The Who? Proto-Prog?

Why can't The Who be proto-punk and proto-prog?

^ Both bands albums come at the height of the prog-rock movement, so I don't know how either are proto

Chicapah wrote: If one has a problem with Pete and the boys being here then I would venture to say that Led Zep, Beatles, Deep Purple and many others would fail to qualify for similar reasons.

Man, you just had to open that floodgate, didn't you?

^ I disagree. I'm not taking away any influence The Who had in the rock spectrum. Indeed, nearly every rock band since has been influenced by them. I'm also not taking away from the band's musical prowless. I think both Who's Next and Quadrophenia are absolultely genius, great song writing, 5 star albums. However, I think these albums were influenced by the progressive rock movement which was at its height. Pre-69 The Who were doing things that would forever change and influence rock musicians. In the 70s they were bitten by the prog bug and were very much filing suit with their unique tinge of it.

Equality 7-2521 wrote: ^ I disagree. I'm not taking away any influence The Who had in the rock spectrum. Indeed, nearly every rock band since has been influenced by them. I'm also not taking away from the band's musical prowless. I think both Who's Next and Quadrophenia are absolultely genius, great song writing, 5 star albums. However, I think these albums were influenced by the progressive rock movement which was at its height. Pre-69 The Who were doing things that would forever change and influence rock musicians. In the 70s they were bitten by the prog bug and were very much filing suit with their unique tinge of it.

hmmm.....  obviously no one is 'in' Townshend's head.  However I think he can be seen much like Waters... he has his vision...and he wasn't a slave to the prevailing currents around him.  It's easy to see the prog influence on Zeppelin...they went from stealing blues songs to having prog rock creep into some of their music. That is why they went in PR (disagree still as I do with their inclusion). However to say that the Who suddenly started in the 70's making prog ignores a more general concept of what prog is about.  That is what the Who brought to rock...and what prog was all about. The Who influenced prog on an order of light years more than the prog movement influenced them. It's all opinion of course... and I think the bio states nicely that point of view.

Equality 7-2521 wrote: ^ The Who brought plenty to rock, but we don't hail every innovation as progressive or there would be scores more bands here. I don't think what they were doing before the 70s necessarily contributed to the progressive aspect of the prog rock we know (though beyond a doubt they did to the rock part).

awesome.... I really do love how people can look at the same picture and draw different interpretations from it.  I don't mean that as a smartass but in a serious way.  For me the Who's real importance was not exactly for rock in general (we have the more blues based groups where rock has always tended to lay, like Zeppelin,  to count as the major influences on rock in general) but where the Who really influenced rock was again for what I tried to mention in the bio by bringing intellectualism and 'art' (along with all it's pretentiousness  and seriousness)  to rock music... and that again is exactly what prog was ALL about when you dissect prog down to the bone.

the only thing i have against this,is calling the who punk related,just cuz of power chords and the high energy the provide which to be honest if you listen to most albums isnt always trademark for example quadrophenia,a quick one,who are you,tommy no real relivance to punk and even with the my generation the song writing capabiltys are much more complex then punk music.Weather there should be on here or not, i dont care the more awesome bands the merrier.

Easy Money wrote:  I agree, the Who are way more polished and complex than most early punk bands, but I do recall in the very very early days of punk, many punkers cited Quadrophenia as an influence. Probably the second most cited influence was Kiss. This was in their words, not mine.

jimidom wrote: Easy Money wrote:  I agree, the Who are way more polished and complex than most early punk bands, but I do recall in the very very early days of punk, many punkers cited Quadrophenia as an influence. Probably the second most cited influence was Kiss. This was in their words, not mine.   <FONT face="Times New Roman, Times, serif" color=#330099 size=4>I know where they are coming from regarding Kiss as an influence. In their very early days, Kiss shared the bill with bands like the New York Dolls and the Harlots of 42nd St.

As I remember it, the British punks were more apt to name the Who and Roxy Music as inspiration, and the punks in California were more apt to name Kiss.
P.S. Its nice seeing Coltrane on here.

mrcozdude wrote: I would of thought punk would be more inspired more the mod lifestyle then mod music as they were more of a statement,i guess an influence non the less.But now the discussion should be can punk related be in progressive music?

I am not interested in trying to influence who goes on this site, but the existence of music that draws from punk and prog is widespread, besides the aforementioned Roxy, Eno, Bowie and VDGG, there is also the Minutemen, Pere Ubu, Devo, Talking Heads, Gone, No Means NO, Nuerosis, Victim's Family, Massacre, John Zorn, Mr Bungle, Faith No More, Vernon Reid, and probably countless others I don't know about.