Is Rush prog

richardh wrote: In the seventies the term 'prog' was a narrow corridor

The term ‘prog,’ in fact an abbreviation that has gained a good measure of new meaning, did not exist in the seventies, as progressive rock was a more narrowly defined genre with a limited number of bands recognized under that label. Even Pink Floyd wasn't considered progressive rock; rather, they were a psychedelic rock band. The term “progressive rock” emerged in the late 1960s as a way to describe a new wave of underground music that sought to push the boundaries of rock music through complex compositions, innovative instrumentation, and eclectic structure, often featuring medieval folk and classical music sounds. However, during the seventies, when progressive rock was in its heyday, the shorthand “prog,” a much broader category where one can put both Yes and Rush and Pink Floyd and Return to Forever and Tangerine Dream and Dream Theater, did not exist.

^Uhh... no.

Mishkou wrote: [Rush was a typical hard rock band at the time when they released Hemispheres. In the same league with Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, or UFO.

Jared wrote: Mishkou wrote: [Rush was a typical hard rock band at the time when they released Hemispheres. In the same league with Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, or UFO. I really can only put this down to you coming from LA, where band categorisations may have been different, because what you are describing certainly wasn't my formative experience?

I, for one, absolutely agree with Mishkou. My formative experience as a West European rock music listener tells me that acoustic guitar intros and some atmospheric passages here and there featuring keyboards can be heard on the many albums of the 70s hard rock bands with a more artistic approach than, e.g., Kiss or AC/DC. Rush was regarded as a hard rock band in the same way as, for instance, Uriah Heep, Led Zeppelin, Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, and underrated UFO.

Cristi wrote: There's a huge thread about this still active (and i bet this was discussed to death in the past) https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=126250&PID=5889315

Indeed. I'm a newbie to this forum; however, I've already witnessed debates regarding the progressive classification of Rush before, on other web locations. Indeed, "Is Rush progressive rock?" isn't the first time such a question has arisen. Nevertheless, from what's being said, one could infer that, while this question might still recur at least in their time of high, Rush was never a progressive rock band but a hard rock band.