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prog bands ranking

Started by Dirty Boy, July 27, 2016, 03:34:55 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Shit Good Nose

Quote from: ASFTSN on August 10, 2016, 01:13:03 PM
On a side note, I was speaking to an Italian friend a while ago and was interested to find out that (according to him) in Italy, Italian prog and Italian fans is (are) sometimes considered slightly 'right-wing', perhaps due to association with movements like Futurism etc.  I suppose that's only surprising if you consider British prog to be flouncy/flower-child/new-age territory.

That is interesting, because I think the reverse is true - Brit prog is typically right-wing, or at least considered as such in respect of most of its public school progenitors and the stereotypical thinking that invites, whilst a lot of Euro prog (particularly Italian) is very flower-child and new age.

ASFTSN

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on August 10, 2016, 01:17:02 PM
That is interesting, because I think the reverse is true - Brit prog is typically right-wing, or at least considered as such in respect of most of its public school progenitors and the stereotypical thinking that invites, whilst a lot of Euro prog (particularly Italian) is very flower-child and new age.

Yep, you're totally right - it is the reverse that is actually true.  Plus the big names of Brit prog often turn into surly bastards.  In the National Health 2xcd reissue there's some musingly grumpy liner notes.

the hum

Quote from: Artie Fufkin on August 10, 2016, 11:11:39 AM
With the exception of Grace Under Pressure, Rush were awesome up til and including 1985's Power Windows. Me and my friend would play PW constantly when we worked at Currys. This would annoy our manager greatly.

Grace Under Pressure is one of their best you very silly person. Not classically prog by any means of course, but part of their nifty 79-85 period of complex new wave, reggae tinged, rock synthpop prog. Yeah, that's exactly what it was.

Stoneage Dinosaurs

Quote from: ASFTSN on August 10, 2016, 01:20:49 PM
Yep, you're totally right - it is the reverse that is actually true.  Plus the big names of Brit prog often turn into surly bastards.  In the National Health 2xcd reissue there's some musingly grumpy liner notes.

I saw in a review that Dave Stewart had described punk in the liner notes as
Quotesome of the most crass, simplistic, brutal, ugly and stupid music imaginable, in an atmosphere where an admitted inability to play one's instrument was hailed as a sign of genius....
which sort of amused me in it's pure dad-tastic grumpitude.

As for prog/right-wingness, Henry Cow and Robert Wyatt are surely in stark contrast to all that, though I guess they might be one-offs. Can were apparently pretty left too, although I honestly don't know that much about them.

Artie Fufkin

Quote from: the hum on August 11, 2016, 11:39:17 PM
Grace Under Pressure is one of their best you very silly person.

*sad face*

NoSleep

This Heat are firmly to the left, too. Although they're generally regarded as "post-punk" they began before punk and the band's prior experience had seen Charles Hayward in Gong & Quiet Sun, whilst Bullen had been working with Henry Cow's Geoff Leigh. Which is why they were embraced by Chris Cutler's Recommended Records (precursor to ReR). This Heat were excited when they first heard about about punk, but more than disappointed at how retrograde the music was.

There's also the now little-known Wigwam (but were getting positive press in the mid 70's) that had some leftie lyrics. http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=657

Of course, there's Daevid Allen's floating anarchy, which dates back his always-rebellious attitude in the 60's.

BlodwynPig

Quote from: Angrew Lloyg Wegger on August 11, 2016, 11:56:51 PM
I saw in a review that Dave Stewart had described punk in the liner notes as which sort of amused me in it's pure dad-tastic grumpitude.

As for prog/right-wingness, Henry Cow and Robert Wyatt are surely in stark contrast to all that, though I guess they might be one-offs. Can were apparently pretty left too, although I honestly don't know that much about them.

Matching Mole being John McDonnell's favourite band.

a peepee tipi

Quote from: Hemulen on August 09, 2016, 04:27:59 PM
King Crimson certainly have their "angry prog" moments. Gnidrolog's album "Lady Lake" would certainly qualify as well. There's probably a ton more but that's all I can really think of off the top of my head... A lot of your moodier Rock In Opposition/Avant-Prog bands like Univers Zero, Present, Thinking Plague etc. would be worth considering in this context, too.
Probably not exactly what was being asked for, but Art Zoyd could be almost assailing

NoSleep

Quote from: BlodwynPig on August 12, 2016, 08:53:17 AM
Matching Mole being John McDonnell's favourite band.

