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WrytXander 
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Joined: September 09 2014
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 Topic: Did classic rock/metal artists do prog albums?
Posted: September 15 2014 at 11:48 |
Discussion about artists such as the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Metallica, System of a Down, Queen, George Harrison, David Bowie, etc.:
They were not prog, but did they do prog albums?
Or did they just make a few prog songs, but not a whole album that could be called prog?
I find this topic attracts many people's attention, and I've seen some very mixed opinions about this.
To back up the first point, I'll give Quadrophenia, Tommy, Houses of the Holy, Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper's, And Justice for All, System of a Down, Queen, Queen II, A Night at the Opera, All Things Must Pass and Ziggy Stardust as examples to start with. These albums could in one way or another be considered prog; concepts, odd time signatures, polymetres, overall song/album structures that seem too strange for classic rock/metal.
Then again, these elements could be caused entirely by 2-3 songs, and may give a non-prog album a proggy feel/sound, and lead many to believe that an LP is indeed a full-on prog release.
So, which thought do you support? Also, do you have some more examples to back up either of these points?
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Hercules
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 14 2007
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Posted: September 15 2014 at 15:59 |
Queen's first four albums were always considered to be quite progressive by the prog community at the time (why ignore Sheer Heart Attack??)
The others, I'm afraid, may have had some prog influences/influences on prog, but they were not truly progressive.
Incidentally, I've just listened to Toto's Absolutely Live and I cannot for the life of me understand why Boston, Kansas and the like are on this site and Toto aren't. Again, not all their albums are truly progressive, but some undoubtedly are. It seems some of the above bands have gained a place on this site on the basis of quite spurious claims to progressiveness, but some far more qualified bands haven't.
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A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life.
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PrognosticMind
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Posted: September 15 2014 at 16:01 |
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Megadeth Rust in Peace is incredibly progressive for the genre and time period it was released.
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"A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?"
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rushfan4
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Posted: September 15 2014 at 16:19 |
 Hercules wrote:
Queen's first four albums were always considered to be quite progressive by the prog community at the time (why ignore Sheer Heart Attack??)
The others, I'm afraid, may have had some prog influences/influences on prog, but they were not truly progressive.
Incidentally, I've just listened to Toto's Absolutely Live and I cannot for the life of me understand why Boston, Kansas and the like are on this site and Toto aren't. Again, not all their albums are truly progressive, but some undoubtedly are. It seems some of the above bands have gained a place on this site on the basis of quite spurious claims to progressiveness, but some far more qualified bands haven't.
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Boston isn't on here, but Kansas is because of their earliest albums, as well as their last album. I like Toto, and can see reasons for them being here as well.
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JediJoker7169
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Joined: May 05 2009
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Posted: September 15 2014 at 19:29 |
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System of a Down's Mezmerize/Hypnotize is pretty undeniably Prog, as well.
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Horizons
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Posted: September 15 2014 at 19:55 |
JediJoker7169 wrote:
System of a Down's Mezmerize/Hypnotize is pretty undeniably Prog, as well. |
I didn't know SOAD was a classic rock/cassic metal band.
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Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 00:44 |
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Journey and Styx. Easier albums were proggy, but they both eventually gave way to Classic Rock IMHO.
I've heard folks talk up the debut Foreigner album, which featured King Crimson's Ian MacDonald - I have never heard this album though.
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PrognosticMind
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Joined: August 02 2014
Location: New Hampshire
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 05:55 |
Horizons wrote:
JediJoker7169 wrote:
System of a Down's Mezmerize/Hypnotize is pretty undeniably Prog, as well. |
I didn't know SOAD was a classic rock/cassic metal band. |
I didn't know Megadeth was either, but it was the first thing that came to my mind  .
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"A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?"
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chopper
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 06:04 |
WrytXander wrote:
Discussion about artists such as the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Metallica, System of a Down, Queen, George Harrison, David Bowie, etc.:
They were not prog, but did they do prog albums?
