Influential prog albums

@Fitzcarraldo: Also don't forget the Germans ....  they had some brilliant bands and even their own subgenre (Krautrock).

But overall I'd still say prog is mainly a british thing, the "big 5" (KC, Genesis, ELP, PF, Yes) are all british. That does not mean that there isn't good music in the other countries, but the prog's roots and their most famous bands do certainly come from the UK.

By the way, mikemon, you asked about books on Prog. See the following thread:

http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1642&a mp;KW=books

 

Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon is without doubt
the most influential record in prog. The mere fact that
it has been in the US Top 100 since its release tells
you all you need to know.
It's combination of killer songwriting, involving
atmospherics, approachable arrangements and
universal themes of alienation, frustration, stress
and dissatisfaction make it hard to resist.
Other records may have been influential on some
later prog rock (Yes, Genesis) but generally their
relevance has been withing narrow confines.
DSOTM has had an influence on music across a
whole host of genres from indie to chill-out, metal to
ambient, techno to post-rock.
It's a no-brainer folks, Dark Side is it.

threefates wrote: Certif1ed wrote: I would say that "Foxtrot" by Genesis is probably more influential than "Brain Salad Surgery", simply because you hear more bands imitating the former style than the latter, not because one is in any way better than the other. Thats only because it was easier to imitate..

Yeah, right... whatever...

I think it's because Foxtrot is better musically; technically and in overall execution (although I might concede that Lake's vocals are the superior - however he loses points on lyrics).

Banks simply owns Emerson - makes Keith look like a hopeful second-leaguer, and Collins is almost impossible to compare to Palmer - they're both brilliant on the two albums we're comparing.

I will also concede that Genesis had two extra members - but would counter that by saying that it's harder to co-ordinate larger numbers of personnel.

 

/edit

I have to take back one of my concessions - Greg's intonation on Brain Salad Surgery is pretty bad - especially on "Jerusalem". The tonal quality may be more pleasant, but Gabriel stays on key with more ease!

Edited by Certif1ed

ok, a prog album that has influenced people outside of prog is Trout Mask Replica  by Captain Beefheart. Also Beefheart's Mirror Man Sessions is supposed to have influenced some people as well (I think Devo and The Pixies are among the influenced)  Albums and Artists that influenced prog would be:
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The White Album

Revolver

Edgard Varese influenced Frank Zappa

I see the Moody Blues - Threshold of a
Dream(1969), Bo Hansson - Lord of the
Rings(1971) and Focus - 3(1972) as influencial
landmarks in the birth of progressive rock as any of
the early Yes, ELP and Genesis efforts. Once Pink
Floyd made Dark Side of the Moon(1973) then the
game was on. I would say that album has so many
new things going on in it, it has to be the crown jewel
of what progressive rock is all about.

Rush? maybe the birth of progressive metal?

Edited by DallasBryan

QUOTE! Just for reference, here's a list of major prog
acts in the 70s

Yes

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer

Jethro Tull

Genesis

Rush      (what a joke!)

Gentle Giant

Van Der Graaf Generator

King Crimson

Renaissance

Camel

Caravan

Looks like Canterbury was the only place
progressive rock existed, hhmmm!!!

guess Utopia, Kansas, Billy Cobham, Focus,
Canarios, Krautrock, Jarre, Clearlight, Vangelis and
those Italians were doing something different maybe
progressive electronic rock or progressive
symphonic rock, progressive jazz rock, progressive
rock opera or maybe progressive americana rock.

I got it, progressive rock is english bands telling
fairytales, BRILLIANT!!!

Guess www.progarchives.com wasted alot of space
with bands from all over the world, what are they
filler?

Sorry, but it is hard for me to swallow over and over
and over that progressive rock is Pink Floyd, Yes,
ELP, Genesis, VDDG, King Crimson and Rush!!!


Edited by DallasBryan

ach, how could i forget floyd!

thats project is way cool... so i'm guessing since its a project of your own choosing, you have some previous exposure to prog? or did you choose it on a whim?

Sweetnighter wrote: I'll second Threefates... the big three in prog are: In The Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson Close to the Edge by Yes Brain Salad Surgery by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer does this project also entail covering progressive rock today? as in past 1980 to the present? and just out of curiosity... what is the project, a paper? how did you get this project? i wish i had gotten assigned a project to study prog! Just for reference, here's a list of major prog acts in the 70s Yes Emerson, Lake, and Palmer Jethro Tull Genesis Rush Gentle Giant Van Der Graaf Generator King Crimson Renaissance Camel Caravan That should be a good list to get you started anyway... of course there are so so many more, but those are immediate names that come to mind. Good luck!

Wow, thanks very much for all your replies, there's some really useful stuff in there.

I've got an excellent book by Edward Macan calling 'Rocking the classics, English progressive rock and the counterculture' thats been pretty helpful.  If any of you are really into the genre then you'll probably find it interesting, but it takes some serious dedication just to understand it.

Basically in college we have to do a major project of our own choice, we get about a year to study it.  The final presentation takes the form of a really long presentation involving video and music.  I'm basically studying 70 - 76 but I'll probably do something about how it's influenced music to the present day.

So any other useful resources (i.e. websites, books or dvds) I should know about?

Cheers,

Mike

lol okay i have a bias towards rush obviously... but some of their albums are definitely progressive, such as A Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres.