Proglucky his mini-guide to Progrock! - Progressive Rock Music Forum

A fair and comprehensive review, Erik - well done!

Edited by valravennz - August 04 2006 at 00:44

"Music is the Wine that fills the cup of Silence"
- Robert Fripp

A few weeks ago there was a thread about this book, many told that they were eagerly waiting for it, today I notice 20 visitors and only your reaction, Phil ... I don't know why

.. ? But I have done my job with pleasure, I hope this fine book will please especially the starting progheads.

Hello progrock readers, here is my review about Proglucky (Ronald Couture) his brandnew book about progressive rock:

Title: Essential Mini-guide To PROGRESSIVE ROCK Past & Present

Sub-title: Forty Years Of History 1966 – 2006

Author: Ronald Couture

First Limited Edition

Official release date: June 20st, 2006

This paperback version book (seize 15x23 cm) contains 176 pages and the lay-out (except the front and back cover) is in black and white and only features some album cover photos, the rest are words about progressive rock.

The first page is a dedication to Prog Archives collaborators Ian Alterman, Bob McBeath (Easy Livin’), Peter Rideout and Lise Brault and Tommy Schonenberg, Lucas Biela and Greg Walker for their help, then we go to a personal story by Ronald about his experiences with progressive rock, starting around the mid-Seventies with Genesis, a further exploration at Sherbrooke University in Quebec and finally (in the following short chapter) at Prog Archives with M@X (the other founding member of Prog Archives) featuring a word about Prog Archives. Before we go to Contents (Index A/B/C/D/E) Ronald tells something about the making of his mini-guide.

Index A opens with the defintion about progressive rock, how many threads on The Forum are not dedicated to this subject! It’s a short but decent and comprehensive explanation about structure, elements and bands.

Index B is about The Development, written by Frenchman Lucas Biela.

In my opinion this chapter is a bit too short, it’s mainly based upon naming bands with some additional information.

Index C is focussed on The History:

Proto-history - 1960’s

A short look on the development and bands (like Zappa, Syd Barrett-Pink Floyd, Caravan and VDGG, I only miss Vanilla Fudge (a progressive Hammond drenchded blend of jazz, soul, rock and classical), a USA band on which Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Yes pointed at as an important source of inspiration.

First Wave – 1970’s

Here you find fine descriptions from all known progrock bands, not only The Moody

Blues, King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Genesis but also Banco, PFM, Eloy and Rush.

Second Wave – 1980’s

A very brief look at Marillion, IQ and Pendragon but unfortunately not Twelfth Night, in my opinion this excellent UK neo-prog with their distinctive sound belongs between the other above-mentioned neo-prog bands!

Third Wave – 1990’2 to Present

This chapter is about Rebirth: Porcupine Tree, The Flower kings, Arena, Spock’s Beard and New Progressive Metal – Resurgence Or Revival with Dream Theater, Ayreon and Pain Of Salvation.

Then Index D entitled Top 20 Albums - Vintage Progressive Rock & More by Norwegian Tommy Schonenberg. His style of writing is constructive, warm and enthousiastic about albums from both famous bands like Genesis (SEBTP), Yes (CTTE) and VDGG (Pawn Hearts) to Rush (AFTK), Le Orme (Felona E Sorona) and Eloy (Ocean). A pleasant chapter!

Finally Index E – The A – Z listing with thanks to Greg Walker for providing in band information.

Looking at the more than hundreds pages with short descriptions. Sometimes a bit too short, I even notice the influence of Greg Walker his Syn-Phonic catalogue because in the Nineties I ordered every month many progrock gems! I can find lots of interesting progrock bands from all over the world, from Italy, Spain and Germany to Argentina and Japan. I am sure that this very interesting chapter will please many longing and searching progheads! On the other hand, I won’t complain about missings bands here like Providence (Japan), Zombie Woof (Germany) and Sensitiva Immagine (Italy) but I surely miss the acclaimed Brasilian progrock band Bacamarte, Spanish progrock gem Cai, the unique Spanish/English formation Carmen and the UK symphonic jazzrock band Colosseum II featuring Gary Moore at his pinnacle and Deep Purple current keyboard player Don Airey. And a few personal notes about two Dutch progrock bands: Cliffhanger is not ‘Marillion meets Genesis’ but UK/Yes/Genesis influenced and Plackband is not neo-prog but mid-Genesis inspired (most members have seen the ATOTT and W&W tour 7 times!).

My conclusion:

This book is clearly a mini-guide, made to show you the ‘gateway to Progheaven’ so don’t expect a book in the vein of Edward Macan’s ‘Rocking The Classics’, it’s more an encyclopedia with some additional information about history and bands. Despite a few small failures and missing bands, I recommend this well set up and comprehensive progrock mini-guide to those music fans who have just discovered progrock and wants to read a little bit more about history and bands. And especially to those progheads who wants to explore the progrock universum for the lesser known bands from countries like Japan, Argentina, France or Sweden.

Congratulations Ronald , I am sure you will sell out your first limited edition very soon!

