Can someone tell me... (Moody Blues/Procol Harum)

I have a different perspective.

 

Most of the Moody Blues career was done aster 1969, as a fact I do believe that their only 100% Prog release (Long Distance Voyager) was recorded in the 80's, as a fact The Moodies roots are in the 60's but most of their career is passed the 60's, so it was ridiculous to have them as Proto Prog.

 

On the other hand Procol Harum is an Icon of Proto Prog and lets be honest their career after "A Salty Dog"  (1969) or if you want "Home" (1970), is less transcendental. It's also important to notice that Procol Harum roots go back until 1959 with The Paramounts (AKA The Pinewoods), so if we focus in the peak of their career and their importance for the genre, they can't be in other place than Proto Prog.

 

As a Proto Prog fan, I'm tired to see this real sub-genre being compared with Prog Related, Proto Prog is a necessary and logical stage of Prog evolution, without which, the genre wouldn't ever existed or had been completely different, while Prog Related is a parallel category that could had or had not existed without real significance for Prog.

 

The Proto Prog movement would not existed without songs like Fire (Arthur Brown) or A Whiter Shade of Pale" so moving Procol Harum is removing a good part of PP's identity.

 

My two cents

 

Iván

On a similar note, I find it odd that The Who are considered proto-prog, when their major prog records were 69-73. Its just strange having the #1 proto album being Quadrophenia. 

Ricochet wrote: The Whistler wrote: C'mon Rico! You and I both know that that's impossible by now... I found your question to be serious, especially because I haven't listenined to either bands' music, in order to tell the difference. So I think an answer should match up your question.

C'mon Rico! You and I both know that that's impossible by now...

I still believe in art rock! Mind my words, it'll be back someday, and you'll ALL go, "Oh [the] Whistler! How could we have ever doubted you?"

Why The Moody Blues are crossover prog, and Procol Harum is proto? I mean, dude! They both came out at the same time with their big ole "landmark" records ('67, Days Of Future and Procol Harum respectively). And, dude, by the late seventies Procol was clearly doing the proggier thing (I mean, Octave is certainly leaning in a poppier direction, whereas Something Magic has a song that takes up a single side! Who else was doing that in 1977? Well...Yes or ELP probably, but still).