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guitar-less modern prog bands?

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tamijo_II View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tamijo_II Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2019 at 22:37
Originally posted by tokyoganglion tokyoganglion wrote:

Moshkito: You said,
"it makes no difference if a guitar is there or not ... there are many "lead guitarists" that know how to "underplay" their instrument in favor of the music ... and as such, to me, that's just like a band with no guitar ..."

I agree with you, and that's why I said in my original post that I was looking for bands with no guitar, or where the guitar is in the background. I mentioned Genesis as an example.

To me the larger issue is not "guitars are bad" . . . the larger issue is, I'm trying to imagine an alternate reality, where 90s prog revival bands imitated the diverse and unique instrumentation of 'golden era' prog bands, instead of everyone imitating dream theater.
(There, I said it) 
Anyway, learning about modern-age bands with diverse instrumentation helps me picture what might have been, had the 90s gone differently.

If you are just looking for Bands that does not sound too much "metal" aka DreamT Porcupin Tool, there is a lot. 

Änglagård comes to mind with a very diverse and nice instrumentation in a very 70's sound.
Also a lot of band in the Avant segment


 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote someone_else Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2019 at 23:53
Violent Silence (keyboard-oriented prog from Sweden).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote awaken_yesfan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 06 2019 at 02:46
I made short Hammond organ solos in prog compilation (only modern bands)
featuring Standarte, The Flower Kings, Beardfish, Transatlantic and Jordan Rudess solo.
all mentioned are worth to check in the context of keyboard-driven prog

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote awaken_yesfan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 06 2019 at 11:34
another band comes to mind Nathal Mahl (RIP Guy LeBlanc)
there's guitar , and some really good guitar (Holdsworth-style) , but since band was led by keyboardist, keyboard is a leading instrument, and guitar is more on supportive side. LeBlanc was very versatile player , combining vintage and modern sounds (Hammonds, vintage & digital synths, pianos and electric pianos) 

My favorite albums are Clever Use Of Shadows and "Heretic" trilogy 


Edited by awaken_yesfan - November 06 2019 at 11:38
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 06 2019 at 12:03
Originally posted by tokyoganglion tokyoganglion wrote:

Moshkito: You said,
"it makes no difference if a guitar is there or not ... there are many "lead guitarists" that know how to "underplay" their instrument in favor of the music ... and as such, to me, that's just like a band with no guitar ..."

I agree with you, and that's why I said in my original post that I was looking for bands with no guitar, or where the guitar is in the background. I mentioned Genesis as an example.

To me the larger issue is not "guitars are bad" . . . the larger issue is, I'm trying to imagine an alternate reality, where 90s prog revival bands imitated the diverse and unique instrumentation of 'golden era' prog bands, instead of everyone imitating dream theater.
(There, I said it) 
Anyway, learning about modern-age bands with diverse instrumentation helps me picture what might have been, had the 90s gone differently.



I think it was mainly just the prog metal bands imitating Dream Theater. An interesting thing is that the band Mastermind released their first two albums before Images and Words and yet their sound was similiar(in the sense that it was heavy and almost metallish at times and also prog)but was more influenced by ELP. They did have guitar but often the guitar synthesizer(I think it was)sounded like keyboards. An overlooked band these days worth looking into. Ars Nova were another ELP influenced band from the 90's but I'm not as familiar with them. Anyway, there was plenty of non DT clones and even non neo prog stuff from back then you just have to dig for it. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dellinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 06 2019 at 22:30
How about Iamthemorning? Mostly piano and beautiful female vocals.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote awaken_yesfan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 07 2019 at 14:55
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

An interesting thing is that the band Mastermind released their first two albums before Images and Words and yet their sound was similiar(in the sense that it was heavy and almost metallish at times and also prog)but was more influenced by ELP. 

Interesting band!  I used to listen it, and it's a weird example of ELP influenced band without keyboard at all :-) Guitar-synthesizer and MIDI pedals are responsible for creating all "synth-sounding" leads and textures on 1st two albums. long track "Brainstorm" is kind of a nod to Tarkus .
on later album Angels Of The Apocalypse they employed real keyboardist - no less than Jens Johansson

another obscure band is Symphonic Slam from Canada. their guitarist used a lot of guitar synthesizer, although there was also keyboard player   



Edited by awaken_yesfan - November 07 2019 at 15:01
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cstack3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 07 2019 at 22:11
Did anyone mention Weather Report yet? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 08 2019 at 06:20
Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

Did anyone mention Weather Report yet? 

... Wink ... Big smile ... mannnnnn ... you know that's prehistoric stuff ... and most folks were not there to have a good idea! And listening to that old stuff ... where's the lyrics man? Confused ... Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 08 2019 at 06:23
Originally posted by awaken_yesfan awaken_yesfan wrote:

I made short Hammond organ solos in prog compilation (only modern bands)
featuring Standarte, The Flower Kings, Beardfish, Transatlantic and Jordan Rudess solo.
all mentioned are worth to check in the context of keyboard-driven prog.
...

Even better than the more "conventional" use of the organ in these pieces, is the stuff that the Stickmen, and related groups (Reuter, Bruford et al) do ... who needs a lead guitar when another Stick can lead just fine?

Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cstack3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 09 2019 at 00:25
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

Did anyone mention Weather Report yet? 

... Wink ... Big smile ... mannnnnn ... you know that's prehistoric stuff ... and most folks were not there to have a good idea! And listening to that old stuff ... where's the lyrics man? Confused ... Smile

LOL!!  I saw WR on April 10, 1977 with Al Dimeola opening (Land of the Midnight Sun tour).  Al put out enough guitar licks for two bands!! 