"My radical chic is soft and meek but I'll kill if I must, 'cos I'd rather have the Chinese here than Europe on me thrust!"

Hemulen

Re: Lefty prog bands, I think all the original "Rock In Opposition" groups were cut from that cloth - Henry Cow, Univers Zero, Etron Fou Leloublan, Stormy Six and (my personal faves) Samla Mammas Manna.

Thinking specifically about Italian bands, Area deserves a mention. I don't speak Italian so I've no idea what their lyrics actually mean, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that they were lefties.

Dirty Boy

Been listening to Genesis albums Trespass>>>Trick Of The Tail and i'd like to move them up my list a bit. They're actually much better than i remembered. Utter cack after that though.

LNX

toss up between Hatfield+North, National Health, and Gilgamesh for me. the latter might edge it for 'Another Fine Tune...'

I think I'm allergic to Yes.

Dirty Boy

Close To The Edge remains a psychedelic classic and Fragile is very good as well, but nothing else i ever heard from them has grabbed me much. Is Topographic Oceans worth a listen or is it as bloated  and watered down as i'm always reading it is?

BlodwynPig

Quote from: Dirty Boy on December 04, 2016, 09:50:46 PM
Where to begin with Gilgamesh then?
(Edit- oh, they only have a couple of records out.)

Re: Yes, Close To The Edge remains a psychedelic classic and Fragile is very good as well, but nothing else i ever heard from them has grabbed me much. Is Topographic Oceans worth a listen or is it as bloated  and watered down as i'm always reading it is?

There are only 2 gilgamesh albums, plus a comeback album in 2000, so knock yourself out.

I've not listened to Tales for decade(s) now, preferring Relayer and the earlier albums, but I can't remember disliking it, I still have the t-shirt.

Shit Good Nose

Quote from: Dirty Boy on December 04, 2016, 08:53:30 PM
Utter cack after that though.

Biased as they are my favourite band, but that is wrong.

Unbiased, Wind and Wuthering (the Trick follow-up) is a masterpiece.


Quote from: Dirty Boy on December 04, 2016, 09:50:46 PM
Close To The Edge remains a psychedelic classic and Fragile is very good as well, but nothing else i ever heard from them has grabbed me much. Is Topographic Oceans worth a listen or is it as bloated  and watered down as i'm always reading it is?

Tales is half brilliant, half not bad.  Like the second LP/CD of Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, it rewards with repeated listens.  General opinion, especially that of critics[nb]and even yer man Wakeman has warmed to it a bit more[/nb], has massively improved in recent years, now that being a good musician that can read and write music and play in difficult time signatures is no longer considered as something to be ashamed of.  Also a long overdue remaster has helped open up the once muddy work and you can actually hear better what the band were trying to achieve.

But I still think Going For the One is one of their best.  Awaken is mesmerising.

Ptolemy Ptarmigan

Blodwyn, I still have a TFTO T-shirt too, although it's obviously defective - the bottom half keeps shrinking.

While I agree it may well have made a better single LP than a double, I still think the high points are superb. The performances are all excellent, and there are some lovely emotionally uplifting moments[nb]moment, moment, moment, moment, moment[/nb] in between the longueurs. Basically Sides 1 and 4 are the stand-outs, but I have a soft spot for Side 2, Chris Squire's melodic bass on that in particular. I think it probably takes patience to appreciate fully though, and if someone's happy enough with The Yes Album, Fragile and even Close To The Edge, maybe that's enough for them.

Going For The One is great, and Awaken is a tremendous high point (Anderson/Rabin/Wakeman are currently performing a pretty good version of it live), but I think Chris Squire's bass is ill-served by the production, and I suspect that was why he over-compensated with that ugly boosting effect on the follow-up album.

Agree on Wind and Wuthering being as good if not better than A Trick of the Tail. Blood On The Rooftops is just brilliant, and probably overlooked.

Shit Good Nose

Quote from: Ptolemy Ptarmigan on December 04, 2016, 10:38:14 PM
Blood On The Rooftops is just brilliant, and probably overlooked.

