Oops

Been here a couple of weeks and only just noticed the newbie section.

I have loved prog music since the mid-seventies when I was in my teens.

Big fan of Van Der Graaf Generator/Peter Hammill, Gong, Man & Jefferson Starship (well Kantner's current live band anyway). Also like Caravan, Hawkwind, Colosseum, Kevin Ayers, ELP, The Nice and early Frank Zappa.

Not really that familiar with many new-ish prog groups (most groups post 1980 really) so learnt a lot already from this great site.

BTW, like to think I am not a nutter, but love Nutter Alert track from VdGG's new album.

I'm a newbie only because I found this website a week ago.

I like Early Genesis& Yes!

-The Prog Man

NutterAlert wrote: Trouserpress wrote: Hi there! VDGG = Bloody good band, Nutter Alert = Bloody good song! To get things rolling, what's your opinion on: - Italian prog - Gentle Giant - Neo-prog - Soft Machine - The post-80s bands you HAVE heard And once more - WELCOME! Thanks for the welcome. Italian Prog - Really like PFM. Saw them last year (I think) with Peter Hammill guesting on vocals, singing one song in Italian. Great stuff. Gentle Giant - I've tried to listen to them but really haven't got going yet. What would you recommend as a good album to get started? Neo-Prog - Quite liked IQ Soft Machine: should have put them on my list of favourites. Love First and Jet propelled Photo, but I drifted away from them when Wyatt left Post 80's bands - The Tangent (first album), Spocks Beard, The Secret Machine and Transatlantic Do you have any thoughts on any other contemporary prog bands I could listen to?

Italian Prog - If you're a VDGG fan then Osanna are a must! (Also good if you like a splash of Tull-ish flute)

Gentle Giant - I'm a GG obsessive, so I'm tempted to say any of them, but "In a Glass House" could be an excellent starting point for you. Rather dark at times, and shows off all their best features brilliantly.

Neo-prog - Well, these things can't be helped, I suppose.

Soft Machine - Likewise! Post-Wyatt Softs is just dreary fusion. The much better option is just to follow Wyatt's career through Matching Mole and solo albums! Hehe... he's barely taken a wrong turn in his musical career.

Post-80's bands - There's a lot of amazingly innovative modern prog available if you know where to look. Labels like Cuneiform and Musea showcase some of the finest examples. Right now I'm really digging a band called Taal (check out my review of their album "Skymind" on the archives). Oh, and the Tangent are a bit cringingly retro for me... The Canterbury sequence chills my blood.