I cannot vote - there's not my favorite one! I mean Peter Gabriel's PASSIONS

I will better create my top-10 of 80s albums:

1) Peter Gabriel PASSIONS (1989)

2) Peter Hammill LOOPS AND REELS (1983)

3) Frank Zappa TINSEL TOWN REBELLION (1981)

4) Dire Straits LOVE OVER GOLD (1982)

5) Peter Gabriel SECURITY (1982)

6) Jethro Tull ROCK ISLAND (1989)

7) Yes DRAMA (1980)

8) King Crimson DISCIPLINE (1981)

9) Rush MOVING PICTURES (1981)

10) King Diamond CONSPIRACY (1989)

the only album of those i own is 90125, and for obvious reasons i dont listen to it very often

any of those worth looking into, mind you i dont like the 80s sound, present in bands like Marillion

Aaron

Well no KC's Discipline, but at least you got...Holger Czukay?  Guess I don't know my 80s prog.

Out of that obscure selection I would probably go for PG3, but this is my top albums from the 80's..

Moving Pictures - Rush

Duke - Genesis

Fugazi - Marillion

Levitation - Hawkwind

Script for a jesters tear - Marillion

Once around the world - It Bites

Tales from the Lush attic - IQ

Like Blacksword only one there I would vote for is PG3; you missed out Script,Fugazi and Misplaced Childhood,Sacrilege Dallas

1) Rush - Moving Pictures

2) King Crimson - Discipline

and yeah, Peter Gabriel - 3

Art of Noise and Moreira are here...

BUT WHERE ARE MARILLION, IQ, TWELFTH NIGHT, UNIVERS ZERO, RUSH, KING CRIMSON, ART ZOYD,...?

I won't compromise as I did in the very incomplete French prog poll... I'm not voting in here... or will I? Well, I'll vote for TANGERINE DREAM'S "Hyperborea".

SCRIPT FOR A JESTER'S TEAR

THE BEST album since 1975.

IQ- Tales From The Lush Attic/The Wake

Marillion - Misplaced Childhood/Seasons End

Rush - Moving pictures/Power Windows/Hold Your Fire

Tangerine Dream - Tangram/Exit/Underwater Sunlight

Vangelis - See You Later

Propaganda - A Secret Wish

Iron Maiden - Powerslave

Eloy -Time To Turn/Planets

Stephen Caudel - Wine Dark Sea

SCRIPT FOR A JESTER'S TEAR

THE BEST album since 1975. 

Velvetclown wrote: SCRIPT FOR A JESTER'S TEAR

I concur!

DallasBryan wrote: its like a 40 car pile up here, prog went this way and you guys went that away. Marillion, Dream Theatre, IQ its ALL CRAP!!! You are so wrong it's almost funny. Talk about completely missing the point... Living in the past, wishing to duplicate a time period. Ah - I see! That's what you're doing.   Folks this is where progressive rock went, the Germans synthesized it. The early 70s will never be repeated, move on and dont miss what remained of progressive rock in the 80's. After that the record companies pretty music snuffed it out. No - this is where it went; Bands like Marillion, IQ, Twelfth Night etc took the basics from the old school of prog, then revitalised the entire genre, stirring up new interest in the old bands and kept prog alive, new and fresh. You also forget about the Enid - the magnificent band that straddles the two "eras". Of course the early 70s will never be repeated - that is why the music grew and evolved into something different - still prog, but the new generation. Record companies will never kill it. If you havent heard these recordings you dont have an opionion. I have heard the bands you guys are whining about and they arent too exciting. Heard is different to listened. They are very exciting - but you haven't cultivated the ears, to use a recording studio phrase. I've heard most of the recordings you mention, and with the exception of 90125, they're very good - but make me wonder if you mean true prog in the original spirit, or the more avant-garde? If Pendragon, Ayreon, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theatre, Anglagard are so great why are they not filling up stadiums like the bands before them did. Times change. Audience demands change. Nowadays Robbie Williams fills stadiums. They arent on radio, because the old bands are better, on and on and on. That is not true - if it were, how come so many new bands like the rappers and boy bands get played? And how come Marillion still hit the charts?  Do yourself a favor try this stuff, if Im wrong big deal, if Im right you found more essential music. Yes it's worth trying, and it's good - but it's only more essential if you prefer that style. Happy Trailz

