are The Grateful Dead that prog related?yes / not?

I love the Dead but I don't think they're either Proto or Related other than being one of the most influential psych bands..  they certainly have several excellent progressive albums (Allah, Terrapin) but in order to be ProgRelated you'd have to show in what way they're related to prog  ..I think the question would come down this;  were the Dead influenced by the English prog movement and is that reflected in their more composed albums between 73 and 77?  If so, how much impact is heard or is it more of an internal progression in the group








Edited by Atavachron - June 10 2008 at 16:57

yes but many bands did, at one point almost every rock album out of Britain was in some way progressive, but were the Dead related to prog directly in some way?  They may have been, but the evidence is thin.

No but  your right about  The Mars Hotel now that's a good album but Prog ?? No 

 ^ precisely

I'm not intimately familiar with all their albums.  I have Anthem of the Sun and Terrapin Station.  One psychedelic for sure and the other with a lot of proggy moments.

One can count on this same thread being resurrected at least once per year. Talk about beating a Dead horse!!

soundsweird wrote: One can count on this same thread being resurrected at least once per year. Talk about beating a Dead horse!!

You should be Grateful it only gets resurrected at least once per year.

jammun wrote: My problem with considering them prog-related is that their best albums (Workingman's Dead, American Beauty) are anything but.

Edited by zicIy - June 12 2008 at 04:33

The problem is, Moris, that many site members seem to completely disregard those two small words, 'related' and 'proto', and think that every single band or artist included in our database should automatically be considered prog. I used to be a big supporter of those two categories, until I saw how controversial they could be, and even lead to unpleasant incidents.

Personally, the only suggestions for addition to PP or PR that I disagree with are those of artists like Phil Collins, whose sole relation to prog is to have been members of a prog band, but whose solo output has nothing to do with our beloved genre. As for the Dead, I am anything but an expert on them, therefore I trust the judgment of those people who - like you - think they deserve a spot here.

clarke2001 wrote: In my opinion, they absolutely deserve a place here. Proto-prog and prog-related categories are NOT prog, so there's no point of saying "oh, they are not prog". I agree long psyche jams are not the best material for inclusion here but...one prog album merits inclusion in prog-related, let alone a few more facts that can be attached to the band, like groundbreaking/pioneering new sounds and being very eclectic in their style(s) Anyone who was able to compose Terrapin (a lightyear away from spontaneous jam) should be received on PA with open hands; it's not less prog then best Genesis moments. So, there's no point in "stretching" the  Prog Related so it could "fit damn near any group you can think of the late 60's and 70's" ... The Dead deserves recognition.

the stretching goes back to a comment .. no names.. but it comes from a member of the admin team who decide such things unless M@X unilaterally ok's them because ..well... he is M@X.  Some time back  the issue of Steely Dan came up for inclusion here... one of the MAIN reasons they have not been accepted here.. though their music fits MANY of the things the geek squads here check off on for deciding it it is prog or not.  Thatreason.. probably the main reason they are not even in PR.. when they can easily be put in a fully prog sub-genre (J-R or Xover) is that 'they are not KNOWN to have ever been associated with the prog movement'  That rationale cuts to the quick as to why the Dead IS a stretch to be here.  The thing people have to understand about PR is that groups are not judged solely on their music.. for many of the reasons that Raff stated...  you are in fact talking degress of prog.. associations with prog.. you can't simply judge whether they are prog or not... hell.. they wouldn't be considered FOR PR if they were prog hahahha.  Thus the problem.. the problem that has always surrounded PR...  it is and cannot ever escape being.. an 'if x then y' or 'if not x.. then no way in hell y' hahhaha.