Top 5 US Prog bands from the 70s |
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Aaron
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 08 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 395 |
Topic: Top 5 US Prog bands from the 70s Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:02 |
I was just thinking about my collection and how american prog is something I never focus on. My favorite US prog band is probably Happy the Man, even though, honestly, only their s/t and Crafty hands are the only releases that I would call brilliant. Sure Zappa is great, but after that, who cares, I feel like I am having a brain fart and missing something obvious, but all the US prog bands I am thinking of suck, like Ambrosia or Saga (dont actually know if the are american) or Styx I will admit that I kind of do like Starcastle though, on the occasion that their cheesiness doesnt put me off, and I was just sampling Sweet Smoke, who I'll look into so list a top five or top ten, this has probably been a thread before, at which point one of you will link 10 different threads on the same topic in their post, please do Aaron |
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Ounamahl
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 13 2005 Location: Finland Status: Offline Points: 245 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:15 |
Utopia is #1, Todd Rundgen is an awesome pop & prog songwriter.
singring and the glass guitar forever Edited by Ounamahl |
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This is an electrified fairytale
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Ounamahl
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 13 2005 Location: Finland Status: Offline Points: 245 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:16 |
Spock's Beard comes second
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This is an electrified fairytale
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Trotsky
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 25 2004 Location: Malaysia Status: Offline Points: 2771 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:17 |
Yes if you do a search for American prog ... you will find 3 threads that will be of interest ...
Excluding Zappa ... 4 of my Top 5 bands are incredibly predictable ... 1) Kansas 2) Utopia 3) Yezda Urfa 4) Cathedral 5) Journey (very largely on the basis of the excellent first album, which is fiery jazz-rock that is nothing like subsequent releases) And, I too have a dislike for Ambrosia, btw ... and find Happy The Man a little frustrating Haven't yet heard full albums by Touch, Starcastle, Lift, Babylon and Mithrandir ... other 70s US prog bands that people mention (well Touch might be a 60s outfit) |
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"Death to Utopia! Death to faith! Death to love! Death to hope?" thunders the 20th century. "Surrender, you pathetic dreamer.”
"No" replies the unhumbled optimist "You are only the present." |
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Dick Heath
Special Collaborator Jazz-Rock Specialist Joined: April 19 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 12813 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:22 |
Stay awake there in the back row: the topic is on 70's!!!!!!!! And in the 70's Spock didn't have a beard, just pointy ears! |
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Aaron
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 08 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 395 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:22 |
right right, Kansas, forgot about them, theyre ok I also like Return to Forever and Dixie Dregs, but I think I would prefer to leave the fusion bands out of this I guess I am looking for a more lesser known list although, to be fair I know nothing about Yezda Urfa and Cathedral, whom I will be looking up right now Aaron |
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Dick Heath
Special Collaborator Jazz-Rock Specialist Joined: April 19 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 12813 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:23 |
1967 to 69! |
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Ounamahl
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 13 2005 Location: Finland Status: Offline Points: 245 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:24 |
Hah sorry, I didn't read the topic very well :D
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This is an electrified fairytale
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Dr. Occulator
Forum Senior Member Joined: March 04 2006 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 628 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:25 |
Of course I agree with the Kansas, Utopia, Yesda Urfe, Frank Zappa picks but
dare I say Steely Dan!!! Of course I do. It's certainly progressive in that they created music like no other before it, incredible musicianship, abstract lyrics and impeccable compositions. Has no-one thought of including them as an 'official' prog-rock band? |
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My Doc Told Me I Have Doggie Head.
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Dick Heath
Special Collaborator Jazz-Rock Specialist Joined: April 19 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 12813 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:27 |
Gypsy for obscureness - although only one distinct prog song on their American Gypsy album (Columbia Records???)?????
Remember Todd Rundgren produced at least one truly solo album - i.e. doing all the instruments himself: because of this I'm reminded that Emitt Rhodes did also produced truly solo albums at the same time. However, I can't remember whether his records contained anything really prog.................... |
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Zac M
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 03 2005 Status: Offline Points: 3577 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:28 |
Besides American Jazz-Fusion acts, I'd have to say that my favorite
U.S. Prog album from the 70s is Journey's debut, really excellent.
By the way, Steely Dan aren't Prog, although they are quite good. |
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"Art is not imitation, nor is it something manufactured according to the wishes of instinct or good taste. It is a process of expression."
-Merleau-Ponty |
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philhepple
Forum Groupie Joined: January 31 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 49 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:36 |
Ambrosia's first album BLOWS away anything by Starcastle,Yes wantabes, or Happy The Man. You must have missed the first Ambrosia album which is brilliant! "Mama Frog", "Drink Of Water", "Time Waits For No One", "Make Us All Aware", and "Nice Nice Very Nice" are all very original Classic Prog! See this review http://www.progressiveworld.net/ambrosia2.html Edited by philhepple |
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TheProgtologist
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: May 23 2005 Location: Baltimore,Md US Status: Offline Points: 27802 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:41 |
Kansas Happy the Man Yezda Urfa Cathedral Arabesque
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Firepuck
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 28 2006 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 657 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 11:50 |
Five of my favourite US bands from the 70's are: Zappa Kansas Utopia Weather Report Dixie Dregs |
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Kryten : "'Pub'? Ah yes, A meeting place where humans attempt to achieve advanced states of mental incompetence by the repeated consumption of fermented vegetable drinks."
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 12:03 |
Odyssey (great Hammond organ work) Ethos Netherworld Lift (exciting vintage keyboards) Angel (first two albums) Atlantis Philharmonic |
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Aaron
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 08 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 395 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 12:05 |
[QUOTE=philhepple] if you insist, I will give the album another spin, I wouldnt deny that Ambrosia is probably better than Starcastle, I would never admit to them being a important band in any way, just fun to listen to sometimes I am surprised to see all these Kansas and Utopia fans, but whatever, you like what you like Aaron |
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Chris_Kemp
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 02 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 113 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 12:20 |
Ambrosia (first two albums are awesome; their poppy instincts seem to turn some people off but there is no question these are progressive pop albums at their best) Happy the Man Kansas Utopia Netherworld |
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"That's not your face...it's mine! IT'S MINE!!
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Dr Know
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 10 2006 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 532 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 12:29 |
Kansas definately take the crown! What about Pavlov´s Dog? |
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Pylo
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 03 2005 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 165 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 12:30 |
Only 4 for me
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Pylo
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jcleary
Forum Groupie Joined: February 02 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 45 |
Posted: March 08 2006 at 12:32 |
I was at a friends house last year and he put on "Drink Of Water" by
Ambrosia without telling me who it was and GUNNED the volume. I was blown away. I couldn't believe how good the whole album sounded. Before that I had only heard the pop ballads and hadn't given Ambrosia the time of day. I've also heard the second album is good. I'll have to get it. |
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