Quicksilver Messenger Service ain't prog either

my fav's from the 80's :

- Peter Gabriel - security (not really prog but marvellous anyway)

- iQ - The Wake (I used to be amazed by this one)

- Twelfth Night - Fact and fiction or collector's item (underrated album)

- yes 90125 (the one you did mention)

- Rush - Grace under pressure (hard to choose from all their greatest albums they released in the 80's)

- Tears for fears - sowing the seeds (it's not really prog but a nice combination of pop, prog and psychedelic) 

- Marillion - Script (the Nursery Cryme of the eighties)

- Peter Hammill - Patience (Hammill was still in top form during this era)

- The Chursh - starfish (not prog at all but great anyway - i discovered this in the 90's)

- Pallas - sentinel (It used to be a great album then - maybe because of the lack of other prog)

- Simple Minds - street fighting years (their only album which contains some prog sounds)

- Propaganda - a secret wish (the most original - mixture of pop, wave, electro and prog)

and...that's about all folks

Fishy wrote: my fav's from the 80's : - Peter Gabriel - security (not really prog but marvellous anyway) - iQ - The Wake (I used to be amazed by this one) - Twelfth Night - Fact and fiction or collector's item (underrated album) - yes 90125 (the one you did mention) - Rush - Grace under pressure (hard to choose from all their greatest albums they released in the 80's) - Tears for fears - sowing the seeds (it's not really prog but a nice combination of pop, prog and psychedelic)  - Marillion - Script (the Nursery Cryme of the eighties) - Peter Hammill - Patience (Hammill was still in top form during this era) - The Chursh - starfish (not prog at all but great anyway - i discovered this in the 90's) - Pallas - sentinel (It used to be a great album then - maybe because of the lack of other prog) - Simple Minds - street fighting years (their only album which contains some prog sounds) - Propaganda - a secret wish (the most original - mixture of pop, wave, electro and prog) and...that's about all folks

Good to see that someone noticed Tears for Fears and Simple Minds had their moments. I thought they were both good pop/rock acts, strong on melody and the latter in particular were excellent live. If you ever saw them, or have heard 'Live in the city of light' you'll know what I mean.

As for Pallas?? They seem cotraversial around here. I bought 'The Sentinal' when it came out and loved it to bits for a about a year, then had to concede that Marillion and IQ were so much better. Still good to see an album with a cover like that, released in 1984

Velvetclown wrote: Cert you should stick to yer Sheep

You mean I should lay off the lubricants?

Certif1ed wrote: Velvetclown wrote: Cert you should stick to yer Sheep  You mean I should lay off the lubricants?

Use glue instead.

Marillion - Clutching At Straws a criminally underated album.

IQ - Tales From The Lush Attic their best until 'Dark Matter'.

Pallas - Arrive Alive (keep thinking those nice thoughts Jim Garten).

Pendragon - Fly High, Fall Far, ok so its a mini-album but 4 cracking songs.

Twelfth Night - Fact And Fiction, don't get me started on Geoff Manns lyrics, but to even things up Live At The Target runs it a close second.

Rush - Moving Pictures or Grace Under Pressure take your pick.

Dream Theater - When Dream And Day Unite squeezing in at the arse end of the 80's should be included for the track 'Only A Matter Of Time' listen to the keyboards build at the end and see if you can keep the hairs on the back of your neck from standing up.

tuxon wrote: Certif1ed wrote: Velvetclown wrote: Cert you should stick to yer Sheep  You mean I should lay off the lubricants? Use glue instead.

That's disgusting...

 ...it burns your nose out.

I think I'll stay with the whisky, as Velve recommends...

Certif1ed wrote: Nowadays Robbie Williams fills stadiums. They arent on radio, because the old bands are better, on and on and on. That is not true - if it were, how come so many new bands like the rappers and boy bands get played? And how come Marillion still hit the charts?

I think the problem is that there wasn't any cheap and so atrocious pop-music in 60s and 70s. All the terms like "quality", "good", "bad", "simple", etc. are comparative. So till the latest 70s show-business still didn't make the "industry" (in a bad sense) of Music so tight. And the masses of people couldn't compare really good music with bad, because no-one produced the really bad music (like cheap pop kinda britney spears or michael jackson or different raps-schmaps...).

