A progressive rock band without guitar
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=58527
Printed Date: August 11 2025 at 06:31
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Topic: A progressive rock band without guitar
Posted By: Geizao
Subject: A progressive rock band without guitar
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 15:13
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Why not? (Keyboard and other tools; except guitar; is rising up as the main theme this time).
Quatermass is a pretty good answer. I heard "Gemini" for many times.
And there was, of course, ELP. Some of their tracks has made the answer. "Toccata; Trilogy;
or Pirate" are three fine answers.
So what do you people think?
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Replies:
Posted By: Rocktopus
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 15:26
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Sure. The mainly bass and guitarless Van Der Graaf Generator is the obvious one. While Art Zoyd managed without both guitar and drums. ------------- Over land and under ashes In the sunlight, see - it flashes Find a fly and eat his eye But don't believe in me Don't believe in me Don't believe in me |
Posted By: JROCHA
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 15:35
| Jazz fusion band Weather Report did not have any guitar, although not a straight Prog band. Most fusion bands from the 70's had great guitarists. |
Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 15:43
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Danger Money era U.K. is also a good example.
Of course they had bass guitar, but I suppose you mean just lead / rhythm / folk guitar.
Danger Money is a wonderful album where the guitar isn't being missed.
Keys, bass and drums is enough.
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 15:43
Rock band without guitar?  Lake played guitar in ELP. I was thinking surely Weather Report had guitar, but you got one. I'm really scratching my head on this one. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: el dingo
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 17:06
I'm so horribly guitar-orientated I can only really think of Quatermass that I actually like ------------- It's not that I can't find worth in anything, it's just that I can't find worth in enough. |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 17:09
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ELP was my first thought, and even though they used guitar, it was rather sparing. Personally, I would have liked to have heard more electric guitar in the band. It would have had to have been someone who would be willing to play second fiddle (sic) to Keith Emerson.
A lot of Jazz, fusion or straight, is without guitar. Check out Miles or Herbie Hancock. Sure, they used guitars, but not always.
How about Triumvirat or Niacin?
I play guitar, yet my favorite is Vangelis, who almost never uses guitar. Weather Report is my favorite Jazz group. Go figure. It's all in the music.  ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 17:15
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Soft Machine. And since they might be the best band of all time you get a double win.
I'm only talking about early Soft Machine here by the way (S/t through Fourth), not that completely unrelated band of no relation that came after.
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Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 17:46
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Trace - did everything ELP did, but better. Rick van der Linden was far superior to Emerson due to his claasical training, impeccable technique and compositional skills Solution - very occasionally had guitar, but not generally Rare Bird - frequently brilliant two keyboard band Greenslade - very occasionally used guitar, but only after Martin Briley joined ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 18:13
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Hiromi's here and at least her first 3 albums have no guitar at all, not sure about the fourth one as I know she works with a guitarist now. Excellent musi, Spiral is one of my favourit albums. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: crimhead
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 22:31
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Tangerine Dream Larry Fast |
Posted By: Isa
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 23:49
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I'm sure there's a ton of prog bands without guitar out there... mainly keyboard based stuff, just about everything in electronic prog lacks guitar. I would expect there to be a lot of symphonic prog bands without guitar, but then again I'm not too keen on my knowledge of symphonic prog as a subgenre. VDGG and Tangerine Dream remain my favorite guitar-less rock bands that I can think of at the moment. Oh, and post-Hackett Genesis.  I love Duke! |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: June 04 2009 at 23:56
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Early Soft Machine, as was earlier mentioned.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 00:31
I've always like Edgar Froese's guitar playing, though, even though that's not what Tangerine Dream is known for. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
crimhead wrote:Posted By: listen
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 01:02
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There's Japanese Zeuhl band Ruins (bass and drums). Nearly all categorized as Progressive Electronic obviously, and some Krautrock. ------------- Now is all there is. Be before you think! |
Posted By: fuxi
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 05:37
Absolutely! "The Moon in June" (for keyboards, bass guitar, drums and vocals) is as melodic and exciting as anything ELP ever did. And it's got much better lyrics! I especially love the live version done for the BBC.
