Merkaba

Yeah exactly, good music is never outlived.

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She thinks I'm a reclusive genius, she's going to be very disappointed when she finds out i'm a reclusive wanker

boo boo

The primary difference prog has from other rock genres is that because prog is so complex and out there that you tend to find something you like everytime you listen to it IF you give it a chance... And it's something that grows on you overtime, instead of being something that you like right away and quickly lose interest in.

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It's only knock n' knowall, but I like it

http://www.last.fm/user/kingboobs

Kripes

Dream Theater? I think they're a great band. James LaBrie can just get irratating at certain points.

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Seltzer

Even if La Brie did have a 4 octave range, his voice is too annoying for me to stomach at times. He did a good job in Ayreon though.

Jade Warrior is a great band. Have you heard of Goliath?

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boo boo

Will check them out.

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It's only knock n' knowall, but I like it

http://www.last.fm/user/kingboobs

judas_priest

Cool, welcome to MB. We need more Dream Theater fans.

boo boo

Anyway, on with the recomendations, some more obscure stuff now.

Gentle Giant - Gentle Giant (1970)
Three Friends - Gentle Giant (1972)
Octopus - Gentle Giant (1972)
In A Glass House - Gentle Giant (1973)
Free Hand - Gentle Giant (1975)

IMO, one of the most underrated bands of the 70s, if not the most underrated band of the 70s... Their sound is extremely unique but hard to describe at the same time.... But here goes, vocal harmonies that sound like the Oompa-Loompa's on acid, jazzy and bluesy guitar lines, a lot of wah wah, bubbly keyboards, intricate ryhthms and great use of brass and various instruments ranging from violin to xylophone... Gentle Giant were different from other prog bands in that while their music was very experimental and complex, it was also quiet accessible, and also quite playful.... Their magnum opus was Octopus, more folk and jazz oriented than GG's first three albums, which were much more bluesy, but Octopus is easly their best album... It's the ultimate bridge between their early pop oriented material and the more experiemental folk based music that they would continue to experiement with on In A Glass House and Free Hand, which lacked the use of saxes and horns due to the departure of Phil Shulman... Still difinetely worth checking out, at least.

H To He, Who Am The Only One - Van Der Graaf Generator (1970)
Pawn Hearts - Van Der Graaf Generator (1971)
Still Life - Van Der Graaf Generator (1976)

If you like weird, epic prog with weird operatic vocals, metaphorical lyrics and weird noises coming from every direction... You're in luck... VDGG are the band for you... This band hasn't changed their style very much throughout their career, it's quite distintive... Peter Hammill's snarling vocal style combined with weird hooks, and screaming saxophones gave VDGG their unique sound... Their songs were long and epic, though unlike many of their prog peers, they rarely emphasized on solos, many of their songs lack solos alltogether, and overall VDGG prefered mood over fancy instrumentation, though their sound was still quite elaborate and many fine musicians have worked with the group... H To He is a good one to start with, accessible enough with some great "occasionly" heavy themes... Pawn Hearts and Still Life have the band progressing further into their own style of prog, with Hammill's trademark balladeering... Even Johnny Rotten of all people has expressed his admiration for this band.

Mirage - Camel (1974)
The Snow Goose - Camel (1975)

Camel came in quite late in the 70s prog scene, around the same time critics began dismissing the genre as a whole (thanks to Tales From Topographic Oceans)... But they were still quite important, and are now regarded as one of the best 70s prog bands... Their sound can be discribed as very pyschedelic, Doors like rhythms and keys, smooth Santana-esque guitars and one of the best frickin' multi instrumentalists in prog, Andy Latimer, an accomplished guitarist AND flautist.... Camel mostly do instrumentals, though they will also display Latimers deep vocal/surene lyrical approach... Prog with a groove, and a classic hard rock feel... The Snow Goose is a mostly instrumental album that's notable for being a taken a different direction from the standard prog formula, the songs are quite short, but some great melodic themes throughout.

Flying Teapot - Gong (1973)
Angel's Egg - Gong (1973)
You - Gong (1974)
Gazeuse! - Gong (1977)
Expresso II - Gong (1978)