We know that masses (not the Fans of music as we are) prefer the simplest and the most primitive music, touching for the common human reflexes (by rhythms, sounds or lyrics), the sexual one, for example... The real Art is much higher than all this crap!

There was plenty of atrocious pop music in the 1970s - can anyone say "Bay City Rollers"?

There was also plenty of "bubblegum" pop back in the 1960s and 1950s.

Proportionally, of course there was much less than today, as back then record companies were still trying to find ways to dominate the music market (payola, buying stock from record sellers listed with Billboard, etc).

Now they've pretty much succeeded with their horrific "stables" of pretty people churning out rubbish written by "professional songwriters" and their Playlist CDs that they send to the radio stations they sponsor.

mp3s aren't killing music - the record companies are trying to.

None of the mentioned ones.

My favorite 80's releases are:

• Marillion - Script for a jester's tear
• Marillion - Fugazi
• Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
• Marillion - Clutching at straws
• IQ - Tales from the lush attic
• IQ - The wake

Eeeww....man what kind of inaccessible collection is that?

What about Moving Pictures from Rush? Or Clutching at Straws by Marillion?

This isn't right.

Sweetnighter wrote: Permanent Waves - Rush Discipline - KC Misplaced Childhood - Marillion Tangram - Tangerine Dream

+

Los Jaivas : 'Alturas de Macchu Picchu' & 'Obras de Violeta Parra'

Sagrado coraçao da terra : 's/t' & 'Flecha'

Rebekka : 'Phoenix' (the german answer to Renaissance)

Vermilion sand (the japanese answer to Renaissance) 

Cai : 'noche abierta'

Gordon Giltrap : 'Peacock party'

Mike Oldfield : QE2

Anthony Phillips : PP&P

Talk Talk : 'Spirit of Eden'

Cardiacs : 'A little man and a house and the whole world window' & 'On land and in the sea'

Kate Bush : everyhting she released at that time

Saga : everything except maybe 'Wildest dreams'

Rush : everything

IQ : the first two albums

It bites : everything

NRG : no reasons given (with kevin Gilbert)

The Enid : 'The spell'

Dixie Dregs : 'Dregs of the earth', 'Unsung heroes', 'Industry standard'

Steve Morse : 'The introduction', 'Stand up', 'High tension wires'

Ambrosia : 'Road island'

Queensryche : everything

Fates Warning : 'Awaken the guardian'

Watchtower : 'Control and resistance'

Metallica : everything released at that time

Voivod : 'Nothingface'

DallasBryan wrote: thanks for your honesty Certified! whats your opionion of some of these recordings. Holger Czukay - On the Way to the Peak of Normal      Gandalf - Magic Theater      Bernard Xolotl - Last Wave      Klaus Schonning - Lorian Arabesque      Johannes Schmoelling - Wuivend Reit      Airto Moreira - The Other Side of This       Michael Shrieve - The Big Picture PROG METALHEADS need not inquire.

Phew - I had to do a bit of revisiting - these aren't regular visitors to my turntable; or more accurately, cassette deck...

I love Can, so Holger's recordings always appeal to me - and I respect his work deeply as I know he studied under the creator of electronic music; Karlheinz Stockhausen. "On the Way..." is a great album and as experimental in terms of textures as you would expect - but I can't help feeling it's Holger trying to keep his vision of Can alive.

I don't know the Gandalf recording - but I like their debut almost as much as I like the debut by the Swedish band of the same name!

Xolotl, Schonning and Schmoelling don't make exactly prog rock, do they? I mean, if I was going to recommend music from the 1980s to Tangerine Dream fans then those are good choices - Last Wave contains some ethereal electronica; but no prog per se.

Airto Moreira? Give me a break! It's superb World music - I wouldn't say "New Age", as it goes beyond what I think of as New Age - but it would also appeal to people who like that music.

I'd almost put Shrieve's music into the same category, as there are vague similarities in style.

All these recordings share one thing; a mostly constant rhythm track over which textures are interplayed, layered and otherwise manuiplated. The nearest to prog rock is Czukay, but only because of the similarities with his former band.

True prog rock of the 1980s does not lie in these recordings - but they are all worthy of consideration for inclusion on this site, IMO.