There's another Canterbury band, Egg, with whom I urgently have to re-acquaint myself. And then there's Wigwam's mag-ni-ficent album FAIRYPORT (sort of Soft Machine-meets-Traffic). Most of it is guitar-less, but on the longest track (originally it was a double album) the lead guitarist steals the show, in an incredible live jam. Hiromi is an interesting case: in her trio the bassist sounds as overpowering as any lead-guitarist. (You also get that with Soft Machine, of course, and with themagnificent "progressive jazz" trio Back Door.) All of Weather Report's best albums are without guitars, although there's a guest appearance by Ralph Towner on one of them. Who needs noisy guitars when you've got the supreme melodic talent on board of Wayne Shorter? And that reminds me: bassist Eberhard Weber's 1970s albums are as progressive as they come (featuring oodles of mellotron, wonderfully exciting piano solos and arpeggios to make Mike Oldfield blush) but there's no guitar to be seen! |
Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 05:41
------------- ...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR] |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 05:57
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Guapo's Five Suns and Black Oni, excellent albums without guitar. Tartar Lamb is another one (I think). ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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Posted By: St.Cleve Chronicle
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 06:41
There is guitar on Duke and other post-Hackett Genesis releases. Actually, it's a pity that Mike didn't do more lead playing. "Burning rope", "Many too many" and "Behind the lines" all feature great (but quite short) solos. |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 09:30
My favourite non-guitar band is Collegium Music. A kind of ELP with no synths only organ and more oriented towards classical music. Check this out:
My favourite album with no guitar might be this:
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Posted By: The Runaway
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 10:07
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ELP. Just listen to the Tarkus album, excluding 7:43 to 7:55 on the title track. ------------- http://www.formspring.me/Aragorn224" rel="nofollow - Trendsetter win! The search for nonexistent perfection. |
Posted By: infandous
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 10:43
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Actually, quite a few Tangerine Dream albums have guitar on them, though it's hard to actually pick it out in the sound. And Van der Graaf almost always has guitar, usually acoustic so it can be hard to hear in the more chaotic sections (there is, in fact guitar on every track of Pawn Heats, acoustic and electric). Klaus Schultze is a no guitar act I enjoy :-) But it's actually hard to come up with any now that I think about it. ELP has quite a few tracks without it (I'm assuming we're not including bass guitar here). Guapo was a good example as well. |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 13:56
The "new" solo on the 2008 version of "Ride On The Ray" is very nice. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: mrcozdude
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 14:06
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All I can think of is Zorn's moodchild trio but that's slowly going to avant territory.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/cozfunkel/" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Mr ProgFreak
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 14:10
How about Zombi?
------------- https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike" rel="nofollow - https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike |
Posted By: Bitterblogger
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 14:19
How about KE's previous band--The Nice (after O'List)?
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 14:26
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Ars Nova? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Captain Capricorn
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 14:36
| Dr. Z had no guitarist ...only keys, drums, & bass. |
Posted By: listen
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 15:31
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Brainticket circa Celestial Ocean and later, though Joel did play a big of guitar, after his much more primary instruments organ and flute. ------------- Now is all there is. Be before you think! |
Posted By: Foolsdrummer
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 16:59
Almaailman Vasarat didn't want to have a guitar in the band, and they never played with that instrument. There also ain't bassguitar, but cello and tubax (a homemade instrument which looks and sounds like a cross between a sax and a tuba)!
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Posted By: GaryB
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 17:18
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Amos Key "First Key" Seventh Wave "psi-fi" Seventh Wave "Things To Come" Corte Dei Miracoli has guitar on one track only |
Posted By: meptune
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 17:54
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Rudess Morgenstein Project (keys and drums)
KBB (violin, keys, bass, drums)
TU (drums and... well, Warr Guitar)
I saw ELP but I don't think anyone mentioned Triumvirate
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"Arf, she said" |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 18:32
Erm, I can't be sure about Black Oni, but I'm fairly sure Five Suns has some guitar throughout. Partially because I hear it in the music and partially because Daniel and Matt are both listed as playing guitar as well as their other instruments on the album. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 19:28
Moraz/Bruford? By the way, I didn't know there was a Rudess Mogenstein Project. Moraz Bruford is more jazz. Are RM really rocky? ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 19:46
I agree - it is part of what makes them stand out. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 05 2009 at 19:47
I did.  ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: PinkPangolin
Date Posted: June 06 2009 at 03:57
What? eh? But without a guitar - you don't have a guitar solo AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: June 06 2009 at 04:57
About Greenslade: Not true; they use the talents of Clem Clempson of Colosseum on the track "Little Red Fry-Up" from their album "Spyglass Guest". -------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: June 06 2009 at 05:14
Yes, it's really "progressive". But their live material is far superior to the studio one. After all, the idea of a record came from a drum and keyboard jam when a power cut-off occurred during a Dixie Dregs concert. Therefore I would recommend the official bootleg over the RPM studio record. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: progkidjoel
Date Posted: June 06 2009 at 05:22
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I thought the OP's examples were pretty good, I can't think of much prog without Guitar, TBH. ------------- 
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Posted By: fuxi
Date Posted: June 06 2009 at 05:27
Thanx for recommending Trace! I'd never heard of them, but now I know I need to look them up. Just shows you what "Prog Archives" is good for! |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: June 06 2009 at 05:33
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^
Ian Mosley (later in Marillion) played with them, but not with the same mastery as in Marillion. To be honest, I don't find Trace's music that exciting... ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: June 06 2009 at 05:38
On a side note: Another band Ian Mosley used to play in prior to Marillion is Darryl Way's Wolf. ------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: June 06 2009 at 09:36
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Zu and AKA Moon are both guitar free sax/bass/drums trios (although both occasionally feature guest musicians).
As well as Ruins, the current line up of Koenjihyakkei does not feature guitar (although previous incarnations did), likewise Daimonji (keys/bass/drums) and Soft Mountain.
Art Zoyd and Univers Zero have both had guitar free line ups, but that hasn't always been the case.
