics and electronic sounding. Essential!
QUANTUM FANTAY (Belgium) - Joyous good psychedelic space rock in the footsteps of OZRIC TENTACLES and HIDRIA SPACEFOLK. Lots of lovely flutes and wavelike sequencers make properly fun
QUANTUM JUMP (UK) - Progressive jazz-rock group by well-known producer Rupert HINE
QUASAR (UK) - Nice late 80’s symphonic prog rock with lead vocals by Tracy HITCHINGS (STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, LANDMARQ)
QUEENSRYCHE (USA) - Well-known prog metal band. Very successful in the end-80’s and the beginnings of the 90’s

Letter P

2006-12-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

PAGAN’S MIND (Norway) - Favorable powerful prog metal in the vein of their guides SYMPHONY X and DREAM THEATER
PANTOMMIND (Bulgaria) - Heavy prog metal with symphonic atmospheres which appeal to fans of DREAM THEATER, QUEENSRYCHE and VANDEN PLAS
PANUNZI, Stefano (Italy) - Mostly instrumental music mixture from ambient sounds to new art rock. Main influences are PORCUPINE TREE and David SYLVIAN
PARALLEL OR 90° DEGREES (UK) - A blend of classical progressive rock with independent rock and psychedelic music
PARRY, Ian (UK) - Felicitous fusion between classic rock and powerful progressive rock with passionate vocals
PARRY’S CONSORTIUM PROJECT, Ian (UK) - Symphonic melodic progressive metal project by Ian PARRY features a rock opera trilogy
PARSONS PROJECT, Alan (UK) - Famous rock project between progressive rock and art rock by very successful producer Alan PARSONS and songwriter Eric WOOLFSON with changing musicians and vocalists. Very unique typical style and great conceptual works.
PENTANGLE (UK) - Very successful folk rock band founded in the late 60’s by virtuosic guitarists Bert JANSCH and John RENBOURN with a mix of classical folk rock and traditional folk songs and ballads
PERC MEET THE HIDDEN GENTLEMAN, THE (Germany) - 90’s German rock music in the vein of the Krautrock area with elements from Krautrock, Blues and Psychedelia
PETRUCCI, John & RUDESS, Jordan (USA) - Virtuoso DREAM THEATER members on acoustic and electronic guitar (PETRUCCI) and on acoustic piano (RUDESS) on an acoustic progressive journey besides their main band project
PICTORIAL WAND (Norway) - Killer symphonic prog with conceptional approach. Great!
PIGS AND PYRAMIDS (UK, USA) - An all star lineup performing the songs of PINK FLOYD. Amongst many others there are TOTO and YES members concerned
PINNACLE (USA) - Melodic and song-oriented prog rock three-piece like a cross-over from KANSAS, RUSH and SPOCK’S BEARD
PLANXTY (Irland) - Very popular Irish folk rock band founded in the early 70’s deeply rooted in the traditional Irish folk music
PRAYING MANTIS (UK) - Pioneers of The New Wave of British Heavy Metal present melodic hard rock with strong progressive influences in the new millennium
PRIME MOVER (Finland) - Symphonic art rock with the sound of vintage keyboards. English vocals except their latest release with Swedish lyrics
PROLOUD (Italy) - Great powerful prog rock with jazzy touches combined with prog metal in reference to early DREAM THEATER
PROVIDENCE (Japan) - Powerful mid-90’s neo-prog rock with excellent female vocals
PROWLERS (Italy) - Amazing prog metal with strong keyboard-driven epic progressive and very complex parts
PSYMBIENCE (USA) - Impressive new art rock with spacy psychedelic prog rock/metal structures. Like a mix of KING CRIMSON with moderate TOOL

Letter O

2006-12-28T18:02:00.001-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

OBAZDA (Germany) - Formidable progressive rock with Bavarian vocals. Unique!
OCEANSIZE (UK) - Unconventional mix between new art rock and independent rock
OKTOBER (Germany) - Political protest rock with very good progressive instrumentation. Same league as Krautrock heroes FLOH DE COLOGNE and EULENSPYGEL
OLDFIELD, Mike (Irland) - Path breaking progressive instrumentals with tubular bells as musical trademark. Unfortunately more commercial in later years. Essential milestones!
OPETH (Sweden) - Formerly death metal band goes progressive ways in the past years. Instead of death metal grunts, vocalist Mikael AKERFELDT shows that he is a very clean and good singer
ORNE (Finland) - Seven-piece dark progressive band influenced by VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR, BLACK WIDOW and BLACK SABBATH
ORPHANED LAND (Israel) - Powerful progressive rock combined with Jewish and Arabian folk in use of chamber music instruments

Letter N

2006-12-28T17:54:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

NARROW PASS (Italy) - One-man project with classical italian symphonic prog. Recommended!
NATURAL SCIENCE (Netherlands) - Solid prog metal in the vein of DREAM THEATER and RUSH with moderate vocals
NAUTILUS (Germany) - Electronic voyages through the world of Jules Verne novels. Imaginative music between Berlin School electronics and spheric prog rock. Mastering by EROC. Great!
NAUTILUS (UK) - Instrumental prog rock four-piece with dark sounds and exciting atmosphere
NEPENTHE (USA) - Fine old school progressive rock with emotional mood comparable to early GENESIS and YES
NERONIA (Germany) - Follow-up formation from 90’s neo-prog band ULYSSES. Good neo-prog in the same class as EVERON or SYLVAN
NEW CELESTE (UK) - Electrified Scottish folk rock from the mid-70’s
NEW MACHINE (USA) - Progressive-oriented melody rock inspired by RUSH, PINK FLOYD and TOTO
NEWSOM, Joanna (USA) - Psychedelic folk by female harpist and vocalist with complete classical orchestra. Lyrical vocals accompanied by sentimental harp playing. Exceptional!
NIGHTWISH (Finland) - Prog metal at its best with opera feeling and female vocals
NITE CITY (USA) - Brilliant end-70’s band by DOORS keyboard-player Ray MANZAREK.
NOEKK (Germany) - Retro prog with operatic and pathetical vocals. Dark melodies with light tendencies to gothic rock and lots of mellotron
NOSKE, Bernd (Germany) - End 70’s solo trip by drummer and vocalist of Krautrock band BIRTH CONTROL
NOVACT (Netherlands) - Dark melodic prog metal with a touch of gothic

Letter M

2006-12-21T15:57:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

MACHINA COELI (Italy) - Electronic prog by guitar/keyboard duo with leanings to Bjorn LYNNE in style
MAESTOSO (UK) - BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST keyboarder Woolly WOLSTENHOLME with bombastic pretentious kitsch
MAGNITUDE 9 (USA) - Solid played heavy prog
MAGNUM (UK) - Melodic hard rock band around well-known vocalist Bob CATLEY with increasing progressive hard rock over the past years
MÄGO DE OZ (Spain) - Excellent folk prog metal by the Spanish Wizard of Oz. Combination of powerful as well as ballad-based metal with Spanish folk under the use of celtic instruments like flutes and bagpipes – vocals in national language. Highly recommended!
MANZAREK, Ray (USA) - Organist of legendary DOORS with very good keyboard-driven rock and an astonishingly eccentric voice
MARS VOLTA (USA) - Electronic triphop avant-garde art rock – or something like that!? Exquisite!
MARTIGAN (Germany) - Formidable neo-prog comparable to MARILLION and SAGA
MARTIN, Charlotte (USA) - Art pop chansonette like Kate BUSH with very similar voice
MARYSON (Netherlands) - Fantasy novels from author and keyboarder W. J. MARYSON (aka Wim STOLK) setting to music by neo-prog band like PENDRAGON, IQ and MARILLION
MASSAGE, Jomi (Denmark) - Pseudonym of many-sided female artist Signe Høirup WILLE-JØRGENSEN. Experimental and abstract sound sculptures close to Laurie ANDERSON and Kate BUSH
MATORE (Germany) - Experimental pop with lovely female vocals in the vein of Kate BUSH
McDONALD AND GILES (UK) - Substantial 70’s prog from the KING CRIMSON members Ian McDONALD and Michael GILES
McKENNITT, Loreena (Irland) - Brilliant progressive celtic folk by well-known female Irish harp player
MERCURY REV (USA) - Creative melodic psychedelic rock. Magical beautiful and apparently not from this world. Essential!
MERMAID KISS (UK) - Atmospheric progressive soundscapes with singer/songwriter feeling. Impressive female vocals
MEW (Denmark) - Easy swinging pop mixed with melancholic prog – called prog pop. Uncommonly sounding
MIDLAKE (USA) - Harmonic and psychedelic folk rock in the 70’s vein
MIDNIGHT (USA) - Ex-CRIMSON GLORY vocalist under his pseudonym. Excentric prog influenced psychedelic rock with an extravagant and fascinating voice. Impressive!
MIKE & THE MECHANICS (UK) - GENESIS guitarist Mike RUTHERFORD and his mechanics with tasteful and clever arranged pop music
MIND KEY (Italy) - Competent forceful progressive hard rock with dominant keyboard melodies and some innovative ideas
MIND’S EYE (Sweden) - Heavy symphonic prog rock with a little portion of prog metal
MINDFLOW (Brazil) - Well made powerful progressive metal as measured by FATES WARNING, RUSH and DREAM THEATER
MONKMAN, Francis (UK) - Excellent keyboard player from CURVED AIR and SKY
MORPHELIA (Germany) - The name of the band is consisting of mythologic ‘Morpheus’ and Shakespeares ‘Ophelia’. The music is made up of influences of MARILLION and SAGA, but its very good progressive hard rock
MORRIS ON (UK) - Folk rock family project produced by Ashley HUTCHINGS (FAIRPORT CONVENTION, STEELEYE SPAN, ALBION BAND) over the last three decades where the who’s who in folk rock takes part
MURPHY, Patrick (USA) - Beautiful electronic epics, predominant instrumental and orchestral sounding. Great!

Letter L

2006-12-19T12:48:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

LA DÜSSELDORF (Germany)
Follow-up formation of German Krautrock pioneers NEU!. Long sound-collages with sparely singing
LACRIMOSA (Germany)
Primarily started with gothic rock they now offer electronic based music with beautiful lugubrious melodies and lyrical texts. For fans of progressive music with a touch of gothic
LAKE (Germany)
Band from northern Germany mostly successful in the second half of the 70’s with brilliant Scottish vocalist James HOPKINS-HARRISON
LAKVEET, John (Spain)
Sequencer-based electronic music in the retro style like Berlin School with experimental atmospheres
LANCASTER, Jack (UK)
Talented winds player (e.g. sax, flute, clarinet) and composer best-known by collaborations with BLODWYN PIG and Rick VAN DER LINDEN (EKSEPTION)
LANFEAR (Germany)
Elaborate neo-prog meets prog metal. Frequent changes in tempo and diversified vocals are the essential marks. Highlight!
LEE, Geddy (Canada)
RUSH front man with solo output – plays bass and keyboards besides his exalted vocals
LEVEL π (Germany)
Electronic spacy Krautrock in Berlin School style – for fans of TANGERINE DREAM, ASHRA and Klaus SCHULZE
LEVIATHAN (Italy)
Average sounding neo-prog with similarity to ELP
LIE TEARS (Italy)
Symphonic melody prog rock from the better kind
LIQUID HORIZON (Germany)
Melodic progressive metal with main influences by VANDEN PLAS and DREAM THEATER
LIVGREN, Kerry (USA)
Founding member and one of the primary composers of 70’s supergroup KANSAS, currently member of KANSAS followers PROTO-KAW
LODGE, THE (UK)
Group by John GREAVES (HENRY COW, NATIONAL HEALTH) to be settled in the Canterbury scene with jazzy tendencies
LORD, John (UK)
DEEP PURPLE legendary organist with very good music between classic music, classic rock and progressive rock
LORIAN (Germany)
Special highlight of German progressive rock in the mid-90’s. Close to MARILLION, IQ and PALLAS but self-contained. Much sought-after rarity. Fantastic musical gem!
LUNA SET (Germany)
Refreshing electronic-based rock music with very unique female vocals and the use of winds, e.g. clarinet and saxophones, as constitutive elements
LUNATICA (Switzerland)
Symphonic rock mixture between melody rock and prog metal led by wonderful female vocals
LYRIEL (Germany)
Romantic/celtic rock with slightly affinity towards metal. Between BLACKMORE’S NIGHT and WITHIN TEMPTATION with groovy female vocals

Letter K

2006-12-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

KAMELOT (USA)
Symphonic epic metal group which sounds more melodious and more progressive from album to album
KAMPAI (Germany)
Progressive rock band formed in the early 90’s with slight similarity to ELOY
KARFAGEN (Ukraine)
Pleasant surprise from Ukraine. Very good instrumental symphonic prog with mellow melodies and some jazzy influences. Brilliant!
KARMA DEPTH (Belgium)
Recommended impressive progressive rock that sounds a bit like DREAM THEATER
KARRER, Chris (Germany)
Founder member of psychedelic commune AMON DÜÜL II
KEATS (UK)
Early 80’s group with cleverly pop prog well-produced by Alan PARSONS. Colin BLUNSTONE on vocals, Pete BARDENS on keyboards, Stuart ELLIOTT on drums, Ian BAIRNSON on guitar and David PATON on bass … yes, it sounds like ALAN PARSONS PROJECT
KENZINER (Finland)
Nice symphonic progressive metal by keyboarder and guitarist Jarno KESKINEN
KHARMA (Sweden)
Straight-ahead hard rock and pompous melody/progressive rock with fantastic singer Göran EDMAN
KING EIDER (Netherlands)
Floating keyboards and intensive guitars characterize the atmospheric sound similar to CAMEL, mostly instrumental sequences
KOTZEV, Nikolo (Bulgaria)
Great rock opera by BRAZON ABBOT member about ‘Nostradamus’ with a 35 piece symphonic orchestra and some well-known musicians from the melody/progressive rock scene

Letter J

2006-12-16T12:03:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

JAGA JAZZIST (Norway)
10 piece jazz rock collective with electronic experiments and obvious new art rock like GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR. Remarkable!
JAGIELLO (Germany)
MARILLION-like prog rock group which was renamed in JACK YELLO at a later date
JAKSZYK, Jakko M. (UK)
Great mix of art and jazz rock. Playing with JAPAN members in the 90’s, he’s now in collaboration with some famous musicians like Robert FRIPP, Mel COLLINS, Ian McDONALD, Ian WALLACE (all KING CRIMSON), Hugh HOPPER (SOFT MACHINE), John GIBLIN, and...
JANSCH, Bert (UK)
Scottish acoustic guitar folk musician. Founder member of successful folk rockers PENTANGLE
JONATHAN (Germany)
Electronic soundscapes by synthesizer/drums duo from the late 70’s

