What is prog and does it exist today?

[The Real MC]

40 minutes ago, AROIOS said:

Back to the original question, any rock music that breaks away from the cliche (e.g. pentatonic, blues, rock-n-roll...), and explore new territories in virtuosity, harmony and instrumentation is "Progressive" in my book.

 

That's a pretty fair description.  I'll also add diversions from cliched meter and form.

[niacin]

3 hours ago, AROIOS said:

Back to the original question, any rock music that breaks away from the cliche (e.g. pentatonic, blues, rock-n-roll...), and explore new territories in virtuosity, harmony and instrumentation is "Progressive" in my book.
 

That said, music is the dog and labels are merely the tail. I've seen "Yacht Rock" fans arguing passionately about whether the song "Sailing" was "Yacht Rock". It epitomizes the silliness of labeling.
 

Here's an obscure but dope "Prog" instrumental tune. The Dorian sound and funky synth bass showcases the "non-cliche harmony and instrumentation" criteria above.
 

 

i saw Sky when they toured Australia in 85 or 86, they had Rick Wakeman with them, I’d come from classical organ and then jazz piano and there’s this guy driving this stack of keyboards like a tardis console. I can trace my GAS back to that very moment. Onya Rick, lol.

[AROIOS]

18 hours ago, niacin said:

i saw Sky when they toured Australia in 85 or 86, they had Rick Wakeman with them, I’d come from classical organ and then jazz piano and there’s this guy driving this stack of keyboards like a tardis console. I can trace my GAS back to that very moment. Onya Rick, lol.

It's a highly under-recognized band. I've always admired John Williams' ability to shuffle between something like "Cavatina" and Prog rock with elegance and ease.

[David Emm]

19 hours ago, niacin said:

i saw Sky when they toured Australia in 85 or 86, they had Rick Wakeman with them, I’d come from classical organ and then jazz piano and there’s this guy driving this stack of keyboards like a tardis console. I can trace my GAS back to that very moment. Onya Rick, lol.

 

Ah, Wakeman fever. It was easy to be dazzled by his rig, but now I know he was walking more of a tightrope than I could have imagined. if a synth or the Mellotron didn't crap out, something in the signal chain could. He was wing-walking on an F-16. Its not simple now, but at least the instruments are generally tougher.    

[GRollins]

What makes a band prog?

 

I saw Steppenwolf at the Pier in Raleigh, NC, back in the '70s. They had John Kay...and nobody else. All the other instruments were manned by other people. They played all the Steppenwolf hits interspersed with new, original material. The effect was jarring. The new stuff was fusion jazz/prog and completely, totally unlike the old, straight-ahead rock Steppenwolf used to play. Not bad, mind you, but like Hendrix opening for the Monkees--absolute mismatch, even though it was the same band playing both genres.

 

Grey

[Tusker]

On 11/9/2022 at 3:18 PM, Iconoclast said:

I just saw Porcupine Tree in Dallas in Sept and they filled an enthusiastic 4000 seater (attached pic).  Huge fan of everything they've done. Also have seen Steven Wilson's solo band a couple of times and thought one of his shows was in the top 5 of concerts that I've ever been to.

Thanks to you and CyberGene I listened to a very interesting interview with Richard Barbieri and am working my way through the PT albums. At this point I am totally digging Fear of a Blank Planet and Closure / Continuation.

 

Any other recommendations?

 

They seem very strong on production values and they write excellent songs, but I admit it's a been awhile since I've heard such triumphal guitars. No doubt the triumphal moog fanfares of the 70s were jarring to some guitar players also. Hah! 😅

 

It's great music anyway. Thanks. 😎

[Iconoclast]

I'm a huge fan of all the later PT albums and then the earlier Stephen Wilson Solo albums. The Raven Who Refused to Sing is probably my favorite of the solo albums and the most "proggy" (by my definition at least). Guthrie Govan and Marco Minneman played on that record and of course they alone are amazing.

I went to a Steven Wilson show in Phoenix a couple of years ago, on a whim, first time I'd seen him, and it still remains one of the best shows I've ever seen. Absolute masterpiece. He will do certain shows in surround sound and it's surprisingly effective. They use it sparingly but when you realize that some of the music or sounds are coming from all around you, it's an absolute head jerker. Then the way they weave the special effects and movies in with the music, very emotional show.

On a different tour, when they do the song "Routine", the song/video combination had literally everyone in the audience in tears. Almost unfair to the audience how devastating that performance is live.

Glad you enjoyed them.

 

 

 

[D. Gauss]

ween.