One of their greatest songs, I think.  Every time someone says to me that Phil Collins can't write anything other than MOR pop and "BAP-BAP" jazz, and Steve Hackett can't write decent lyrics, I make them listen to it.  Most of them acknowledge the quality of the song, even if their general view remains unchanged.

Ptolemy Ptarmigan

Quote from: Artie Fufkin on August 02, 2016, 03:07:52 PM
Oldfield's 'Ommadawn' is probably about my all time fave album. Consistently in my top 5.
Does that count as prog ?

Quote from: mobias on August 02, 2016, 03:29:14 PM
Yup its probably my favourite album of all time as well. Its also Danny Baker's and Matt Berry's too apparently so we're in good company.

I'm obviously late to this thread, and I agree that Ommadawn is superb, but Baker probably changes his mind from time to time: https://youtu.be/oGGXPa5otgs?t=19m10s

greenman

I have to admit your aforementioned "standard" prog(Yes, Genesis, etc) is still something I'v really not been able to get into much bar the odd track, still sounds like it should be broken up mid song by Graham Chapman dressed up as a major.

BlodwynPig

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on December 04, 2016, 10:42:48 PM
One of their greatest songs, I think.  Every time someone says to me that Phil Collins can't write anything other than MOR pop and "BAP-BAP" jazz, and Steve Hackett can't write decent lyrics, I make them listen to it.  Most of them acknowledge the quality of the song, even if their general view remains unchanged.

Yes, Blood on the Rooftops, such an emotional song. But the whole album is full of it too. It was the first Genesis album I heard, copied onto tape by a school friend in about 1988. Mind blown.

BlodwynPig

The best prog band you "may" have not heard

The amazing Norwegian outfit, Ruphus. Get a load of this Camel goes further into jazz rock vibe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZPwYE5jLs8

the science eel


BlodwynPig

Quote from: the science eel on June 09, 2019, 11:12:24 PM
ranking


all cunts

Was delighted that someone so readily came here to post their opinion of the glorious, talent overloaded Norwegian prog band, Ruphus.

the science eel

I quite like some Blodwyn Pig, if that's any help

Avril Lavigne

Quote from: BlodwynPig on June 09, 2019, 11:09:27 PM
The best prog band you "may" have not heard

The amazing Norwegian outfit, Ruphus. Get a load of this Camel goes further into jazz rock vibe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZPwYE5jLs8

Thanks for the link BP, great stuff. I'm going to lay this track on my Dad tomorrow and ask if he's heard of them before, it's definitely up his street.

BlodwynPig

Let me know what he thinks

here's 30 mins of them live on NRK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RnuFIuAn0U

a duncandisorderly


shh

I've been getting into Yes recently, a sad sign that I have now turned into my dad, including Drama (1980) oddly enough.I wonder was it the last 'great' album of any of the 'classic' (anglophone) era prog bands ? (Relayer - 74, might be the more convention choice for yes).

gg - free hand 75
caravan - cunning stunts 75
floyd animals 77
crimson red 74
VdGG - still life 76
gong - you 74
soft machine bundles 75
hatfield - rotters club 75
camel - moonmadness 76
NH Queues & Cures - 78

For newer stuff, I don't think they've had an album out yet but black midi seem like an interesting prog outfit based on this, if that even means anything now. Certainly on the punk-metal-tinged unhinged side of things.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMn1UuEIVvA

Neville Chamberlain

Yes, yes, fucking big yes to Black Midi!!! These four sickeningly young chaps are making some of the most exciting new music I've heard in years. Hard to describe their sound, but This Heat is a good reference point. I actually spent last night finally listening to their live recording with Damo Suzuki and it's phenomenal. Saw them live in a tiny, sold-out venue in Berlin and will be seeing them in a much bigger venue later this year!!!

And that drummer... :-O

gilbertharding

Quote from: greenman on December 05, 2016, 06:21:54 AM
I have to admit your aforementioned "standard" prog(Yes, Genesis, etc) is still something I'v really not been able to get into much bar the odd track, still sounds like it should be broken up mid song by Graham Chapman dressed up as a major.


I've said it before, but I think it bears repeating: Graham Chapman interrupted things dressed as a Colonel. A COLONEL.