Letter I

2006-12-16T11:59:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

INCENSE (Netherlands)
Exceptional melancholic and symphonic rock. Calm and subtle on the one hand, energetic and raw on the other hand. Very interesting!
INDIAN SUMMER (UK)
70’s classical symphonic prog with some bluesy hard rock roots
INTENCE (Germany)
Atmospherical electronic music in close relationship to the sound of TANGERINE DREAM
INTERFACE (Germany)
Fresh sounding substantial electronic music according to the great guides Klaus SCHULZE, VANGELIS and TANGERINE DREAM
IRRLICHTER, DIE (Germany)
Medieval/fantasy/folk. Exclusively female members playing with ancient instruments on Middle-Ages markets
IRRWISCH (Switzerland)
Timeless melodic pop rock from one of the oldest bands coming from Switzerland
IT BITES (UK)
Successful progressive pop rock band of the later 90’s
IVANHOE (Germany)
The German answer to DREAM THEATER. Energetic mid-tempo tracks with vocals between James LABRIE (DREAM THEATER) and Daniel GILDENLÖW (PAIN OF SALVATION)
IVORY (Germany)
Excellent symphonic prog rock very similar to GENESIS
IVORY TOWER (Germany)
Trent-setting prog rock/metal from exalted level
IXION (Netherlands)
Stereotype prog rock with lyrical symphonies

Letter H

2006-12-16T11:50:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

HARLIS (Germany)
70’s melodic hard rock with Ex-JANE members as founders
HEADRUSH (Italy)
Melodic hard rock with a little more leaning towards the prog rock side. For fans of ENCHANT and QUEENSRYCHE.
HELD, Zeus B. (Germany)
Member of BIRTH CONTROL in the 70’s. Keyboard prog with the use of vocoder
HINE, Rupert (UK)
Well-known producer of FIXX, SAGA, RUSH and Tina TURNER with great solo works and later with music under the pseudonym THINKMAN
HODGSON, Roger (UK)
Famous singer, guitarist and composer of SUPERTRAMP
HORSLIPS (Ireland)
Very good mix from hard rock with traditional folk and progressive references
HOSTSONATEN (Italy)
Side project from FINISTERRE mastermind Fabio ZUFFANTI with symphonic flute-driven prog
HOURGLASS (USA)
Delightful prog metal epics in the style between RUSH, KANSAS and DREAM THEATER
HOWE’S REMEDY, Steve (UK)
YES member with his own band project of similar type as his solo works
HUDSON-FORD (UK)
Ex-STRAWBS members Richard HUDSON and John FORD standing on one’s own feet
HUGHES, Gary (UK)
TEN’s vocalist with an excellent melodic epic rock opera project in the style of the rock operas by AYREON
HYDRAVION (France)
Very good 70’s atmospherical and rhythmical electronic music under the leadership of French synth-wizard Philippe BESOMBES
HYDROTOXIN (Germany)
Keyboard and guitar-driven prog metal with heavy progressive stylings
HYPNOS 69 (Belgium)
Wistful psychedelic prog rock like in the 70’s

Letter G

2006-12-13T13:16:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

GABRIEL, PETER (UK)
The voice of prog rock! Famous vocalist of early GENESIS with sensational solo output
GALAHAD (Germany)
Celtic prog folk with flute in the JETHRO TULL vein. Produced by EROC in part
GARDENER, Trent (USA)
Progressive rock opera composed by MAGELLAN member. Musical realization of the story of Leonardo Da Vinci. Some of the famous vocalists are James LABRIE, Michelle YOUNG, Robert BERRY and Steve WALSH
GARGAMEL (NOR)
Brilliant prog rock in the sound of the great 70’s examples. Very good long tracks remind to VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR, in particular the vocalist imparts a Peter HAMMILL feeling
GASKILL, Jerry (USA)
KING’S X member with a mix of hard rock, psychedelic and prog rock
GB Arts (Germany)
Common place progressive-like hard rock with metal influences
GEYERS (Germany)
Swinging folk rock with partly frivolous lyrics
GHOST CIRCUS (Netherlands, USA)
Modern progressive art rock
GIFT (UK)
Great keyboard-driven epic prog influenced by GENESIS and YES
GILMOUR, David (UK)
PINK FLOYD famous guitarist on great solo pathways. Unmistakable floydian music. Necessary!
GINZA DUNE (Germany)
Symphonic progressive five piece with vocalist pretty much sounding like Peter GABRIEL
GONG, Pierre Moerlen’s (UK)
Follow-up formation of legendary GONG after the departure of Daevid ALLEN under the leadership of drummer Pierre MOERLEN. Partly collaboration with Mike OLDFIELD
GORDIAN KNOT (USA)
Talented musician Sean MALONE with a complicated progressive rock project involved first class session instrumentalists like Steve HACKETT (GENESIS), Bill BRUFORD (KING CRIMSON) and Jim MATHEOS (FATES WARNING)
GPS (UK)
Fantastic prog rock by ex-ASIA members John PAYNE and Jay SCHELLEN in collaboration with SPOCK’S BEARD keyboarder Ryo OKUMOTO. A new supergroup. A must!
GREEN (Italy)
Fine melody rock production with a little progressive tendencies
GREENSLADE, Dave (UK)
Ex-GREENSLADE and COLOSSEUM leader with ambitious solo works. Keyboard heaven!
GTR (UK)
Successful but short-time supergroup found by Steve HACKETT (GENESIS) and Steve HOWE (YES)
GYPSY KYSS (USA)
Exciting rock music with progressive leanings fronted by Michael DICKES

Letter F

2006-12-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

FALCKENSTEIN (Germany)
Folk rock band rooted in traditional German tunes
FATES WARNING (USA)
Heavenly prog metal with complex and terrific prog structures from the founders of prog metal. Gods of complicated progressive metal!
FAUN (Germany)
Splendorous mediaeval folk prog journey through the worlds of myths and legends
FINAL SEASON (Germany)
Kaleidoscope of melodic prog metal and classical prog rock with spheric keyboards and gorgeous melody lines
FISH (UK)
Charismatic vocalist with recognizable voice at any times and very good prog solo works after his departure from prog heroes MARILLION
FISSION TRIP (UK)
Very sophisticated progressive rock on highest technical level with jazz influences. For fans of KING CRIMSON, not only due to the ex-KC members Ian WALLACE on vocals and Mel COLLINS on saxophone
FLAGSHIP (SWE)
Professional symphonic prog in the tradition of KANSAS and STYX with fine bright vocals. One KANSAS cover version with Kerry LIVGREN playing guitar
FOLLY’S POOL (USA)
Musical gem with influences of electrified folk, prog rock and country music. Exquisite harmonic vocals
FOR ABSENT FRIENDS (Netherlands)
One of the leading bands of the Dutch progressive scene, in short called FAF. Sophisticated neo-prog with influences of GENESIS and early MARILLION
FRANCO (Canada)
Straight and independent melodic prog by Canadian Franco LA MAGNA
FRANKE, Christopher (Germany)
TANGERINE DREAM member from the beginnings until the end-80’s with ambitious solo career
FROST (UK)
Diversified rock music and classical prog rock performed with virtuosity by Jem GODFREY with support from ARENA and IQ members

Letter E

2006-12-12T15:11:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

EARTHSTAR (Germany)
Progressive electronic music co-produced by Klaus SCHULZE. A festival of mellotron, sequencer and vintage synths
EARTHSTONE (UK)
Electronic and spacy symphonic rock with Peter GABRIEL-like vocals
EDENBRIDGE (Austria)
Symphonically and operatic metal like NIGHTWISH with very good female voices and keyboard wizard LANVALL
EISBERG (Germany)
Rock opera from krautrock era with German lyrics
ELANE (Germany)
Celtic prog folk with a light gothic touch
ELECTRIC FAMILY (Germany)
Electronic space rock family including ex members from THIRSTY MOON, EMBRYO, AMON DÜÜL II, GROBSCHNITT and more
ELEFANTE, John (USA)
KANSAS vocalist in the 80’s with contemporary Christian music
ELEND (Austria, France)
Electronic soundcollages - romantic dark and melancholic - with classical instrumentation and vocals lost in reverie.
ELYSIAN FIELDS (USA)
Nice melodic prog with an homage to FOCUS, YES, GENESIS, STYX, ALAN PARSONS PROJECT, SUPERTRAMP, ELP and other supergroups - without cover versions
EMERALD EDGE (Germany)
Dark and epic gothic metal with strong progressive tendencies. Recommendable!
EMPTY TREMOR (Italy)
Incredible powerful and bombastic prog metal with strong expressivity
ENO MOEBIUS ROEDELIUS PLANK (Germany)
Krautrock/ambient collaboration from Brian ENO, CLUSTER and famous German producer Conny PLANK
EPICA (Netherlands)
Bombastic and symphonic metal with opera feeling and beautiful female vocals - for fans of NIGHTWISH
ETERNITY X (Germany)
Formidable theatrical progressive metal with great melodies and multivarious vocals. Frenzy!
EUREKA (UK)
Celtic folk prog and romantic Middle Ages feeling with parallels to Mike OLDFIELD sometimes
EVERON (Germany)
One of the best German prog bands ever. Amazing self-contained symphonic prog at its best. Some albums produced by EROC. Phenomenal cover artwork by Gregory BRIDGES, a famous Australian painter. A must!

Letter D

2006-12-10T18:19:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

D’S UNICORN, Mickie (Germany)
Very innovative and progressive fusion of traditional rock music and electronic sounds with eclectic rhythm and exceeding singing. Excellent!
D PROJECT (USA)
Project by Stephane DESBIENS with a little help from Martin ORFORD (IQ), Tomas BODIN (FLOWER KINGS) and Fred SCHENDEL (GLASS HAMMER)
DARE (UK)
Superb melodic rock band with catchy hard rock songs and wonderful ballads
DARK ORANGE (Germany)
Spherical wave rock with heavenly female voices
DARK SUNS (Germany)
Dark progressive metal with very good psychedelic and epic tracks which reminds to OPETH and PAIN OF SALVATION
DE VRENG, Rene (Netherlands)
Quite good progressive electronic music in the style of the older works from Mike OLDFIELD. Highly recommended!
DEAD SOUL TRIBE (UK)
Mastermind Devon GRAVES (ex. PSYCHOTIC WALTZ) with dark, strong and aggressive as well as melancholic milestones of progressive music
DECEMBER PEOPLE (USA)
Christmas project formed by progressive rock musician Robert BERRY with Steve WALSH (KANSAS), John WETTON (ASIA, U.K.) and Trent GARDNER (MAGELLAN) amongst others
DELUGE GRANDER (USA)
Experimental and grandiose old school prog in the style of the 70’s art rock with amazing long compositions. Developed from forerunner formation CEREBUS EFFECT
DENNY, Sandy (UK)
Folk rock legend of the 60’s and 70’s. She was a member of FAIRPORT CONVENTION, FOTHERINGAY and for a short time of STRAWBS. Unfortunately died in 1978 at the age of 31
DEPARTURE (USA)
Agreable melodic rock/AOR with a light progressive approach
DESTRA (Brazil)
Classical prog metal with keyboard-driven complex mid-tempo rhythms and lyrics with Christian background
DEVAS (USA)
Nice arranged prog rock with quite good vocals and tasteful piano work
DHALIA’S LANE (Germany)
Celtic dreams and dances – great Irish folk rock gigs and ballads mixed with oriental and medieval songs
DICKES, Michael (USA)
Ex-mastermind from GYPSY KYSS with prog oriented singer/songwriter rock
DIETHELM, Thomas (Switzerland)
Acoustic guitar based music with a very unique sound on very high technical level with some eccentric voice collages
DIETHELM/FAMULARI (Switzerland)
Acoustic guitar player Thomas DIETHELM joined with visionary keyboard player Santino FAMULARI with mostly instrumental and jazz-influenced output. A bit like German duo FÜHRS & FRÖHLING. Awesome!
DIGITALIS (Germany)
Electronic progressive rock performed by two German musicians and one American vocalist by transferring digital music-data across the ocean via satellite without ever met the other. Pitch of the voice is like Jon ANDERSON (YES)
DILEMMA (Netherlands)
Enjoyable good symphonic prog with dynamic melodies
DIONYSOS (Germany)
Commercial progressive rock by talented musicians with a laid-back feeling
DIONYSUS (SWEDEN)
One more Scandinavian group with prog metal in the vein of DREAM THEATER
DREAMQUEST, Luca Turilli’s (Italy)
RHAPSODY mastermind Luca TURILLI with an electro symphonic metal project. Classical, orchestral, operatic – mezzo-soprano vocals and grand choirs

