Meatloaf

I think that Bat might qualify as an early kind of Progressive Pop ... popular music composed in a progressive way. It is designed to seem simplistic, similarly to the Neo Prog genre, but the complexity is there. The music is full of art-music elements.

Not at all similar to Neo Prog, in fact;

It's not designed to be simplistic - it's designed to be bombastic and over the top with theatrical flourishes more akin to Prog Metal - except with greater compositional skills, especially with regards to form and complexity.

It is simplistic by my definition. Unskilled listeners would hear the "theatrical flourishes", but not necessarily think of them as complex. However, people listening to Stravinsky or similarly complex compositions would recognize the complexity immediately.

I'm not sure about that - I know plenty of people who just like Stravinsky and don't even reliase that the music is complex - and why should they?

I also know plenty of people that think that Mozart was somehow a "simple" composer... Hopefully, since this year commemorates 250 years since Mozart was born, there should be plenty of education available regarding his genius.

It's designed to be accessible, which is what it does have in common with some Neo Prog - but it's not pop music any more than Genesis were when they wrote "Trespass".

It is pop because people who normally don't like prog, classical or jazz listen to it. It is popular music, and that's what the term "pop" implies.

Yes, and so is Dark Side of the Moon (among others), which is partly why some of the "hard core" progholes have a problem accepting DSOTM. That doesn't mean it's not Prog though.

However, I don't think that Meat Loaf was ever considered to be a Prog Rock artist by his fans or the press, and because of that it would be wrong to add him ... even when his music suggests otherwise. After all, Prog Rock is a phrase with both historical and musical implications, and both of these aspects must be taken into account.

I don't think King Crimson, Genesis, Pink Floyd or a whole number of other bands were considered Prog Rock at the time either - people still scoff at Queen, Radiohead - and even Pink Floyd on occasion.

Ok, let's put it another way: Most people would not have put Meat Loaf and Genesis in the same genre.

Most people wouldn't put Supertramp, Hawkwind, Dream Theater and Genesis in the same genre.

I've also yet to hear any Prog metal that has anything to do with Prog Rock, except, maybe, some borrowed ideas from Floyd or even Yes.

I'm not going there ... been there, done that. Just let me rephrase your statement:

"No Prog Metal has anything to do with Prog Rock, except for borrowing ideas from classic prog rock bands".

I leave it to the informed reader to decide if this statement makes any sense. Suffice it to say that I believe that most prog metal has much to do with prog rock.

It has far more to do with metal/standard rock - it's closer to Metallica than it is to Gentle Giant.

But I doubt that any of this will be taken into account...

Neither do I.

Still, whiles away a dull morning...