The Beatles deserve to be here because...

For Mr. Lost Chord:

I will be arrogant enough to excerpt my review here so that you may read it:

The nature of a term like “progressive rock” is that it is, as music, malleable and perpetually in change. The term “progressive rock” began to be used by writers in 1968, to denote the progressive impulse of the music of the Byrds, The Band, Procol Harum, The Beatles andThe Nice. Progressive rock did not have the narrow distinction now attributed to it until much later.

What was most engaging about Sgt Pepper was that it spoke about ordinary people: Billy Shears, Mr. Kite or Rita Meter Maid. Often they were doing things that were viewed as quite extraordinary: starting a band, leaving home or committing suicide, a theme that would become prevalent in heavy metal.

Through their narrative the Beatles began to question the materialistic framework of western society and the assumptions through which we lived out lives. They did this through laying to rest any notions about the ability of power, money and fame to truly liberate people. In the height of the Warhol sixties, they also questioned the consumerist aspect of pop art, laying themselves to rest and creating art out of a vision of common man going about a day in the life.

There would have been no Supper’s Ready or "show that never ends" without Sergeant Pepper’s. It all began here, in the uncompromising vision of The Beatles to re-create themselves through the lens of their own vision.

Lindsay Lohan wrote: The beatles had the biggest impact because they where the most commercial of the experimental bands Alas King Crimson sounds nothing like The beatles

Youve mentioned this several times but because Dream Theater sounds nothing like Yes does this mean that Yes had no influence on DT? Of course they did.

Marcelo Xanadu wrote: Ha... so then should be right put Chuck Berry in the archives!

STOP IT ALREADY !!!

Read the definition of proto-prog, take 10 minutes to think about it, and then SHUT THE  UP !!

Lindsay Lohan wrote: sleeper wrote: Lindsay Lohan wrote: The beatles had the biggest impact because they where the most commercial of the experimental bands Alas King Crimson sounds nothing like The beatles Youve mentioned this several times but because Dream Theater sounds nothing like Yes does this mean that Yes had no influence on DT? Of course they did. Certainly DT sounds very much like YES and they are both bands of outstanding solo musicians. I'm just saying that some prog artists where perhaps influences but many others where not.

Ironically, when King Crimson's fiurst album was reviewed in the NY Tims, the reviewer siad it sounded like the Beatles.  A big part of it was the longer song structures, but they both had a common precursor in Bob Dylan. 

For the life of me I cannot hear the influence of Yes on DT, and this has puzzled me.  It is strange how different ears pick up different things,since for you the influence is apparent.  The ironic thing is that I can hear everything but Yes.

The Wizard wrote: Proto-Prog definition Rock Bands in existence prior to 1969 that influenced the development of progressive rock. The late 60's was a predominately experimental period for music. These bands were moving in a stream that eventually led to prog. The influence could have come from new sophisticated forms of writing and playing music, recording techniques, new instruments and vocal harmonies to name a few. Some of these bands became progressive rock bands themselves others did not. Please tell me how The Beatles do not fall into that description.

Nice!... love em or hate em, as for me, and for almost all the progheads here, The Beatles is a welcome addition!