Letter C

2006-12-05T15:55:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

CAN (Germany)
Found in the late 60’s the German group is the indisputable pioneers of minimalistic electronic space and ambient sound-collages. Same league as NEU! KRAFTWERK, CLUSTER and Brian ENO
CANNABIS INDICA (Germany)
Complete unknown band, in Germany too. Never made a record, only demo-gigs in radio transmissions in the 70’s. Symphonic prog on classical basis
CANNATA (USA)
The music of multi-instrumentalist Jeff CANNATA is a mix of melodic and progressive rock. His band project ARC ANGEL sounds analogous
CARLOS, Wendy (USA)
Well-known pioneer of the first electronic music. Presentation of classical themes, e.g. from Johann Sebastian BACH, on the original legendary moog-synthesizer. Innovative and pathbreaking. CARLOS, as an assistant from Robert MOOG, was formerly known as Walter CARLOS. Fantastic...!
CARVED IN STONE (Germany)
Mystic folk by female keyboarder and singer SWAWA. Atmospheric sounds on acoustic instruments presented in wonderful ballads and fantasy stories
CASINO (UK)
90’s neo prog project under the leadership of Clive NOLAN (PENDRAGON). CASINO was made up of members took out of other well-known neo prog bands of the 90’s
CASKET (Germany)
Gothic prog rock with dreamy ballads and varied mid-tempo songs
CATLEY, Bob (UK)
Leader and singer from MAGNUM with very good progressive melody rock
CENTRAL PARK (Germany)
80’s neo prog like MARILLION, but first time published in 2006
CENTROZOON (Germany)
Elaborate soundscapes, which are ambient, electronic and psychedelic as well as experimental, at last with Tim BOWNESS (NO-MAN) as vocalist. Analogy to PORCUPINE TREE
CHILDREN OF NO RETURN (Germany)
Mixture of progressive rock with the early guitar-wave of the 80’s
CINNAMONIA (Germany)
Ambitious art-pop with floating rhythms and intriguing melody lines. Song-oriented compositions measured by melancholic female vocals
CIRCLE II CIRCLE (USA)
Inspiring epic progressive metal with ex SAVATAGE vocalist Zak STEVENS
CIRCULUS (UK)
Psychedelic medieval rock with unusual instruments like cittern, harmonium, crumhorn and rausch pfiffer. Similar to RENAISSANCE or GRYPHON. Brilliant!
CIRCUS MAXIMUS (Italy)
Melodic prog metal with complex prog structures. Lots of breaks and experimental phases. For fans of SYMPHONY X, DREAM THEATER and QUEENSRYCHE
CITY (Germany)
Eastern Germany (formerly known as DDR) rock band with the fantastic long song “Am Fenster” which is a real successful million-seller
CLEMMONS, David Judson (USA)
Progressive songwriting with minimized instrumentation. Interesting songs with emotional deepness
COLOSSEUM II (UK)
Follow-up band from prog fusion dinosaurs COLOSSEUM with the same mix of jazz and blues, but not so successful
COLTSFOOT (UK)
Piano and keyboard-driven atmospheric prog. Delicate pastoral music which reminds of Anthony PHILLIPS. Wonderful gem!
CORNERSTONE (Denmark)
Danish classic rock band with scottish singer Dougie WHITE (RAINBOW). Superb melodic hard rock adjoining to prog
COSENTINO, Saro (Italy)
Melancholic and dreamy songs which remind to the calmer songs of Peter GABRIEL. Peter HAMMILL, Trey GUNN (KING CRIMSON) and Tim BOWNESS (NO-MAN) as famous guest musicians
COSMOS (Switzerland)
Very good copy of the PINK FLOYD sound. Perfect recycling!
COUSINS, David (UK)
Legendary singer and band leader of the well-known british folk prog band STRAWBS. An excellent and very charismatic singer
COUSINS AND CONRAD (UK, Germany)
Satisfying prog folk by David COUSINS in the vein of his own solo performances or his work with STRAWBS, here in close collaboration with german guitar player and producer Conny CONRAD
CRISES (Germany)
Hard rock styled neo-prog with tons of keyboards and heavy guitar riffs
CRYSTAL BALL (Switzerland)
Hard rock band from Switzerland with a very progressive sounding hard rock album in 2005
CRYSTAL PALACE (Germany)
Well balanced symphonic prog at the highest stage. Main influences are PENDRAGON, MARILLION and SAGA. Recommended!
CUNNINGHAM, John (UK)
Member of fantastic Scottish folk rock band SILLY WIZARD with great solo works in the same style
CUNNINGHAM, John & Phil (UK)
CUNNINGHAM brothers with solo ambitions besides their work by SILLY WIZARD, but only instrumental folkrock
CUNNINGHAM, Phil (UK)
SILLY WIZARD member on folkrock solo paths as well as his brother John CUNNINGHAM
CUTTING’S OCEAN ORCHESTRA, Jennifer (UK)
Amazing celtic music for ancient moderns. Collage of sea-inspired music with celtic, symphonic and electronic elements. Amongst others guest appearances by Maddy PRIOR and Peter KNIGHT (STEELEYE SPAN), Troy DONOCKLEY (IONA) and Gabriel YACOUB (MALICORNE). Excellent!

Letter B

2006-12-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

BALANCE OF POWER (UK)
Melodic progressive hard rock with a claim to pompously orchestral - like QUEENSRYCHE meets ROYAL HUNT
BARRE, Martin (UK)

Constant member of JETHRO TULL from the beginnings until today. One of the best rock guitar players of the world. Solo works are similar to the band works.
BAUMANN, Peter (Germany)
One of the first members of electronic supergroup TANGERINE DREAM. Pathbreaking electronic music - for TD fans a must!
BEAUTIFUL LEOPARD (Switzerland)
Melancholic new art rock with eccentrically psychedelic organ. Atmospherical prog full of suspense
BEFORE EDEN (Brazil)
Melodious prog metal with convincing powerful parts and some good symphonic ideas
BELIEVE (Poland)
Very interesting neo-prog rock by three former members from well-known Polish prog group COLLAGE
BEZAR, Emily (USA)
Energetic and lyrical art-pop. The music sounds symphonically and jazzy. Voice and style are very similar to Kate BUSH
BLAZING ETERNITY (Denmark)
Gorgeous symphonic prog metal with influences from gothic rock and folk rock. There are some metal parts, but the atmospheric melodies with expressive lyrics are predominant.
BLIND ALLEY (Sweden)
Powerful melodic rock with lots of keyboards and polished compositions
BOCK, Wolfgang (Germany)
Expressive electronic music produced by Klaus SCHULZE with lots of sequencer. It sounds nearly alike Klaus SCHULZE and mid-period TANGERINE DREAM
BOHN’S BANDTAND, Carsten (Germany)
Late 70’s krautrock band with laid-back funky-rock. Carsten BOHN was founder member of FRUMPY
BOTS (Netherlands)
Political oriented band project from the 80’s with a characteristical mix from folk, jazz and rock. Lyrics in German and Dutch
BRAINSIDE (Germany)
Short-time existing German prog band with nice guitar and keyboard parts
BRITTON (Canada)
Progressive hard rock from the mid 90’s
BUSH, Kate (UK)

Queen of sophisticated and lyrical art-pop. Fantastic and expressive voice with a very high level of recongnizability

Letter A

2006-11-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO A-Z LISTING
Written by Thedo Roes (Germany)

ABYDOS (Germany)
Progressive rock opera by Andy KUNTZ, lead vocalist from VANDEN PLAS. Fantastic!
ADARO (Germany)
Powerful middle-ages prog folk. Hard rock version of the 70’s folksters OUGENWEIDE
ADRAMELCH (Italy)
Great Italian epic prog metal band with an amazing reunion in 2005 after seventeen years
AEMEN (Netherlands)
Very unique and melodious prog rock with an exceeding and charismatic singer. Guest vocals by Sharon DEN ADEL (WITHIN TEMPTATION) and Lana LANE. Great stuff!
AERYN, Tamrah (UK)
Formidable progressive rock with concisely female vocals which reminds to Kate BUSH and Michelle YOUNG
AFTER... (Poland)
Exciting art rock in the style of QUIDAM, PORCUPINE TREE or RIVERSIDE
AINA (Netherlands)
Joyous good progressive metal opera in the style of AYREON workings. A lot of famous guest musicians (Glenn HUGHES, Derek SHERANIAN, Eric NORLANDER, Damian WILSON and many others)
AINULINDALE (France)
Tranquil folk music inspired by Tolkien’s tale. Magical and dreamy songs for cold winter days
ALBION BAND (UK)
Traditional British folk rock band. Same vein as FAIRPORT CONVENTION or FOTHERINGAY

ALBION DANCE BAND (UK)
Pre-ALBION BAND. Deeply rooted in traditional British folk rock
ALSO EDEN (UK)
Conclusive progressive rock from the highest level with charismatic vocals. Comparable references are PALLAS and IQ. Great!
ALTARIA (Finland)
Prog metal with sophisticated compositions and powerful sound
AMON RA (Germany)
Lyrical and spherical progressive rock of the late 90’s, but the extensive arrangements and stunning breaks gets a feeling like 70’s art rock
AMOS KEY (Germany)
Very good symphonic kraut rock with some classical themes
AMORPHOUS ANDROGYNOUS (UK)
Psychedelic new art rock created by THE FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON with a beautiful mix of psychedelic and progressive parts
AMUN RE (Austria)
Catchy melodic hard rock with some progressive influences
ANDERSON BRUFORD WAKEMAN HOWE (UK)
For a short while the YES members operated under this name – but it’s YES, certainly!
ANDERSON, Ian (UK)
Legendary flute-dervish and charismatic vocalist of JETHRO TULL
ANDROMEDA (Sweden)
Complex melodic progressive metal between DREAM THEATER, RUSH and FATES WARNING
ANTHROPIA (France)
Heavy epic fantasy progressive metal band with a conceptual work influenced by DREAM THEATER, SHADOW GALLERY and SYMPHONY X
ANY DAY NOW (Canada)
Melodious and calm prog in the SAGA style
ARACHNES (USA)
Straight-line prog metal mixed with a simple kind of symphonic rock
ARC ANGEL (USA)
Multi-instrumentalist CANNATA with his band project. A mixture of melody and progressive rock
ARCHIVE (UK)
Experimental psychedelic prog rock with elements of PINK FLOYD and impressing long-tracks. Amazing!
ARIS (Denmark)
Melodious, empathetic rock with spheric keyboards and prog effects
ARK (UK)
Very brilliant neo-prog. One year wonder in 1993. Sought-after rarity
ARKHE (Italy)
Heavy prog metal in the vein of DREAM THEATER
ART IN AMERICA (USA)
New York art rock group with a unique sound
ART ROCK CIRCUS (USA)
Innovative and unique art rock project by John MINER. Also well-known as HEAVENS CAFE’ – partially performed as a progressive rock opera
ASHLEY, Steve (UK)
Famous British folk rock singer. Similar to Richard THOMPSON, PENTANGLE and ALBION (DANCE) BAND
ASHRA (Germany)
Pseudonym from Manuel GÖTTSCHING, founder of German psychedelic prog band ASH RA TEMPEL. A must for fans of TANGERINE DREAM and Klaus SCHULZE
AWAKEN (USA)
Keyboard-driven prog in the vein of YES. Great!

Prog Rock - The influences

2006-11-01T14:48:00.000-08:00

Written by Pierre Dulieu, BELGIUM
http://www.dragonjazz.com/progrock.htm
Improved and adapated in English by Scott McBeath/Easy Livin, SCOTLAND

Well, is PROGRESSIVE ROCK far from jazz…? Undoubtedly… Nearer to mainstream rock, to folk, even to symphonic classical music, that is certain! But the connections with the jazz-rock exist nevertheless, in its binary and thus most energetic format. The musicians for example are often virtuosos (which leads to the problem of egos that very often prevails among progressive rock groups) perfectly able to improvise during a concert. Some of them will flirt on the occasions with the jazz or even in certain cases, carry out a double career. Thus, the drummer Bill Bruford of YES and KING CRIMSON regularly records fusion albums with Django Bates and their group EARTHWORKS. He also uses of the acoustic jazz style of OREGON (‘’If Summer Had Its Ghosts’’, 1997 with Ralph Towner and Eddie Gomez). Phil Collins was at the same time drummer of GENESIS and of a fusion group named BRAND X (‘’Livestock’’, 1977) before gathering at the end of the 90’s a big jazz band and interpreting some of his compositions in the style swing of the BUDDY RICH ORCHESTRA and the 40’s (‘’A Hot Night in Paris’’, 1999).

Certain progressive groups are obviously closer to the jazz rock than of others. Starting from their second album, SOFT MACHINE's music moved increasingly in the direction of improvisation and jazz and even ended up completely in jazz rather than conventional rock with the arrival of the guitarists Allan Holdsworth and John Etheridge (‘’Bundles’’, 1975 and ‘’Softs’’, 1976). Not to mention groups like MAGMA (zeuhl), AMON DUUL II (krautrock), the MOTHERS OF INVENTION and Frank ZAPPA (rio/avant-prog), and others who, while offering elements jazz, still remain unclassifiable today.

Progressive rock, for which it is difficult to give an exact definition, includes many of other influences among which are:

- Electronic music, whose development is related to the invention of new equipment, is explored by groups like TANGERINE DREAM (‘’Rubycon’’, 1975) not forgetting KRAFTWERK and POPOL VUH.

- The space-rock music of PINK FLOYD inspired the groups like HAWKWIND, OZRIC TENTACLES and PORCUPINE TREE. ...

One of the best rock bands in modern days, calling what PORCUPINE TREE does nowadays prog rock might be stretching it a little. Steven Wilson has morphed from an experimental PINK FLOYD disciple to a fantastic singer/songwriter, sounding more like RADIOHEAD (or even later PINK FLOYD) than anything else.

PORCUPINE TREE offer a rich mix of early prog rock with ...

- Classical music is largely incorporated, not always advisedly, in the works of Keith Emerson's groups: The NICE (‘’Five Bridges’’, 1970) and ...

- The symphonic music of GENESIS and YES inspired the groups like ANGE, ANGLAGARD, BARCLAY JAMES & HARVEST, GROBSCHNITT, KANSAS and The TANGENT: their music includes ...

''Close to the Edge'' by YES and ‘’Nursery Cryme'' by GENESIS, both released in 1972, are the key albums of symphonic progressive rock which would return one decade later in the form of neo-progressive. This was simpler and more commercial with sets like MARILLION (‘’Script For A Jester's Tear’’, 1983), PENDRAGON (‘’The Jewel’’, 1985) or of groups like IQ, ARENA and PALLAS who returned in force with good releases like ‘’Subterranea’’ (1997), ‘’The Visitor’’ (1998) and ‘’The Cross And The Crucible’’ (2001).

- Folk music is an important component of progressive rock played by groups such as JETHRO TULL, ...

- Progressive Metal which integrates the characteristics of Heavy-Metal in sometimes symphonic complex structures highlighting the virtuosity of the musicians (AYREON, DREAM THEATER or PAIN OF SALVATION); ...

The results gave a sub-genre in which established itself during the Seventies and Eighties through bands such as Canadian group RUSH ...

- OPETH (‘’Blackwater Park’’, 2001), SYMPHONY X (‘’V: The New Mythology Suite’’, 2000), THRESHOLD (‘’Hypothetical’’, 2001) - and even resulted in the emergence of record labels of entirely reserved for this kind of music, such as Magna Carta, Inside Out, Giant Electric Pea, Verglas and Radiant Records.

And finally what is called sometimes post rock/experimental prog which gathers anything and all that cannot be classified elsewhere like the unpredictable and changeable music of GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR (‘’Top Spin Your Skinny Fist Like Antennas To Heaven!’’, 2000) and The MARS VOLTA (‘’Frances The Mute’’, 2005).

The named groups illustrate the majority of the influences and the above mentioned styles from 1966 to the present day. For certain groups, one will find their complete discography and/or a selection of their best albums. The bands are listed in chronological order of their appearance on the scene: the year noted in parentheses is the year in which their debut album appeared.

Please note: This is NOT meant to be a complete list of all bands, just an example of some, so don’t be offended if I leave your favourite one out!

And now, to summarise…
Frank ZAPPA (66) - SOFT MACHINE (68) - AMON DUUL II (69) – BARCLAY JAMES & HARVEST (70) - MAGMA (70) - TANGERINE DREAM (70) - ANGE (72) - GROBSCHNITT (72) - GRYPHON (73) - HARMONIUM (74) - KANSAS (74) - UNIVERS ZERO (77) - PALLAS (81) - OZRIC TENTACLES (85) - ANGLAGARD (92) - SYMPHONY X (94) - OPETH (95) - GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR (97) - The MARS VOLTA (03) - The TANGENT (03)

VI- Hugh Syme: Exploiting the Words

2006-10-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

RUSH - 'Signals' (1982)

Hugh Syme is the appointed creator of album covers for the Canadian group, RUSH. Based most of the time on puns that refer to the titles of the songs or album, his images, photographs or drawings are highly creative prints with a sense of humour. When RUSH changed its style on its album, ‘Signals,’ Hugh Syme photographed a Dalmatian ‘marking his territory’ near a fire hydrant: a strong image with aggressive colors which, once seen, remains in the memory.

