70's Prog Rock

[Treesinger]

I know that at least some members (Mr. V, karpsmom) of this board listen to 70's prog rock. As I listened to a lot of prog inspired metal for the last few years I got the urge to check out the “real” stuff (beside Camel, which I already discovered three years ago) a few months back.

My current favourites (beside Camel) are:

Yes (Close to the Edge, Relayer, Fragile, Tales form the Topographic Ocean)
It took me a few listens to “Close to the Edge” to get used to the vocals (I liked the music for the start), but now they are one of my favourite bands. After I new trys I even enjoy their most “difficult”/”pretentious” album “Tales form the Topographic Ocean” (four songs, twenty minutes each) a lot.
Favourite album: “Relayer”

Genesis (with Peter Gabriel ) (Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound)
Loved them form the first time I listened “Watcher of the Sky”, the opening track of “Foxtrot”. I like the “Lamb lies down on Broadway” for the first few listens, but for some reason quickly tired of most of the songs.
Favourite album: “Selling England by the Pound”

Nektar (Journey to the Center of the Eye, A Tab in the Ocean, Remember the Future, Recycled)
Another great band I immedeately got into listening to “A Tab in the Ocean”. Sadly they don't seem to be very well know.
Favourite album: “Journey to the Center of the Eye”

I also enjoyed “Van der Graaf Generator” - “H to He Who Am the Only One”, “ELP” (the songs “Tarkus” and “Karn Evil 9”, “Triumvirat” - “Spartakus”, “Jetho Tull” - “Thick as a Brick”. Sadly I couldn't get into “Eloy” for now, because of the heavy german accent of the vocals. Of “Pink Floyds” - “Darkside of the Moon” I only liked “Money”.


What are your favourites/new discoveries/recommendations from this great genre?

 

[Alteredmindeath]

Early Gentle Giant albums are good prog, I also enjoy Nektar and Camel those albums are hard to find tho.

 

[Matt]

Gentle Giant is awesome. I also enjoy Jethro Tull quite a bit, check out "Aqualung", "Thick as a Brick" and "Passion Play".

I like "Close to the Edge" for my favorite Yes album.

 

[Treesinger]

Early Gentle Giant albums are good prog

Gentle Giant is awesome.

I forgot to mention, that I love the self-titled Gentle Giant album. It's a really great album. Haven't really checked out their later albums, yet.

I also enjoy Jethro Tull quite a bit, check out "Aqualung", "Thick as a Brick" and "Passion Play".

"Tick as a Brick" is great, sadly I didn't like "Aqualung", but I will give "Passion Play" a try.

Thanks for the imput guys . Keep posting.

 

[George]

King Crimson is a must for prog. Their first couple albums were great, my favorite is "Red".

Uriah Heep has been a great influence to Waterclime. Listen to the album "Demons and Wizards".

A personal favorite of mine is Supertramp. Although they are more to the classic rock side they still have thier progressive moments. Best album by them is probably "Breakfast in America".

 

[Thidrek]

<3 Prog Rock

I listen to those 70 progressive bands quite alot.
My two favorites are Yes and Camel.
Other Great bands are:
Genesis -only have "Foxtrott", though
King Crimson - One of the few bands that have not changed into some pop rock stuff in the 80s. "Discipline" for example is really amazing with its influences af Balinese Gamelan music.
Magma - French band with classical influences. They invented their own language called "Kobaian" and all lyrics are written in this language. Their music is so unique that it's not called prog rock but "Zeuhl" which means "Beautiful Music" in Kobaian
Pink Floyd - just amazing

The German 70's Prog rock called Krautrock is quite entertaining aswell. I'm not into this stuff (, yet) but some nice acts are Amon D&#252;&#252;l II and Can.

edit: and those of you who like folk music should give a listen to Jethro Tull's "Songs from the Woods". Awesome stuff!

 

[karpsmom]

I'm honored you remembered I like the genre!

Bands of the genre (not the time period though) that I like a lot are Unicorn (Dan Swano's band) and Black Bonzo. Two excellent bands that really kept the sound genuine after all these years! I really like Yes also, particularly their 1999 album "The Ladder." By far one of the most inspiring and friendly albums I've ever heard. I only recently started listening to Camel and King Crimson. Lately I've been listening to Pink Floyd a lot (a band that bears some weight in this field of music). There is so much out there though. As George said, Demons And Wizards by Uriah Heep is a must!!!!!

 

[Hedwig]

You must listen to BALLETTO DI BRONZO an italian prog rock band, from 70's....they are great!