True 1980s prog IS the neo-prog of the bands I have mentioned. In my opinion, "Script..." is the greatest of the lot for its stylistic innovations, the accent on strong melody and lyrics with elegant clean-cut lines of counterpoint, emphasis on drama through structure and creating powerful and progressive songs rather than pastiches of sonic texture.

It is actually incredibly easy to do the latter - most people can sit down at a keyboard and find a voice that makes a nice sound. The art of intertwining those sounds is imprecise, and a lot can depend on luck - although I am certainly not putting your suggested recordings down - they are all superb.

However, great and progressive songwriting is a more precise art at which the Beatles were the obvious pinnacle in rock/pop, and Genesis the arguable pinnacle in 1970s prog rock - Pink Floyd an obvious alternative. Listen again (and again, if necessary) to "Script...". It took me a while to get - I think I'm still "getting it" 22 years later. There is much more to it than the deceptively simple surface;

Try this little excercise:

Write a piece of music as "simple" as either "Script...", "Chelsea Monday" or "Forgotten Sons". Ensure you have a high level of narrative and drama running through the lyrics as well as the music. Ensure also that all instruments and vocal melodies preserve a perfect counterpoint to each other without ever getting "busy", colour the lyrics without clouding them, and enjoy a little solo status at appropriate moments in the piece whilst maintaining the drama within - indeed, the prime objective is to heighten the drama, since this is a rock song. The piece must be over 6 minutes long, contain a keyboard solo and a guitar solo - both of which are entirely distinct, hummable and memorable, the lyrics must exist on multiple levels to satisfy intellectual listeners, and the overall style should be uniquely indentifiable as something that you have produced with only nods to other musicians or bands.

Simple!

Actually  i think Schmoelling's Wuivend is an excellent album, being quite New Age!

Synergy - Audion is a good exapmle of a New Age rock album!

greenback wrote: Actually  i think Schmoelling's Wuivend is an excellent album, being quite New Age! Synergy - Audion is a good exapmle of a New Age rock album!

Absolutely - New Age, but not true prog - and excellent music - as I said

Aerosol Grey wrote: Script For A Jester's Tear wasn't even the best album of the year it was released. And while I'll agree Marillion and IQ have their feet too steeped in the past glory of prog, Dream Theater have taken their taken that familiar template and run a completely different way with it. They're one of the most fully realized prog bands since the 70s.

"Dream Theater have taken their familiar template and run a different way with it."

Yes they've run over to the heavy rock stable and now play stadium rock.

Flamin' ell Jason you were born in 1985 and whilst this doesnt preclude you having an opinion, it does set you at a disadvantage.

When Marillion released Script prog rock was on its last legs.Remember, that this was a debut album-compare it to early Genesis and you will find a much more focussed, complete product.This was evolution-a stepping stone to creating a singular identity and carrying the torch for an embattled genre.Genesis and Yes were directionless, ELP un-focussed and in disarray.Something completely new was not what was called for. We got something familiar but not really derivative, something that would re-ignite our enthusiasm for Prog rock.Marillion achieved this and but for the split with Fish, would continue to be a huge success.

I am a big Rush fan, but at this time and subsequently, they were moving in different directions-creating a hybrid called prog-metal that you seem to want to give Dream Theater the plaudits for. It is very unlikely that Dream theater and their cohorts would have been making this kind of music without Rush. It is Rush that have run in a different direction from the "template" as you call it and managed to be damn successful whilst doing it.The market for Rush and Dream Theater has intersected frequently over the last 10 years, yet it is Rush who consistently outsell them, both with albums sales and concert seats.

I feel the need to add an album I certainly rate as one of the best prog albums of the 80's - Once Around the World by It Bites. I mention this becuase I bet no one else will!

BilboBaggins wrote: I feel the need to add an album I certainly rate as one of the best prog albums of the 80's - Once Around the World by It Bites. I mention this becuase I bet no one else will!