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erik neuteboom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659	Posted: August 04 2006 at 04:58
	Thanks to Tony R and 'Kiwi' Valravennz, great that you discovered this thread !

valravennz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: March 20 2005 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 2546	Posted: August 04 2006 at 00:43
	A fair and comprehensive review, Erik - well done! Edited by valravennz - August 04 2006 at 00:44
	"Music is the Wine that fills the cup of Silence" - Robert Fripp

Tony R Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: July 16 2004 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 11979	Posted: August 03 2006 at 12:40
	Nice review Erik!

erik neuteboom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659	Posted: August 03 2006 at 12:35
	A few weeks ago there was a thread about this book, many told that they were eagerly waiting for it, today I notice 20 visitors and only your reaction, Phil ... I don't know why .. ? But I have done my job with pleasure, I hope this fine book will please especially the starting progheads.

Phil Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: June 17 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1881	Posted: August 03 2006 at 12:22
	I got Ronald's book, wondered why there was no review, was going to sit down and do one myself this weekend but you've beaten me to it! - just as well, mine would probably not have been so thorough or eloquent! I will get my thoughts together and put them down on paper, so to speak....

erik neuteboom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659	Posted: August 02 2006 at 14:58
	Hello progrock readers, here is my review about Proglucky (Ronald Couture) his brandnew book about progressive rock: Title: Essential Mini-guide To PROGRESSIVE ROCK Past & Present Sub-title: Forty Years Of History 1966 – 2006 Author: Ronald Couture First Limited Edition Official release date: June 20st, 2006 This paperback version book (seize 15x23 cm) contains 176 pages and the lay-out (except the front and back cover) is in black and white and only features some album cover photos, the rest are words about progressive rock. The first page is a dedication to Prog Archives collaborators Ian Alterman, Bob McBeath (Easy Livin’), Peter Rideout and Lise Brault and Tommy Schonenberg, Lucas Biela and Greg Walker for their help, then we go to a personal story by Ronald about his experiences with progressive rock, starting around the mid-Seventies with Genesis, a further exploration at Sherbrooke University in Quebec and finally (in the following short chapter) at Prog Archives with M@X (the other founding member of Prog Archives) featuring a word about Prog Archives. Before we go to Contents (Index A/B/C/D/E) Ronald tells something about the making of his mini-guide. Index A opens with the defintion about progressive rock, how many threads on The Forum are not dedicated to this subject! It’s a short but decent and comprehensive explanation about structure, elements and bands. Index B is about The Development, written by Frenchman Lucas Biela. In my opinion this chapter is a bit too short, it’s mainly based upon naming bands with some additional information. Index C is focussed on The History: Proto-history - 1960’s A short look on the development and bands (like Zappa, Syd Barrett-Pink Floyd, Caravan and VDGG, I only miss Vanilla Fudge (a progressive Hammond drenchded blend of jazz, soul, rock and classical), a USA band on which Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Yes pointed at as an important source of inspiration. First Wave – 1970’s Here you find fine descriptions from all known progrock bands, not only The Moody Blues, King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Genesis but also Banco, PFM, Eloy and Rush. Second Wave – 1980’s A very brief look at Marillion, IQ and Pendragon but unfortunately not Twelfth Night, in my opinion this excellent UK neo-prog with their distinctive sound belongs between the other above-mentioned neo-prog bands! Third Wave – 1990’2 to Present This chapter is about Rebirth: Porcupine Tree, The Flower kings, Arena, Spock’s Beard and New Progressive Metal – Resurgence Or Revival with Dream Theater, Ayreon and Pain Of Salvation. Then Index D entitled Top 20 Albums - Vintage Progressive Rock & More by Norwegian Tommy Schonenberg. His style of writing is constructive, warm and enthousiastic about albums from both famous bands like Genesis (SEBTP), Yes (CTTE) and VDGG (Pawn Hearts) to Rush (AFTK), Le Orme (Felona E Sorona) and Eloy (Ocean). A pleasant chapter! Finally Index E – The A – Z listing with thanks to Greg Walker for providing in band information. Looking at the more than hundreds pages with short descriptions. Sometimes a bit too short, I even notice the influence of Greg Walker his Syn-Phonic catalogue because in the Nineties I ordered every month many progrock gems! I can find lots of interesting progrock bands from all over the world, from Italy, Spain and Germany to Argentina and Japan. I am sure that this very interesting chapter will please many longing and searching progheads! On the other hand, I won’t complain about missings bands here like Providence (Japan), Zombie Woof (Germany) and Sensitiva Immagine (Italy) but I surely miss the acclaimed Brasilian progrock band Bacamarte, Spanish progrock gem Cai, the unique Spanish/English formation Carmen and the UK symphonic jazzrock band Colosseum II featuring Gary Moore at his pinnacle and Deep Purple current keyboard player Don Airey. And a few personal notes about two Dutch progrock bands: Cliffhanger is not ‘Marillion meets Genesis’ but UK/Yes/Genesis influenced and Plackband is not neo-prog but mid-Genesis inspired (most members have seen the ATOTT and W&W tour 7 times!). My conclusion: This book is clearly a mini-guide, made to show you the ‘gateway to Progheaven’ so don’t expect a book in the vein of Edward Macan’s ‘Rocking The Classics’, it’s more an encyclopedia with some additional information about history and bands. Despite a few small failures and missing bands, I recommend this well set up and comprehensive progrock mini-guide to those music fans who have just discovered progrock and wants to read a little bit more about history and bands. And especially to those progheads who wants to explore the progrock universum for the lesser known bands from countries like Japan, Argentina, France or Sweden. Congratulations Ronald , I am sure you will sell out your first limited edition very soon!