For the album cover of RUSH’s ‘Moving Pictures,’ a photo taken in front of Toronto’s Queen's Park Building shows a literal moving of pictures (including one of the ‘witch’ Jeanne d'Arc, a reference to the song title, ‘Witch Hunt’), and all the ‘threes’ in the photo - three paintings, three arches, three pillars, three characters in black, etc. – refer to the fact that RUSH is a trio.

Other symbols are certainly hidden here, but that is how Hugh Syme works in ‘exploiting’ the words : following the famous example of the cover photograph for The BEATLES’ ‘Sgt. Pepper ’ album, RUSH’s album covers are true enigmas which their fans have fun decoding down to the finest detail. On the technical level, the photograph is irreproachable and required a considerable amount of technical deployment - to such a degree that the record company refused to pay the extra cost of staging the photo, which RUSH had to pay out of its own pocket.

V- Mark Wilkinson & Marillion

2006-10-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

MARILLION - 'Misplaced Chilhood' (1985)

Born in 1952, English artist Mark Wilkinson is a specialist in fantasy works that have been used to illustrate book covers, magazines, publicity materials for films, and album covers. Within respect to album covers, Mr. Wilkinson became synonymous with MARILLION. More realistic and etheral than the imagery of Roger Dean, Mr. Wilinson’s album covers are anchored to the lyrics of MARILLION’s original lead singer, Fish, which are generally darker than those of YES’ Jon Anderson. They put in play ‘real’ characters and places, but with a light tone of surrealism. As Mr. Wilkinson himself puts it very well: there is always a face behind the mask which distorts reality.

‘Misplaced Childhood’ (1985) is a good example of the art of Mark Wilkinson for MARILLION: the barefoot, stern-faced child in the uniform of a drum major appears quite real, but the contours of the walls behind him grow blurred with clouds and a rainbow, and he is surrounded by heteroclite objects (cage, harlequin, chameleon, magpie, wedding ring…) - symbols belonging to a group of imagery that recurs from one album to another.

Mark Wilkinson also drew album covers for Fish, ASIA and, in a more ‘common’ style, for IRON MAIDEN, HAWKWIND and JUDAS PRIEST. He is also the creator of a superb draft album cover for PORCUPINE TREE’s ‘Lightbulb Sun,’ which was ultimately not used by the group.

IV- The Worlds of Roger Dean

2006-10-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

Born in 1944, English artist Roger Dean is undoubtedly the best-known artist in the world of progressive rock illustration, thanks to the numerous logos and album covers he has conceived since 1971, especially for the groups YES and ASIA. Mr. Dean is also the editor of two famous books devoted to album cover art: the first, 'Views' (1975), is devoted to pictorial work, and the second, The Album Cover Album, is dedicated to the history of album cover art. The uniquely stylized drawings of Roger Dean use weird landscapes to evoke strange worlds inspired by fantasy literature and science fiction. The imposing universes - with glittering lights (often in tones of blue cobalt), and sometimes populated by mythical creatures – have been imitated a thousand times, but never equaled. Chosen by Rolling Stone Magazine in its list of The Top 50 Album Covers of the Century, the album cover for YES’ ‘Tales From Topographic Oceans’ illustrates both wonderfully and with wonder the music and ‘cosmic’ texts of YES. With its blocks of desert rocks, its sunrise, its Maya temple, its fish swimming in an azure atmosphere, and its overall magical feeling, it is the prototype of the Roger Dean style.

And yet Mr. Dean’s album covers for YES’ ‘Fragile,’ ‘Relayer,’ ‘Drama,’ ‘Yesterdays,’ ‘Keys To Ascension’ and ‘The Ladder’ are equally compelling. Images and music have never coincided and supplemented each other more perfectly than on YES’ collaborations with Roger Dean - to such a degree that one cannot listen to YES or look at Mr. Dean’s covers without thinking of the other.

III- Paul Whitehead & Genesis

2006-10-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

GENESIS - 'Trespass'

Although artist Paul Whitehead is also well-known for multiple achievements in the fields of music and cinema, he remains best-known for the album covers he created for GENESIS. The album cover of ''Trespass'' is among the most beautiful and surprising: at first glance evoking medieval world imagery, the front cover also contains a black line superimposed on the drawing like a gash. Only when the album cover is unfolded do we see that the line is the notch of a dagger seemingly embedded in the album cover. According to Whitehead, the notch and the knife are real. This dichotomy between the bucolic universe of the drawing and the brutal tear of the knife corresponds to the music of this album, wherein the peaceful innocence which prevails in the majority of the compositions is abruptly broken by ‘The Knife,’ one of the most aggressive songs ever recorded by the group.

The covers of the following albums – ‘Foxtrot,’ and, to a lesser extent, ‘Nursery Cryme’ - continue to surprise by the revealing use of the ‘gate-fold’ album cover: only when the covers are unfolded do we see the complete ‘direction’ of the scene. It should be noted that Paul Whitehead is also the author of two very beautiful album covers for the group VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR (‘H to He, Who Am the Only One’ and ‘Pawn Hearts’), which are more evocative of the world of science fiction.

II- Kim Poor: diaphanism

2006-10-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

A Brazilian artist living in London, Kim Poor invented a technique of painting containing glass beads melted on steel. Salvatore Dali, who met Kim Poor in 1974, was impressed by her ghostly style, which he described as ‘diaphanism.’ In the world of progressive rock, it was first seen in 1976 on the album cover of ‘Voyage Of The Acolyte,’ the first solo album by GENESIS guitarist Steve Hackett. (Ms. Poor is Mr. Hackett’s wife.) A superb watercolour, it was elected Album Cover of the Year in 1976, and the original artwork displayed at the Thumb Gallery in London in 1979.

‘Voyage Of The Acolyte’ represents a gifted priestess, blind of premonition, crossing what could be the door of knowledge, leaving in the past a fixed medieval world. This allegory - with its pastel colors, winter environment and evanescence - invokes the Gothic and ethereal musical world of Steve Hackett, and expresses that world better than words might. In addition to other album covers for her husband, Ms. Poor has applied the diaphanism technique to books, lithographs, enamelled gouaches, and paintings, as well as providing magical illustrations for the lyrics of GENESIS (‘Genesis Lyrics,’ Sidgwick & Jackson, 1979 London).

Affinities between these two worlds – the musical and the artistic - had already been established with GENESIS when the group recorded two songs – ‘Entangled’ ('A Trick Of The Tail', 1976) and ‘Blood On The Rooftops’ ('Wind And Wuthering', 1977) - inspired by the imagery of Hipgnosis artist, Colin Elgie.

I- Hipgnosis: surrealism and mystification

2006-10-26T19:05:00.000-07:00

Some of the most beautiful album covers of progressive rock were conceived by a firm of designers known as Hipgnosis. Founded in 1968 by Aubrey Powell and Storm Thorgerson (who met PINK FLOYD founder Roger Waters at Cambridge), Hipgnosis created the majority of album covers for PINK FLOYD, beginning with ‘A Saucerful Of Secrets,’ as well as album covers for many other groups, such as LED ZEPPELIN, Syd Barrett and Peter Gabriel.

Hipgnosis’ images are often photographs of landscapes strewn with strange objects arranged in order to create surrealist environments, always connected in one way or another to the music of the group or its lyrical texts. The example presented here is the cover of the LP ‘Elegy’ by Keith Emerson’s group, The NICE, published in 1971 on the Charisma label. The photo was taken in the Moroccan desert after the team laid out the red balloons at the top of a dune and then carefully erased all traces of their footsteps. At the same time both clear and simple yet devious, it challenges the discoverer and invites further discovery.

Two of the most famous Hipgnosis album covers - both selected by Rolling Stone Magazine in its list of The Top 50 Album Covers of the Century - are PINK FLOYD’s ‘Dark Side Of The Moon,’ with its prism diffracting the light against a black background, and LED ZEPPELIN’s ‘Houses Of The Holy’ (inspired by a famous novel of Arthur C. Clarke, ‘Children of Icare’), a photographic collage showing naked, innocent, fairy-like children climbing rocks towards the light and the end of the world. Hipgnosis was dissolved in 1983, but Storm Thorgerson continued to work under its name to create extraordinary album covers, among which are PINK FLOYD’s ‘The Division Bell’ (1994) and The CRANBERRIES’ ‘Bury The Hatchet’ (1999).

PROGRESSIVE ART

2006-10-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

Progressive Art: most beautiful small pockets of discs
Written by Pierre Dulieu, BELGIUM
http://www.dragonjazz.com/progart.htm
Improved and adapated in English by Ian Alterman, USA

Progressive music, like other styles of music, is easily identified with the superb images reproduced on the CD covers (i.e., the covers of the booklets). Drawings, sepias, watercolours, photographs… Many of these images are taken from science fiction and fantasy (often including the books of J.R.R. Tolkien), but they all have something in common: they create a dream-like atmosphere. When ‘records’ were still produced on vinyl, the most beautiful album covers were often ‘double’ and, once unfolded, displayed vast frescos of 60 X 30 cm which showed the album’s ‘direction’ even more strongly.

Some of these original works are worth fortunes today and are sought by collectors. Reduced to the miserable size of a CD (12 cm), the covers have lost much of their impact, but have nevertheless retained much of their quality and emotional power: groups such as FLOWER KINGS, SPOCK'S BEARD, TRANSATLANTIC and DREAM THEATER always include ‘album cover’ images that have a strong capacity to capture the attention of potential future listeners with a simple glance.

And incidentally, if the desire takes to you to listen to ‘wafers’ hidden under these attractive album covers, do not hesitate to do so! It happens that the music rises to the level of the pictorial works which they inspired (and vice-versa!)

I- Hipgnosis: surrealism and mystification
II- Kim Poor: diaphanism
III- Paul Whitehead & Genesis
IV- Worlds of Roger Dean
V- Mark Wilkinson & Marillion
VI- Hugh Syme: exploiting the words
VII- Simon Williams: the carnival of the masks
VIII- Single works
IX- The changing

X- The Art of Ed Unitsky

The Art of Ed Unitsky

2006-10-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ''BOOK COVER''
ESSENTIAL MINI-GUIDE TO
PROGRESSIVE ROCK
- PART II -
... COMING SOON ...

©COPYRIGHT BY ED UNITSKY

Edward Unitsky
Belarussian artist Edward Unitsky lives in a small town some 90 km away from Chernobyl. At the age of 40, he developed a passion for computer generated arts; being a Progressive Rock music lover as well, it was natural that he took to combining both passions. It was Roine Stolt from the FLOWER KINGS who introduced him to Andy Tillison, leader of PARALLEL OR 90 DEGREES and founder of Anglo-Swedish project THE TANGENT. The result was this extraordinary sleeve for the supergroup’s first album; not only one of the best, it was one of the most original album artworks of recent years.

Inspired by the magical worlds of Roger Dean (the arches inside the booklet inevitably invite such a comparison), Mr. Unitsky’s imagery sets itself apart by through a maelstrom of colours, special effects that simulate aerial movement and the abounding life that his landscapes suggest. All this, plus an inclination for vortices and cosmic swirls, can be found on his web site.

The site offers innumerable pictures (some of them superb wallpapers), created either for sheer pleasure or for other progressive artists such as THE FLOWER KINGS, TOMAS BODIN, GUY MANNING, THE TANGENT and AYREON. With such power of evocation, Edward Unitsky is bound to become one of the great architects of Progressive Rock Art.

Written by Pierre Dulieu, BELGIUM

http://www.dragonjazz.com/proginfos/tangentinfos.htm
Improved and adapted in English by BOB McBeath/Easy Livin, SCOTLAND

BUY NOW...!

2006-10-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

ESSENTIAL MINI-GUIDE TO
PROGRESSIVE ROCK
FORTY YEARS OF HISTORY

FEATURING:
- 176 pages of essential PROGRESSIVE ROCK references and historical notes that follow the complex development of this musical genre
- A description of 30 of the most influential PROGRESSIVE ROCK bands and their best albums
- An in-depth review of the 20 all-time best PROGRESSIVE ROCK albums
- A comprehensive A-Z listing of over 3000 PROGRESSIVE ROCK bands and their brief musical description

''Progressive Rock is a music made for the dreams,
the escape, to feel a multitude of emotions.''

Hi Ronald:

Let me tell you that I have just finished reading your Essential Mini-Guide To Progressive Rock, great work!
Many thanks for the book, all your efforts and intentions to give people a better way to get into this fabulous world of progressive rock. I enjoyed a lot the book, the development, the history and the reviews are great, and helpful to all of us, the craziest part is the A-Z index, where you have pointed so many bands, and of course so many unknown bands for me which I will discover sooner or later.

I just wanted to let you know this.
Go ahead for the second edition!

memowakeman
Discographies Editor (ProgArchives.com)

(1st Wave) - LE ORME

2006-10-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

LE ORME - Italy (1969)
ITALIAN & SYMPHONIC PROGRESSIVE ROCK

Italy produced several excellent progressive rock groups during the 1970s, and then again in the 1990s. LE ORME is one of the oldest and best known. Created by bassist Aldo Tagiapietra, keyboardist Toni Pagliuca and drummer Mike Dei Rossi, the band harkens back to some of the Seventies groups built upon keyboard parts (e.g., RARE BIRD, The NICE, ATOMIC ROOSTER), as well as BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO, due to the Italian vocals. The group stayed together during the 1970s, during which time they evolved into an EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER-type progressive rock band, cutting four albums in that vein.

Re-formed as a quartet (keyboards/sitar, bass, keyboards, drums), and with a guest guitarist for the album “Il Fiume,” LE ORME returned to what they did best: elaborate symphonic style with a classical touch, enhanced lyricism, and development of complex, delicate themes with lots of breaks, including dreamy or nostalgic ambiences. The group still records, and recently released “Elementi” (2001) and “L’Infinito” (2004). Indeed, “Elementi” has proven to be one of the group’s best albums ever!

DISCOGRAPHY:
Ad Gloriam (69) / L'Aurora Delle Orme (70) / Collage (71) / Uomo Di Pezza (72) / Felona E Sorona (73) / In Concerto (74) / Contrappunti (74) / Smogmagica (75) / Beyond Leng (75) / Verita' Nascoste (76) / Canzone d'amore (76) / Storria O Leggenda (77) / Le Orme Antologia 67-69 Vol.1 (78) / Florian (79) / Piccola Rapsodia Dell'Ape (80) / Venerdi (82) / Le Orme (70s collection) - 1983 (83) / Orme (90) / Antologia 1970-1980 (93) / Biancaneve (95) / Il Fiume (96) / Amico Di Ieri (97) / Elementi (01) / L'infinito (04)

BEST ALBUMS:
Collage (71), Uomo Di Pezza (72), Felona E Sorona (73), Contrappunti (74), Florian (79), Elementi (01)

(1st Wave) - The STRAWBS

2006-10-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

The STRAWBS - England (1969)
FOLK PROGRESSIVE ROCK
Written by Hugues Chantraine & Ronald Couture

This well-known group’s progressive rock of the early 70s differed from their more successful compatriots, like The MOODY BLUES, KING CRIMSON and PINK FLOYD. Their sound originated from a more traditional British folk style blended with enough rock to form a unique sound. STRAWBS have recorded over 15 albums through the years, with various line-ups around the core of David Cousins, who is the main songwriter and driving force of the band. He has also released a couple of excellent solo albums. STRAWBS’ most interesting period began with “Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios” and ended with “Ghosts,” their best album probably being “From The Witchwood.”

