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slipperman View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Prog Book recommendations
    Posted: January 23 2005 at 16:13
Can anyone recommend a good book/guide on prog? Preferably something that covers all eras, but especially the '70s. Doesn't have to be in print at the moment. The only one I have is The Progressive Rock Files by Jerry Lucky. Need more.
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frenchie View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 23 2005 at 19:02
no but mind over matter by storm thorgerson is great
The Worthless Recluse
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slipperman View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 23 2005 at 19:03
Yeah, I really want to check that one out, best album cover designer ever, will track it down asap.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 23 2005 at 22:59

There's a book called the Progressive Rock Files that details the history of prog and also has an extensive (not as extensive as the Archives, mind you!)  list of bands.  I can't find it in any bookstores but you can get it off of Amazon

 

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 12 2005 at 13:02

I am reading a great book that my lovely Girlfriend purchased for me from Amazon. The Title is Rocking The Classics, English Progressive Rock and Counterculture. Edward Macan who is a music educator, composer, mallet percussionist and pianist writes this book. He teaches at College of the Redwoods in Eureka, California.

He just does not give the history of prog but breaks it down in it's style, music form, it's lyrics, its visuals then breaks down 4 progressive rock epics Tarkus, Close to the Edge, Firth of Fifth and Wish you Were Here in depth for meaning and musical theory. He also ties in the ideas and feelings of the counterculture between 1966-76 and how this music ties into all of that. Through all of that offers hi theories on why and how this music came to be and why and how it left.
He breaks down the critics of Progressive Rock (i.e. Lester Bangs)with some flair.
He finishes up to 1997 (when the book was published) a direction of where the music is headed. I think all of you would find this book fascinating and will turn to it again and again for information.





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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 13 2005 at 13:57
"THE PINK FLOYD ENCYCLOPEDIA"!!!!!!!!!!!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 14 2005 at 02:39

Hi Slipperman,

Personally , I consider Dag-Erik Asbjornssen's Borderline books (their site disappeared last May)  very informative and his advices very sound and trustworthy. I agree with him almost 90% of the time.

Cosmic Dreams at Play reviews all German 70's rock, many groups of which are prog. Very Exhaustive from 65 to 80 . Same with Scented Gardens for the minds which deals with the rest of Europe except UK, Austria and Switzerland (those last two were all too briefly discussed in Cosmic Dreams).

For UK , and US you might want to try (also on Borderline Books) Vernon Joynhson 's Tapestry Of Delights and Fuzz , Acid and dreams respectively. Both stop at 75 (this means that he does not talk about Going for the one in the Yes section). Both can be frustrating and only a fraction of the artist mentioned are prog. Very Exhaustive  and acurate on pure info but debatable on the advices.

Edward Macan's book Rocking The Classics and Martin's Future books are always helpful , but are not references books (referring to it when discovering a new artist).

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sigod View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 14 2005 at 10:22
Eric Tamm has written two books, one on Brian Eno and the other on Robert Fripp but in the latter case I understand that Fripp didn't want the book to be written. He was however, passed a copy of the manuscript and said that he liked the chapter on Guitar Craft.

I've read Tamm's book on Fripp and it's an interesting, if overtly subjective take on, King Crimson, Fripp and Guitar Craft. The book ends around the end of the 80's, after the dissolution of the 4th incarnation of Crimson but before the reformation in the 90's.

Tamm's books are out of print but can be downloaded at the following sites:

http://www.erictamm.com/tammfripp.html (Download at bottom of the page)

http://www.erictamm.com/tammeno.html (Download at bottom of the page)

I'm about to read the Eno book this very week but I suspect it will not be an up to date account either. Still, I enjoyed the Fripp book so I feel it's worth a read.



Edited by sigod
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