Introduction to Prog
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Top 10s and lists
Forum Description: List all your favourites here
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48417
Printed Date: July 19 2025 at 12:21
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Topic: Introduction to Prog
Posted By: prolificprogger
Subject: Introduction to Prog
Date Posted: May 06 2008 at 19:21
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If you wanted to introduce someone to your musical taste of prog music or to help them understand how prog differentiates in sound compared to a regular genre which bands would you play first? For me I'd probably go with King Crimson and Yes. |
Replies:
Posted By: ClassicRocker
Date Posted: May 06 2008 at 19:59
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ELP Zappa Yes Jethro Tull (I suppose) KC aaaand Samla Mammas Manna for good measure.  Or, I could always just let them listen to http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=11501 - Supernatural Fairytales  ------------- 
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Posted By: martinprog77
Date Posted: May 06 2008 at 20:03
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I'd go with camel ,yes, pink floyd and genesis ------------- Nothing can last there are no second chances. Never give a day away. Always live for today. |
Posted By: laplace
Date Posted: May 06 2008 at 20:05
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I'd go for Etron Fou Leloublan, Naked City and Ground Zero. *giggles* ------------- FREEDOM OF SPEECH GO TO HELL |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: May 06 2008 at 20:22
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For a newbie well...
I'm doing that right on onto a friend of mine which I'm trying to settle the seed onto his ears, the rest of the job prog does it.. Well to him I'm giving him some 'easy' listen and also some as you said to difference of other genres. Supertramp: Last Friday, we stayed up to 3 am watching the DVD of them, I think he liked them. But I realised the DVD showed their friendly side, sadly, but as you know most of Supertramp is a friendly kinda of prog. Yes: Today I lend him my MP3 for the Test de Cooper (2400 mts in 12 min resistance "race") and played him Siberian Kahtru. Pink Floyd: Going to give him The Wall (movie) and then I'll lend him some of their mighty masterpieces. for me those are the bands, even though maybe Supertramp is not quite caracteristic of prog, being crossover, mix of pop sound and prog. I'll let him try some other more difficult prog bands to let him acknowledge what is prog about..to continue, hehe. |
Posted By: ClassicRocker
Date Posted: May 06 2008 at 20:28
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^^^Supertramp is a good way to go, Cacho. That is, assuming you are playing him the right albums (as in Crime Of The Century and Crisis? What Crisis?, and NOT Famous Last Words or Breakfast In America. Also, the latter album is a classic, but there isn't much prog going on).
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Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: May 06 2008 at 20:39
Oh yeah of course, going to give him Crime and Moments. And maybe some time later Brother Where You Bound, that IMO is theri progiest, although Crime is close behind or maybe head to head. |
ClassicRocker wrote:Posted By: Dr. Prog
Date Posted: May 06 2008 at 20:40
| don't forget Even in the Quietest Moments........ |
Posted By: Weston
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 00:15
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Think back to when you were first turned on to prog. Were you eased into it? Not me. I was hit with Thick as a Brick and Close to the Edge back to back. I had no idea such music existed before that. So I dunno, maybe I'd start them off with a home made compilation of intense prog including Gentle Giant's "On Reflection" from Free Hand, Yes' "Awaken," weird Genesis selections form The Lamb Lies Down, The Lamia, The Colony of Slipper Men, King Crimson "Cat Food", ELP "Tarkus." Liquid Tension Experiement "Biaxident.," etc. Heck, they may as well know up front what you're trying to get them into. ------------- If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, creativity is the sincerest form of worship. |
Posted By: prolificprogger
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 00:37
Well for some I've run into they want an audio example of what makes something "progressive." And for others, such as my ex-girlfriend, they say "you can tell when a song is "prog." I'm trying to find some classic audio examples for the former group. |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 02:54
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For someone's first five prog albums (and this shows my preference for symphonic) I'd suggest...
1. Yes -- The Yes Album
2. Rush -- Permanent Waves
3. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer -- Brain Salad Surgery
4. Genesis -- Foxtrot
5. King Crimson -- Red
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Posted By: zicIy
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 05:14
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... i suggest ... (not in order)....
from UK:
Yes - "Tales From Topographic Oceans"
Gong - "Shamal"
King Crimson - "Lark´s Tongue in Aspic"
Family - "Fearless"
Jethro Tull - "Thick As A Brick"
from USA:
Frank Zappa - "Joe´s Garage (Act I, II, & III)"
Todd Rundgren - "Todd"
Steve Miller Band - "Sailor"
Kansas - "Song For America"
The Grateful Dead - "From The Mars Hotel"
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Posted By: TheRocinanteKid
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 05:47
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I think Selling England By The Pound would be the perfect introduction to Progressive Rock. Its not quite as demanding as The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway yet it's unmistakenly a Prog-Rock album.
