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Best Prog Rock album ever?


Bilbo
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[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1439369451' post='2842153']
I don't think that anyone has mentioned The Yes Album yet? My favourite, probably because it isn't 'too proggy'!

Close To The Edge is immense as well. Funny how of all the prog stuff I listened to in my youth, Yes are the only band that left a lasting impression...
[/quote]If I had one Yes album on my desert island (bamboo stereo) it'd be Fragile. Loads of respect for The Yes Album and I agree Fragile's a bit disjointed. Probably because Fragile was my first taste of Yes. And Roundabout's their finest eight and an half minutes.

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[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1439378666' post='2842255']
One of the attractions of Prog for me was what I call the virtuosity element.

[/quote]
I think that there is a degree of truth in that, but probably the biggest selling and most enduring prog band from that period is Pink Floyd - a line-up that includes a couple of nice players but not exactly dripping in virtuosity!

I think that the key element is (as ever) the strength of the material...

Edited by peteb
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[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1439390188' post='2842399']
I think that there is a degree of truth in that, but probably the biggest selling and most enduring prog band from that period is Pink Floyd - a line-up that includes a couple of nice players but not exactly dripping in virtuosity!

I think that the key element is (as ever) the strength of the material...
[/quote]+1, nobody shredding in Pink Floyd.

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Wouldn't be able to pick a top Prog album. Band-wise I like all the usual suspects and bought the Banks' album off the back of the OP. Some other interesting suggestions I haven't seen before, so more music to buy.

I like a bit of Goblin for their unique Horror Prog genre.

Also Quiet Sun/Phil Manzanera albums are different to the Roxy stuff.

Of modern Prog, Thumpermonkey are my current favourite, and Syd Arthur for a modern take on the Canterbury Scene.

Edited by Mr Arkadin
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Yessongs without doubt for me, but Snowgoose and Brain Salad Surgery well up there and Heep's Magicians Birthday had it's moments.

Also rather liked Allan Parson's Project, Vangelis and Greenslades' Spyglass Guest and Bedside Manners Are Extra, although prog is stretching it a bit on those.

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[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1439466453' post='2843056']
Greenslade were major prog!!!
[/quote]

Greenslade's album "The Pentatech of the Cosmogeny" came in a double vinyl box set with accompanying hardback book. From wikipedia "The story and artwork within 'Pentateuch' concerns the discovery of an abandoned spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter, and the project to decipher the ideograms in the pentateuch 'document' discovered within. Most of the book is a retelling of the document, in much the same way as a modern translator might retell the contents of a Babylonian tablet or Egyptian papyrus scroll. Particularly remarkable is the combinatorial ideographic script created by Woodroffe and used throughout the artwork". A selection of song titles from the album includes Birds & Bats & Dragonflies, Fresco/Kashrinn, Vivat Regina, Miasma Generator.

I think we can include Greenslade as prog!

That's something else not mentioned so far in the "but is it prog?" debate - packaging. What other examples of packaging excess are there in the genre? Both Yes and ELP did triple live albums, for example: Yessongs and WBMFTTSTNE...L&GEL&P

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[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1439407419' post='2842632']
How about UK - In The Dead Of Night
John Wetton at his best.

[url="https://youtu.be/AeXSQl56no8"]https://youtu.be/AeXSQl56no8[/url]

Dave
[/quote]

I remember taking a girl to see UK at Hemel Decorum, she got bored after about 20 mins.......I came home with the album instead, from the merch stand. Still have that vinyl...the girl is long gone..I made the best choice!

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I liked that Danger Money LP UK did with Terry Bozzio on drums. Some great writing (Rendezvous 6.02) and Eddie Jobson is, for me, one of the unsung heroes of prog.

I had that Pentateuch album but I loaned it to someone and never got it back.(I cope). My introduction to Greenslade was Cactus Choir but I really loved all of their albums; Spyglass Guest, BMAE, Greenslade etc. I heard some more recent stuff he did but it did nothing for me. Dave Lawson was an acquired taste but, when Animal Farm springs up on my ipod, it's a buzz.

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[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1439407419' post='2842632']
How about UK - In The Dead Of Night
John Wetton at his best.

[url="https://youtu.be/AeXSQl56no8"]https://youtu.be/AeXSQl56no8[/url]

Dave
[/quote]Love that album and it's a great candidate for definitive prog. Saw John Wetton TOGWT once singing over that In The Dead Of Night bass line. Difficult.

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[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1439487479' post='2843341']
Love that album and it's a great candidate for definitive prog. Saw John Wetton TOGWT once singing over that In The Dead Of Night bass line. Difficult.
[/quote]

That was the clip i was looking for but couldn't find it. That was first time i'd really heard John Wetton and was gobsmacked at the energy on it. Brilliant.
Dave

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[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1439407419' post='2842632']
How about UK - In The Dead Of Night
John Wetton at his best.

[url="https://youtu.be/AeXSQl56no8"]https://youtu.be/AeXSQl56no8[/url]

Dave
[/quote]

+10000
Nice one Dave!!!!

Plenty of vituosity on show here and of course 'The Guvnor' (Holdsworth)

Edited by scojack
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[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1439540150' post='2843617']
Some great bass work from Tony Reeves on that first Greenslade album.
[/quote]

Met Tony Reeves doing a Burns Bison / MM mixing studio equipment demo locally. He was excellent and really nice guy to talk with.
Had a huge influence on me as a beginner back in late 70's

Dave

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