Punk Bands for the Prog Ear?

[/QUOTE]

I think that record is borderline prog IMO.  Absolutely superb.  Some lyrics from the title track...

"Look at those c**ts on MTV
With their cars, and cribs, and rings and sh*t
Is that what being a celebrity means?
Look, boys and girls, here's BBC
See corpses, rapes and amputees
What do you think now of the American Dream."

 

[/QUOTE]

I would have to disagree and say that those lyrics are pretty bad. I mean going about talking about the corruptions of MTV and the American Dream by calling them c**ts is immature. I would advise to look at many other songs on the same theme before that one. The lyrics are so bad it makes me think there is sarcasm in the statement.

Something like

"I can't wait for the day
When I hear us all screaming,
HERE COMES THE REVOLUTION.
When every race color and creed
of militant human beings, stand up
With fists together for substance and true meaning
Because right now we got our feet stuck in cement
We're too caught up in
A material status quo punishment
And one thing is for sure
And that's the sun will always set,
Darling you can bet our moon is quite the opposite
So baby take a axe to your makeup kit
Set ablaze the billboards and their advertisements
Love with all your hearts and never forget
How good it feels to be alive
And strive for your desire
Just cause you can't see your cage
Doesn't mean that you are free
When there are laws against nature
But its ok for you to be
Addicted to over the counter prescriptions
And magazines that dictate all our human relations"

-Rx Bandits, Overcome (The Recapitulation)

Now those are some really good lyrics on a very similar topic.

Edited by FragileDT

BaldJean wrote: probably the Dead Kennedies. the Stranglers have always been wrongly branded punk, since they were one of the few bands who could actually play polyphonic. an interesting little known punk band with prog attitudes is Inner City Unit, a band in which Nik Turner of Hawkwind played. if any band is prog punk it is definitely them. their best albums are "Pass Out", "Punkadelic" and "The President Tapes". "The Maximum Effect" is a bit tame, and "New Anatomy" doesn't quite convince me, but they deserve being checked out. here a link to their homepage: http://www.doremi.co.uk/icu/

Punkadelic's a great album - "Watching the Grass Grow" and "Space Invaders" are really progressive thinking songs.

Also this:-

Murray Street
Sonic Youth

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47 81ADC4BAF7120D4932A48E9B561F101DB51ADD74C790453CEB0345B881F6 0E412F686D3F4A139E53BFCA77BE61607CCCCF154FCDC63713487EEA06A3 A3F5B7775&sql=10:lyf4zfj2eh2k

probably the Dead Kennedies. the Stranglers have always been wrongly branded punk, since they were one of the few bands who could actually play polyphonic. an interesting little known punk band with prog attitudes is Inner City Unit, a band in which Nik Turner of Hawkwind played. if any band is prog punk it is definitely them. their best albums are "Pass Out", "Punkadelic" and "The President Tapes". "The Maximum Effect" is a bit tame, and "New Anatomy" doesn't quite convince me, but they deserve being checked out.

here a link to their homepage: http://www.doremi.co.uk/icu/

As most of the bands mentioned here aren't Punk or Prog I'll toss in Magazine who aren't either, either. But I think they qualify here.

Rx Bandit wrote: This guy knows what he is talking about.  Rx Bandits are possibly my favourite band and not very well known at all so they play incredibly small venues.  So different, and great live.  Initially Refused sound quite harsh if you're not used to Hardcore but there is something about that album that keeps you listening.  Thrice are supposed to be going in a more "Cinematic" direction for their next album, which sounds promising! I would add Coheed and Cambria to this list (Another one of my personal favourites).  If you like epic Sci Fi Tretraologies at all, this is the band for you.  The story is woven through the albums which is also being revealed in the singer's series of comics.  Geeky to the maximum, but in a good way, and lyrically not as cringeworthy as some of 2112 by Rush, although they are clearly a big influence.  Claudio Sanchez has got a freakishly high voice though that is a lot better than Geddy Lee's, in my opinion.  Coheed are also great live and the singer's afro is a sight to behold.

I could never get into RxBandits when I listened to them a few years back.

The funny thing about Coheed is that they are not directly influenced by Rush.  Claudio claimed to have disliked Rush until very recently (and now he is a fan).  Their influences are more Iron Maiden based.  I saw Coheed live in London a few months back and they were pretty bad.  But I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and seeing them again in Brighton in a few weeks time.

I third the Stranglers - and would recommend the 1977-1982 Collection to anyone not familiar, or vaguely familar and wants to hear more of their good stuff. The albums tend to be patchy, but never standard punk fare. 

Also, the Damned did some very interesing psychedelia inspired stuff. "Machine Gun Etiquette" and "Phantasmagoria" are well worth a second listen. I'm particularly keen on their cover of "Alone Again Or" (the Love classic).

Toyah - Sheep Farming in Barnet / The Blue Meaning

The former is co-produced by Keith Hale of Comus and Hawkwind fame.

The Stranglers (inc great moog solo on Nice N Sleazy)

Siouxsie And The Banshees (.btw the remasters of their albums are coming out soon)

Public Image Limited (the album with Steve Vai)

Placebo - Sleeping With Ghosts (or is that grunge??!)

When I used to be into punk my favourite band was Bad Religion. Although they're not musically interesting, they're still lyrically one of the most pretentious bands I've ever heard, and for that reason, I'd recommend them to prog fans .