What was the first Prog album?

OK it is not the first one but quiet early

Wendy Carlos :switched on bach 1968,

I think she was the first to use the Moog and one of the pioneers of keyboarding.

Peter Rideout wrote: Peter Rideout wrote: I don't effing know what effing album was the effing first effing prog album! (I was only 7 or 8 years old!) -- I leave that to more "seasoned" & informed souls, like Maani "the Word" Alterman, Dick "I was there" Heath, and Queasy "I'm Scottish" Liver.

And if I wasn't, I know a man who knows a man........................................

But sticking to prog as it is recognised by reasonable people now and at the considerable risk of repeating myself:

By accident rather than intent,  Moody Blues Days Of Future Past

(which started life as studio orchestra with a has-been pop group, with Go Now being their only major hit some years before).

And when it comes ot real ball grabbing innovation,  it is a toss up between Krimson's ICOTCK or Renaissance's first album - both issued by Island Records about the same time - but I can't remember which of the two was released first in the UK - and the straight media then made more fuss over Keith Ralf and co.  However, the American band  Touch  ( see my logo - ' cousin twice removed' to the Kingsmen, of Louis Louis fame )  album was released in the same year (late 1969 in the UK, and possibly 6 months earlier in the USA, which has it predating KC or Renaissance). And then it is argued by some Americans that you shouldn't ignore The United States Of America. Some would argue USA were employing musical ideas in rock similar to Zappa and the  Mothers, but FZ & TMOI then were considered an experimental and very interesting American underground band, and rather like Velvet Underground, an anetdote to hippydom - taking FZ & TMOI on board as prog rock  has been done with hindsight (the do-wop acapella, and pseudo-pop tunes won't have immediately flagged them up as prog).  Soft Machine and the early Floyd were psychedelia for tuning in and dropping out upon. Soft Machine's Volume 2 was their first proper prog album and even  then they were only passing through straighter prog and  heading for jazz rock sub-division.

However, in the late 60's we talk and wrote about 'progressive music' which was symonymous with 'underground music'. For clues check out Decca Record's late 60's sampler release: Wowie Zowie: The World Of Progressive Music which included  tracks by the Moodys, Genesis, Savoy Brown, John Mayall, Touch, etc. and the same label's 2002 release Legend Of A Mind , which is sold as 3 CD sampler of 'underground music' 1967 to 1975, with most the Wowie Zowie musicians reappearing. By the way I most strongly recommend Legend of A Mind as a Christmas stocking filler for yourselves.

Peter Rideout wrote: [ OK Reed, you can say something sarcastic and homophobic about "mutual masturbation" now, if you must... I even like you... kind of!

I dont see what is homophobic about mentioning mutual masturbation, just because it is a big gay-boy pursuit!

As for liking me-"you-know-who" will be jealous!

Hope you dont keep rabbits..............

Certif1ed wrote: I spent a mesmerised 40 minutes last night listening to the finer points of "Piper at the Gates of Dawn"... man, that is not just a psychedelic album - you can plainly hear Roger inistently maintaining a structured bass underneath the Barrett machinations. The feel may be psychedelic, but the approach appears to be pure prog. I'm very tempted to put this forward as the first prog album - 1967.

Somebody had to stay sober whilst the main man was tripping musically, spiritually and physiologically - as was most of the audience. Categorisation at the time: (the epitomy of) underground music most certainly, but  sub-division psychedelia (rather than progressive music).