Molecules

I agree 'deluxe' was shite. THAT wasn't. Incidentally I bought it on CD after reading a review of the Harmonia re-issues long before I owned a computer and was able to get some Neu!, and I'd still recommend it as prime motorik to anybody. 'New age' is definitely not the word - there are plenty of ambient, Eno-affiliated post-Krautrock yawn-fests that might be worthy of that tag but not that album

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[SIZE="1"]Eff em
tumble her

khfreek

If Radiohead has ever been that proggy, I haven't been paying attention.

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Sneer

Christ, i really need to catch up on my prog. I've heard about a quarter of that list.

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Fright Team radio show

boo boo

Ok, Neu! and Faust will be added.

Radiohead is certainly THE most controversial issue when it comes to defining prog bands.

Their music is undeniably progressive. But like I've said before rock music that's progressive isn't always prog.

Early punk rock was progressive in a way. The Beatles, David Bowie, The Who, Hendrix, The Doors. These were progressive artists, way more progressive than Dream Theater will ever be and they all shared some influence on the development of progressive rock. But they are not prog at all.

Radiohead is complicated for many reasons, not because they don't like being called prog (neither does Fripp, actually) but because their music is so eclectic that even prog is too limiting a term for them, and the only real prog influences they have is Krautrock, but Krautrock has more influence outside of prog anyway. They have albums on their own that are undeniably progressive rock. Kid A, Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief IMO are very prog. But their first 3 albums are more alternative than anything. And In Rainbows I can't really classify as prog at all.

So yeah, half of their material is prog, but most of their fans don't even like prog, the band itself dosen't embrace prog as an influence and overall associate themselves with alternative rock more than anything. Most good alternative and indie bands are progressive, but it's a very different kind of progressive from prog rock. I fear that if I added Radiohead, I'll start getting requests to add Flaming Lips, Smashing Pumpkins and any band with just a little prog influence and it would never end. Eventually Journey will be on the list and by that point everything will be prog.

My opinions on these things are not definite though, if you can make a good enough case I'll add Radiohead to the list. But by the criteria I'd be using, they would be below ELP and I don't think people would like that.

Sigur Ros is also up for debate. Again, they're easly progressive, and post rock is basically prog for indie fans, but I dunno, Sigur Ros are a lot more pop oriented than other post rock bands, their music reminds me more of shoegaze and dream pop than it does any kind of prog. Though I certainly hear the Can and Eno influence. Again if you can make an argument for them. We'll just have to see how that turns out.

I think Godspeed are certainly prog, all of their songs are 20 minutes, with erratic song structures, odd time signatures, classical and jazz elements and they have really pretentious titles. That's enough for me.

But guys, I'm drawing the f*cking line in the sand when it comes to Queen. Don't even try.

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lucifer_sam

while you're at it you might as well throw the Eagles on there.

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first.am

dac

That was great. Anyways, I more so just wanted to hear your defense of the decisions on who to make eligible and who to leave out. I won't lose any sleep over it. Again, great list.


@KHFREEK

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jackhammer

I personally wouldn't class Sigur Ros as progressive at all. Post Rock, ambient pop maybe but it all sounds the same which is hardly progressive in my book.

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dac

Fairly complex arrangements, great musicianship, jazz and classical influences, lengthy compositions, an entire album of scat singing.... You could argue that Jón Þór Birgisson has done more for the whole "cello bow on the guitar" thing than anyone else. The argument is definitely there imo.

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jackhammer

Yeah but you are a fanboy and will obviously argue the case. A jazz asthetic on some tracks doesn't denote 'Progressive'. I have never ever heard anyone within the circle of people I know once class this band as Progressive. Again if you add these then we should add Stafraenn Hakon, Sgt, Junius, Maybeshewill, Muon, Lite, El ten Eleven etc and open up another can of worms again. These bands are a lot more progressive and getting plenty of plaudits.

I feel that we should narrow the scope a little more for the list personally.

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Guybrush

I agree with Jackhammer. I'd say stick to what's generally viewed as progressive rock bands. If you start to nitpick on the definition "progressive", you could easily end up with a totally different list containing lots of bands that are not usually related with prog rock.

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