The Beatles' Influence on Prog? - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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hellogoodbye View Drop Down

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Posted: February 11 2017 at 15:15

You're absolutely right Wink

Thatfabulousalien View Drop Down

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Posted: February 11 2017 at 15:03

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

FZ & Mothers of Invention - Freak Out

As a loyal Zappaholic, I still wonder why people quote Freak Out all the time but not Absolutely Free..... Sleepy

Classical music isn't dead, it's more alive than it's ever been. It's just not on MTV.

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Atavachron View Drop Down

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Posted: February 11 2017 at 14:43

It could be said the Four had an inspirational affectation on prog rock, but as for a musical one, much less clear. I tend to think Harum and Giles,Giles&Fripp and Zappa and the Who and Airplane and the MBs had a more direct influence.

But it was timing as much as anything; a convergence of talent, a generation of musically repressed, a whole lot of rock 'n roll lovers who wanted more.

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy

AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down

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Posted: February 11 2017 at 14:10

A pretty big influence I would say but by no means the only influence in the sixties. I think psychedelic is a better description than prog although admittedly some of their stuff may qualify as "proto prog." I think the following albums were all equally important in prog's development:

FZ & Mothers of Invention - Freak Out

Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

Beatles- Revolver, Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour

Moody Blues- Days of Future Passed

Procol Harum- same

The Nice- Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack

Pink Floyd- Piper at the Gates of Dawn

The Beatles are in there of course but they weren't alone.

TheH

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Posted: February 11 2017 at 13:16

I think the main influence of the Beatles was to change the way of the music Industrie.

Actually the situation before was very much a 7'' vinyl single market, with LP fast being Collections

of single tracks to cash in a second time. The habit of Prog bands to have subtitles on epic tracks

comes also from that time where you have to had 12 titles on a LP to receive full royalties (otherwise

it would be just rated as an EP, no matter how long the playing time really was).

Of course the Beatles weren't the only ones, but very important in changing the view on LP's as

an true album format instead of compilations.

Also they where among the first to break with 2 to 3 minutes song lengths (in that genre) and to

introduce synphonic elements and sound experiments into their sound.

I think it's legit to say they where involved in setting the ground for the things that happend later.

Progosopher View Drop Down

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Posted: February 11 2017 at 12:35

The influence is immense. Their progression as artists may seem tame by today's standards, but at the time they were very experimental and always sought to grow musically. Their earliest releases are straight rock and roll, and some of the best ever IMO, but starting with Rubber Soul, they started doing different things with their music. Listen to each one in succession from that point, all the way up to Abbey Road, and you will hear a tremendous growth. This spirit of experimentation infused the mid to late 60s and set the stage for what became known as Progressive Rock. That they were the most successful band even at that time is significant, because that made people pay attention. Experimentation and growth lead to success. The situation was almost completely the opposite of today. Now, if you want success, you have to follow a particular formula and sound very much like other successful artists. This is not to say there is not talent in today's musical world, there is, even in the top of the charts, but much of it is wasted due to the commercial demands.

The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"

SteveG

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Posted: February 11 2017 at 10:39

The Beatles' influence on Prog? Overstated, understated or just about right?

Some believe that Prog would never have existed if not for the Beatles, while other's claim no effect on artists like early Genesis. "What does Peter Gabriel have to do with John Lennon?" I once heard someone say. So what's the deal?