The Best Progressive Rock Band of The '60s?

Incredible String band. Ok they weren't a rock band but they were definitely forward thinking MF's (to borrow Julian Cope's favourite phrase) and had made a string of mind bending and influential albums before the 60's were out..

Edited by David_D - January 12 2023 at 22:49

It takes a moment to even think who were around in the 60's and doing prog., but I'd give the vote to:

Edited by Boojieboy - January 13 2023 at 17:20

^ not Bob Moog then?

richardh wrote: ^ not Bob Moog then?

Bob Moog because he invented the instrument. Musicians were unable to play synthesizer sounds on a keyboard and Bob Moog made it possible for them to do that when he invented the Moog Synthesizer. Beaver And Krause, Wendy Carlos, Mort Garson, Ruth White, etc..all consulted with him. It seemed more of a situation where they were the Musicians and Bob Moog was the inventor opening their world to new ideas and concepts for music.

As if Beaver and Krause notified Bob Moog that they were going to set up a Moog Synthesizer at the gates of Monterey Pop Festival and that maybe Bob Moog said.." Great..go for it". and shortly after Beaver and Krause began assisting George Harrison and The Doors to produce Psychedelic Music using a synthesizer. I believe that Keith Emerson probably explained what he wanted out of a Moog Synthesizer and that Paul Beaver put all of his energies into designing it for him.

Paul Beaver had assembled musicians at Grace Cathedral to record 5 instrumental pieces . The cathedral contained a hollow reverb quality and a short delay . This became an idea for European musicians to pursue. It was the beginnings of Ambient and later New Age...however the idea was utilized later on by Jade Warrior, Steve Jolliffe, Stomu Yamashta, and probably several others as years progressed. The band YES utilized the sound to create soundscape backing for Jon Anderson's voice. It's possible that Paul Beaver came up with the concept, but using real instruments and less synthesizer..which became a ritual for bands like Pulsar .

It's conceivable that Delia Derbyshire was a major influence on the idea of making Rock more cosmic in Europe..as Paul McCartney was very interested in consulting with her after writing "Yesterday". On her album DREAMS she creates the same ambience that Brian Eno used in the 70s. Her usage of sound generators and cutting tapes to form melodies formed an odd style of phrasing which is present in the "Dr. Who" theme but later adapted with more advanced keyboard technology in 70s Prog. Delia Derbyshire was a major influence on keyboardist sounds , rhythmical patterns, and creepy phrasing later on in Prog.

dwill123 wrote: Seatrain should be on this list, somewhere.

dwill123 wrote: Seatrain should be on this list, somewhere.

I know what I will be listening to tonight,after my wife goes to bed. Thanks for the recommendation!

richardh wrote: Interesting, Emerson only seemed to give credit to Moog but that was presumably for commercial reasons!

Edited by Gerinski - January 16 2023 at 09:27

Soft Machine - a supergroup in reverse. 

dwill123 wrote: Seatrain should be on this list, somewhere.