Prog as evolution of psych (R)evolution

You bet - coincidently I've  put together for myself a compilation  just before Easter which helps me understand the evolution (I think),  but would love others to check it out and provide constructive opinions . A copy of this is going to Sid Smith author of "In The Court Of King Crimson", as he is researching  a book on the subject of progressive music and rock  evolution and acceptance in the UK.

First problem is tracking these tracks down (note they are approximately in chronological order), but certainly available on CDs in Europe:
Great Society: "White Rabbit" (live version)
Country Joe & The Fish: "Section 43" (limited ep edition - not the remake)
Vanilla Fudge: "You Keep Me Hangin' On"
Moody Blues: "Nights In White Satin"
Tomorrow: "My White Bicycle"
Pink Floyd: "Astronomy Domine"
Pretty Things: "She Says Good Morning"
Nice: "Azrial"
Soft Machine: "Hope For Happiness" (incl "Joy Of  A Toy")
United States Of America: "The American Metaphysicial Circus"
Yes: "Every Little Thing"
Touch: " We Feel Fine"
Renaissance: "The Wanderer"
King Crimson: "Epitaph"*
Spirit: "Love Has Found A Way"
(In several instances, the track listed is a token and in reality whole albums should be heard - but when their is only 80 minutes......)
*The only comment I make at the moment, is that "Epitaph" is included to juxapose against "Nights In White Satin". When "Court Of The Crimson King" was first released we Brits said  this is the album and music that Moody Blues were looking for but failed by a mile to achieve - you listen to the difference in dynamics achieved using the Mellotron for instance.

Dick Heath

The Nice - Dawn (from The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack album) would strike me as a better choice from this band as would 'America' which scraped into the charts and was regarded as the first 'protest instrumental'.There's also of course the semi-orchestral suite 'Ars Longa Vita Brevis' featuring a reworking of Bach's 'Brandenburg Concerto'.  

Phantom says: Psychedelic rock was just as explorative as progressive rock, except progressive had a concept that stepped out of the stigma of drugs.

May I suggest this concept is derived from definitions of progressive of rock concocted quite some time after the period we are discussing here. From about the time of the Beatles "Revolver" to 1971 or 72, few and probably none of us were sub categorising to this extent, rather seeing then rock movement as inventive, innovative  and very exciting. Something new to get your head around every month - most things were literally progressing. There was this drive to creat new sounds (whether with compositions and arrangements or new instruments, it did n't matter greatly) and there was a demand to hear and see it played. This music in the UK probably came under the heading of "Underground Music" - partly because the Underground scene and their media promoted it. For instance, I saw the Traffic's gig recorded for "Welcome To The Canteen" and the senior members of the London Underground movement were most certainly there - I sat next to Richard Neville who was recording a bootleg!!!

 

 

Dick Heath

to Dick Heath,

You mentioned  United States Of America: "The American Metaphysicial Circus", so maybe you can help me out. 20 years ago I had a cassette (long since lost) on which was written "USA". I think it was the band of which you speak. I can just remember some lyrics:

"I wouldn't leave my wooden wife for you,  Sugar.

We got a split level house with a wonderfull view,  Sugar,

Two fat kids and a yorkshire terrier too,  Sugar,

I just couldn't stand it if you came home late from school."

And I seem to remember some trippy bit at the end containing the line: "How much fun it's been, how much fun it's been, etc."

Hope you can shed some light on the subject, 'cus it's bugged me for years. I know there was a band called USA but it wasn't them. any info gratefully recieved. 

raggy wrote: to Dick Heath, You mentioned  United States Of America: "The American Metaphysicial Circus", so maybe you can help me out. 20 years ago I had a cassette (long since lost) on which was written "USA". I think it was the band of which you speak. I can just remember some lyrics: "I wouldn't leave my wooden wife for you,  Sugar. We got a split level house with a wonderfull view,  Sugar, Two fat kids and a yorkshire terrier too,  Sugar, I just couldn't stand it if you came home late from school." And I seem to remember some trippy bit at the end containing the line: "How much fun it's been, how much fun it's been, etc." Hope you can shed some light on the subject, 'cus it's bugged me for years. I know there was a band called USA but it wasn't them. any info gratefully recieved.

 

 

That's the first United States Of America album I mentioned, the 'wooden wife' gives it away (that track was also on a big selling sampler at the end of the 60's "Rock Machine Turns You On". If you are interested (and being in the UK), I have a spare copy of the album on CD  - Edsel records?

I don't know Brain Ticket, but Hawkwind started out as a kind of underground folk type of group (simplified) and Gong started more as a Jazz outfit - although one could argue their roots until the cows come home, as Mr Allen came over from Soft Machine, etc.

The roots of prog are peculiar in that prog doesn't simply extend upwards, in a logical, progressive manner, but rather extends its tendrils sideways and incorporates other bodies of music. To add to this confusion, it has a tendency to look back and burrow its roots deep in the soil (the soil, the soil, the soil, the soil!).

So yes, it kind of grew out of psychedelia (correct spelling!), but also out of folk, since psychedelia grew out of folk and "garage rock", if we can agree on the starting point as being the Byrds' "8 Miles High", also out of "classical" - everything from early Renaissance music through Romanticism to 20th Century and incorporated the more experimental, the more exotic (Indian music, for example) and the popular.

Talking of garage music, one of my favourite bands from the SF area from around 1966 is Blue Cheer, whose "Vincebus Eruptum" is a garage/psychedelic classic - one might even use the term "grunge". "Outside Inside", the follow-up is even better (though some might argue that's not hard!).

I like the story behind the latter album (tho' somewhat romanticised...) - apparently BC had everything turned up to 11 and beyond, with max distortion and then some, and the recording studio disintegrated as they were recording the last track for side 1. So they got hold of as much equipment as they could, and finished the album in the field outside - turning the air into cotton wool in the process, according to some reports.