Record Collector’s Nu Progressives & Poll

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Having mentioned the prog special in the UK magazine Record Collector
(May 2004 edition), I thought I would provide some head scratching
moments for you folk,  by reproducing two of their lists here:

1. Nu. Progressives (and according to RC's pundits the bands most progressive "moment"):

The Mars Volta (Delouse the Comatorium)

Radiohead (Kid A)

The Coral (Nightfreak & the Sons of Becker)

Spirituarized (Ladies & Gentlemen We are Floating in Space)

Muse (Origin of Symmetry)

Air (10,000Hz legend)

The Cooper Temple Clause (Sees This Through & Leaves)

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (Spanish Dance Troupe)

Tool (Schism)

The Polyphonic Spree (Together We're Heavy)

Super Furry Animals (Mario Man)

2. Spirit of Prog: 20 Must Have Masterworks (not in any order):

Moody Blues: In Search of a Lost Chord

The Soft Machine

Jethro Tull: Aqualung

King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King

The Nice

Caravan: If I Could do it Again etc.

Procol Harum: Shine On Brightly

Gentle Giant: Octopus

Barclay Jame Harvest: Once Again

Van Der Graaf Generator: Pawn Hearts

ELP: Pictures at an Exhibition

Yes: Close to the Edge

Camel: Moonmadness

Rush: 2112

Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells

Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

Tangerine Dream: Phaedra

Manfred Mann Earth Band: Solar Fire

Eloy: Inside

Pink Floyd: Darkside of the Moon.

Something to get your teeth into..................... Mind you put any
oddities down to British music journalists who have a reputation for
doing their research in pubs. To illustrate the point, Classic Rock
magazine (April 2004) has a long piece on Gong. Having mentioned Allan
Holdsworth amongst the many members listed in the first paragraph, the
writer breaks his history on reaching the Steve Hillage period jumping
forward to the 90's, leaving a whole swathe of late 70's jazz
rock-based Gong ignored. And of course if you are going to write about
recent Gong, couldn't a few lines be spared for the major Gong spin-off
Gongzilla?? Very selective journalism when the intent seems to be to
inform about the band's history?

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Dick Heath Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Jazz-Rock Specialist Joined: April 19 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 12801	Topic: Record Collector’s Nu Progressives & Poll Posted: April 30 2004 at 15:43
	Having mentioned the prog special in the UK magazine Record Collector (May 2004 edition), I thought I would provide some head scratching moments for you folk, by reproducing two of their lists here: 1. Nu. Progressives (and according to RC's pundits the bands most progressive "moment"): The Mars Volta (Delouse the Comatorium) Radiohead (Kid A) The Coral (Nightfreak & the Sons of Becker) Spirituarized (Ladies & Gentlemen We are Floating in Space) Muse (Origin of Symmetry) Air (10,000Hz legend) The Cooper Temple Clause (Sees This Through & Leaves) Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (Spanish Dance Troupe) Tool (Schism) The Polyphonic Spree (Together We're Heavy) Super Furry Animals (Mario Man) 2. Spirit of Prog: 20 Must Have Masterworks (not in any order): Moody Blues: In Search of a Lost Chord The Soft Machine Jethro Tull: Aqualung King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King The Nice Caravan: If I Could do it Again etc. Procol Harum: Shine On Brightly Gentle Giant: Octopus Barclay Jame Harvest: Once Again Van Der Graaf Generator: Pawn Hearts ELP: Pictures at an Exhibition Yes: Close to the Edge Camel: Moonmadness Rush: 2112 Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells Genesis: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tangerine Dream: Phaedra Manfred Mann Earth Band: Solar Fire Eloy: Inside Pink Floyd: Darkside of the Moon. Something to get your teeth into..................... Mind you put any oddities down to British music journalists who have a reputation for doing their research in pubs. To illustrate the point, Classic Rock magazine (April 2004) has a long piece on Gong. Having mentioned Allan Holdsworth amongst the many members listed in the first paragraph, the writer breaks his history on reaching the Steve Hillage period jumping forward to the 90's, leaving a whole swathe of late 70's jazz rock-based Gong ignored. And of course if you are going to write about recent Gong, couldn't a few lines be spared for the major Gong spin-off Gongzilla?? Very selective journalism when the intent seems to be to inform about the band's history?

Dan Bobrowski Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 02 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5243	Posted: April 30 2004 at 16:36
	I have Gongzilla's Suffer. A very updated version of the 70's Jazz-Gong. Blistering. Almost You and Allan Qui? go on every "Welcome to Holdsworth" disc I make for people who don't know "THE MAN." I think the Spirit of Prog selections are pretty good. The Nu Prog bands looks like an alternative rock station playlist. Mostly "fringe-prog."

