Non-UK European Prog
 

Ok, I'm a massive fan of non-US, non-UK prog bands. Primarily bands in the RIO fold of things. I love Kraut, I love chamber, I love Zuehl. Complex music with light hints of avant-garde, classical acoustic instrumentation, electronics w/o the repetitive "thump thump thump" hammer on nail drum machine, operatic vocals, fusion elements, dark themes, and lyrics that are either non-sense, I don't understand.

For this reason, I have a particular love of middle European prog. I feel that by, and large, it is far more intriguing than more mainstream progressive rock bands like Yes, Rush, or Genesis. That's why, I'm wondering what all is out there still for me to explore?

Right now, I'm looking at anything from Stormy Six to Arcuturs to Neu! I know threads have been made for a lot of particular regions(IE. Swedish prog thread, etc). But, I feel with the similarities between the bands in the genre, there's no way there shouldn't be a more cumulative thread.

Just listened to Lard Free on an obscure mention somehow randomly sparked in my brain from an obscure thread months ago by either Tore, or Dankstra, or somebody, I even forget.

Anybody else have any favourite Italian, Swedish, French, Belgian, Czechoslovakian, German prog bands they'd like to share?

Univers Zero
Art Zoyd
Present
Can
Neu!
Arcturus
Ulver
Samla Mammas Manna
Plastic People Of the Universe
Magma
Dun
Gong
Dodheimsgard
Blut Aus Nord
Dirty Granny Tales(maybe, another thing I discovered from random explorations on these forums)
Zu

Note: I consider a lot of black metal acts,, and other things sort of in the same vein when exploring the concept. I think anything outside the box suggesting is good. I know a few I listed may only be loosely prog, or be closer to avant-garde(which in a lot of the ways is the same thing), but I feel all sort of integrate the proper middle-European vibe in which integrates elements of the traditional folk musics, and avant-garde to make for a distinctly European sound.

pandoras. box (yes spelt that way- Germany)
Flied Egg (Japan)
Heldon (France)
Gatto Marge (Italy)
Sieges Even (Germany)
Baris Manco (Turkey)

just a few that I like.

Yeah I mentioned them in the "Last album you..." thread or "Albums you're digging", can't remember. I also sent it to Rezz, I think, in the trading thread some time ago. He seems to like it. I've only listened to their s/t album and it's a great mix of French avan-prog and kraut-rock. I have to check more from them. Apparently their three albums are quite different from each other.

Ever since I've heard Art Zoyd, I've been on a hunt for more European avant-prog, especially French. I have to finally listen to Univers Zero, which you recommended. I don't know what I'm waiting for as I really loved that one track you posted in another thread. So, it's great you opened this thread. I will certainly use it for recommendations and to post my own findings.

Speaking of which, here's another French band I listened to these past few months, but only their first album. I like to give it time before I move on to other albums. I think I also mentioned it somewhere, but here it is again:
Etron Fou Leloublan - Batelages (1977)
Skaligojurah, I think you're gonna love this one if you haven't heard it already, so here's a taste of opening track:
L'amulette et le petit rabbin

Also, there's this Swiss band Débile Menthol from the late 70s and 80s, connected to RIO movement. I listened to Émile au jardin patrologique (1981/2). Here's the song from it, Spacio-Cib

Another French band, ZNR, a duo, I think, with Hector Zazou and the other one (can't remember his name). Avant-prog, chamber music and cheesy synths, how can one not want to hear it. So, I listened to Barricade 3 (1976), very strange album, but interesting indeed. Two songs as an illustration:
Seynète
Armistice couronne de feuillages

Ame Son, French psychedelic, progressive band from late 60s, early 70s, with a jazz influence, similar to Gong in a way. I think they had only one proper album, which is the one I listened, Catalyse (1970)
Seventh Time Key
ps: this band was on the famous Nurse With Wound list...

So that's it for now. I don't want to post kraut bands, cause there's already a big thread in the avant-garde forum and almost every band is mentioned there.


I know a lot of European bands that are experimental and even jazzy, but more in the post-punk, industrial, or electro vein, but that doesn't belong in this thread. I can't connect them with prog by any stretch of imagination.

I agree completely with this. Mainstream progressive is that mainly as I guess they had big record companies and lots of promotion behind them. Doesn't mean there can't be lesser known stuff (whether in English or not) which is just as good and arguably in some cases better, and which might actually increase the audience for progressive if people actually explored and discovered them. Italian progressive such as Banco del Mutuo Soccorso's 'Io Sono Nato Libero' for example.

