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Your favorite Prog bands (aka what is ProgRock?)

Carnival Man

Carnival Man

New member
Well I've been around HS for a little while now & another hobby of mine is Indie Prog Rock. I am always interested in hearing from folks who are fans of Progressive Rock Music, especially about indie & unsigned bands & artists. If anyone here knows of any good local Prog Rock or Progressive Metal bands that I might have not heard of then please feel free to post them here...Or just post your personal favorites.

What is Prog Rock anyway?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_rock
and/or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Metal

Some of my classic favs include:
Genesis
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Yes
King Crimson
Dream Theater

And if you like the above, check out these:
Marillion/Fish
Enchant
Magellan
Kevin Gilbert
Shadow Gallery

Thanks in advance! :wink:
 
33-YesClassicBlue_jpg.jpg
 
Not much of a progrock fan, but I think I could grow to enjoy it if exposed to it on long car rides.
On many camping trips, I was subjected to my brother-in-law's tape playing blasting Genesis Live.
For my horror/sci-fi needs, I was particularly taken to "Return of the Giant Hogweed"

I always loved the cover to that album. Is Gabriel playing a...bass drum while in costume?
genesis_front.jpg
 
My brother was my roomie in the 70s, and a generation ahead of me. I attribute this to my like of Yes as only one of 2 70s bands I enjoy. The other, as per my avatar, is Midnight Oil. They are one of the greatest examples of the type of sonic experimentation that was going on in Australia during the latter half of that decade. As such, much of their early albums feature jazz bass lines coupled with odd arrangments, signature changes, and bombastic guitar riffs. They are almost to punk as King's X, another favorite, is to metal. It is especially evident on earlier albums, culminating in the stunning 1986 opus Red Sails In The Sunset, which is more of an exploration in the art of noise than it is a proper pop record. Latter day examples, though fewer, are still present, on songs like "Blot", "Mountians of Burma", "Poets and Slaves", or "The Real Thing". EDIT: The early Oils CDs are indie releases, and they actually managed to earn gold and platinum certifications and get airplay. It was indeed a different time...

I would suggest looking into this nation's output during this era. Though not as big as British bands, due largely to relative geographic isolation, Oz rock probably had a measure of influence that can never be truly guaged.

On the indie and metalic fronts, I would suggest Saviour Machine. Unless you have an aversion to Biblical prophesy. Even then, the goth/opera/metal fusion of their earliest discs could be captivating, and is not at all as silly as Malice Mizer from Japan, who they sound a bit like.

Also try Narnia, Trytan, Wedding Party, and, if you like doom, anything Ian Arkley has done, especially recent stuff like Century Sleeper.

I do like Dream Theater, though I went to their show to see Galactic Cowboys. I also used to listen to Marillion all the time. Good stuff!
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now playing: The Saints Eternally Yours
 
Old Time Genesis is pretty good stuff...of the newer stuff I will have to say that Oysterhead was amazing as was Animal Logic (both Stewart Copeland bands)


But you failed to mention the Godfather of Prog Rock--FRANK ZAPPA!!!


The problem w/ the term "prog rock" is that what once was prog rock is now plain old classic rock.

Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Rush, Led Zepplin and Kansas are all "prog rock" bands.
 
Onacara said:
Old Time Genesis is pretty good stuff...of the newer stuff I will have to say that Oysterhead was amazing as was Animal Logic (both Stewart Copeland bands)


But you failed to mention the Godfather of Prog Rock--FRANK ZAPPA!!!


The problem w/ the term "prog rock" is that what once was prog rock is now plain old classic rock.

Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Rush, Led Zepplin and Kansas are all "prog rock" bands.
Click to expand...

True, there have been many debates & discussions as to what is really Prog Rock...and without sounding like a plugmiester, our station pretty much covers all the established & imagined sub-genres of Prog.

Oh yeah, notice to Marillion & Fish fans: Fish will be headlining the first night of NEARfest on June 20th (nearfest.com) which is in PA every year & there is a rumor that he will also be touring the rest of the US around that time... Last time Fish toured the US was in 1997 so don't miss this one!
 
EyeOfSauron said:
No question my favorite prog-rock/metal band is Tool!



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Seconded! They just so happen to be my favorite band of all time!
Floater is my second favorite band and they're considered art metal, so I do think they would be included.
 
