The greatest documentary ever!
 

One and half hours of pure gold: Prog Rock Britannia BBC4 An Observation in Three Movements! One of the best, and also one of the most hilarious, documentaries ever! I think it starts with some sort of Tarkus accapella. All the greatest stuff is on that documentary. Even some previously unseen footage.

One of the best parts is definetly Carl Palmer's stainless steel drumset. "First time we needed three men to lift the bassdrum". Now that's progressive! Hoho.

Check it out even if you don't dig; or even don't know; 70's and late 60's progressive rock. I used to be a psytrance man but then I got the disesase called prog fandom and it's great!

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

I'm still stuck in 1966 with Pink Floyd. I'm not ready for Progressive Rock yet!!!

*blaaaaart*

Pink Floyd aren't prog rock? I thought they were the original definition of it.

Well, maybe that explains why I like them. :D

Talos, Pink Floyd were Psychedelic Rock (as in Austin Powers), then they were Experimental (as in random gong crashes and screaming into the mic) and finally Sold Out Rock (Dark Side of the Moon and onwards).

Just my opinion, but I don't think they were ever Progressive. You need intentionally confusing time signature changes, totally unnecessary solos and grandiose themes. Close to the Edge meets that criteria and yet is a valid work of art. However, most prog rock is cringe-worthy...

B

I have to disagree with this one. Without question, the greatest rock documentary ever is This Is Spinal Tap.

-"But these go to eleven!"

That was always my definition of prog rock too, and why I didn't like it - like Yes, Genesis, etc. Tull is prog rock even though it spans Folk.

But technically Pink Floyd were some of the early progenitors of prog rock, even if it doesn't fit the later (mid 70's) specifications.
Floyd use unusual Time signatures grandiose themes and sound FX all over the place, pre 1969.

Let's classify everything!!!!

*Pointing to an airplane*

Now, that's a flying car.

It takes the wisdom of not living through a period to analyse it clearly. The way prog rock described itself at the time as totally wrong, which is always the case. I like odd estuaries of out-of-fashion music because it puts you in the time it came from. As another example, Abba are extremely interesting because you live through different periods of time just be changing the record. I never understood that when the music was current.

Talos: I call Pink Floyd is experimental, while you call it early prog rock. Let's settle this outside...

B

Hey now, why not just settle this over a beaker of Southern Comfort. Next thing, we'll be arguing over which one was Pink. ;)

I was fortunate to be around as a teenager when PF were in their prime. When they first played DSOTM in my local record shop (ah, the reek of vinyl) all I know is that my little musical heart skipped several beats.

But then I 'progressed' to Steely Dan...

Hi Suzzy, DSOTM is past their best IMO but then I do like musical oddities. Echoes, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun or much of Umma Gumma for real WTF Pink Floyd. Always inventive even with a well known musical genre.

BTW I also was a teenager when DSOTM came out. Even then I thought it was good, but not eccentric enough for Pink Floyd. Of course I also liked ELP so my musical opinion may not be worth much :)

LivePsy: I wasn't trying to classify them myself, check out any definition of Floyd, they are prog rock. I agree classifying music is boring (to us), but it is useful especially for the fans.

I was lucky enough to see Floyd perform in the early 60's and worked with them through the 70's, So I'm no spring chicken. Why did you presume I am younger than you?

I find it's tedious to have to classify my own music or music that I know I like, but - surprise - more useful when I'm trying to figure out what new stuff to to listen to.;)

On the subject of taxonomy, the Music Genome Project is very interesting. It was even more interesting when the www.pandora.com preference-based internet radio station was available to UK residents, and I could contribute to the project as well as enjoying free music by giving the thumbs up/down/indifferent to stuff it would play for me.

I find my response to music is at a finer level than 'genre', and really does feel to be along the lines of the "up to 400" variables that the MGP purports to use. For example, certain moves on a pedal steel guitar, anything with close vocal harmonies, anything heavily syncopated *except* dixieland, heavy admixture of 'jazz' chords with regular chords, fugue type structures, anything with 'Tubular Bells' in the title... :D

My preference would once automatically have been guaranteed for anything that was labelled 'prog rock' or 'prog' anything - now I tend to admire the avant-garde-ness and the musicianship of it rather than just plumb enjoy it.

I know what you mean. The genius of DSOTM was perhaps less in its real WTF PF quality than in taking the very best qualities of conventional genres and fusing them onto a Floyd base - recruiting Gospel into Great Gig in the Sky, making sullen blue notes grow up in Money, lounge piano drafted into Us and Them... Perhaps it was one of the pioneers of 'fusion' approaches. Speaking of which, then there was Eno's Bush of Ghosts...

As for ELP, well, they did a better job than anything of getting me to listen to classical music. Promenade is one of the loveliest pieces I know still, whether played on solo piano, or belted out of a distorted organ with a pretentious lyric over the top :)

Hey! ELP is one of the best! It was progressive rock that really rocked. Although the music and lyrics were a bit corny from time to time but it still doesn't nullify the fact that Tarkus and Karn Evil 9 are one of the greates prog songs ever recorded.

I think I ended up in the world of ELP when I heard Hoedown on a special radio show Progeyö (Prog Night in English). Next day I went to the local library and loaned ELP compilation and that's when my descent to progresive rock started.

ELP were wanky and great at the same time. Those Keith Emerson fast fingers were amazing, but is it art? I didn't care at the time. K9 is truly great but just hope the neighbours don't hear it :)

Of course one of the main appeals was using synths to make music, rather than some novelty sound or background pad.

Hey Talos, I'm just enjoying a difference of opinion with you. And the age comment was in response to suzzy. No need for anyone to be offended.

B

Are you guys making fun of me again? I am always being ridiculed...

(cowering in the dark corner)

Echo o o o o o o o

Cut back on the coffee...

Saw Steely Dan last year, some of the best session musos I've seen in my short experience studying music. And one of the crispest mixes I've ever heard live and it was an outdoor venue as well.

The music might be smug as hell sometimes but damn, when you play your instrument that well, it gets pulled off.