UK vs. USA

It depends which sub genres you're talking about. America blazed something of a trail for RIO/Avant prog, mainly via Zappa and Beefheart (to say nothing of Sun Ra), and was pretty much the cradle of jazz-rock fusion. Then there's the Residents, the whole John Zorn downtown scene in New York and a thriving RIO scene that has gone from strength to strength since the 80s.

Syzygy wrote: It depends which sub genres you're talking about. America blazed something of a trail for RIO/Avant prog, mainly via Zappa and Beefheart (to say nothing of Sun Ra), and was pretty much the cradle of jazz-rock fusion. Then there's the Residents, the whole John Zorn downtown scene in New York and a thriving RIO scene that has gone from strength to strength since the 80s.   On the other hand, it's difficult to think of any American Zeuhl and the US contribution to Krautrock was pretty much limited to early Can vocalist Malcolm Mooney.

I mean that main and most popular subgenres are Symphonic, Psychedelic/Space, Neo and Heavy Prog.There is the strength and, without doubt, dominion of British bands. RIO/Avant is a marginal subgenre for a few of intellectuals, why we´ll entertain false hopes? The same is true for Zeuhl or Krautrock.

I give full credit to Britain for taking an American invention (rock 'n roll) to its full potential in ways no one could've imagined.  However, considering the first real 'progressive' rock band IMO was the Beach Boys, when you include Zappa, Beaver & Krauss (not to mention Bob Moog), Touch (comprised mostly of Americans), and practically the entire psychedelic scene, the United States clearly played a crucial role in the evolution of rock music.


 

DT-PT wrote: Gandalff wrote: To Dick Heath: OK, maybe the foundation on Prog Rock is American, but main formers of Prog are from Great Britain.   To Epignosis: OK, I´ll correct my opinion "I mean American bands are always behind."  to "sometimes behind". I have thought just about that:   Byrds - American answer to Beatles, Astra -     -"-               -"-       to Pink Floyd, Tool -      -"-               -"-       to Porcupine Tree, Yezda Urfa -   -"-       -"-       to Gentle Giant, Starcastle -  -"-         -"-       to Yes, Blue Oyster Cult -     -"-      to Black Sabbath,  etc.   Of course, somebody can tell that sometimes American bands were the first , but I mean it´s only exemption. I disagree with the Tool/PT statement. Tool had their sort of style while PT was still a psychedelia band, so I think Tool had that style first.

And King Crimson had already invented the style while these twerps were still in diapers. Next!

As far as major classic prog bands go, Kansas is the only well known one to produce prog from my home country, and they weren't even all American (correct me if I'm wrong...). I think it might have something to do with America's overemphasis on money as a end rather than the means of producing art. To make the most money you cheapen the product, so I'm sure many classic prog composers that might have been huge in Europe were given no attention in America. I could just see some American teens hearing the classic prog from Britain and form a band in that vein, but since record companies in America were ten years ahead in the commercialism aspect, they died before they could even develop. That's the only theory I have.

Isa wrote: As far as major classic prog bands go, Kansas is the only well known one to produce prog from my home country, and they weren't even all American (correct me if I'm wrong...). I think it might have something to do with America's overemphasis on money as a end rather than the means of producing art. To make the most money you cheapen the product, so I'm sure many classic prog composers that might have been huge in Europe were given no attention in America. I could just see some American teens hearing the classic prog from Britain and form a band in that vein, but since record companies in America were ten years ahead in the commercialism aspect, they died before they could even develop. That's the only theory I have.

ferush wrote: The Beatles, Genesis, Yes, King Cimson, Pink Floyd, Marillion, Porcupine Tree, Jethro Tull, IQ, ..., ...

The Byrds, The Doors, Frank Zappa, Simon and Garfunkel, Iron Butterfly, Kansas, Echolyn, Tool,  Dream Theater..., ...  

Gandalff wrote:   As regards Byrds, the label "US answer to Beatles" was given them by some then journalists.

Henry Plainview wrote: American jazz is better than European jazz. I win!

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I think we're all winners