Gong were one of the more charismatic, humorous prog bands... And one of the most talented and creative... Their sound has changed drastically over short periods of time thanks to drastic line-up changes and lack of an overall consistant band leader... Gong has had various band leaders, and there have been various carnations of the band, formed in 67 by former Soft Machine member Daevid Allen, Gong were originally a psychedelic jazz band of sorts... When Allen left, guitarist Steve Hillage took over, which lead to the bands three most well known albums, Flying Teapot, Angel's Egg and You, better known as the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy... IMO Angel's Egg is their best... It features a more free form, space rock style... With synths and guitars creating an ambient mood, and a lot of flute and saxphone solos, a great mix of jazz, avant-garde, psychedelic rock, funk, oriental music, worldbeat and other styles, this period is a forerunner into the bands more fusion period, with Hillages bombastic guitar style, Didier Malherbe's fluid, exotic sax and flute work, Mike Howlett's porn groove basslines and the sounds of Shakti Yoni screaming like she's having an uber intense orgasm. When Hillage left, Pierre Moerlen took over, and Gong ventured into greater fusion terain.... Gong is notable for having several famous musicians playing for them... This includes Yes drummer Bill Bruford, fusion virtuoso Allan Holdsworth, multi instrumentalist/child prodigy Mile Oldfield and even Rolling Stones axeman Mick Taylor.

By the way Urban, you should at least check this band out, i think you might dig em, since you like Can and Hawkwind, no joke.

In Search Of Space - Hawkwind (1971)
Space Ritual - Hawkwind (1973)
Hall Of The Mountain Grill - Hawkwind (1974)
Warrior On The Edge Of Time - Hawkwind (1975)

What were Hawkwind all about?... Hmm.... Lyrics about outer space, proto metal rhythms, mellotrons and synthesizers, unions of flutes, violins and loud guitars, imaginative album covers, a dancing plus size naked woman in body paint and Lemmy Kilmister. In that order... What's not to like?... Granted the drugs were better back then, but Hawkwind are still a top canidate for greatest stoner band of all time... While largely accepted as a prog band, some argue that they were more of a proto punk band... Perhaps the first ever prunk band?... An obcure band by todays standards, but their influence on stoner rock bands like Queens Of The Stone Age and Monster Magnet is strong... Anyways, Warrior On The Edge Of Time is a great one to start with, but also check Space Ritual, which is a great showcase for their energetic style of live performance.

Magma (Kobaïa) - Magma (1970)
Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh - Magma (1973)

You think Sigur Ros were the first band to invent their own language?... Fat chance...Though Ros basically used a nonsensical Icelandic pig latin, drummer Christian Vander actually invented his own complex, constructed language called Kobaian, which most songs are sung in (song and album titles are also in this language)... Magma dealt with a big concept, each album were only small portions of the larger overall concept... Each album were cronicles revolving around a group of people who fled the decaying earth and formed their own unique but primitive civilization on the planet Kobaia... About as outragious and weird as prog can possibly get... Their sound consists of worldbeat/jazz influenced drum and bass rhyhtms, chanted verses/chorus's with odd harmonies and avant garde instrumentation.

Demons And Wizards - Uriah Heep (1972)
The Magicians Birthday - Uriah Heep (1972)
Firefly - Uriah Heep (1977)

The true pioneers of cheesy arena rock... But while nearly all of their cheesy arena rock peers (Styx) cared more about success, Uriah Heep made cheesiness a true art form. Everything from the lush vocal harmonies and David Byron's proto metal wails to Mick Box's screaming guitars defined a truly innovative rock band, and they were a major influence on several metal bands to follow, including Iron Maiden. Demons And Wizards has the perfect mix of progressive experiementation, classic rock anthems and the kind of epic rock ballads that Tenacious D love to parody and pay tribute to at the same time.... However, the band hit a stump in the mid 70s, albums gained little commercial or critical success and this forced Byron to leave, he was replaced by John Lawton who despite being a less talented singer was a decent replacement, and Uriah made their great comeback with Firefly, which featured King Crimson bassist John Wetton.

More to come.

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It's only knock n' knowall, but I like it

http://www.last.fm/user/kingboobs

Urban Hat€monger ?

Gong sound interesting seeing as I quite like Soft Machine. I`ve been meaning to listen to some Van Der Graaf Generator for a while now , ever since I read that they were a P.I.L. influence.
I even heard a couple of songs a while back but can`t remember much about them.

Edit:

A very underrated album in my opinion.

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tdoc210

I say that everyone should listen to Tarkus, and Pm me their thoughts.

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We went back there and they had come and hacked off every inoculated arm. There they were in a pile. A pile of little arms. And I remember... I... I... I cried. I wept like some grandmother. I wanted to tear my teeth out. I didn't know what I wanted to do. And I want to remember it. I never want to forget it. I never want to forget. And then I realized... like I was shot... like I was shot with a diamond... a diamond bullet right through my forehead. And I thought: My God... the genius of that.

Seltzer

I like all of those bands you mentioned Boo Boo, except I haven't heard of Magma before.

Since I like psychedelic rock, it overlaps with bands like Gong.

Personally I consider Camel one of the best prog bands ever, not just from the 70s .

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