Did you see my previous post :

Los Jaivas : 'Alturas de Macchu Picchu' & 'Obras de Violeta Parra'

Sagrado coraçao da terra : 's/t' & 'Flecha'

Rebekka : 'Phoenix' (the german answer to Renaissance)

Vermilion sand (the japanese answer to Renaissance) 

Cai : 'noche abierta'

Gordon Giltrap : 'Peacock party'

Mike Oldfield : QE2

Anthony Phillips : PP&P

Talk Talk : 'Spirit of Eden'

Cardiacs : 'A little man and a house and the whole world window' & 'On land and in the sea'

Kate Bush : everyhting she released at that time

Saga : everything except maybe 'Wildest dreams'

Rush : everything

IQ : the first two albums

It bites : everything

NRG : no reasons given (with kevin Gilbert)

The Enid : 'The spell'

Dixie Dregs : 'Dregs of the earth', 'Unsung heroes', 'Industry standard'

Steve Morse : 'The introduction', 'Stand up', 'High tension wires'

Ambrosia : 'Road island'

Queensryche : everything

Fates Warning : 'Awaken the guardian'

Watchtower : 'Control and resistance'

Metallica : everything released at that time

Voivod : 'Nothingface'

So, you will notice I am also fond of this band.

The problem is, DB, that you don't explain your views.

I asked a whole load of questions, simply to try to find out why you might hold such a strong anti-neo prog view, and you have not done the courteousy of answering any of them.

Maybe you find the "ripping apart" style aggressive - I find it the only way to get to the questions I need to ask and maintain some sense of context. You could read it as aggressive attacking (if you felt so defensive about your indefensible views), or you could read it as plain, simple questions. My language is not aggressive, and neither is my intention.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but to slate the entire neo-prog genre and dismiss the bands as nothing but wannabees deserves some kind of explanation - after all, there are others on this site who like the genre a great deal - aren't you curious as to why that may be - or do you just think they are stupid?

Gasp............

Gabriel III is the oly thiung I have heard all the way through on this list.  I love it anyways!!!!!!!!

none of the above

three words

Rush - Moving Pictures

DallasBryan wrote: THIS IS PROGRESSIVE ROCK in the 70's! 1. SYMPHONIC ROCK Italy (approximately 1972-77) ...

What a great article, Bryan,

Thank you!

DallasBryan wrote: If Pendragon, Ayreon, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theatre, Anglagard are so great why are they not filling up stadiums like the bands before them did. They arent on radio, because the old bands are better, on and on and on. Happy Trailz

are you being serious

Aaron

Aaron wrote: DallasBryan wrote: If Pendragon, Ayreon, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theatre, Anglagard are so great why are they not filling up stadiums like the bands before them did. They arent on radio, because the old bands are better, on and on and on. Happy Trailz   are you being serious Aaron

Dallas,

Let me ask you a question.  Why were the early British Progressive bands sucsseful in the US at at all?  If you can answer this question without being sarcastic I will answer yours.

DB - you are so wrong with regard to most Neo-prog; it is clear to me that the trees are interfering with your view of the woods.

I'm glad that you are promoting music that many of us have not listened to (or not listened to much), but your perceptions of Neo-prog seem born of some kind of blind obsession.

Imitations? In The Enid, Twelfth Night or Marillion? Where?

These bands gave prog the jumpstart it needed after running out of steam so quickly (5-6 years is not a long time for a genre to flourish) - so credit where it's due.

But I must hit you again on the "recycled" point. Give me some examples so I can understand - which Genesis track does "Forgotten Sons" sound like? (for example). How do The Enid sound like Yes or ELP? Which band does Twelfth Night remind you of most?

...I REALLY don't understand your point on this.

Certif1ed wrote: But I must hit you again on the "recycled" point. Give me some examples so I can understand

So you thought that your bolts and your locks would keep me out
You should have known better after all this time
You’re gonna pay in blood for all your vicious slander
With your ugly pale skins and your putrid blue eyes
Why should I feel pity when you kill your own and feel no shame
God’s on my side, sure as hell
I’m gonna take no blame
I’m gonna take no blame
I’m gonna take no blame

So you say you believe in all of mother nature’s laws
You lust for gold with your sharpened knives
Oh when your hoards are gathered and your enemies left to rot
You pray with your bloodstained hands at the feet of your pagan gods

Then you try to place the killer’s blade in my hand
You call for justice and distort the truth
Well I’ve had enough of all your pretty pretty speeches
Receive your punishment
Expose your throats to my righteous claws
And let the blood flow, and [let the blood flow], flow, flow, flow.

