Who was the first Prog Rock band?

The question is just another conundrum of this site...

just a question for you blokes:Styx is considered prog or at least "proggish" but i seem to remember reading somewhere that their roots as a band go back to 1963, what were they or their ancestors playing then and like many bands who have their roots in these times how did that sound influence prog(the beatles have often been mentioned) but what about the 50/s beatniks playing what we now might call Acid Jazz and its influence on bands like Gong. i humbly submit this for your consideration(...oh all right!...just tell me what you Fink!!)

The problem with this is that while bands who eventually went prog were around in the early to mid 60s, they were not playing prog.

The following musical styles (individually), in my opinion, do not constitute prog:  jazz, psychadelia and heavy rock.

So this pretty much rules out the likes of soft machine and pre-meddle floyd, deep purple and cream, and also bands like the moody blues.

Even Aerosol Grey Machine by the mighty VDGG (released 1969) is more psychadelia than anything else.  Hence, the first album to fit prog rock criteria came in 1969, from a band we all know and some of us love.  It was called IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING. 

So, while other bands who would later play prog pre-date crimson, they were the first band to play actual prog-rock.  Hence, they were the first progressive rock band. 

"Styx is considered prog or at least "proggish" but i seem to remember reading somewhere that their roots as a band go back to 1963,"

Uh, I don't know about that man, they would've been children then, I think.

The musical styles I mentioned can indeed be, and often are, constituent elements of prog rock, but are not individually progressive, at least not in the sense that that we define prog rock to be. 

There were bands like soft machine and pink floyd playing psychadelia in the 60s, and while it may have been a natural evolution for them to eventually become prog, they were not at that time.

I personally feel - and this is just my opinion, bear in mind - that pre-Meddle floyd (PATGOD, SOS, Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother) were more psych than anything else.  A lot of people see Dark Side... as the 'turning point' album, but their real change in sound came with Meddle.  More structured and less freak-out than stuff that had come before, it also featured less of an inclination to jam, and a harder edge than their earlier material, exemplified on "One of these days".

Therefore, I think that Meddle is Floyd's first prog rock album, and since it came in 1971, that places their transition to full-blown prog two years later than King Crimson. 

GONGHOBBITT: NOT SO!!!! John Panozzo for example was born in 1948 and was along with Denniss De young , playing in a band called "The Tradewinds "(forerunner of Styx) in the early 60's while still in thier early teens( i have just found this out!!)

Here we go again with the what is/what is not prog debate. Th Hungarian band Omega started out playing covers in clubs in Budapest as far back as 1962! There are still original members in the band and they are going on a Hungarian tour in the spring culminating with a blowout show in Budapest in September.

But as far as first band to play prog? this is what you mean right?

I`ll have to go with the Nice.

Edited by Vibrationbaby

Vibe  i agree with you, while there is inherent value in discussing some subjects and i personally have gained knowledge from these issues, "the what is prog/definition/origin" debate does seem to be running in circles(the defenition of prog section at the home page covers it all quite well!!..still it is good to see such healthy(and civilized(and often humorus)) debate

Joren wrote: I've read in my encyclopedia of pop music, that Love is a legendaric band. Is their music interesting?

For me Yes !... but for you I don't know

I could only suggest you to listen their music

I like very much "Da Capo" released before "Forever Changes" (early '67), mainly :

-Orange sky (beautyfull song with flute and unusual melody)

-7 And 7 Is (qualified as first "metal" song of all times)

-Revelation (a 19 mn track !)

I have learned that their first name was "Grassroots".

It is not surprising because I think they have smoked all the leaves

Edited by Tauhd Zaïa

Joren,

I can send you 3 or 4 MP3 I you want