Onacara said:
Old Time Genesis is pretty good stuff...of the newer stuff I will have to say that Oysterhead was amazing as was Animal Logic (both Stewart Copeland bands)


But you failed to mention the Godfather of Prog Rock--FRANK ZAPPA!!!


The problem w/ the term "prog rock" is that what once was prog rock is now plain old classic rock.

Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Rush, Led Zepplin and Kansas are all "prog rock" bands.
Click to expand...

Great points man.. all of what I love about classic rock is actually what you all are calling progressive. Cept zappa of course. His progness extends beyond classic. :)
 
DrRansom said:
Onacara said:
Old Time Genesis is pretty good stuff...of the newer stuff I will have to say that Oysterhead was amazing as was Animal Logic (both Stewart Copeland bands)


But you failed to mention the Godfather of Prog Rock--FRANK ZAPPA!!!


The problem w/ the term "prog rock" is that what once was prog rock is now plain old classic rock.

Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Rush, Led Zepplin and Kansas are all "prog rock" bands.
Click to expand...

Great points man.. all of what I love about classic rock is actually what you all are calling progressive. Cept zappa of course. His progness extends beyond classic. :)
Click to expand...

Frank Zappa was in a genre that was all his own...I only own ten or so Zappa albums, which is only a small fraction of his discography! :wink:
 
So where do 90's prog rock bands like Phish, Rusted Root, Widespread Panic, Flaming Lips, etc.. fit in?

Then you've got the whole Chrisian Music festival side, Seeds, Waterdeep, Infradig.. or go way back to the likes of Phil Keagy.. that dude rules.
 
Sci-fi Messiah said:
Seconded! They just so happen to be my favorite band of all time!
Floater is my second favorite band and they're considered art metal, so I do think they would be included.
Click to expand...

Whoa! SFM, I just checked out Floater based on your post and I can't believe I've missed out on this band all this time! I really like them!

Which album should I buy to start me out? I am leaning toward the latest one (are they putting out a new one soon?...seems like their latest is pretty old).
 
EyeOfSauron said:
Sci-fi Messiah said:
Seconded! They just so happen to be my favorite band of all time!
Floater is my second favorite band and they're considered art metal, so I do think they would be included.
Click to expand...

Whoa! SFM, I just checked out Floater based on your post and I can't believe I've missed out on this band all this time! I really like them!

Which album should I buy to start me out? I am leaning toward the latest one (are they putting out a new one soon?...seems like their latest is pretty old).
Click to expand...

It's hard to recommend. I don't even have their newest release (which was an 06 release I think). I'd say start with Glyph, their second album, it didn't leave my CD player for a month. Sink is really experimental and their heaviest album I've heard. I have those plus Angel in the Flesh Devils in the Bone(concept album that takes you through a persons birth to their death-very good), Alter (which is where they started doing some really stand out guitar work), and Burning Sosobra (closer to Glyph's sound than anything, really hard to describe). I recommend them all. I can't find any other stuff since they're based out West and I live in Kentucky. My uncle knew a guy who used to hang out with them in bars before their shows, so I got my stuff from him.
 
Tangerine Dream in the 70's was thrown in the Progressive Rock genre though they're not now. Their 70's stuff was more edged and rocking than the New Age crap they put out now.

Also, Rush's 70's stuff was considered Progressive. So...

70's Tangerine Dream and 70's Rush.
 
Shoot, I should've mentioned this a week or two ago, but anyway: John Young from the UK is in CA doing some solo shows...He's played with/for many prog & rock bands in the past. The cool thing about his SF Bay Area dates is that they are all at coffee houses, so all ages are welcome. I'll be going to the Friday night show in Campbell, so if any local 'scapers want to meet over coffee & tunes then check out his myspace @ http://www.myspace.com/johnyoungband for times & locations! :wink:
 
The greatest prog rock album of all time has to be "Wham! Make it Big"

Either that or ELP's "Brain Salad Surgery"
 
I have heard Coheed and Cambria described as progressive rock before. I'm a big fan of theirs' so I will throw them into the mix.
 
I was in a band in Birmingham, AL for awhile that played something between prog rock and jam band. Both I and the other guitarist had these Boss GT pedals and we could create some amazingly crazy synthed-out sounds. Sometimes it sounded like we had three keyboards and no guitars in the band! Good times...