STRAWBS’ musical path can be described in three successive steps, starting from a completely folk group to a very impressive and credible progressive folk rock duo around the personalities of Dave Cousins and Tony Hooper. The arrival of Rick Wakeman and a rock rhythm section brought the group to an impressive level of recognition, not least due to Wakeman’s very flashy profile and their the three albums (“Antiques And Curios”, “Witchwood”, and “Grave New World”) are classics of the genre. After the transitional “Bursting At The Seam”, that saw the full band being changed after original member Tony Hooper left, the new group including (RENAISSANCE’s John Hawken) changed to sound dramatically but they had two more classic albums but more mainstream (like RENAISSANCE or MOODY BLUES), albums such as “Hero And Heroine” and “Ghosts” are the references. Further albums gradually disperse their former glories. STRAWBS still exists today and is the vehicular name for Dave Cousins’ career. The group’s early albums are a textbook case of folk prog the same way GRYPHON, THE PENTANGLE and STACKRIDGE.

DISCOGRAPHY:
Strawbs (69) / Strawberry Sampler Number 1 (69) / Dragonfly (70) / Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curious (70) / From The Witchwood (71) / Grave New World (72) / Bursting At The Seams (73) / All Our Own Work (73) / Hero And Heroine (74) / Strawbs By Choice (74) / Early Strawbs (74) / Nomadness (75) / Ghosts (75) / Deep Cuts (76) / Burning For You (77) / Classic Strawbs (77) / Deadlines (78) / The Best Of Strawbs (78) / Don't Say Goodbye (87) / Preserved Uncanned (90) / Ringing Down The Years (91) / A Choice Selection Of Strawbs (92) / The Strawbs' Greatest Hits Live (93) / Heartbreak Hill (95) / BBC In Concert (95) / Halcyon Days - UK release (97) / Halcyon Days - USA Release (98) / Concert Classics (99) / The Complete Strawbs - Chiswick '98 Live (00) / Acoustic Strawbs Baroque & Roll (01) / 30 Years In Rock, Classic Rock Legends (01) / The Collection (02) / Tears And Pavan - An Introduction To Strawbs (02) / Blue Angel (03) / 20th Century Masters - Millenium Collection (03) / Strawbs Live In Tokyo '75 - Grave New World The Movie (03) / Deja Fou (04)

BEST ALBUMS:
From The Witchwood (71), Grave New World (72), Bursting At The Seams (73), Hero And Heroine (74), Ghosts (75)

(1st Wave) - YES

2006-10-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

YES - England (1969)
SYMPHONIC PROGRESSIVE ROCK

Along with GENESIS and PINK FLOYD, YES is considered one of the most influential progressive rock bands of all time. Along with those two plus KING CRIMSON, EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER and other popular bands that have helped shape today’s progressive music scene, YES have long been a prog fan favorite, and stand out for their unique blend of styles. Their “golden age” started at approximately the same time as GENESIS’, in 1971, with the line-up of Jon Anderson (vocals/lyrics), Chris Squire (bass/vocals), Steve Howe (guitar/vocals), Tony Kaye (keyboards) and Bill Bruford (drums). However, it wasn’t until the replacement of Tony Kaye with keyboardist extraordinaire Rick Wakeman a year later that the band truly reached its peak.

Anderson, Squire, Howe and Bruford’s input alone were enough to make the music the most harmonious prog rock of the day. Anderson’s distinctive high-pitched vocals, Squire’s jazzy, rhythmic bass lines, Howe’s delicate guitar work, and Bruford’s highly progressive drum skills spoke of things that sprung from the collective minds of dreamers, and was filled with joyful, expansive harmonies. By incorporating orchestral works into their music to varying degrees over the years, YES redefined what Rock’n’Roll could be. Their fresh ideas and their ability to think beyond Rock’s 3-minute, standard 12-bar structure turned much of the band’s catalogue into classic prog. Their concept albums and lengthy live jams earned them a huge fan following, as well as massive commercial success: between 1972 and 1977, they had five top-10 albums, with “Close To The Edge” peaking highest at #3 in 1972*. At that point in time, YES comprised perhaps the most versatile, virtuoso group of musicians in the history of progressive rock.

*Source: “Progressive Rock Reconsidered,” by Kevin Holms-Hudson, Ed. (2002).

DISCOGRAPHY:
Yes (69) / Time And A Word (70) / The YES Album (71) / Fragile (72) / Close To The Edge (72) / Yessongs (73) / Tales From Topographic Oceans (74) / Relayer (74) / Yesterday (75) / Going For The One (77) / Tormato (78) / Drama (80) / Yesshows (80) / Classic Yes (80) / 90125 (83) / 9012 Live: The Solos (85) / Big Generator (87) / Union (91) / Yesyears (box set) (91) / Yesstory (92) / The Very Best Of Yes (93) / Symphonic Music Of Yes (93) / Talk (94) / Solo Family Album (94) / Keys To Ascension (96) / Keys To Ascension 2 (97) / Open Your Eyes (97) / BBC Sessions 1969-1970 Something's Coming (97) / Yes, Friends And Relatives (98) / The Ladder (99) / The Best Of Yes (00) / House Of Yes: Live From The House Of Blues (01) / Yes Symphonic (01) / Keystudio (01) / Magnification (01) / Yes, Friends And Relatives – Volume Two (01) / We Make Believe (01) / Yestoday (02) / In A Word (02) / Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection (04)

BEST ALBUMS:
The Yes Album (71), Close To The Edge (72), Fragile (72), Relayer (74), Going For The One (77)

(1st Wave) - VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR

2006-10-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR - England (1969)
HARD PROGRESSIVE ROCK

I am far from an expert on this group. However, it would be difficult to omit them if only for their album, “Pawn Hearts,” which I know well. VDGG is not the best-known of groups, but “Pawn Hearts” is not only worth listening to, but also historically significant. Peter Hammill, singer and lyricist of the group, has a unique voice, one which influenced several prog vocalists. His lyrics plumb the depth of literature, while his music, epic in nature, benefited from the band’s original arrangements. “Pawn Hearts” features piano, keyboards and saxophone, as well as guitar work from KING CRIMSON founder Robert Fripp. VDGG’s sound (already unique because it was driven by saxophone and keyboards, guitar and drums) cannot be easily related to the archetypes of folk, blues, rock or jazz, despite the fact that it contains elements of all of these.

DISCOGRAPHY:
The Aerosol Grey Machine (69) / The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other (70) / H To He, Who Am The Only One (70) / Pawn Hearts (71) / 68-71 (72) / Godbluff (75) / Still Life (76) / World Record (76) / The Quiet Zone - The Pleasure Dome (77) / Vital - Live (78) / First Generation - Scenes From 1969-1971 (86) / Second Generation - Scenes From 1975-1977 (86) / I Prophesy Disaster (93) / Maida Vale - The BBC Radio One Sessions (94) / Darkness '76 (99) / The Box (00) / Present (05)

BEST ALBUMS:
H To He, Who Am The Only One (70), Pawn Hearts (71), Godbluff (75), Still Life (76)

(1st Wave) - GENESIS

2006-10-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

GENESIS – England (1969)
SYMPHONIC PROGRESSIVE ROCK

Before changing itself into a “pop-rock” group in the early to mid-1980s, GENESIS was one of the most highly beloved, even “worshipped” progressive bands. The group entered its “golden age” in 1971, when drummer Phil Collins and guitarist Steve Hackett joined founders Peter Gabriel (vocals/lyrics), Tony Banks (keyboards) and Mike Rutherford (bass). The music of the group became highly melodic and theatrical, propelled primarily by Peter Gabriel’s unique lyrics and theatrics, and Tony Banks’ keyboards, particularly the heavy use of Mellotron. GENESIS was arguably one of the two or three most influential progressive rock groups, and that influence is likely to be felt for a long time.

Singer-lyricist Peter Gabriel (who would go on to a considerably successful solo career) was the original theatrical frontman. After his 1974 departure from GENESIS following the release of their magnum opus – the double concept album “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” – drummer Phil Collins took the reins; shortly after this, the band’s progressive career sadly went “pop” (pardon the pun).

Their best works were produced while Peter Gabriel was with the band, and for a year or two after he left. Here is a guide to the band’s work from three “periods”:

Early Period: “Trespass” (1970) was the band’s second album. There are six songs here, all of which show glimpses of the power the band was to develop for fully later.

Middle Period: “Nursery Cryme” (1971) shows the band struggling with their new mix of talent, and has a couple of weak songs. “Foxtrot” (1972) shows a more confident and accomplished band. “Selling England By The Pound” (1973) finds the band in a slightly mellower mood, with more acoustic work on piano and guitar than before. “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” (1974) is arguably the band’s finest album. It is a 90-minute theater piece filled with a wide variety of music and moods.

Late Period: The first two albums after Peter Gabriel’s departure managed to preserve enough of the band’s progressive qualities to make them interesting to older fans. “A Trick Of The Tail” (1975) is a very strong album that still sounds good today. “Wind And Wuthering” (1976) is the last album made by the “old” GENESIS.

DISCOGRAPHY:
From Genesis To Revelation (1969) / Trespass (1970) / Nursery Cryme (1971) / Foxtrot (1972) / Genesis Live (1973) / Selling England By The Pound (1973) / The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974) / A Trick Of The Tail (1976) / Wind And Wuthering (1977) / Seconds Out (1977) / And Then There Were Three... (1978) / Duke (1980) / Abacab (1981) / Three Sides Live (1982) / Genesis (1983) / Invisible Touch (1986) / We Can't Dance (1991) / Live - The Way We Walk Volume One - The Shorts (1992) / Live - The Way We Walk Volume Two - The Longs (1993) / Calling All Station (1997) / Archive - Volume 1: 1967-1975 (1998) / The Original Album (1998) / Turn It On Again - The Hits (1999) / Archive - Volume 2: 1976-1992 (2000) / The Platinum Collection (2004)

BEST ALBUMS:
Trespass (70), Nursery Cryme (71), Foxtrot (72), Selling England By The Pound (73), The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (74), A Trick Of The Tail (75)

(1st Wave) - KING CRIMSON

2006-10-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

KING CRIMSON - England (1969)
HARD PROGRESSIVE ROCK

Founded by guitarist Robert Fripp, KING CRIMSON has undergone many personnel changes over the course of its 35-year span (with Fripp at the core), but has always remained innovative. Some of the notable musicians who played with the group at one time or another include drummer Bill Bruford, guitarist Adrian Belew, and bassists Greg Lake, John Wetton and Tony Levin. Fripp also entered into numerous collaborations on the side, including with Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel and David Bowie, in addition to recording several solo albums.

As noted, the “germs” of prog were present since at least 1966. The BEATLES, PINK FLOYD, The MOODY BLUES and PROCOL HARUM had “prepared the way” between 1967 and 1969. However, many people mark the beginning of progressive rock in 1969 when a young English group called KING CRIMSON, together for only a few months, gave us “In The Court Of The Crimson King.”

Although there had been other trailblazers, “ITCOTKC” was the first full-blown progressive rock album, and KING CRIMSON the first true progressive rock band. Led by the technically gifted Mr. Fripp, KING CRIMSON married blazing fiery guitar, deep lyrical concepts, and free jazz improvisation and solos into a musical mix unlike anything heard before. The music had a dark, majestic, sometimes chaotic quality. “ITCOTKC” is not only a great album, but a piece of musical history and a true monument of the genre.

DISCOGRAPHY:
In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969) / In The Wake Of Poseidon (1970) / Lizard (1970) / Islands (1971) / Earthbound (1972) / Larks' Tongues In Aspic (1973) / Starless And Bible Black (1974) / Red (1974) / USA - Live (1975) / The Young Persons Guide To King Crimson (1976) / Discipline (1981) / Beat (1982) / Three Of A Perfect Pair (1984) / The Compact King Crimson (1986) / The Essential King Crimson: Frame By Frame (1991) / The Great Deceiver: Live 1973 - 1974 (1992) / Sleepless: The Concise King Crimson (1993) / THRAK (1995) / B'Boom Official Bootleg - Live In Argentina (1995) / THRaKaTTaK (1996) / Epitaph - Live In 1969 Volumes One & Two (1997) / The Night Watch (1997) / ProjeKct Two - Space Groove (1998) / Absent Lovers - Live In Montreal, 1984 (1998) / CIRKUS - The Young Persons' Guide To King Crimson Live (1999) / The ProjeKcts (1999) / The ConstruKction Of Light (2000) / Heavy ConstruKction (2000) - VROOOM VROOOM (2001) / Ladies Of The Road (2002) / The Power To Believe (2003) / EleKtriK (2003) / 21st Century Guide: Volume One 1969-1974 (2004)

BEST ALBUMS:
In The Court Of The Crimson King (69), Lizard (70), Islands (71), Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (73), Red (74)

(1st Wave) - CARAVAN

2006-10-17T17:46:00.000-07:00

CARAVAN - England (1968)

CANTERBURY STYLE

A throwback to the triumphal years of English progressive rock, CARAVAN grew out of the break-up of The WILDE FLOWERS, a Canterbury-based group formed in 1964 as an R&B-based outfit with a jazzy edge. In the wake of the earlier group’s dissolution, Pye Hastings (guitar/vocals), Richard Sinclair (bass/vocals), David Sinclair (keyboards), and Richard Coughlan (drums) formed CARAVAN in 1968.

Their music established the mix of humor and progressive sounds (with warm and pleasant vocal parts; long instrumental flights; guitar, organ sounds, and piano work, etc.), taking its roots from classical music via jazz and traditional English influences. CARAVAN is still active today, playing many live dates in Britain and Holland. The year 2000 saw the beginning of renewed activity for the band (festivals, concerts, etc.). In 2002, the band played its first performance in the United States in 28 years, at NEARfest 2002.

