Finding prog in unlikely places

Reading another thread here about old vinyl sent me scuttling off to my collection and having a dig through it. I came across an old 12" single from the 80's by Level 42, a popular 'pop' group from that time. I remember my girlfriend at the time buying it and I wasn't too keen on their sorta soft funk thing, but she played the b side and I remember being blown away. It's a track called Foundation & Empire parts I/II, and it fulfills are the criteria for being prog - excellent musicianship, swathed in keyboards and solos and getting on for ten minutes long (even though it is a jazz/funk sorta thing). Now I realise I'm probably going to get flamed to hell for posting about a mainstream pop group on this site, but I just listened to it again and it's as good as I remember it being. I have no idea if they released anything else this good but it was a real shock hearing this predominantly singles band doing something like this.

Are there any other mainstream 'pop' groups who stepped out and entered our prog world briefly that I don't know about? I'd be interested to hear.

Hi jalist..

No you wont get flamed for this particular observation. Just dont say you like any 80's Genesis, because thats a cardinal sin.

I dont know the Level 42 track you mention, but I'm aware that early in their career, they used to 'jam' a lot live, and do alot more imstrumental pieces. They were indeed excellent musicians. Their weakest link was probably Mark Kings voice (clearly not his bass playing!)

In terms of where else prog reared it's beautiful head in the pop world, well I like to think their were elements of it in the 80's synth pop scene. I thought that some of the symphonic elements of ABC, and the guitar and synth driven power of Ultravox, had probably been bourne out of some prog influences. The experimental approach of Japan and early OMD (with their messed up Mellotrons!) is arguably progressive in it's own way. Although clearly not prog 'rock' the music was pioneering and totally original at the time. More than you can say for a number of modern prog rock bands..


   

^ Good choice Mike!