Its no secret that Rush are my favourite band but I just don't think they'd be a good introduction to Progressive Rock... Their material, especially from Permanent Waves onwards is far too conventional sounding. When people hear their first Prog album yes its true they're not going to want throwing in at the deep end and expected to listen to some obscure, heavy-going Prog concept album but they're certainly going to feel "robbed" of the weird and wonderful world of Prog if you give them a Rush album.
I think Selling England By The Pound balances it nicely, there are a few conventional sounding songs that if all else fails should give them at least a little interest and then there's the longest pieces although even a few of those aren't too "out there" are is repetition and a chance to establish melody and everything, the sort of things that keep you coming back to a non-Prog album.
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Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 06:35
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Depends on the person, if they'e a metalhead then Dream Theater, Mastodon, Threshold and Opeth would make for a good start. If they're more into pop music then Muse, Supertramp and Radiohead would be used and if they prefer the indie scene then it would be post rock and bands like Pure Reasen Revolution, possibly Marillion and other Neo bands as well. For all I'd use Pink Floyd and King Crimson. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 08:31
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I would certainly play them some Genesis, probably 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight' and then probably 'Squonk'
I'd play them some Yes, probably 'South side of the Sky' and then something alittle more long winded, but still melodic like 'Awaken' If this went down well, I'd start them on a compilation of prog classics; 'Starless' by KC, 'La Villa..' by Rush, and if that went well it would be straight into the VDGG and Frank Zappa... 
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Posted By: Chicapah
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 08:44
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It really depends on the personality you are dealing with. Half the time the prog I play for my wife goes right over her head so I try to keep it simple (Pink Floyd, Collins-era Genesis, etc.) but if I knew she was more open-minded (ain't gonna happen) I'd go with Porcupine Tree, Flower Kings, King Crimson and such. ------------- "Literature is well enough, as a time-passer, and for the improvement and general elevation and purification of mankind, but it has no practical value" - Mark Twain |
Posted By: KeleCableII
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 19:24
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I made a prog mix for a floormate of mine in my college dorm who has also heard various prog songs coming out of my room but she doesn't really care for it (although she has said she can appreciate the musicianship). The track list for the mix was: Roundabout Velvet Green Hunting Girl Harold the Barrel High Priestess Day 11: Love (Ayreon) The Undercover Man Closer to the Heart Vert (Harmonium) Lady Fantasy Some of these songs aren't even really prog; they're just likable songs by prog bands. She has liked what she's heard of The Snow Goose and Si On Avait because they're instrumental and make good background music but that's arguably not their purpose. And to be honest, I really don't get how anyone can't like Roundabout. It sounds like it was written with the express purpose of being liked (which I know is not the case). So I was thinking for another floormate of mine... just give her A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, perhaps the most inaccessible song I have in my collection. I thought perhaps a problem with my mix is that it didn't really show what prog tried to do; most of the songs are relatively close to a normal rock song, whereas Plague radically deviates from the norm, you can't help but take notice that it's different. Thoughts? |
Posted By: TheRocinanteKid
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 19:38
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I don't know everything on your list but what I do know seems pretty cool. Day 11: Love is an awesome song even if I never liked anything else I heard from Ayreon all that much.