There have been quite a few guitar free one off collaborations, particularly RIO and jazz/rock, but surprisingly few permanent bands. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: mark-prog74
Date Posted: June 06 2009 at 10:18
He did indeed and exceptionally well but when the band got it together live in their big numbers the guitar was laid to the side - and what a sound the three made ------------- 'I Know What I Like' and it's good music, well written and delivered with passion!! |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 11:27
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Hi,
Just thought of it ... I want a metal band without a lousy drummer! Tired of that snare drum, and if there is a drummer and he hits it that many times I wanna see him to wear it like a skirt or tootoo!
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Posted By: crimhead
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 11:56
I brain farted that one. I forgot that Edgar did play guitar on the earlier stuff. |
Posted By: Captain Capricorn
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 12:01
Morphine didn't have a guitar player ...just 2-string slide bass, bari sax, & drums. I'm not sure about how progressive they are, but they're certainly innovative  ...Like Swimming is a somber masterpiece 
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Posted By: crimhead
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 12:03
You can add Solo Les Claypool to that as well. His latest touring band is Bass,Cello,Drums and percussion. |
Posted By: fusionfreak
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 12:03
------------- I was born in the land of Mahavishnu,not so far from Kobaia.I'm looking for the world of searchers with the help from crimson king |
Posted By: fusionfreak
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 12:07
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Headhunters(when Herbie Hancock was around) ------------- I was born in the land of Mahavishnu,not so far from Kobaia.I'm looking for the world of searchers with the help from crimson king |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 14:44
Mark Sandman was a big influence on Les Claypool. He occasionally used a 'tritar' (hybrid guitar/bass) and I think there is guitar one a couple of Morphine tracks, but for the most part it was his home made 2 string contraption that propelled Morphine (one string on the debut album). Apparently the 2 strings were often tuned to the same note. Not prog, but excellent and imaginative stuff!
I just remembered Volapuk (if they haven't already been mentioned) - bass clarinet, cello and drums. Kind of EFL unplugged - the drummer is Guigou 'Samba Scout' Chenevier. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 15:12
| Soft Machine, The United States of America, Crazy World of Arthur Brown (more psych than prog). |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 16:26
I never knew that. I saw them play long ago once on a late night showe (Jon Stewart? Letterman?). I could've sworn I saw a standard 4-string bass.
And that guy in The Presidents Of The United States Of America...well, there was nothing innovative about HIS 2-string bass! That was just a matter of leaving off strings.
------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Greenslade
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 16:37
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Greenslade most times no guitar but 2 keyboards gr8 band, hardin and york best 2 peice band ever sometime guitar on albums get tommorow today album its awsome ------------- Welcome back my friend to the show that never ends |
Posted By: prog4evr
Date Posted: June 12 2009 at 19:27
| Nobody's mentioned UK after Holdsworth (and Bruford) left. Their second album, Danger Money (with Bozzio on drums) and the live album they made features Jobson's violin solos (and keyboard artistry, of course)... |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: June 13 2009 at 17:05
Games' 'stargazer', a proggy ABBA, has no guitar. It is a very good album actually.
 ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: June 14 2009 at 10:07
MAD CURRY, a belgian jazz-rock band. No guitar on this album.
 ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: JJLehto
Date Posted: June 14 2009 at 13:32
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Over the last few years I have come to the conclusion: In Music ANY idea is possible, (and chances are it's been done) Other genres might be more difficult to pull off without guitar, but prog? Why not? A keyboard as the main instrument, you can always have a bass in their for some nice lines, a drummer, more keyboards (never hurts). If done well, I think it's perfectly doable. |
Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: June 14 2009 at 13:47
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As a guitarist I must say... guitars often make more mess than any other instrument...mmm maybe the drums make more
------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
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Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: June 14 2009 at 14:46
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Anima had no guitar (but legendary classical pianist Friedrich Gulda on keyboards).
------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Bitterblogger
Date Posted: June 15 2009 at 14:22
Carlos Santana guested on "This Is This".
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Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: June 16 2009 at 19:42
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the lineup for FM's "Black Noise" (1977) - Martin Deller / drums, percussion, Arp 2500 synthesizers - Cameron Hawkins / lead vocals, piano, synths, bass, sequencer - Nash the "Slash" / electric violin, vocals, elelectric mandolin, glockenspiel, f/x I guess the electric violin and electric mandolin sit in for guitar, don't they |
Posted By: paganinio
Date Posted: June 16 2009 at 21:18
| I'm making a quasi-progressive pop album that doesn't have a guitar. |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: June 17 2009 at 12:52
Are FM's albums available on CD? ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: June 17 2009 at 17:13
I saw Nash the Slash live in about 1980 - he did an awesome version of Smoke on the Water (Some nutter with a flame gun/Burned the place to the ground..... I think it was Ritchie....). The mandolin and violin rocked as hard as any guitars in his hands. ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: June 17 2009 at 23:08
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http://synphonic.8m.com/country/canada.htm as usual, Greg Walker has hard to find stuff for a decent price |
Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: June 19 2009 at 03:03
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The second UK album lacked a guitarist. I think my vote is going to that. ------------- 
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Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: June 19 2009 at 16:46
Yes, I have a copy of FM's 'Black noise' on CD, UK meets mahavishnu Orchestra. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |