What is your number 1 prog band?

Most, if not all of the greatest prog bands did their best works as very young men, and the doors were just opening… Around 67 through 75 or so. Sudden bursts of creativity, new and seemingly out of nowhere. It’s happened a few times in my / our lifetime with different genres. Rock, soul, Prog, punk, disco, new wave, electronica, hip hop/rap, to name a few grand and memorable landmarks of popular music. Are we ‘hangers on’ or ‘die hards?   Probably.   
YES had its huge day in the sun, right?   I gave Alice Coopers new release a listen and it made me sad. Seeing Ozzy on his “throne” with his cake also made me sad… and a little proud to have been young and present in such an era. Watching newer bands trying to re-create the magic with the same old formulas is fun, but futile. What’s Next, I wonder? And I hope I live to hear it!
Whatever it is it will probably be created by 16 - 20 year old kids. I just hope it isn’t full of the angst that has infected so much popular music recently. Enough of that!

Edited for horrible grammar.

Edited by Valdez - July 09 2025 at 23:42

Themistocles wrote: ... There is much wisdom to this approach. I really enjoy finding new things... something that challenges me. That's my favorite thing and the problem is most stuff isn't all that original.

Hi,

There has never been a time, or place, where new works and arts are not available.

The big "fight" is getting past the commerciality around it all and then be able to comment and discuss something new.

While PA is quite OK about new things, folks (in general) are afraid of commenting on new stuff, because it makes them feel like their favorites are not as good, or not up to par. For me, the issue is the "favorites" taking away your ability to listen to anything else properly, and without comparison. From my experience, you and I would have a much harder time finding something new if we constantly compare and think of our favorite ... the new thing does not have a chance, and this is the main issue with a commercially designed and defined process, that wants you to stay with your favorite and not dissipate the numbers in sales any further, and somehow, we don't see, or understand how that plays into the record company more, one of the very things that "progressive" fought against in its start and wake up days ... but we dislike history ... and ignore it ... and continue with the same program.

The courage, the desire, and the inner depth that can define it, is missing, and I doubt it can remake itself within the current confines ... tomorrow it will be called something else and everyone will leave for that new land! And "progressive" will dissipate ... because the understanding of the art form and its history is not important and has been ignored!

So few people here have Yes as their number one. Kind of weird to me. Maybe you guys just don't like them anymore.

Valdez wrote: I have yet to find an alternative No.1 PROG band to King Crimson. ...

Hi,

I suppose that I could say, easily enough, that Amon Duul 2 is my favorite of all bands, and the next choice is scary as my brain will heave death fights over it ... Ange? Banco? ... and where do we fit Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze?

That is the main reason why I say I really do not have a "favorite" to prevent spending the rest of the day fighting with my brain, that I selected such and such as the first, and ignored the rest.

As many LP's as I had at one time (nearly 3K), I learned early on in the days of Space Pirate Radio that selecting something was a crap shoot, as tomorrow, something else would show up and blow everything out of the water! When "Au Dela Du Delire" showed up it blew out anything along the way ... it was just way up there and a really special album, and not the only one by ANGE, which did excellent work all the way to the early 90's. AND a lead singer that stood up as well as Francesco did with Banco ... you lived and died with their words and music!

Fast forward to the 21st Century and the age of the numbers and everyone has a choice of some sort, things get even more confusing, but in all honesty, not a whole lot of stuff in the past 30 years has surpassed the ones I have always thought were the best ... though there are many I have fallen for, and loved dearly.

Music changes, like the arts do ... the only place it doesn't change is on a site, like PA where the fans get to "demand" their choice as the number 1. Which, when it comes to the music itself, is a real turn off ... feels like the sons and daughters of the jerks that fought for pieces of the pig at Anaheim Stadium! And I don't want to be anywhere near that, regardless of who the band is.

But there are things that just go over the top ... if you ever hear Guy Guden's 'Audio Alchemy" as he did for several LP's, the choices change and my special one is Tomita's Firebird Suite ... done in the most incredible way, with the third dimension right there slapping you around to listen! It is that phenomenal, but sadly, it will never be heard by any one else, and even the one I caught was missing the first few minutes (had just gotten off work!!!), in taping it, but even with the couple of minutes missing, it is easily the very best thing I have ever heard ... just sad I can not share it per Guy's wishes and my respect for a friend, even though I probably don't fit next to all the girls and groupies in his time!

Favorites? What's that? A new salad? A new dessert? ... hmmm ... maybe a new soup?



Edited by moshkito - July 08 2025 at 08:00

It's still Pink Floyd, better before Dark Side, but I equally love Yes, ELP, Camel, Renaissance and Magma

Top three are King Crimson, Yes, and Van der Graaf Generator.

cstack3 wrote: frankbostick wrote: King Crimson Pink Floyd VDGG Genesis Gentle Giant Pick one.

King Crimson

I have yet to find an alternative No.1 PROG band to King Crimson. But Non Prog number one is The Stranglers and has been for a long time.

King Crimson
Pink Floyd
VDGG
Genesis
Gentle Giant

Pink Floyd of course - my #1 prog band since 1972.