By the way I approve of you experimenting on your friends for the cause of
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Posted By: KeleCableII
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 19:42
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Yeah, I tried to pick songs that would appeal to a young woman who mostly listens to mainstream pop music but plays a flute in "Symphonic Winds." I told her just the other day (a conversation about music has been a continuing thing throughout the semester) that I thought she might like prog because of this reason; rock that tried to rise to the heights of jazz and classical. She asked where is the classical? So I guess my attempt didn't work out. :/ I did get one of my other floormates into prog though, and he's really into jazz. Perhaps the jazz influences are a little more obvious? But then again, his favorite prog band is Genesis... |
Posted By: TheRocinanteKid
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 19:57
| That's cool, I'm personally very put off by too much Jazz influence in my Prog. I don't mind some Jazzy piano chords or a horn or too here and there but sometimes I do feel put off. Tried to get into The Tangent a while back now and the Jazz was just way too overwhelming for me, might give them another try, I'd like to get into them, there were one or two songs I really enjoyed. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 20:03
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Tarkus Suite, Back in NYC, anything by Planet X |
Posted By: crimson87
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 20:49
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JUST PLAY TARKUS , IS A HIT OR MISS |
Posted By: ClassicRocker
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 22:11
The superior "Karn Evil 9" suite is superior... erm *cough*cough* -------------
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Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: May 07 2008 at 22:58
| Why not go with the way it actually unfolded, more or less. Assuming familiarity with the Beatles, maybe then move to The Yes Album, some early Moody Blues, perhaps ELP's first, a little DSOTM. These are all very accessible albums for a newcomer that will open some doors. |
Posted By: apolloskeywork78
Date Posted: May 08 2008 at 15:36
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I'm a big fan of modern prog, so I'd probably introduce them to bands I like....but....I've come to realize that people generally have a hard time getting into bands with singers who use high vocal ranges (such as Coheed and Cambria, Circa Survive, Protest the Hero, etc.) But, I'd probably show them similar bands. I'm extremely hesitant to show newcomers to prog some of the bands I listen to, because I realize it's much more easy to get turned off by modern prog, since some modern prog takes traditional prog and sets it into a different genre of music (prog-metal, electronic prog, mathcore, etc.) As for older stuff though, I'd probably go with: Yes - Fragile Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans Rush - 2112 Yes - Magnification (even though it's newer, I still think it's a great Yes album) The Who - Who's Next Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here The Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed For some reason, I like the really orchestral prog stuff, classical music-esque. ------------- 
Feed, little maggots, off the west side of your city. Run, little maggots, so they learn of what you did. |
Posted By: muddoctor
Date Posted: May 09 2008 at 03:35
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for me i will give a recomendation such as:
1. Genesis - Gabriel era's
2. Marillion - Fish Era's
3. Pink Floyd
4. ELP
5. Yes
6. Caravan
7. Devill Doll
8. Univers Zero
9. Henry Cow
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Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: May 09 2008 at 04:57
/cosigned
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Posted By: ebuCube
Date Posted: May 09 2008 at 08:19
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Radiohead's O'K Computer
Yes' Fragile
Dream Theater's Octavarium
Pink Floyd's Animals
Rush's 2112
Mahavishnu Orchestra's Birds of Fire
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Posted By: Prof.
Date Posted: May 12 2008 at 00:58
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You have to go with Jethro Tull, to ease them in and they like rock Aqualung. You could shove them knee deep with Thick but its probably too much for most to absorb. Heck, probably not even the music but the fact that there are only 2 20+min songs on the album.
Also on the rock side you could go with Rush, even their less progressive stuff. Ie. Permanent Waves(Spirit of Radio/Freewill), Moving Pictures(Tom Sawyer/Limelight), or even Rush(Working Man/InThe Mood).
Or to go with stuff that everyone knows Pink Floyd, either The Wall or Dark Side. Im pretty sure everyone and their unborn children have heard Time, Money, Another Brick Part 2, and Comfortably Numb.
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Posted By: Grimfurg
Date Posted: May 12 2008 at 10:24
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When I was a kid, my mom used to listen to a lot of Pink Floyd. But I think the true prog introduction started with Yes.
------------- http://regulab.bandcamp.com/album/vol-i/" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: cesar polo
Date Posted: May 13 2008 at 16:57
INCREDIBLE !!!:
EXACTLY the four bands I would mention and in the same running order, WOOOW
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Posted By: rsmoore
Date Posted: May 24 2008 at 12:43
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Thinking back to my early prog listening in the 70s, I started with Yes, ELP, Jethro Tull, and the Moody Blues, and later expanded to include Rush, Pink Floyd, and Genesis. A few years later, I added the likes of Curved Air and Soft Machine. With the exception of the Moody Blues, any of these can be a prime example of the distinctions between prog and other rock genres. And there are some Moody Blues tracks that depart from mainstream song structures, as well (e.g., Procession from EGBDF).
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Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: May 24 2008 at 17:29
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just one piece of advice: DON'T start with VdGG, the Residents, Magma or anything of the RIO scene
-------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |