Conventions Of Prog Rock?

Ok, you want me to be serious, so (hmm-hmm) here goes  :

The word ‘Progressive’ in Progresive Rock denotes a form of music that goes beyond the 3-minute ‘hit’ song and definitely features a more elaborate structure than the mind-numbing verse-chorus-verse.

‘Rock’: a constant - prog is always Rock based, no matter what genre it borrows from.

Length: although long epics are not absolutely mandatory (think of how many Camel’s early albums would not fit the bill), a lot of prog albums contain long tracks, thus allowing musicians to build something of substance.

Solos: these are a staple of many prog bands because it helps bring into highlight the creativity and technical abilities of individual band members. Again, however, I don’t think they are absolutely mandatory as many progsters can already appreciate these qualities without the ‘show’.

Style: prog features about the widest gamut of sub-genres and off-shoots in music today. Be it as cacophonic as Magma or smooth as a baby’s bottom like the early Moody Blues, prog is not limited to any particular style. Rather, it is the way these different styles are incorporated into a ‘Rock’ format that makes the music truly prog.

Lyrics: the lyrics follow the same pattern as the music, i.e. they are more ambitious and tend to reflect the mood induced by the music. They are often esotheric and fantasy-coloured due to the often ethereal, spacey nature of the music itself.

Shelf-life: one characteristic prog shares with the classics such as jazz, blues or Western classical music is its long shelf-life. Like an epic novel you can read 3 times over, the best prog can be listened to over a lifespan and still captivate the listener.

Voilà! I don’t think I’ve said anything new but that’s my personal definition of Prog.

P.S. I hope I haven’t offended anyone with my warped sense of humour  earlier on. I had a good laugh at the ‘prog reviewer’s guide’ and just wanted to share it with you