Or did they just make a few prog songs, but not a whole album that could be called prog?
I find this topic attracts many people's attention, and I've seen some very mixed opinions about this.
To back up the first point, I'll give Quadrophenia, Tommy, Houses of the Holy, Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper's, And Justice for All, System of a Down, Queen, Queen II, A Night at the Opera, All Things Must Pass and Ziggy Stardust as examples to start with. These albums could in one way or another be considered prog; concepts, odd time signatures, polymetres, overall song/album structures that seem too strange for classic rock/metal.
Then again, these elements could be caused entirely by 2-3 songs, and may give a non-prog album a proggy feel/sound, and lead many to believe that an LP is indeed a full-on prog release.
So, which thought do you support? Also, do you have some more examples to back up either of these points?
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Of those albums you mentioned, only the Queen ones could be considered prog (imo), however I would point out that Jon Anderson said in the latest Classic Rock that the Abbey Road suite was what influenced him most to make the 20 minute Yes epics.
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PrognosticMind
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Joined: August 02 2014
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 06:14 |
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Metallica definitely started gracing progressive elements on "...And Justice For All".
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"A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?"
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WrytXander
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Joined: September 09 2014
Location: Turkey
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 10:56 |
Horizons wrote:
JediJoker7169 wrote:
System of a Down's Mezmerize/Hypnotize is pretty undeniably Prog, as well. |
I didn't know SOAD was a classic rock/cassic metal band. |
Well, if I divide every band by genre, it would look really unnecessarily long. You all get what I mean, and that's the point. 
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20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong...
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Rednight
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 11:28 |
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The title track of the Doobie Bros. Captain and Me always came off as having prog leanings with its gentle build and harmonic vocals.
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WrytXander
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Joined: September 09 2014
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 11:31 |
Rednight wrote:
The title track of the Doobie Bros. Captain and Me always came off as having prog leanings with its gentle build and harmonic vocals. |
I would actually say it's a bit of a stretch calling it prog, but I definitely do see the leanings (and I know you didn't actually call it prog, don't worry)!
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20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong...
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cstack3
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 11:55 |
Richie Blackmore stretched out into more prog territory when he was not with Deep Purple. His band Rainbow had some progressive feel, and his current project Blackmore's Night is very impressive in a prog folk genre.
Police guitarist Andy Summers stretched into prog with Bob Fripp's "I Advance Masked." He also put out some new-age colored solo albums, but I've never heard them.
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Zenbadger
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 14:26 |
I've always felt that Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was quite progressive for 1973 Black Sabbath, especially when you take into account their previous albums.
You also have Rick Wakeman on it which gives it extra prog points!
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Rednight
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 14:31 |
Zenbadger wrote:
I've always felt that Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was quite progressive for 1973 Black Sabbath, especially when you take into account their previous albums. You also have Rick Wakeman on it which gives it extra prog points! |
With Wakeman on it, it surely must be worth picking up. Thanks for the info.
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SteveG
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 14:32 |
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Domo arigato Mister Roboto.
"Doing the right thing is never superfluous."
Edited by SteveG - September 16 2014 at 15:08
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rushfan4
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 15:24 |
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Joe Walsh flirted with prog on songs like Life's Been Good and The Confessor.
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PrognosticMind
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 17:50 |
Zenbadger wrote:
I've always felt that Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was quite progressive for 1973 Black Sabbath, especially when you take into account their previous albums.
You also have Rick Wakeman on it which gives it extra prog points! |
I agree completely.
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"A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?"
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Michael678
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Posted: September 16 2014 at 18:18 |
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well, The Beatles' White Album had songs coming from all over the place (the genres i mean, its a double album overall), plus that simple cover is a, well.... good cover for it i guess, it ain't grandiose as it really is, so the unexpected happened i guess.
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Progrockdude
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Did classic rock/metal artists do prog albums?