DISCOGRAPHY:

Caravan (1968) / If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You (1970) / In The Land Of Grey And Pink (1971) / Waterloo Lily (1972) / For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night (1973) / Caravan & The New Symphonia (1974) / Cunning Stunts (1975) / Canterbury Tales / The Best Of Caravan (1976) / Blind Dog at St. Dustans (1976) / Better By Far (1977) / The Best Of Caravan "Live" (1980) / Caravan - The Album (1980) / Show Of Our Lives (1981) / Back To Front (1982) / The Canterbury Collection (1984) / BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert (1991) / Live 1990 (1992) / The Best Of Caravan (1993) / Cool Water (1994) / Canterbury Tales: The Best Of Caravan 1968-1975 (1994) / Battle Of Hastings (1995) / All Over You (1996) / Live: Canterbury Comes To London (1997) / Songs For Oblivion Fishermen (1998) / Ether Way (1998) / Travelling Man (1998) / Live In Holland - Back Of The Tracks (1998) / Surprise Supplies (1999) / All Over You ... Too (1999) / Headloss (1999) / Where But For Caravan Would I? (2000) / Green Bottles For Marjorie (2002) / Live At Fairfield Halls - 1974 (2002) / Travelling Ways (2002) / Live UK Tour 1975 (2003) / Unauthorized Breakfast Item (2003)

BEST ALBUMS:

If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You (70), In The Land Of Grey And Pink (71), Waterloo Lily (72), For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night (73)

(1st Wave) - JETHRO TULL

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JETHRO TULL - England (1968)
FOLK PROGRESSIVE ROCK

Although JETHRO TULL (named after an 18th-century farmer/inventor of the British Industrial Revolution) features an excellent group of musicians, its primary focus is on its creator, singer, lyricist and flutist extraordinaire, Ian Anderson. Indeed, Anderson’s flute playing is one of the most characteristic elements of the band. Their music is a mixture of folk, medieval, blues, jazz, rock, traditional, and almost anything else.

One of the reasons for JETHRO TULL’s enduring appeal is their dedication to recording and performing that spans over nearly four decades. Truly one of progressive rock’s “dinosaurs,” they are also one of the most consistent groups of the folk prog era, with 60 million albums sold since their beginnings in 1968. In fact, they consistently released one album every year between 1968 and 1980, with at least 6 of them confirmed prog classics. They have also played over 2,500 concerts in 40 countries, and are still averaging 100 shows per year.

Their best albums are “Aqualung,” “Thick As A Brick,” “A Passion Play,” “War Child,” “Minstrel In The Gallery,” “Songs From The Wood” and “Heavy Horses.” All are considered cornerstones of any prog collection, the latter being a serious candidate for the best progressive rock album of all time.

DISCOGRAPHY:
This Was (1968) / Stand Up (1969) / Benefit (1970) / Nothing Is Easy: Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970 (1970) / Aqualung (1971) / Thick As A Brick (1972) / Living In The Past (1972) / A Passion Play (1973) / War Child (1974) / Minstrel In The Gallery (1975) / M.U. - The Best Of Jethro Tull (1976) / Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young To Die! (1976) / Repeat - The Best Of Jethro Tull - Vol. II (1977) / Songs From The Wood (1977) / Heavy Horses (1978) / Live - Bursting Out (1978) / Stormwatch (1979) / A (1980) / The Broadsword And The Beast (1982) / Under Wraps (1984) / Original Masters (1985) / Crest Of A Knave (1987) / 20 Years Of Jethro Tull (1989) / Rock Island (1989) / Live At Hammersmith '84 (1990) / Catfish Rising (1991) / A Little Light Music (1991) / Nightcap (1993) / The Best Of Jethro Tull: The Anniversary Collection (1993) / Roots To Branches (1995) / In Concert (1995) / J-Tull Dot Com (1999) / The Very Best Of Jethro Tull (2001) / Living With The Past (2002) / The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003)

BEST ALBUMS:
Stand Up (69), Benefit (70), Aqualung (71), Thick As A Brick (72), A Passion Play (73), Minstrel In The Gallery (75), Songs From The Wood (77), Heavy Horses (78)

(1st Wave) - PINK FLOYD

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PINK FLOYD - England (1967)
PSYCHEDELIC & SPACE ROCK

PINK FLOYD is not simply one of the progenitors of progressive rock, but is probably the most popular group in the entire genre. The band’s name (chosen by original founder/lyricist Syd Barrett) refers to the first names of two bluesmen (PINK Anderson and FLOYD Council), and the joining of the two names is translated into English as “Pink Flamingo.” The first line-up consisted of guitarist/vocalist Syd Barrett, bass player/vocalist Roger Waters (who left the group in 1983), drummer Nick Mason and keyboard player Rick Wright. Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour (who was partly responsible for the group's change of direction) joined PINK FLOYD in 1968. Four months later, Syd Barrett left the group to play in solo career then to disappear from the public eye. The band originally formed in the mid-1960s during the “psychedelic” rock period, but then helped to develop what we now know as “progressive rock” – and particularly “space rock” – through the use of sound textures, effects, and emerging recording studio tricks and techniques.

It is necessary to distinguish three great periods in the career of the group:

o 1967-1971 : psychedeic progressive music, space rock and very cosmic

o 1972-1984 : music mixing rock, symphonics, and darker progressive, starting with "Animals" (77)

o 1987-1995 : David Gilmour's period (or "The post Waters, David Gilmour led period", as he was of course in the band prior to this), which produced more commercial progressive music while still keeping very melodic and symphonic aspects.

Personally, I have always believed that PINK FLOYD is an overrated group. They have some good albums, but also some very average albums. For me, PINK FLOYD is not as good as GENESIS or JETHRO TULL, yet they are undoubtedly more popular, better recognized, and more respected by the masses and critics. “Dark Side Of The Moon” is one of PINK FLOYD’s more famous albums, and was a big turning point in their career. They established many more fans after releasing the album, and became literally exhausted for quite a while. All together, they have sold over 140 million records worldwide, perhaps earning them the title of being one of the best classic rock bands of the latest century.

IN MEMORIAM:

Syd Barrett (1946-2006)

Singer/songwriter/guitarist, died July 7, born January, 1946

Roger "Syd" Barrett, co-founded the seminal psychedelic rock band PINK FLOYD, has died at the age of 60 from complications related to diabetes. The guitarist/vocalist was the architect of PINK FLOYD's influential early sound. He was an inspiration to many people...

"Shine on Roger... Shine on you cray diamond"

DISCOGRAPHY:
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967) / A Saucerful Of Secrets (1968) / More O.S.T. (1969) / Ummagumma (1969) / Atom Heart Mother (1970) / Meddle (1971) / Relics (1971) / Obscured By Clouds OST (1972) / Dark Side Of The Moon (1973) / Masters Of Rock Vol. 1 (1974) / Wish You Were Here (1975) / Animals (1977) / The Wall (1979) / A Collection Of Great Dance Songs (1981) / The Final Cut (1983) - Works (1983) / A Momentary Lapse Of Reason (1987) / The Delicate Sound Of Thunder (1988) / Shine On (1992) / Division Bell (1994) / P-U-L-S-E (1995) / Is There Anybody Out There? (2000) / Echoes - The Best Of Pink Floyd (2001) / Dark Side Of The Moon (30th anniversary edition) (2003)

BEST ALBUMS:
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (67), Meddle (71), Dark Side Of The Moon (73), Wish You Were Here (75), Animals (77), The Wall (79)

(1st Wave) - The MOODY BLUES

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The MOODY BLUES - England (1964)
SYMPHONIC PROGRESSIVE ROCK

IMITATION…INNOVATION…SENSATION…!

For some experts, The MOODY BLUES are credited as the pioneers of what we now call “Proto-Prog” - a subgenre that blends psychedelic-era and pop rock done in a classical style. Their music was influenced by American music (Motown and blues) and Eastern influences (e.g., use of the sitar), but their roots were in the rhythm & blues combos of the British invasion. They are consequently respected as one of the most innovative and long-lasting groups to emerge during the 1960s. The MOODY BLUES created one of the first concept albums for an orchestral/psychedelic format, incorporating their union of melodic guitar, pioneering percussion, rolling bass, and the haunting Mellotron (which was new to rock at the time). They captured the imagination of music fans around the world with the landmark album, “Days Of Future Passed” - one of the earliest “classical rock” records, featuring the London Festival Orchestra as musical accompanists. To my mind, this album works as well as The BEATLES’ “Sgt. Pepper” and early PINK FLOYD offerings.

During the years 1967-1974, The MOODY BLUES recorded seven very successful albums, all of which went “gold,” including “On The Threshold Of A Dream” and “A Question Of Balance.” During this period, their music was ambitious, pastoral and philosophical, with songwriting contributions from all five members (Justin Hayward (guitar/vocals), John Lodge (bass/vocals), Mike Pinder (keyboards/vocals), Ray Thomas (flute/harmonica/vocals), Graham Edge (drums/percussion). Hibernation of a sort followed in the mid-70s, as each member of the band released solo albums (Hayward and Lodge having the most success with their effort, BLUE JAYS).

The band regrouped in the 80s and picked up where they left off (commercially, anyway) with “Long Distance Voyager.” Though the 90s found the band less a commercial force than a cult band, the group still tours and releases albums on occasion (including 1999’s “Strange Time”).

DISCOGRAPHY:

Go Now! (1965) / The Magnificent Moodies (1966) / Days Of Future Passed (1967) / In Search Of The Lost Chord (1968) / On The Threshold Of A Dream (1969) / To Our Children's Children's Children (1970) / Question Of Balance (1970) / Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971) / Seventh Sojourn (1972) / This Is The Moody Blues (1974) / Caught Live + 5 (1977) / Octave (1978) / Long Distance Voyager (1981) / The Present (1983) / Voices In The Sky / The Best Of The Moody Blues (1985) / The Other Side Of Life (1986) / Prelude (1987) / Sur La Mer (1988) / The Magnificient Moodies (1988) / The Moody Blues' Greatest Hits (1989) / Keys Of The Kingdom (1991) / A Night At Red Rocks With The Colorado Symphonic Orchestra (1993) / Time Traveller (1994) / True Story (1996) / The Best Of Moody Blues (1997) / The Moody Blues Anthology (1998) / Strange Times (1999) / Hall Of Fame - Live At The Royal Albert Hall 2000 (2000) / The Best Of Moody Blues - 20th Century Master (2000) / Journey Into Amazing Caves O.S.T. (2001) / December (2003) / Ballads (2003) / Say It With Love (2003)

BEST ALBUMS:
Days Of Future Passed (67), In Search Of The Lost Chord (68), On The Threshold Of A Dream (69), To Our Children’s Children’s Children (70)

2- FIRST WAVE - 1970s

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THE GOLDEN AGE: The Pioneers (1969-1979)

Whereas The BEATLES were of “working class hero” status, several musicians of progressive rock came from the lower middle and middle classes. They often had training in classical music, and attended colleges or universities. They were ready to make rock their own way. Towards the end of the Sixties, English groups wanted to “exceed” the musical format imposed on them by the industry. They wanted to do something different - something that required more than short 3-minute songs with verses and choruses. Some turned to psychedelic rock, others to the example of The BEATLES, still others gave birth to “metal” rock (BLACK SABBATH). They chose to amalgamate various combinations of rock, classical, folk, electronics, contemporary, medieval, and other forms. They chose to give up the couplet/refrain structure for the greater freedom of more complex structures. These young musicians wanted to profit – musically – from new techniques, both instrumental and recording.

Jerry Lucky, author of “The Progressive Rock Files,” enumerates some of the elements that mark “progressive rock”:

“Longer songs, changes of tempo, Mellotron, use of symphony orchestra, words like ‘cosmic’ or ‘philosophical,’ etc.”

If these are the elements that began the history of progressive rock, then October 10, 1969 is the date that marks the true beginning of the progressive rock movement, as KING CRIMSON’s “In The Court Of The Crimson King” smashed to pieces virtually every standard and norm of rock, in as “monstrous” a fashion as the hallucinogenic face on its cover (which was painted by 23-year-old English artist Barry Godber in 1969; Godber died of a heart attack the following year).

KING CRIMSON
[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
“In The Court Of The Crimson King”
- October 1969 -

Around this time, rock music was incorporating elements of the rigid structure and discipline of classical music, along with various jazz, folk and, in some instances, neo-classical styles. This paved the way for pioneering prog bands of the 1970s such as EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, GENESIS, GENTLE GIANT, JEHTRO TULL, KING CRIMSON, PINK FLOYD and YES – among the most famous names in prog – as well as dozens of lesser-known bands. These artists skillfully exhibited their experimentation through an increase in such elements as musical virtuosity, extended song lengths (sometimes taking up an entire two-album set), complex compositions, and imaginative/sophisticated lyrical concepts which were sometimes difficult to comprehend. The experimentation which was central to progressive music in the 1970s was being applied to virtually every aspect of the music: rhythmic, melodic, harmonic, lyrical, instrumental.

Some of the characteristics of the major bands were: EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER – classically diverse and futuristic; GENESIS – pastoral, humorous and whimsical; GENTLE GIANT – under-appreciated, aseptic, socio-political, exuberant experimentation; JETHRO TULL – contentious, productive, sophisticated structures and styles; KING CRIMSON – unique, different, ground-breaking, innovative and original sonic sculptors; PINK FLOYD – symphonic, melodic and socialist anthems; YES – pretentious, overblown, complex virtuosity and lyrically obscure. In considering all this, one begins to realize that the true diversity and value of progressive rock remains unsung.

All of these “Big Seven” were completely different in style, composition, format and execution. In this regard, the “progressive” appellation does all of them a disservice, as it groups them together under one umbrella, thus diluting the readers’ attention. In essence, each of them are worthy of a genre of their own.

Other bands – who, while never becoming as well known, are still fine examples of the genre – include ANGE, FOCUS, GONG, GROBSCHNITT, HAPPY THE MAN, HARMONIUM, HATFIELD AND THE NORTH, HENRY COW, MAGMA and THE SOFT MACHINE. All of these bands touch on elements of the “core” progressive bands, but also push forward with their own styles.

What follows are some of the great groups who were part of the enthralling and promising “First Wave.” The bands are listed in chronological order of their appearance on the scene; the year noted in parentheses is the year in which their debut album appeared.

[Please Note: This is NOT meant to be a complete list of all bands, just an example of some – so don’t be offended if I leave your favourite one out!]

1- PROTO-HISTORY - 1960s

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PROTO-HISTORY: Not Yet “Prog,” But Almost! (1966-1969)

Sometimes called Proto-Prog (“proto”: first-formed, primary), this pre-genre describes the groups and musicians who were the first to blend classical and/or artistic elements with Rock music: some of them only in the arrangements, though others went further.

The mid-1960s “British Invasion” groups, in an apparent attempt to surpass one another in “vanguardism,” began to utilize instruments and stylistic elements drawn from both the British music hall and European art music (commonly known as “classical” music, even when that is not a 100% accurate term) traditions. They were the logical step in musical evolution after the psychedelic explosion. The doors of perception were opened by psychedelic rockers such as PINK FLOYD on “The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn” and THE BEATLES on “Revolver” and “Sgt. Pepper” who dared to explore further and break boundaries.