We rehearsed in this big warehouse downtown, had the whole place to ourselves and could really spread out. Our drummer owned a scenery design business. They built sets for plays as well as corporate displays for conventions, pieces for weddings--you name it. We rehearsed in this space that had things like an archway made of two dolphins kissing, an 18 foot tall functional smoking volcano, even a partial stonehenge. It was a truly inspirational place.

We'd turn down the lights and just jam, improvise. Some of our best stuff came out of those jam sessions, when something beautiful would emerge from the chaos and everyone would just catch hold of one feather of it and we'd just fly...

Of course a whole lot of it was a steaming pile of doody too.

At our shows we'd bring all this crap with us that no other bands had: stage lights, smoke machines, a cut-out Orion slave woman from Star Trek, this enormous idol we called "Buddha Fish" that looked like something out of Lovecraft. The drum kit was tricked out with rope lights and a stormtrooper helmet. We may not have been the tightest band in town but we put on quite a show.

I eventually left to go back to school, and the band went through some other line-up changes. Now the drummer and the keyboardist (my brother) are the only two original members left. New members brought new influences. They still play some trippy stuff, but I think they've moved more towards the jam band-southern rock end of the spectrum and somewhat away from prog.

If you're curious, google them. They've got a MySpace page with some rough live recordings posted.
Alo's Meds: http://profile.myspace.com/alosmeds

My brother, the scientist, at work:
4-16-03pic2.jpg
 
Very cool Elstree, I'll check them out!

Here's what I played last Friday on my show:

April 11, 2008
1. D'Cückoo - One World (4:23)
2. Critic's Carnival Intro (1:28)
3. D'Cückoo - No One Receiving (5:26)
4. Cairo - Between the Lines (9:31)
5. Cairo - Coming Home (7:11)
6. Opeth - Death Whispered A Lullaby (5:49)
7. Dream Theater - Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding - live (10:49)
8. John Young - Significance (4:20)
9. Shawn Bishop - Ten O'clock Roll Call (0:22)
10. Fish - Rites of Passage - live (5:58)
11. Fish - The Lost Plot - live (4:53)
12. Fish - Slainthe Mhath - live (5:12)
13. Fish - Chelsea Monday - live (6:11)
14. Fish - Scattering Crows - live (5:21)
15. Fish - Tara - live (5:29)
16. Fish - Raw Meat - live (7:01)
17. Fish - Numbers (5:39)
18. RadioTune (0:09)
19. SirenTruck (0:13)
20. Shawn Bishop - Eleven O'clock Roll Call (0:22)
21. artie exits (0:35)
22. 2006-05-15 sh!tty caller + aqualung fun.wma (3:41)
23. Magellan / Stan Johnson - A Tull Tale (2:32)
24. Magellan - Aqualung (8:09)
25. Jethro Tull - The Chequered Flag (Dead or Alive) (5:24)
26. Sweetcheeks (0:36)
27. John Young - When I was Young (4:15)
28. Kevin Gilbert - A Long Day's Life (7:29)
29. Kevin Gilbert - The Way Back Home (4:55)
30. Dream Theater - The Rover/Achilles Last Stand/The Song Remains the Same - live (7:28)
31. Kevin Gilbert - Johnny's Last Song (2:15)
 
Karza said:
Hawkwind, anybody? The world's greatest 3-chord prog rock band. Still wish I had Space Ritual with the fold-out cover.
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Yeah I haven't played Hawkind in quite a while..."Cronicles of The Black Sword" 2CD set...the story of Elric as told by Hawkwind! ;)
 
Sci-fi Messiah said:
EyeOfSauron said:
No question my favorite prog-rock/metal band is Tool!



lateralus.jpg
Click to expand...

Seconded! They just so happen to be my favorite band of all time!
Floater is my second favorite band and they're considered art metal, so I do think they would be included.
Click to expand...

Thirded! This band is so awesome, I cannot even put it into words. I caught them live last year at Summerfest in Milwaukee.

Thanks for the thread; I'm definitely going to check out some of the recommended Prog Rock bands. I had not realized that Prog Rock was a 'style' of music, so it is helpful to find others like Tool & Genesis.
 
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