Certif1ed Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 08 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 7559	Posted: April 30 2004 at 16:40
	Yeah - of the entire list, only Radiohead and Gorky's are truly prog. Muse? I mean, good band and all, but prog?

Fitzcarraldo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 30 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1835	Posted: April 30 2004 at 16:41
	Thanks for posting the lists. Is there any reason why the list of new prog artists is shorter than the list of "masterworks" artists? Actually, lists like these in magazines are of limited value in my opinion - everyone has their own list of 'must have' masterworks and I bet many would look quite different to the list in Record Collector. Still, it's not a bad list. If I had to stick to the bands in the Record Collector list then I would want to change some of the albums though. I wonder if there is any way of generating a dynamically-changing top twenty list of albums from all the reviews/ratings on this Web site?

Dan Bobrowski Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 02 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5243	Posted: April 30 2004 at 16:45
	They've got a list of Top-Ten researched bands.

Fitzcarraldo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 30 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1835	Posted: April 30 2004 at 18:20
	Yes, I had noticed the top ten list of researched bands, but I was thinking more of a list of the top twenty (or ten) most popular albums, derived dynamically from all the ratings on the site. It would be an interesting list as more and more reviews are added, and hopefully more indicative than a list produced by one or two journalists in a magazine.

Dan Bobrowski Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 02 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5243	Posted: April 30 2004 at 18:26
	Post your idea in the "SUGGESTION FOR THE ARCHIVES section. Good idea. It would be interesting. I started a thread asking for estimates of how many CD's have been purchased by forum members due to the use of MP3's at this site. No one seems interested in responding. I think it's important to compile some statistic when arguing the legalities of MP3's.

Fitzcarraldo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 30 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1835	Posted: April 30 2004 at 18:42
	danbo, I'll follow your suggestion. I haven't seen your thread on the number of CDs purchased as a result of downloads of MP3s from this site, but I am interested in the subject too. To save me hunting for the thread, please point in the right direction. I, for example, bought 9 CDs a couple of weeks ago as a direct result of listening to MP3s from this site, and I can categorically say that I would not have risked doing so if I had not heard a decent sample of the music. Reviews are helpful, but at the end of the day one needs to hear the music, as one man's meat is another man's poison.

Fitzcarraldo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 30 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1835	Posted: April 30 2004 at 18:50
	danbo, Just found your thread under OFF TOPICS / MP3...legal or not? forum. I'll post there shortly.

Dick Heath Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Jazz-Rock Specialist Joined: April 19 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 12801	Posted: April 30 2004 at 19:21
	I think the Spirit of Prog selections are pretty good. The Nu Prog bands looks like an alternative rock station playlist. Mostly "fringe-prog." A couple of those bands in the interviews published in Record Collector, are categoric they NOT PROGRESSIVE ROCK!!! Mind you Fripp on one of those computer interaction King Crimson releases, has something come up on screen stating they are not progressive rock! In part, this is their reaction against being tagged along with those "dinosaurs", the media have been shooting at for 30 years, and allowing the term "progressive rock" get way too over complicated and away from its original meaning. Interesting that Tool readily accepted such categorisation..... BTW Record Collector can't make its mind up as to call these bands alternative prog or (my term) nu.prog. Is there any reason why the list of new prog artists is shorter than the list of "masterworks" artists? That's all what the magazine gave - but there is a quarter to half page review of each of those bands. That is with the exception of The Mars Volta, who are the first nu-prog band mentions in the opening of the article. To me Mars Volta progress - but not in the traditional way. Gongzilla A friend in the US told me of their existence just after " Suffer" was released -when I discovered AH was on it, I had to have it. "Thrive" the follow-up, I like even more, where Gary Husband is a real powerhouse on drums. There is a live album out in the last 18 months, recorded in 1999 in Montreal with the incredible David Fuiczynski guesting on guitar along side Bon Lozaga. And most recently "East Side Sessions" - their most restrained, with Husband on drums, Fuze on one track and Pierre Moulen playing vibes (very Gamelan in style); read somewhere this is one of the best selling indie jazz rock albums in USA in 2003. Polls Rolling Stone magazine has a best ever album poll every 5 years and there are always some major change overs. So what about collating all these polls together and coming out with some average? There was one time the 80's in the UK that 10cc's "I'm Not In Love" always was NO.1 of all time favourite single in polls, each year - doesn't make the top 100 nowadays. Polls are fun for some, even better if you agree with most of one, but irrelevant for the most part.