"Essential Prog" Article

maani wrote: Logan: Good comments all.  Yes, if I had started with a different premise, perhaps some different choices might have been made.  But, to paraphrase Herr Rumsfeld, "you work with the premise you're given."  LOL. Also, are you certain you've thought through your suggestion to pick one album from each subgenre?  Tell me, could YOU pick between Yes and Genesis?  Caravan and Camel?  Pink Floyd and Tangerine Dream?  Etc.  I don't really think that approach would suffice; although it would definitely provide a broader range of prog, it would not necessarily lead to "essential" choices given the parameters of the exercise.

Yes, I think I thought that through sufficiently for my list and approach given your parameters which present some problems (not that you needed to do it the same way as I offered as an alternative). I do see potential problems with this being both a  beginner's guide, and a list of albums that will hold interest over a long time.  For me that presents something of a conflict, but an interesting challenge.

While a definitive list is impossible, I think one could come up with a broader list of essentials that will both serve as a good introduction to progressive music, and have enough diversity to hold interest over a long time.  Time is on your side.

Yes, I rue mostly the exclusion of the entire Canterbury school.  However, at the risk of being lambasted, I have to admit that, as much as I like much of it, I don't see it as nearly as "essential" to prog listening (and learning) as other things.

I find Canterbury very essential.  You have a fairly captive audience; I do think diversity makes sense (especially to alleviate boredom).

Certainly Mirage, Land of Grey & Pink, Rotters Club (among others) all deserve consideration.  But over the majority of albums chosen?  I don't think so.  [As an aside, after my neo-prog list and my non-UK/U.S. list (i.e., mostly non-english-speaking), perhaps I can find a way to do a list that would include everyone from Caravan to Gong to Tangerine Dream to Eno to Henry Cow.  We'll see.]

I agree with you re First Utterance: an absolutely brilliant and important album.  But, as you suggest, it might be only slightly less continuously listenable than Hamill's personal angst and paranoia.  LOL.

My concern is that subjecting your desert island companion to that album might lead to some very unpleasant (carnal and violent) acts against you (or towards the partner).  Drip, drip.  Depends on your partner, and on you.

I must admit, I've never fully gotten into VdGG even though there are quite a few songs I love (the histrionics can be a bit much for me).  In such a desert island situation, I would want music that would not present a serious risk in compromising sanity, I suppose.  Not for myself so much, as my partner.  Crazy music can help me deal with my own psychoses to an extent.

Re Klaatu, again, that was a "personal pick" that I felt I was entitled to given the insanity of the exercise and my right to include at least one album just for me.  LOL.

I had read before in this thread, and understood (though it wasn't clear in your article).  I personally wouldn't have included any albums from this band in an essentials list (the band is listed here as Prog-Related, but that's not saying this album isn't Proggy, though I don't think the band progressive enough).

Re Wakeman in the light of Yes, as noted in the text, I consider Myths among the most perfect albums to introduce someone to prog rock, given that it satisfies almost every single aspect of the definition of "prog rock" I provided.  Indeed, if one had to choose only one single album to introduce someone to prog as a genre, Myths is among a very few albums I would consider.

Fair enough; I was just thinking of the limited space issue.

Finally, thankfully I will NOT have listen to my companion's collection of albums, which not only included Menduo, but (Yecchhh!) John Tesh.  LOL.

Not to mention Kenney-G's greatest hits.  See, that's the kind of closed mind, and ears, that makes Prog fans alright in my books!  I kid. 

Re my neo-prog list, I want to remind everyone ahead of time (because I KNOW so many of you will disagree with my choices) that (i) I am using the same parameters (desert island, someone unfamiliar with it, good after repeated listenings), and (ii) my definition of neo-prog is vastly different than most of yours.  By the way, I got the go-ahead from Dusty to create the neo-prog list for publication on Culture Catch.

I'll be interested to see your definition.

To all who have weighed in here, thank you.  Whether or not you agree with my choices - or even the parameters under which they were made - I sincerely welcome the comments and debate.  It is one thing that separates proggers from most other fans: cogent, knowledgeable, thoughtful discussion and debate.  Can you imagine two people having a serious, thoughtful, intelligent conversation re the relative merits of Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera?  LOL.   Peace.

I can imagine the heated arguments about who has the nicer t*ts (I know that Britney's are augmented).

Anyway, thanks for the response.  It's quite a challenge you took on.

Just saw this thread this morning. Will catch up!!

First impressions are good, Maani!