The most archetypal Progressive Rock?

David_D wrote: You can vote for all of these bands you want, .........

Discussion is of course very welcomed, but especially of "The Big Six".

Then it says:

Yes - 5

Genesis - 3

ELP - 2

Jethro Tull - 1

Pink Floyd - 0

as voted by David_D, Valdez, felonafan, Logan and The Dark Elf

I think that Yes and Genesis are on the podium.

Pink Floyd came from psychedelia, they were prog only in passing, they are much more than prog.

Jethro tull before Thick As a Brick were mainly folkblues, they too were prog in passing.

Now that leaves EL&P and King Crimson.

Both can aspire to the podium, as importance for prog. EL&P came from Nice, from adapting classical music to rock, and they were very successful. 

King Crimson have never adapted classical music to rock, they come partly from psychedelia, partly from the avant-garde, partly from melodic romantic rock and, from their second album onwards, partly from jazz.

In short, King Crimson are much more experimental than EL&P. And they kick-started Prog with their first album. They went through various musical phases, often changing their sound, whereas EL&P always remained the same. KC are definitely more difficult than El&P. But like Pink Floyd they are admired far beyond prog.

However, both choices seem legitimate to me. 

I choose King Crimson, because in my opinion without them, prog would be lost far more than it is with EL&P.

-King Crimson

- Yes

- Genesis