I may have missed the post where DB justified not including King Crimson's 80s recordings. I would have voted for Discipline, and it seems many here would agree.

But I voted for Art of Noise, anyway. Partly because I like it a lot, I think it's a landmark album, and partly just because I'm a contrary sort of bastard. 

Best 80's prog album IMO:

Nothing tops it, but its closely followed by:

Every other 80's Rush album except Power Windows..and..

Script for a jesters tear - Marillion
Fugazi - Marillion
Clutching at Straws - Marillion
Duke - Genesis
Once around the world - IT Bites
The Spell - The Enid

Blacksword wrote: Best 80's prog album IMO: Nothing tops it, but its closely followed by: Every other 80's Rush album except Hold Your Fire..and..

Me too! I'll have some of that...

The best 80's Prog:

Marillion : Script for a jester's tear, Fugazi, or Rush Moving Pictures  

this one:

the atmosphere on an album is very important for me, that's why i like so much neo prog!

okay: honorable mentions:

pendragon - jewel

eloy - planets

marillion - fugazi

marillion - script

marillion - season's end

marillion - misplaced

rush - signals

it bites - big lad

iq - wake

iq - tales from lush

ant phillips - 1984

pallas - sentinel

rush - moving

.

.

.

The Porpoise's "Blowhole" is close to the top!
What about Crustacian Festivities' "Flat Out At Ramadan"

Or anything by Jaco Pastorius,Stanley Clarke or Bentom Radley?

Art of Noise .... prog? come on!!

As much as I do like Mr Gabriel, by far the best prog album of the 80s was Once Around the World by       It Bites. A classic!

Ahem, Allan Holdsworth's Metal Fatigue.

Oh, and King Crimson's Discipline.

Eric Johnson: Tones.

My personal favorite would be Marillion's "Clutching At Straws". True, not their most progressive but it contains for me the most powerful lyrics ever from Fish.

I voted for 90125. IV (aka Security) is my favorite Gabriel album.

What's next- a "best vocals in an instrumental" poll? 

Should there a forum law against creating definitive-sounding polls with choices severely limited according to your own tastes?

DB has learned much from the American election process. May the best man (that you have actually heard of and doesn't disgust you) win!

Hi Everybody,

From the list I just like PG 3 (I prefer " SECURUTY") and 90125 (but I don't think it was very progressive...)

My favourites are:

FUGAZY - MARILLION

SCRIPT FOR A JESTER'S TEAR - MARILLION

BROADSWORD AND THE BEAST - JETHRO TULL

Best greetings...

DallasBryan wrote: James Lee wrote: Should there a forum law against creating definitive-sounding polls with choices severely limited according to your own tastes? Then there would be NO polls, everyone is working from the limits of their own knowledge. This is obviously not brain surgery. You may not agree with me but I aint dead!

it's a fair point. But you must admit that your choices favor your concept of prog, which excludes what many people on the forum would consider necessary inclusions.

It's worth a lighthearted jab or two, anyway. No personal offense meant.

I do agree, sort of, with Mr Lee as it is fustrating when there are lots of obvious exclusions from a poll list. But by the same token it is also great when someone acknowledges the existance of an album you thought no one else listens to. it is also an important learning experience for those who may for one reason or another not have the backgraound knowledge of prog. That is the most important job of ProgArchives to further the knowledge of prog.

We could however try to change the wording of the Poll question such as 'Which of these 80's Albums was the best' rather than such sweeping questions like 'best prog album of the 80's' Either way you would not stop people from coming up with their own suggestions in the replies. Which is a very good thing as I have discovered many new listening pleasures from this.

The funniest poll was the 'best keyboard player' poll recently. There were so many obviously missing people it was hilarious. It was the first poll where the 'Others' choice won the poll! Another way of looking at the same poll when you read the replies was that it was obvious that Tony Banks was winning it and he wasn't even listed!! 

RUSH EVERYTHING APART POWER WINDOWS

FATES WARNING AWAKEN... , PERFECT SYMETRY

Actually, just about everything from the 80's is sh*t. The only good albums (Discipline, Tangram, Planets, Levitation...) all came out in 80 or 81, alfter that, nothing!

I hope in future generation, humanity will forget about this sad musical period...

Cluster One wrote: Holy crap! No RUSH?!?!?!

what he said