The earliest traces of progressive rock can be seen in the wake of FRANK ZAPPA AND THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION’s “Freak Out!” (early complex, even disturbing, project), The BEATLES’ “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” and other late 60s albums that incorporated elements of classical music, unconventional song structure, and/or overarching thematic concepts.

With its parodies of pop music, its dissonances, its avant-gardism, its odd effects, and its unpredictable arrangements, FRANK ZAPPA’s “Freak Out!” explored all the conventions of popular music.

FRANK ZAPPA
& THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION
[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
Freak Out!
- August 1966 -

The real ground-breaking, however, took place “across the pond” in April 1967, when The BEATLES released “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” – a blend of early rock ballads and music never heard before – to an unsuspecting and enraptured public. Along with its predecessor (“Revolver”), the most famous rock album of all time is a starting point that is impossible to disregard.

The BEATLES
[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
- April 1967 -

Psychedelic rock at its best, PINK FLOYD’s “Piper At The Gates Of Dawn” represents the finest that British psychedelia has to offer: simple, but weird and catchy, short psychedelic songs and some long early “progressive” hymns blended by the genius of Syd Barrett and the other then-members of PINK FLOYD (Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright). The outsized instrumental “Interstellar Overdrive” is the first true example of what will later become known as “Space Rock.”

PINK FLOYD
[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
- August 1967 -

Progressive rock is generally accepted as having appeared in the United Kingdom around the second half of 1967. It was manifested in post-psychedelic bands that evolved into a new hybrid genre, born of the mixing of rock music with classical and neo-classical elements by composers such as Bach, Mozart, Copland, Bartok and Stravinsky – in other words, an early form of Symphonic Prog. The main exponents of this were The NICE (featuring Keith Emerson on keyboards), The MOODY BLUES (“Days Of Future Passed”), and the Baroque-inspired PROCOL HARUM (“A Whiter Shade Of Pale” – literally “Bach and Rock”). KING CRIMSON’s “In The Court Of The Crimson King” (1969) is the first fully-developed example of this new genre, and the album that defines the true starting point for Symphonic Prog.

At the same time, a different strain of Progressive Rock developed in the region of Canterbury, where bands such as SOFT MACHINE and CARAVAN blended psychedelic elements with jazz influences (such as John Coltrane and Miles Davis) instead of classical music, as in the case of Symphonic Prog.

Unlike more melodic bands, VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR’s debut, “Aerosol Grey Machine” (originally a Peter HAMMILL solo project), brought a new and fresh stream, much more complex than the other bands of the period. This album represents a fresh new sound, tormented by its own demons (VDGG’s roots are “hard prog”), which seems to be something of a leftover from the Psychedelic years rather than the normal evolution that might have been expected.

Although the following albums are not yet productions of “progressive rock” as that term is used these days, they are nevertheless the first discs of “art rock” – or, if one prefers, the first “tests” intended to raise rock music to a higher level of artistic credibility. By experimenting with sound texture, electronics, modern instruments, and new studio techniques, and “importing” sounds and ideas from a variety of global musical sources, these groups “opened up the doors” of rock…for better and for worse - but mostly for better!

[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
PROCOL HARUM
Procol Harum – September 1967

A fusion of rock, blues and classical influences with unforgettable surreal lyrics. An important album: less British psychedelia, more the basis of progressive rock. With Matthew Fisher on organ and Robin Trower on guitar.

[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
THE MOODY BLUES
Days of Future Passed – November 1967

Psychedelic rock is combined with the orchestral arrangements of the London Festival Orchestra (conducted by Peter Knight) to sound like the band’s own orchestra, using the band’s signature Mellotron string sounds, flutes, timpani and multiple “vox” (vocals). “Days of Future Passed,” an ambitious and unique conceptual album, is a classical symphonic pop album (or proto-prog release) of the 60s that, on its own, created a road towards the symphonic rock movement. The concept of the album is a reasonably clever one, tracing “a day in the life,” from dawn (“Dawn Is A Feeling”) to night (the classic “Nights In White Satin”). “Days…” is essential listening for anyone interested in the Mellotron’s history, and is a good document of its era to boot.

[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
THE NICE
Ars Longa Vita Brevis – February 1968

With this second release of a trio, Keith Emerson presents the basis of his vision of progressive rock: an amalgam of rock and traditional music which is certainly pretentious, but which lacks neither ambition nor quality. This is one album to discover if you like EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER.

[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
GILES GILES & FRIPP
The Cheerful Insanity Of Giles Giles & Fripp – September 1968

Before the famous album “In The Court Of The Crimson King,” Robert Fripp and the Giles brothers had recorded an insane disc on which one finds anything and everything, but also some of the first steps to what would later become KING CRIMSON. Recommended, especially for the curious.

[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
CARAVAN
Caravan – October 1968

A subtle mixture of jazz and psychedelic rock, this album from the “Canterbury” school is among the first to have given direction to the concept of progressive music.

[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
THE SOFT MACHINE
Volume Two – April 1969

English humor, dissonances, avante-garde, jazz, and Robert Wyatt as well. A melting pot in the form of musical chaos perpetually on the fringe.

[INSERT ALBUM HERE]
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR
The Aerosol Grey Machine – September 1969

The dark and very emotional voice of Peter HAMMILL, his stories, “mystical sciences,” and the very personal music of the group constitute an alloy with an important place in the history of progressive music. This album, far below the standards of the next albums, was to become the most elusive of all of VDGG’s releases.

Around this time, other groups were starting to build unique, sophisticated and inventive “sounds,” including EMERSON LAKE & PALMER, GENESIS (then fronted by Peter Gabriel), GENTLE GIANT, JETHRO TULL, KING CRIMSON, PINK FLOYD and YES. They became the “kings” of this musical realm in both composition and performance by pioneering a style of popular music developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, primarily by British rock musicians. Forty years later, innumerable “progressive” groups would name these bands when laying claim to the “heritage” of progressive rock.

At this point, the “skates” of Progressive Rock are solid. The curtain can then fall on the Sixties. Indeed, one has already entered the Seventies.

INDEX C - The History

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INTRODUCTION

Writing a history of Progressive Rock is quite an ambitious undertaking, and it’s hard to expect one person to know everything about the multitude of bands and musicians.

In this mini-guide to progressive music, I hope to have you discover this genre by means of four “chronicles,” each one covering one “wave” of the progressive movement. The four chronicles correspond approximately to: the end of the Sixties (PROTO-HISTORY), the Seventies (THE GOLDEN AGE), the Eighties (THE SILVER AGE and the birth of NEO-PROGressive rock), and the Nineties to the present (rebirth, and the new PROGressive METAL).

For certain groups, one will find a selection of their best albums. The interested reader will also find here some tools to dig a little deeper into the history of progressive rock. The idea here is to put maximum information at the reader’s fingertips so that, while having profited from the information provided, he can choose to add to that information.

In conclusion, I could never have written this article by myself. I relied heavily on the Web and a gigantic network and exchange of information regarding progressive rock, all of which led to the majority of the information provided below. As noted above, after an “eclipse” in the Eighties (progressive rock having had its “glory days” in the Seventies), progressive rock has been seeing a formidable rebirth - which I invite you to be part of! If you have not already done so, it is high time to discover this musical universe full of passion and unexpected richness.

Gradually yours….!

''The music’s playing, the notes are right
Put your left foot first and move into the light
The edge of this hill is the edge of the world
And if you’re going to cross you better start doing it right –
Better start doing it right''
“Dance On A Volcano” (Rutherford/Banks/Hackett/Collins)
GENESIS, “A Trick Of The Tail'' (1976)

INDEX B - The development

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THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRESSIVE ROCK MUSIC
Written by Lucas Biela, France

I. Late 60s and beginning of the 70s

I would say it all began with psychedelic music, i.e., essentially Jimi Hendrix and early PINK FLOYD (all their stuff with Syd Barrett). Some people say that THE BEATLES also contributed to the prog movement. Then came bands such as KING CRIMSON and YES at the end of the Sixties. KING CRIMSON, along with VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR (VDGG), helped define a subgenre of progressive music called “hard prog” (“hard” referring to the tormented atmosphere of the combined music and lyrics. However, “In The Court Of The Crimson King” is symphonic prog). YES were playing symphonic prog, so called because of the use of a symphonic orchestra. GENESIS were already recording at the end of the Sixties, but their link to progressive rock was not yet defined. With the album “Trespass,” things became clearer about GENESIS. YES and GENESIS remain icons in symphonic rock music. Other bands followed their steps later: e.g., GENTLE GIANT and CAMEL, among others. At the same time as symphonic rock was developing in Great Britain, many Italian bands were writing and performing a similar type of music: e.g., BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO (BDMS), PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI (PFM), Le ORME, and QUELLA VECCHIA LOCANDA (QVL), among others. These two countries were the most prolific as far as progressive rock is concerned.

Let’s go back to England to focus on another subgenre that comes from the Canterbury country. CARAVAN defined that subgenre with their second album, and bands like HATFIELD AND THE NORTH, and later NATIONAL HEALTH, followed (plus a band that didn’t come from England, but from the USA: HAPPY THE MAN). The first GONG album (“Camembert Electrique,” featuring drummer Pip Pyle, who later joined HATFIELD and NATIONAL HEALTH) also belongs to this subgenre. Daevid Allen (who later founded GONG), along with Robert Wyatt, formed SOFT MACHINE, a band that could be regarded as belonging to the Canterbury scene for their first three releases, but which, with their next release (“Third”), turned to jazz-fusion, another subgenre that later included drummer Bill Bruford (who played with KING CRIMSON and YES) and BRAND X (featuring drummer Phil Collins from GENESIS) and, in the USA, Frank ZAPPA.

So, by the beginning of the Seventies, three subgenres of progressive rock were already established: symphonic (YES, GENESIS), Canterbury (CARAVAN, early GONG), and hard prog (KING CRIMSON, VDGG).

II. The 70s

After Syd Barrett left PINK FLOYD, their music became softer, with ethereal passages, thus defining a new subgenre: space rock. GONG were also following this path (but with humour) with “Angel Egg,” their best release to date. After the YARDBIRDS split, Keith Relf and his wife, Jane, formed the band RENAISSANCE, a group that blended folk music with progressive rock. Along with JETHRO TULL, RENAISSANCE helped define another subgenre: folk progressive. The popularity of RENAISSANCE grew after Annie Haslam replaced Jane Relf on vocals, and the band released the great “Scheherazade and Other Stories” in 1975. JETHRO TULL released “Aqualung” in 1971, an album that is considered a classic today, though I would more highly recommend the follow-up, “Thick As A Brick,” as an introduction to their contribution to the folk prog scene.

Another subgenre of progressive rock was also developing in the Seventies – art rock – led by such bands as SUPERTRAMP, ROXY MUSIC and 10CC. These groups were playing a “simpler” music than other progressive subgenres. In Germany, TANGERINE DREAM was playing a music based exclusively on electronic instruments, hence their music falls under the “Electronic” (or “New Age”) subgenre, although that subgenre may include many non-electronic instruments (as is the case with Mike OLDFIELD). VANGELIS and SYNERGY also belong to this subgenre.

Many of the German bands that appeared at the beginning of the Seventies were classified as “Krautrock,” an additional subgenre of progressive rock, which includes GROBSCHNITT, Amon DUUL, and ASH RA TEMPEL. A minimalist form of “electronic” music also appeared in the Seventies: ambient. Artists such as KRAFTWERK, Brian ENO and CLUSTER belong to this category. Moreover, in England, a new subgenre based on improvisation, with a jazz background, appeared in 1973 with the release of HENRY COW’s “Leg End.” This subgenre was labeled “Rock In Opposition,” or R.I.O.

Not to be forgotten is EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER (ELP), a band that gathered members from KING CRIMSON, ATOMIC ROOSTER and The NICE, whose albums (“Tarkus” often being regarded as their best) belong to a subgenre called “classical prog,” as they often feature songs that are adaptations of both well-known and obscure classical compositions (“Pictures At An Exhibition,” for example). The NICE and Rick WAKEMAN also belong to this subgenre. In North America, some groups mixed hard rock with progressive elements, creating a subgenre called “pomp prog,” as the intros and outros of some of their songs are “pompous.” RUSH and STYX are among the bands in this subgenre (KANSAS could also be added to this category, though they are also close to the English symphonic prog scene).

I mentioned previously the development of a jazz-fusion scene, with BRAND X (featuring Phil Collins), Bill BRUFORD and Frank ZAPPA (ZAPPA’s music could be considered as a unique subgenre, mixing jazz, doo-wop, rock, classical, etc.). Another band also strongly rooted in jazz, but including influences ranging from Karlheinz Stockhausen to Duke Ellington, via opera, is MAGMA, who created the Zeuhl subgenre, with a language intelligible only by them (“Kobaïa”).

So, at the end of the Seventies, we now have 10 subgenres in progressive rock: art rock, folk progressive, classical progressive, R.I.O., jazz-fusion, Zeuhl, ambient, electronic, krautrock, and pomp progressive.

III. The 80s

At the end of the Seventies, progressive rock was “supplanted” by the “punk” movement, a “music” which aimed to prove, among other things, that anyone could play music. “Punk” gave rise to the “cold wave” in the Eighties, and prog rock was reduced to what was called “neo-progressive” (a simpler form of symphonic prog, but with more “present” drums), and an embryo of what became, at the beginning of the Nineties, progressive metal. SAGA were probably the first to play neo-progressive rock, but MARILLION, IQ and PENDRAGON are the best representatives of this subgenre. Landmark albums include “Misplaced Childhood” (MARILLION), “Masquerade Overture” (PENDRAGON) and “Ever” (IQ).

IV. The 90s

The newest subgenre of progressive rock - progressive metal - became fully developed with DREAM THEATER’s “Images and Words.” However, some groups in the Eighties were already playing a heavy metal-based progressive music, including QUEENSRYCHE, FATES WARNING and WATCHTOWER. (Much thanks here is due to Mike Varney, who founded the prog label “Magna Carta” in the USA and the “Inside Out” label in Europe.)

Also in the 90s, SPOCK’S BEARD was playing a symphonic prog with references to GENTLE GIANT and GENESIS. ECHOLYN and IZZ were playing a music closer to neo-prog. In Northern Europe, a Scandinavian symphonic prog scene developed, with bands such as The FLOWER KINGS, ANGALGARD and SINKADUS. A post-R.I.O. scene also developed with DJAM KARET and THINKING PLAGUE, among others. There were also new groups playing jazz-fusion, including KENSO, CARTOON and DEUS EX MACHINA. As well, PORCUPINE TREE and OZRIC TENTACLES were playing space rock, and COLLAGE and CLEPSYDRA were playing neo-prog that was strongly influenced by IQ and MARILLION.

Thus, in the Nineties, you have a revival of the prog scene not only with the appearance of a new subgenre - progressive metal - but also with bands playing the styles developed in the Seventies.