WR were sublime...Jaco, Zaiwanul etc.  Proof that you don't need guitar to be prog!  



Edited by cstack3 - November 09 2019 at 00:25
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tamijo_II Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 09 2019 at 01:08
Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

Did anyone mention Weather Report yet? 

... Wink ... Big smile ... mannnnnn ... you know that's prehistoric stuff ... and most folks were not there to have a good idea! And listening to that old stuff ... where's the lyrics man? Confused ... Smile

LOL!!  I saw WR on April 10, 1977 with Al Dimeola opening (Land of the Midnight Sun tour).  Al put out enough guitar licks for two bands!! 

WR were sublime...Jaco, Zaiwanul etc.  Proof that you don't need guitar to be prog!  


WR brilliant but hardly modern prog.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 09 2019 at 06:53
Originally posted by tamijo_II tamijo_II wrote:

...
WR brilliant but hardly modern prog.



This is the scary part ... what helped CREATE what is called "progressive music" is now dismissed because it is not "modern".

The main difference for my ears, today, is LOUDNESS and a hundred effects on the guitar ... NOTHING ELSE ... and some of the rankings here, even, are being done, BY THE SOUND, not the music ... if you unplug them, they have crap for music ... but the "sound" makes it music!

For me, and I think it would help folks here, you have to discuss "Progressive Music" with its history ... other wise too many bands are not getting any attention or credit. Not to mention, that when it comes to creativity and music design, a lot of the "modern prog", has the same song design over and over ... always a bridge, always a solo, always the dang lyrics ... and calling it "prog" of any kind, is sometimes ... a real oxymoron!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cstack3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 09 2019 at 11:24
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by tamijo_II tamijo_II wrote:

...
WR brilliant but hardly modern prog.



This is the scary part ... what helped CREATE what is called "progressive music" is now dismissed because it is not "modern".

The main difference for my ears, today, is LOUDNESS and a hundred effects on the guitar ... NOTHING ELSE ... and some of the rankings here, even, are being done, BY THE SOUND, not the music ... if you unplug them, they have crap for music ... but the "sound" makes it music!

For me, and I think it would help folks here, you have to discuss "Progressive Music" with its history ... other wise too many bands are not getting any attention or credit. Not to mention, that when it comes to creativity and music design, a lot of the "modern prog", has the same song design over and over ... always a bridge, always a solo, always the dang lyrics ... and calling it "prog" of any kind, is sometimes ... a real oxymoron!

Thanks, M!  Your post was on the money....the version of Weather Report that I saw included some of the FINEST talents in progressive music (Jaco, Joe etc.!), but they don't seem to fit in a prog world dominated by symphonic bands.  

I tend to think that most "modern prog" is crap anyway.  Sorry, I said it.  Peter Banks agreed with me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote moshkito Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 09 2019 at 20:08
Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by tamijo_II tamijo_II wrote:

...
WR brilliant but hardly modern prog.



This is the scary part ... what helped CREATE what is called "progressive music" is now dismissed because it is not "modern".

The main difference for my ears, today, is LOUDNESS and a hundred effects on the guitar ... NOTHING ELSE ... and some of the rankings here, even, are being done, BY THE SOUND, not the music ... if you unplug them, they have crap for music ... but the "sound" makes it music!

For me, and I think it would help folks here, you have to discuss "Progressive Music" with its history ... other wise too many bands are not getting any attention or credit. Not to mention, that when it comes to creativity and music design, a lot of the "modern prog", has the same song design over and over ... always a bridge, always a solo, always the dang lyrics ... and calling it "prog" of any kind, is sometimes ... a real oxymoron!

Thanks, M!  Your post was on the money....the version of Weather Report that I saw included some of the FINEST talents in progressive music (Jaco, Joe etc.!), but they don't seem to fit in a prog world dominated by symphonic bands.  

I tend to think that most "modern prog" is crap anyway.  Sorry, I said it.  Peter Banks agreed with me.

I don't know what to think of the whole thing ... but I kinda have this idea that this is the result of the whole thing being relied on and dependent on 5 bands (so to speak), and in the end, what you find is that the bands that do not have the same "instruments" (or worse ... the sound) as the named top big bands in Progressive Music ... and it makes a lot of people forget/dump some of the things that were incredible that helped the music we love get here!

This is why I never forget the history of it ... and sometimes I think that we need more Admin support in this area ... and also one of the reasons why I did not like that "the instruments of pork" book ... it was an insult to so many bands and their creativity ... that in the end, made "Progressive Music" look more like a cartoon, than it did real music! There are/were many folks that had even further out and better instruments, that such a book will not report, because it's not this or that ... from the top five! Heck ... what the fudge will Jaco need an effect or a blue funky looking guitar for? Take that you "progressive" ... idiolist! LOL

Again, compared to all of Europe, many of the English bands were not exactly the best ... there were many bands bringing out a lot of great music ... that no one, even here, will even listen to ... however, today, there are more listens to different bands from various places, with only one concern ... the cookie copies are ... a bummer ... it's like their own culture and ability is not worth anything ... just to do a bunch of "metal songs" ... is actually weird for me! 




Edited by moshkito - November 09 2019 at 20:12
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cstack3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2019 at 00:22
I'm friends with Amy and Joe from their little band "Clatter," check this out!!  They are now moving from the USA to Sweden!  


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