 

[Djöfull]

Yes: Close to the Edge rules. The Yes album and fragile are also very good. I have their first album which is quite good ( Survival is worth the CD alone) I&#180;ve heard that Tales... is overrrated. I Want to get Relayer.

Jethro Tull's Thick as a brick must be my favorite album of all time. Songs from the wood & heavy horses are awesome.

Nektar sounds really good. I listened to some songs off progarchives the other day and it's really good.

ELP's stuff interests me. Although I've heard Brain salad surgery mostly. Their first album interests me.

Camel's first four albums are very creative

King Crimson: hmm.. in the Court, in the wake of Poseidon, REd, LArk's tongue I remember are good.

Pink Floyd : Wish you were here impressed me.

Kansas from the US released some good stuff in the 70s. I recommend songs of Leftoverture

Frank Zappa did some interesting stuff like One size fits all, Hots rats...

Gonna check some of those bands out you all mentioned

 

[Treesinger]

King Crimson - "Red" is actually another prog album I enjoyed, but forgot to mention in my initial post. I haven't really checked out their other albums, beside "The Power to Belive" which didn't do much for me.

Uriah Heep - "Demons and Wizards"
Isn't that the album with the original "Rainbow Demon"? I remember listening to it once a few years ago, but I can't remember much about it.

You must listen to BALLETTO DI BRONZO an italian prog rock band, from 70's....they are great!

I will check out their album "Ys". The song form it on Progressive Rock Ultimate Discography ... with MP3 and reviews sounds great.

ELP's stuff interests me. Although I've heard Brain salad surgery mostly. Their first album interests me.

IMHO their song "Tarkus" of "Tarkus" is their best work.

 

[Draugen]

Not really into progrock myself, but I recently stumbled across a British 70's prog/folk/jazz band at Youtube called The Pentangle which I really like.
Check out their awesome "Hunting Song" at YouTube - Pentangle - Hunting Song

 

[karpsmom]

Oh yea Dj&#246;full! I forgot about Kansas! Leftoverture is a great album!

 

[Djöfull]

Uriah Heep - "Demons and Wizards"
Isn't that the album with the original "Rainbow Demon"? I remember listening to it once a few years ago, but I can't remember much about it.

It most certainly is, me lordship!

There's an amazing bass solo/jam somewhere at the end of the album. MAybe it was from a bonus track. A really good album, I&#180;ve listened to it a few times. Should do more of it.
I also have Look at yourself which is fine as well(July morning rocks)

Here you can find some prog MP3 samples of the bands mentioned

mp3


Yes songs of myspace
www.myspace.com/1111yes (a song of Close to the edge)

www.myspace.com/yes21121 ( from Fragile)

Classis Camel:

www.myspace.com/lovethecamel

www.myspace.com/cameltheband

more to come... ?

 

[Braighs]

Van der Graaf Generator - H to He Who am the Only One. //trippy space-age organ and sax lead band

Kansas - Leftoverture //I have a BIG soft spot for Kansas, the first rock band I ever got into.

The Strawbs - Grave New World //quirky yet soulful folk-prog

Gentle Giant - Octopus //best MUSICIANS ever, this got me into 70s prog

 

[wicked lester]

I really like the old 70s progressive band Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Yes. My favorite ELP albums are Brain Salad Surgery and Tarkus. I also like Yes' Fragile and close to the edge. I think those bands have allot of influence on bands like vintersorg and allot of folk/viking metal but in the end it goes back to classical music especially with ELP's stuff

 

[Treesinger]

Not really into progrock myself, but I recently stumbled across a British 70's prog/folk/jazz band at Youtube called The Pentangle which I really like.
Check out their awesome "Hunting Song" at YouTube - Pentangle - Hunting Song

good song

The Strawbs - Grave New World //quirky yet soulful folk-prog

great album

another great (folk-prog) one is Harmonium - Si On Avait Besoin D'une Cinquieme Saison

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAND.asp?band_id=619 listen to the first song (my favourite by them)

 

[Braighs]

good song another great (folk-prog) one is Harmonium - Si On Avait Besoin D'une Cinquieme Saison

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAND.asp?band_id=619 listen to the first song (my favourite by them)

thanks, i liked it.
Ange is another decent french (France) prog band.

 

[Demonicbass]

Im surprised no one mentioned Rush. Im pretty sure they qualify for Progressive Rock and have been around since 1968:O

 

[Hubster]

^ Thats exactly what I was about to say! They imo are the GODS of progressive rock. Hemispheres is mindblowing

 

[Treesinger]

For some reason I don't like Rush, for me the gods of progressive rock are Yes (and Genesis).

I checked out some Kansas today. I like the selftitled one, the later stuff didn't seem as good (imho) (jugding by the songs on progarchives und Masque).