I'm currently downloading a torrent called Rock Progressivo Italiano that seems like it will be full of goodies. Lots of mini John Petrucci's running round over there it seems...

NO. But the Southwest-European (a.k.a. Iberian) prog is good too. :) I don't know where to begin. Perhaps with some examples of the best-known local specialty: Andalusian rock (that is, flamenco + prog rock).

Triana (1974-1983): En el lago ("At the Lake", 1974). Medina Azahara (since 1979): Paseando por la mezquita ("Walking in the Mosque", 1980).

Anglagard(Sweden)
Kingston Wall(Finland)
Riverside(Poland)
Wigwam(Finland)
Focus(Netherlands)
Nektar(Germany)
Novalis(Germany)
Eloy(Germany)
Triumvirat(Germany)
Embryo(Germany)
Indukti(Poland)
Anekdoten(Sweden)
Trettioariga Kriget(Sweden)
Omega(Hungary)
Finch(Netherlands)
Secret Oyster(Denmark)
Beardfish(Sweden)

There is alot of stuff out there from Europe from "the golden age of prog" to 2011. This list should keep you busy for awhile.:beer:

That would be Gatto Marte

Metamorphosis "Papillons" is a good one (fusionprog) from Spain which is lesser known.

[QUOTE=dankrsta;1044429]Etron Fou Leloublan - Batelages (1977)
Skaligojurah, I think you're gonna love this one





I would not recommend this.
I had the origional lp and traded it off quickly.

Found it to be sparse. RIO only works for me when its THICK. Lots going on. Variety of instruments.

Blame the twats that posted the download. Doesn't matter anyhow. It is crap.

Its crap??
I dont understand.
You recommended this to skaligojurah.

Now your telling us its crap???

This thread is pretty much going to be my download list for awhile.

My favorite non-European progressive rock band is probably Japan's Mr. Sirius, who in my opinion were the single best thing to come out of Japan's short-lived 80's prog. rock heyday.

Check this out fools! :P

Damn, I forgot this thread! Well, here you are some more Iberian prog from the 70's:

Experiência (Portugal): album Passo a passo ("Step by Step", 1973).



Pan & Regaliz (Spain): Magic Colors (1971) and Dead of Love (1971), strongly influenced by Jethro Tull.

*Crack (Spain). Classic/Symphonic prog. They published only one record. It is a great album, though: Si todo hiciera crack ("If Everything Cracks", 1979). Here you are Descenso en el Maelström ("A Descent into the Maelström") and Cobarde o desertor ("A Coward or a Deserter").



*Gòtic (1977) was a band from Barcelona (Spain). As Crack, they released one album (in this case, an instrumental one) only, but it's delightful. It is titled Escènes (which means "scenes" in Catalan). These tracks are Jocs d'Ocells ("Bird Games") and Història d'una gota d'aigua ("A Tale of a Water Drop"):

A.R & Machines
Xhol Caravan
Ash Ra Tempel
Limbus 4
Guru Guru
Sergius Golowin
Walter Wegmuller
Dom
Mittlewinternacht
Cosmic Jokers
Mythos
Embryo
Technical Space Composer's Crew
Gila
Between
Agitation Free
Anima
Floh De Cologne

All German, all great. I assume you're already firmly aware of Can, Amon Duul II, Neu!, Popol Vuh, Tangerine Dream, Cluster, Harmonia and Faust.

Máquina! (Spain, 1968-1972). Don't miss their album Why? (1970). A gem.

have you heard Premiata Forneria Marconi from Italy?

they're kinda that Yes/early King Crimson hybrid

their 2 early albums, Per Un Amico and L'Isola di Niente are essential listening

Lone Star (1966-1977): Pájaro de fuego ("Firebird", 1972). Módulos (1969-1979): Realidad ("Reality", 1970).

Keep Em' Coming. This thread has kept my download list nice, and fat.

*Leño (1977-1983) . Their first LP (same name, Leño, 1979) contains some prog tracks. These two are La nana ("The Lullaby") and Castigo ("Punishment"):


Here we go:

*PFM: album Per un amico ("For a Friend", 1972). Two examples:



Album L'isola di niente ("The Island of Nothing", 1974):

I've scanned the thread and don't think I see any mention of Circus. They were a swizz prog-band that released three albums. Their second one, Movin' On (1977), is generally regarded a classic and is full of nice flutes and other cool stuff.

