Neo-Prog Appreciation! ...

rushfan4 wrote: My understanding from a conversation with a former collab is that the main difference between symphonic prog and Neo prog is the use of mellotrons and moogs or string instruments in Symph versus the use of modern keyboards and computers to generate a similar sound in Neo.  Neo also tends to have a more metal sound than traditional symph prog.

Edited by FatherChristmas - August 29 2020 at 11:04

My guess would be most on here don't like it. I personally like a lot of what I have heard since I tend to like that basic symph prog sound and neo bands were typically influenced by that. I am not so big into it when it sounds too derivative though. I've heard bands that sound like they are deliberately trying to sound like Marillion or whoever and that just rubs me the wrong way. If it's done intentionally they might be forgiven but I don't know how often that's the case. 

Raff wrote: In the Seventies, prog was hardly ever called "progressive rock". In Italy it was called "pop", and I also remember definitions like "symphonic rock" and "baroque rock". As to the "neo" label, it is not an invention of this site: it has been used in the specialized press for a while, and you can find it mentioned in Edward Macan's book "Rocking the Classics", published in 1997 (so way before this site came into being.

FatherChristmas wrote: Greenmist wrote: I really like Arena, up until the Peppers Ghost album, they aint so good on that album and beyond it. I also like the odd song from IQ and Pendragon.   The Nolan and Wakeman albums are good too. Ive tried to get into Marrilion too, but all attempts there have failed so far. What Marillion did you get?

richardh wrote: FatherChristmas wrote: Raff wrote: In the Seventies, prog was hardly ever called "progressive rock". In Italy it was called "pop", and I also remember definitions like "symphonic rock" and "baroque rock". As to the "neo" label, it is not an invention of this site: it has been used in the specialized press for a while, and you can find it mentioned in Edward Macan's book "Rocking the Classics", published in 1997 (so way before this site came into being. Thanks. I don't remember this (though I did know about neo prog), but then I didn't used to be into prog, so please, eveyone refer to me as an ignoramus.  prog was definitely called 'progressive rock' in the seventies

I know that Kayleigh was Marillions one off attempt at a mainstream rock song, but it did very well, it got to number 2 in the UK top 40 (back when the UK top 40 actually had relevency to song writing talent) .   Ive tried giving Marillion quite a fair amount of chances to impress me with their neo prog rock material, and it just hasent done much for me.

Greenmist wrote: I know that Kayleigh was Marillions one off attempt at a mainstream rock song, but it did very well, it got to number 2 in the UK top 40 (back when the UK top 40 actually had relevency to song writing talent) .   Ive tried giving Marillion quite a fair amount of chances to impress me with their neo prog rock material, and it just hasent done much for me. Early Arena albums were Marillion influenced, you can certainly hear that in songs like Out of the Wilderness, Valley of the Kings, and Medusa, but their better.   To me they are like a Marillion that got it right. I watched this youtube video last night, and the guy who made it obviously agrees with you, as he put Blind Curve at number 1.    That songs more like it, to be fair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu85IYJ4z6o

FatherChristmas wrote: Cristi wrote: Greenmist wrote: I know that Kayleigh was Marillions one off attempt at a mainstream rock song, but it did very well, it got to number 2 in the UK top 40 (back when the UK top 40 actually had relevency to song writing talent) .   Ive tried giving Marillion quite a fair amount of chances to impress me with their neo prog rock material, and it just hasent done much for me. Early Arena albums were Marillion influenced, you can certainly hear that in songs like Out of the Wilderness, Valley of the Kings, and Medusa, but their better.   To me they are like a Marillion that got it right. I watched this youtube video last night, and the guy who made it obviously agrees with you, as he put Blind Curve at number 1.    That songs more like it, to be fair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu85IYJ4z6o Arena shares more things with Pendragon (they share one of the songwriters in Clive Nolan)  than Marillion (which has distanced from neo-prog if you ask me starting with Brave/Afraid of Sunlight).  What about Marbles? Would you say that's a neo album?

essexboyinwales wrote: FatherChristmas wrote: Greenmist wrote: FatherChristmas wrote: Greenmist wrote: I really like Arena, up until the Peppers Ghost album, they aint so good on that album and beyond it. I also like the odd song from IQ and Pendragon.   The Nolan and Wakeman albums are good too. Ive tried to get into Marrilion too, but all attempts there have failed so far. What Marillion did you get? I didnt get any of their albums, ive tried listening to songs of theirs on places like youtube, and on the progressive archives site when you could stream songs on there, and apart from Kayleigh, not one of their songs i got into.   Dont ask me which songs i streamed and from what albums, cause i dont remember now. Kayleigh was a bit of a one-off song for Marillion... and, if you get the early rough mix of it as I have, the album version actually sounds a lot different and a lot less proggy. There's a theory that Marillion's record company put pressure on them to make Kayleigh much more like a pop song. So if you only like Kayleigh out of what you heard, Marillion's probably not your thing... and neither, probably, is the rough mix of Kayleigh!  A question directed towards the Marillion fans of PA: Who here is agreed that Blind Curve is the best ever Marillion song? No. But it is a quality song! But The Great Escape tops it, as do This Strange Engine, The Invisible Man, Sugar Mice and quite a few others (IMHO)