INDEX A - The definition

2006-10-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS PROG ROCK?

“Progressive rock - also known as “prog rock,” “classical rock” or “art rock” – is a unique form of rock and roll music, occurring at the interstice between rock, jazz and classical music.”

The problem of “those words” is back – “progressive music” or “progressive rock” (or “prog,” for close friends) – with you to choose! The etymology of those terms has become almost “evil,” creating such a “headache” that it is difficult even to think, much less catalogue this diverting genre of music. But isn’t the “essence” of something specific to each one of us? After all, what good is it to disparage an album if one hasn’t listened to it? With “progressive rock,” one often only enjoys an album after having listened to it several times. Our tympanums are interpreters, but the “spirit” is our only judge.

It would take quite an astute mind to define it clearly. Many such minds have tried, with varying degrees of success. But ultimately each person has his/her own definition. Given human nature, there is nothing surprising about that. And yet even I have not yet offered a definition to anyone…yet. Now I do so, with, inevitably, an ounce (or maybe more…) of partiality:

“Progressive rock was largely a European movement, and drew most of its influences from classical music and jazz fusion, in contrast to American rock, which was historically influenced by rhythm & blues and country music. Over the years, various subgenres of progressive rock – or “prog” – have emerged, such as symphonic rock, art rock, neo- progressive and progressive metal.”

I would like to dispense with the myth that “Progressive Rock” emerged in England like a phoenix from the ashes. Indeed, the majority of bands who were newly formed at the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s were very much inspired by the examples of Anglo-American acts such as CREAM, HENDRIX, VANILLA FUDGE, FRANK ZAPPA, KING CRIMSON and PINK FLOYD, to name but a few. As well, there were other bands who were looking for totally new forms and methods of playing together, such as SAGRADO CORACAO DA TERRA (Brazil), HARMONIUM and RUSH (Canada), ANGE, ATOLL and MAGMA (France), AMON DUUL, CAN, ELOY and TANGERINE DREAM (Germany), BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO and PFM (Italy), GERARD and KENSO (Japan), ABRAXAS and COLLAGE (Poland), FLOWER KINGS and PAIN OF SALVATION (Sweden), and DREAM THEATER and SPOCK’S BEARD (USA), to name but a few.

By pushing the research a little further, one realizes that, in general, most definitions of “progressive rock” share in common such terms as “EVOLUTION,” “PROGRESSION,” “INNOVATION” and “UNCOMMERCIAL,” and include a completely different approach to composition from other rock formats – particularly a “goodbye” to three-minute compositions constructed of verse-chorus-verse-chorus. Instead, one finds new musical structures (pieces from 6- to 20-minutes long, with intricate melodies and harmony), new instruments (electric guitars, violin, flute), and various keyboards (Mellotron, Hammond B3, synthesizers, piano, ARP, Moog) – all of which combine to create “musical odysseys” that call to mind jazz, musicals, or classical music, the latter of which gives us “symphonic prog.”

With regard to musical structure, “prog” usually offers complex arrangements – often including long, beautiful instrumental sections – and virtuoso musicianship, combining technical mastery and emotional solos. An early example is the 23-minute “Echoes” by PINK FLOYD. Other famous examples include YES’ “Close to the Edge” (18 minutes) and GENESIS’ “Supper’s Ready” (23 minutes). When not forced into using “mainstream” structures, artists have freer reign to integrate their individual and collective cultures and influences – classical, jazz, traditional – into the “energy” of their music.

“My ears are lucky to hear
These glorious songs
Of inspiration
And voices crafted from
Thunder
The power of life”
- Happy Rhodes, “Feed The Fire” (Warpaint version)

This “progressive current” – particularly developed in England at the end of the Sixties – moved away from traditional structures of rock and blues roots to explore European music in a broader way. Like any music, “progressive rock” has subgenres, defined according to the way in which various artists interpreted the new “current.” Ultimately, if one wanted to complicate matters, one could “define” an almost unlimited number of subgenres. However, without being completely exhaustive, the primary subgenres are:

Experimental (SOFT MACHINE, KING CRIMSON), psychedelic (PINK FLOYD), theatrical (GENESIS), traditional (EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER), symphonic (YES, CAMEL, GENTLE GIANT), and art rock/“pomp prog” in the Seventies (SUPERTRAMP). There are also the Canterbury School (CARAVAN, GONG), jazz-fusion (BRAND X, FRANK ZAPPA), Italian Progressive Rock (BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO, LE ORME, PFM), German Progressive Current (ELOY – space rock; AMON DUUL II – krautrock), progressive electronics (TANGERINE DREAM), Rock In Opposition, or R.I.O. (HENRY COW), and Zheul (MAGMA). There is even Progressive Instrumental (MIKE OLDFIELD), Folk Progressive (JETHRO TULL, RENAISSANCE, THE STRAWBS), Hard Progressive (RUSH), Neo-Progressive (MARILLION, ARENA, PENDRAGON), and Progressive Metal (DREAM THEATER, AYREON, PAIN OF SALVATION).

2006-10-15T05:21:00.000-07:00

INDEX A – The Definition

INDEX B – The Development
· Late 60s and beginning of the 70s
· The 70s
· The 80s
· The 90s to the Present

INDEX C – The History (1966 to the Present)
· Introduction
· 1 – Proto-History – 1960s
· 2 – First Wave – 1970s
· 3 – Second Wave – 1980s
· 4 – Third Wave – 1990s to the Present
· Conclusion

INDEX D – Top 20 Albums

INDEX E – The A-Z Listing (groups)

ESSENTIAL MINI-GUIDE TO...

2006-10-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

PROGRESSIVE ROCK

Past & Present

http://www.progarchives.com/prog-book.asp

Dear Friends of Progressive Rock:

What if a trustworthy companion offered to take you on a journey and guide you through the exciting discovery of albums you’d only dreamt of?

That’s exactly what the Essential Mini-Guide to PROGRESSIVE ROCK will do!

Intended for Progressive Rock aficionados and Classic Rock lovers alike, the Mini-Guide covers the history and development of the worldwide Progressive Rock movement from its origins to the present, with tools to help you dig into its history even further. And here is a first: it clearly defines “WHAT PROGRESSIVE ROCK IS.”

Through four chapters, each covering one “wave” of the Progressive Rock movement, you will re-live: the end of the Sixties (PROTO-HISTORY), the Seventies (the GOLDEN AGE), the Eighties (the SILVER AGE and birth of NEO PROGressive rock), and the Nineties until today (the rebirth and new PROGressive METAL).

Selected from the most famous to the highly obscure, each band comes with a biography and full discography (vinyl and/or CD), some with a recommendation of their best albums. You will also find an in-depth review of the 20 best Prog albums of all time (released between 1967 and 1979). Finally, the Mini-Guide includes a comprehensive A-Z listing of over 3000 Progressive Rock bands, each with a brief musical description.

Yet despite years of enjoyment, dedication and intensive research, not only are there still gaps in my knowledge, but I suspect that there are many hidden Prog treasures still waiting to be unearthed. And although this is the second edition, no doubt you will also find incorrect statements, errors and/or facts that need to be straightened out. Therefore, I will be most grateful for any information, comments or suggestions for improvement that will bring me closer to my goal – that of making this handbook the most comprehensive and truly “Essential Mini-Guide to PROGRESSIVE ROCK.”

ENJOY YOUR READING and HAPPY DISCOVERIES!

DEDICATION

2006-10-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

THIS PROGRESSIVE ROCK GUIDE IS DEDICATED TO MY FAMILY FOR BEING AS ''REGRESSIVE'' ROCK MUSIC.: : : > MY FAMILY (2006) < : : :

- Diane (47) -
- François (26) -
- Étienne (25) + Mélanie (23) & Thomas (5) -
- Jean-Michel (20) -

Acknowledgements:

Many people have contributed to the making of this mini-guide, without whom it would not have been possible. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to them for their generous and invaluable editing assistance, advice and friendship. For helping to make this second edition a reality, I am particularly indebted to:

Ian Alterman, USA
Improved and adapted in English
Primary editor for First Edition

Bob McBeath, SCOTLAND
Improved and adapted First Edition in English

Peter Rideout, CANADA
Improved and adapted First Edition in English

Lisa Brault, CANADA
The A-Z Listing (groups)
Improved and adapted First Edition in English

Tommy Schønenberg, NORWAY
Reviewer of the Top 20 Best Progressive Rock albums
Vintage Prog - Progressive Rock, and much more…

Lucas Biela, FRANCE
Dominic Francoeur, CANADA
For their inspirational works in the field of progressive rock music

Greg Walker, USA
For his generous assistance in providing band information
Syn-Phonic Music - Progressive Rock
http://synphonic.8m.com

Finally, to the musicians, the fans, and all who support this wonderful music, and to everyone who provided me with information, I extend my warmest thanks.

With love to you all,

Ronald Couture
(founder of ProgArchives.com)

PROG ARCHIVES.com

2006-10-14T20:05:00.000-07:00

Your ultimate Prog Rock resource…!

My knowledge of progressive music has greatly increased in recent years, thanks to good friends like Bruno Aun, a designer who introduced me to the Internet, and my very dear friend, M@X (Prog Archives Administrator and WebMaster). The “archives” were inspired (and continue to be driven) by M@X’s and my desire to promote our passion for this music via our own Web site. Today, PROG ARCHIVES brings me a lot of info, new “net” friends, and pleasure, as I continue to discover many great prog artists from every corner of the earth, and thus learn more and more about the music I love so.

PROG ARCHIVES is the result of some friends’ passion for progressive rock, a kind of music that (in case you didn’t know) crosses and combines many musical genres (jazz, classical, folk), resulting in a unique, original and often challenging style. Our “project” is open to everyone who wants to add his or her own contribution. Anyone who loves prog can review here, exchange opinions, and find other prog lovers with whom to share their thoughts and passion for this excellent music. In fact, the site’s pages have the express purpose of letting you enter step-by-step into the fantastic “prog world.”

Here at PROG ARCHIVES, we are proud to serve fans of progressive music with any information we can: bands, biographies, discographies, song titles and durations, pictures of album covers, helpful reviews and samples* from some of the finest artists of the prog scene, from the time-honoured past to the exciting present. Progressive music is full of vibrant and pleasant memories and associations for fans like me, as we find ever more cross-connections within its (still expanding) scope. Thanks to the Internet, the progressive movement is experiencing a revival of interest from a dedicated, sophisticated and growing audience.

For people wanting a more in-depth list, I’ve included a link to the excellent Prog Archives (English version) below. A warning, though: the site could take a lifetime to read, so don’t plan on having a social life…!

My love to you all,
Keep on proggin!

http://www.progarchives.com

*NOTE: These are not complete albums. If you like what you hear from the samples, please buy the full-length releases.

MY STORY WITH PROGRESSIVE ROCK MUSIC

2006-10-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

If I remember correctly, my first experience with the vast underground “prog scene” was around the mid-70s, when a fondness for GENESIS’ “Foxtrot” led me to purchase the rest of their albums. You know how it is at school, though: friends introduce you to strange new ideas and influences, and gradually you become hooked on new kinds of music. So it was with me. I listened intently to all the new sounds and styles with intrigue and delight. My collection of prog rock LPs was fairly extensive and growing, as I was buying about three new prog LPs each week, whenever my finances would allow.

At Sherbrooke University in Québec, my eagerness to explore progressive music led to quite a large collection of great bands and albums, including GENESIS (Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England By The Pound), PINK FLOYD (Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals), ELOY (Dawn, Ocean), The STRAWBS (Hero and Heroine, Grave New World), BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST (Everyone Is Everybody Else, Time Honoured Ghosts), JETHRO TULL (Thick As a Brick, Aqualung), The MOODY BLUES (Days Of Future Passed, On The Threshold Of A Dream), RENAISSANCE (Scheherazade and Other Stories), and SUPERTRAMP (Crime Of The Century), among others. I also became fascinated with Italian progressive rock (BANCO, Le ORME, PFM), as well as other non-English European prog, and the expanding American prog scene.

I continue to expand my knowledge and appreciation for this rock genre which offers so many diverse styles and creative elements. My passion for prog rock has grown to encompass many groups, and lately I’ve realized that more and more of my favorites come from the neo-prog, symphonic prog, prog metal and space rock subgenres. This phase of my musical exploration has taken me into the realms of new groups like MARILLION (Script For A Jester’s Tear, Misplaced Childhood, Marbles), ANGLAGARD (Hybris), ARENA (The Visitor, Immortal?), AYREON (Into The Electric Castle, The Universal Migrator Part 1 & 2), CAMEL (Mirage, Harbour Of Tears), DREAM THEATER (Images & Words, Octavarium), IQ (Subterranea, Dark Matter), LANDS END (Natural Selection), PAIN OF SALVATION (The Perfect Element Part 1), PALLAS (The Dreams Of Men), PENDRAGON (The Masquerade Overture, Believe), PINEAPPLE THIEF (Variations On A Dream), and PORCUPINE TREE (Lightbulb Sun, In Absentia, Deadwing), among others.

In my opinion, recent years have brought us some very good and memorable Prog Rock music!

“Progressive Rock is a music made for the dream, the escape, to feel a multitude of emotions.”

PROGRESSIVE ROCKMINI-GUIDE & CATALOG - Edition 2007

What is prog rock?

Letters U - V - W - X - Y - Z / Numbers 0-9

Letter T

Letter S

Letter R

The face of progressive music

Catalog - 1st Edition 2007

OZRIC TENTACLES

GROBSCHNITT

MINI-GUIDE TO PROG ROCK Part II

Letter Q

Letter P

Letter O

Letter N

Letter M

Letter L

Letter K

Letter J

Letter I

Letter H

Letter G

Letter F

Letter E

Letter D

Letter C

Letter B

Letter A

Prog Rock - The influences

VI- Hugh Syme: Exploiting the Words

V- Mark Wilkinson & Marillion

IV- The Worlds of Roger Dean

III- Paul Whitehead & Genesis

II- Kim Poor: diaphanism

I- Hipgnosis: surrealism and mystification

PROGRESSIVE ART

The Art of Ed Unitsky

BUY NOW...!

(1st Wave) - LE ORME

(1st Wave) - The STRAWBS

(1st Wave) - YES

(1st Wave) - VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR

(1st Wave) - GENESIS

(1st Wave) - KING CRIMSON

(1st Wave) - CARAVAN

(1st Wave) - JETHRO TULL

(1st Wave) - PINK FLOYD

(1st Wave) - The MOODY BLUES

2- FIRST WAVE - 1970s

1- PROTO-HISTORY - 1960s

INDEX C - The History

INDEX B - The development

INDEX A - The definition

CONTENTS

ESSENTIAL MINI-GUIDE TO...

DEDICATION

PROG ARCHIVES.com

MY STORY WITH PROGRESSIVE ROCK MUSIC