New Prog bands still influenced by the 'Big Five?

I remember vaguely a band called Trilogy in the eighties . They used to play the Stingray theme. Might be a different band though.

I always thought steve wilson and even porcupine tree have a lot of Camel influence in them.

Interesting topic. It's hard to say. It depends on how people are using the term "progressive rock." I still think there is a big distinction between prog and say fusion, electronic, post rock, indie rock, psychedelic etc so I think the band has to be pretty commonly referred to as prog for a band to be influenced by them if they want to start a prog band. It's one thing to have influences but if your main influences are indie bands, alternative and maybe some prog then you aren't necessarily going to be forming a full on prog band. At some point the big newer prog bands were Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, Spock's Beard, Flower Kings and maybe IQ. Now I'm not so sure who the big name newer prog bands are that are getting people exciting except maybe Big Big Train, Anathema or Riverside. There are just so many and I don't see many being singled out. There seems to be a lot of competition. To answer the question I would say the younger folks are probably mostly influenced by Pink Floyd and Rush and to a lesser extent Yes and Genesis.

I listened to the bands you listed and here's what I think their influences are

I think The Pineapple Thief are mostly indie, but they have some clever Radiohead-like experimentalism, with an almost Porcupine Tree dynamicism. They fit perfectly into Crossover but I don't hear any influences from 'classic' Prog bands. Many bands can have Floydian flavours without even knowing it.

Guldbamsen wrote: I really dig 'What We Have Sown' but I think they have an obvious Porcupine Tree sound. From the vocals right down to the synths and guitars.

When I saw The Pineapple Thief play live at NEARfest 2010, I could not help noticing a heavy Radiohead influence - especially in the vocals. However, there was very little in their music that suggested classic prog, as others have pointed out in previous posts. This was probably why the majority of the audience (mostly composed by fans of traditional prog) could not relate to the band.

Guldbamsen wrote: Hmmm yeah now that you mention it, there may be a little Yorke to the vocals, but then again I always thought he sounded like Wilson - or is that the other way around.....(nahh Steve was first)....at least the whining and melancholic end of their respectable pipes do sound alike. -Just like every other band out there trying to be overly passionate and droopy at the same time: Muse, Mew, Gazpacho, Keane, Kashmir, Coldplay etc etc. In the mid 90s when these vocals first got launched, i thought it was just a passing phase. Who knew it'd turn out to be the blueprint for the upcoming generations of alternative/indie/shoegaze singers? Also inspired most bands inside the ridiculously named sub genre of post-progressive (where Pineapple Thief often is placed).

I love your definition of that vocal style, though I personally tend to be a bit harsher when describing Wilson's vocals (I have been known to use the word "soporific", at least when talking with like-minded people ). As to the post-progressive tag (hopefully not to become a new subgenre on PA!), it is often identified with bands or artists on the KScope label - many of whom, unfortunately, sound somewhat sleep-inducing to these ears.

I do admire how TPT's leader, Bruce Soord, composes many a catchy tune in odd metres, and their longer workouts are 'progressively' structured. Quality musicianship all round, though they fail to be a convincing Prog act. I do, however, enjoy the albums I have by them.

I might listen to the pineapple thief again. I do like indie and alternative but I find these guys kind of boring. As for haken, gentle giant was just the first influence I heard.theres probably some king crimson as well as other influences.

There are many influenced by Rush's original ideas. One idea that has been repeated by other bands is the syncopation in Rush's music , often accented primarily by Neil Peart along with Alex Lifeson's and Geddy Lee's strokes it forms an original sound. Notice some of the patterns Happy Family play when doing a version of "Bulgarian Flying Spirit Dances" (Daniel Denis). I've never heard the original version, but when hearing this one...I hear an emulation of the Rush sound. These ideas Rush used were definitely used before. The greatness of Rush existed in their ability to taking further steps with those ideas and forming a very original sound.