MB's 100 Greatest Progressive Rock Artists (blues, instrumental, metal, punk)

Anteater · 04-22-2009, 10:59 AM

I got two potential more inclusions for the list:

Lucifer's Friend - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sort of a hard rock/jazz-fusion symphonic outfit whose lead vocalist John Lawton later went on to front Uriah Heep. Not sure how influential they'd be considered, but you go listen to Banquet and tell me they don't deserve a spot.

The Gourishankar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A pretty recent group, but these eclectic Russian proggies are doing a lot of good for the scene over there in terms of exposure and all that. Plus, anyone who can do a half-way decent cover of Gentle Giant's For Nobody on a debut album gets a thumbs up from me no prob.

Comus · 04-22-2009, 02:28 PM

There's far too many things with this list that I don't agree with, especially the lacklustre solo careers of some people being used just to fill it up. Everyone knows my opinion of a lot of these bands on the list, and that's not going to chance. But kudos for the effort. Although it started to slide terribly after the top 5, it had a few bands in their right places. Also having Mr. Bungle on the list, but Captain Beefheart in the honorable mentions just kinda invalidates the whole thing.

boo boo · 04-22-2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

You have a good point.

boo boo · 04-22-2009, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comus

There's far too many things with this list that I don't agree with, especially the lacklustre solo careers of some people being used just to fill it up. Everyone knows my opinion of a lot of these bands on the list, and that's not going to chance. But kudos for the effort. Although it started to slide terribly after the top 5, it had a few bands in their right places. Also having Mr. Bungle on the list, but Captain Beefheart in the honorable mentions just kinda invalidates the whole thing.

If you're referring to Peter Hammil, his solo stuff is pretty good and he has a big following.

As for Rick Wakeman, pick on the guy all you want, he's a polarizing figure in music, but he's had his impact on prog as a solo artist.

Mr Bungle is a controversial choice, they might not remain on the list, but I don't see them being all that different from Zappa and RIO bands like Henry Cow who I certainly consider prog, I think their 3 albums are very progressive and could easly be called prog.

But Captain Beefheart doesn't have a chance of making the list at all. A lot of his music is basically psychedelic blues. He has just a few albums that are really experimental. But I wouldn't call Trout Mask Replica prog either, it's basically blues with an avant garde twist.

Comus · 04-22-2009, 08:24 PM

I'd call it far more prog than Mr Bungle. In Zappa's scope he has made a lot of good prog, but you can't confuse people similar to some of Zappa's albums as prog, since he's made a lot of stuff that can't be classified as progressive. Also I wouldn't classify Henry Cow, as much as I love em, as progressive in the slightest. Different yeah, but not very prog.

lucifer_sam · 04-22-2009, 08:28 PM

i'm a Beefheart fanatic and i completely agree with boobs on this one. i've never noticed a progressive streak in his work, it really all boils down to some seriously fucked over blues.

boo boo · 04-22-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comus

I'd call it far more prog than Mr Bungle. In Zappa's scope he has made a lot of good prog, but you can't confuse people similar to some of Zappa's albums as prog, since he's made a lot of stuff that can't be classified as progressive. Also I wouldn't classify Henry Cow, as much as I love em, as progressive in the slightest. Different yeah, but not very prog.

You're totally wrong about that IMO.

Henry Cow and Univers Zero were the starters of the Rock In Opposition movement which is very much associated with progressive rock. They're a more avant garde form of prog, but they're certainly prog. Their place in the list is definite.

Mr. Bungle's inclusion in the list is not definite but I feel that they are an offshoot of the same thing those bands did, they're way way more eclectic than Beefheart ever was so I don't think that's a good comparison at all.

Comus · 04-22-2009, 08:45 PM

Saying Bungle, in 1991 (I don't care that they were created earlier than this, it's when they released their album) Was more eclectic than Captain beefheart in the mid to late 60's and using it as an argument it completely absurd.

boo boo · 04-22-2009, 08:55 PM

No it's not. Beefheart made short songs that sounded like they were being performed by blues musicians on a sh*tload of acid. And that's basically all it was.

Mr. Bungle are one of the most diverse and eclectic bands of the 90s. They made long complex, layered songs in odd time and threw in everything but the kitchen sink in terms of the different styles they would employ in a single song. There's absolutely no other category you could put them into, prog is the only one that makes sense.

Comus · 04-22-2009, 09:00 PM

errr, ever heard of something called avant-garde?

EDIT: or even experimental?

04-22-2009, 08:28 PM	#66 (permalink)
lucifer_sam Unrepentant Ass-Mod Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3,921	i'm a Beefheart fanatic and i completely agree with boobs on this one. i've never noticed a progressive streak in his work, it really all boils down to some seriously fucked over blues. __________________ first.am