Popular Prog Bands that you just can't get into

gottagetintogetout wrote: A Person wrote: gottagetintogetout wrote: Easy for me: Gong.   Sorry if I offended you, but I have a hard time understanding Gong's music.  To me, some of it seems like pointless experimentation or texture rather than good music.  Maybe you can help me appreciate what I'm missing while listening to them.

The first thing one should notice about Gong, whether we are talking about the Daevid Allen incarnation or the Pierre Moerlen incarnation, is the excellent musicianship. Even Allen himself is a good lead guitarist, as can be heard on several albums, though within the classic Gong line-up he usually only plays rhythm guitar or glissando guitar. Start there, appreciate the excellent musicianship, then it all falls into place by itself at one point.

There is some silly humour in the Allen incarnation of Gong, but it is never pointless..The whole story of  "Zero the hero" makes complete sense; it is the tale of a spiritual initiation, with sex and drugs being an important part of the initiation. But the holy and wise spirits have a lot of anarchic humour, perhaps BECAUSE they are holy and wise.

I always thought of Magma as the main example, but then I heard KA and decided that I like them. ODDITY. I guess my next answer will cause a sh*tload of controversy, so I say Dream Theater.

Blowin Free wrote: I always thought of Magma as the main example, but then I heard KA and decided that I like them. ODDITY. I guess my next answer will cause a sh*tload of controversy, so I say Dream Theater.

  KA is quite good but it's just sad that it's an old music just recently recorded. I would have liked it if he could have written music that good NOW. Oh well.

jeje wrote: Pink Floyd, Genesis and other "granny-prog" from 70's. Of course there's some "semi-prog" and prog-related bands that are great like Deep Purple or Queen etc.

BaldFriede wrote: There is some silly humour in the Allen incarnation of Gong, but it is never pointless..The whole story of  "Zero the hero" makes complete sense; it is the tale of a spiritual initiation, with sex and drugs being an important part of the initiation. But the holy and wise spirits have a lot of anarchic humour, perhaps BECAUSE they are holy and wise.

Yeah, isn't it a reworking of the story of Buddha? David Allen Gong is a wonderful example of a blend of psychedelic rock and jazz. David's vocals are amazing too, he has a great sound when he sings, not so much the sound of his voice, but the way he sings.

I had a good chuckle with the grannie prog thing.  I'd have to say if you have a grandma that likes prog, you've got a pretty cool grandma. 

Thanks for your help, BaldFriede and A Person.  After listening to the "Radio Gnome Invisible" trilogy again, I now understand it better.  I know that there are many stranger bands out there, but I thought that you described what I feel exactly when you said it was "silly."  But I guess that that's what Gong fans find in there favorite bands: the humor and quirkiness (and the musical virtuosity of course.)  They still aren't one of my favorite bands, but I have to say that the trilogy has gone from 1-star to 3-stars after listening to it with in open mind.

Definitely The Flower Kings, Yes and Frank Zappa: I really can't see what all the fuzz with them is about... Sometimes they have a good moment, but generally they just...suck IMO

catfood03 wrote: Led Zep