A couple of samples :



Dawn is an 8 minute instrumental from their album ..



The title track at 22 minutes something is the album's most ambitious piece.

It's scary how most of the time I will make an assessment about a band I've never heard based on the genre, description, and cover art without actually taking a listen. Both of those songs were fantastic and not at all what I expected a Swiss prog band from the mid 70's to sound like.

Do you know Gazpacho? No? OK, I'll show you:

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/3...zpachomb02.jpg

It's a vegetable soup........ ..... ....and a Norwegian prog band:

I'll add a few bands/albums I've been listening to lately...

Bo Hansson (Sweden) - Magician's Hat
Drum Circus (Switzerland) - Magic Theatre
Grovjobb (Sweden) - Vattarnas Fest
Kebnekaise (Sweden) - Kebnekaise II
Moving Gelatine Plates (France) - Moving Gelatine Plates
Out of Focus (Germany) - Palermo 1972
Xhol Caravan (Germany) - Electrip
Brainticket (Germany) - Psychonaut
Golem (Germany) - Orion Awakes

Would like to second this. It's a damn fine prog album.

You should check out the Greek band Aphrodite's child, their early stuff was more traditional psychedelic but the album 666 is more psych-prog and one of my favorite's in the genre.

Since that post put me over the limit and I'm itching to try out my newly earned posting rights here's some samples:

Golden Earring (Holland)
Focus (Holland)
Wigwam (Finland)
Neu (Germany)
Titanic (Norway/UK)
Jane, Novalis, Birth Control, Anyone's Daughter, SFF, Guru Guru Sunband, RMO, Anyone's Daughter (can't remember where these are from, some are German but not all)
Man (Wales)
Accept (Germany)

Another vote for Gazpacho: great band. But also try Hostsonaten, Italian classical/prog/ambient/whatever. This is "Entering the halls of winter", from their album "Winterthrough".

Höstsonaten (Autumn Sonata) is a swedish movie. What a strange name for an Ialian prog band.

Reverse paradox of Gazpacho, in a way.

Yeah, I know. Apparently it's no coincidence: they took their name from the film. Guess they really liked it! Good name though. Great band.

Indeed, good observation!

I'm tempted to watch it now.

Nice song by the way :) I'll check them out.

Their stuff seems pretty hard to get. Let me know if you want any PMs...

Nobody's mentioned Aksak Maboul:



They were Belgian, I think. They released some great stuff in the late 70s.

Aksak Maboul certainly is a lot of fun. I don't personally think of it as prog rock, but more as a sort of avantgarde dadaist group of musicians .. more typically Rock In Opposition (RIO). I don't like it when prog lays claim to all avantgarde music.

I fell in love with their first album a little while back. This is one of my favourites :)

They're commonly classed as avant-prog, and as far as I was aware the RIO movement was based on progressive bands exploring progressive ideals?

Anyway, yeah, the first and second albums are excellent.

i keep hearing about this RIO thing

pray, tell me more

and i don't want to wiki it, cos those guys are really dry

Wikipedia has them down as avant-rock. Progarchives have them down as avant-prog. Who's right and who's wrong?

In general I prefer to use the label prog rock about bands which were obviously rock bands using their ideas to expand on rock music. Rush, Yes and Hatfield and the North are good examples. I don't think RIO and prog rock are necessarily exclusive so I can possibly accept that Aksak Maboul occasionally plays prog, but I don't really think either of the songs we posted are prog rock songs. One is a humorous cover and the other sounds like some half-silly (yet awesome) theme from a strange television series. Progressive rock, no (imo). Avantgarde and humorous, yes.

There are many cases where I feel the "prog rock" label is not entirely suitable. If you have a band that is a reduced symphony orchestra that plays avantgarde chamber music, I just don't see where the "rock" part comes from. Another example, Robert Wyatts solo career is generally considered "prog", but I don't think he ever really tried to make a prog rock album. It's just that his music is avantgarde and so "prog rockers" (those who like prog) who represent the largest general group of consumers interested in alternative music apply the prog rock label to it, even when it's just a man in a wheelchair singing and playing mellow songs on the piano. I can see it's avantgarde, but what's so "rock" about that?