Is Boston Prog-Related?

The definition of Prog-Related:

Progressive rock is not a separate universe in music, it’s a genre among many others, a voice in the chorus and as part of a biggest scenario has points of contact with other musical genres.

Prog Related is the category that groups bands and artists that:

- Without being 100% Prog, received clear MUSICAL influence of this genre, OR

- Are widely accepted as MUSICALLY influential to the development of Progressive Rock by the community, OR

- Blend characteristics of Progressive Rock with mainstream elements creating a final product that despite not being part of the genre is evident that are close to Prog.

We specify the word MUSICAL because simple performance of a determined instrument in a Prog or mainstream band is not justification enough to include an artist, no matter how virtuoso he/she may be, Prog Archives has to evaluate their compositional work because the music is what determines the characteristics of a band or an artist.

Prog Related bands are not considered part of the genre but they have contributed in some form in the development of Progressive Rock, the inclusion of a band is exceptional and only after verifying that it’s a contribution for the better understanding of Prog among the members and visitors instead of a source of confusion for the community.

I believe Boston fits this category perfectly.

Exhibit A:  Sophisticated organ work.  Listen to "Foreplay" from the debut album or "Get Organ-ized" from Walk On for just two grand examples.  The Hammond M-3 on "Foreplay" is doubled with clavinet, joined by bass, and punctuated with heavy electric guitars and drumming.  In "Get Organ-ized," Tom Scholz uses a Hammond B-3.  The organ solos on "Smokin'" are also noteworthy.

Exhibit B: Sophisticated guitar work.  "Hitch a Ride," for example, has gorgeous acoustic gutiar work followed by guitar solos in the end that lend the piece a progressive rock arrangement.  A few other noteable songs that fit into this category are "Don't Look Back," "It's Easy," and "Walkin' at Night."

Exhibit C: A pop accessibility.  Boston is unarguably a highly comercially popular band that gained success where most progressive rock bands did not, with a debut album that has been certified 17x platinum by the RIAA.  The songs are generally shorter (every song on the debut continues to be played on the radio, though some songs enjoy more play than others), but they are generally more complex in structure.

Exhibit D: Borderline sci-fi themes.  Boston did not only write love songs, they occasionally wrote pieces relating to space travel (and using them as metaphors for real life).  These include "Don't Look Back," "The Journey," ""We're Ready," "The Launch," "Cool the Engines," "My Destination," and "A New World."  The cover art echoes this with it's iconic UFO art (made of a guitar and a pipe organ).

Exhibit E: More sophisticated arrangements than a typical pop-rock band.  Although many songs do fit into the "verse-chorus" pattern, many do not.  "Hitch a Ride," "Don't Look Back," "A Man I'll Never Be," "Hollyann," and the Walk On Medley.  Boston gives their listeners several layers of sound that are absent from most mainstream acts.

Exhibit F: Sophisticated vocal arrangements.  The complex harmonies help give Boston their signature sound.  These are evident on most of their songs.

These are just the points I could come up with off the top of my head.  While I initially thought Boston might fit the Crossover Prog category, I don't think the majority of their work would place them there.  Still, I think they would certainly be at home in the Prog-Related category, particularly if both Metallica and Journey have been given the nod.

So what does everyone else think? 

I don't think they qualify, my arguments against this are along the lines of my balking at the inclusion of Ken Hensley. I'm not ashaned to admit that I'm  a huge Boston fan, but I just don't detect any Prog.

As much as I agree with you, Boston have been discussed ad nauseum, and the discussions have become very heated and the majority opinion is always that they don't belong here.  Also, I know of one special collaborator who might have a stroke if he sees this thread. 

Prog has become such an abused word here, that any band that moves rock music forward by an iota, gets labelled thus. Scholtz put a theory into practice on the first album, which proved to be largely correct (at least with respect to copies sold). The second album utlilised effects that Scholtz  could afford to develop on the royalties made on the first album - or so the story goes. Hence at least the first two progressed something. But as to being in the tradition of  "progressive rock", no.

Edited by Dick Heath - November 28 2008 at 08:56

If Journey is here, Boston should defiantly be here.

I've always found the Walk-On suite to be very prog flavored, as is Fourplay/Long Time, but otherwise I'd say no. And I own all their records

Epignosis wrote: Prog Related is the category that groups bands and artists that: - Without being 100% Prog, received clear MUSICAL influence of this genre, OR - Are widely accepted as MUSICALLY influential to the development of Progressive Rock by the community, OR - Blend characteristics of Progressive Rock with mainstream elements creating a final product that despite not being part of the genre is evident that are close to Prog.

You haven't demonstrated that Boston satisfies the first two conditions.  Not sure how from your argument it follows that they're a "perfect fit," as that would imply that they satisfy all three conditions.

There are many AOR bands with those qualities (Please, don't five me arguments with the "Exhibit C: A pop accessibility.) like Toto, Europe, Foreigner, etc and not Prog.

 

But lets give two counter exhibits:

 

One: They're the most representative band of the AOR tag, as a fact they are an icon of it, other Prog sites consider AOR as Prog Related...We don't.

 

Two: They have been suggested and rejected  at least ten times: like

 

Poll Question: Boston are they prog related and should they be added ? Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics Yes 11 [26.83%] No 30 [73.17%] This topic is closed, no new votes accepted http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35474&KW=Boston   Poll Question: Should Boston be given a spot in prog related? Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics Yes 12 [29.27%] No 29 [70.73%] This topic is closed, no new votes accepted http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=43401&KW=Boston

 

Three: As far as I know, they haven't released a new album to justify a new suggestion,

 

The prosecution rests.

 

Iván

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - November 28 2008 at 20:05

I think Boston has some Prog relation, but I don't know if its enough to warrant inclusion or make the addition worthwhile, nor do I, from a personal standpoint, want to see the band here.  In fact, I'd say that there are many more worthwhile cases that have been proposed to PR and never been accepted.  I'd rather PR not be the bastion of classic rock staples that have some proggy qualities about them, and instead be used more as a place for truly progressive bands/ artists that don't fit Prog expectations.

I was wondering when you might pop in, Ivan.  And no.  Not "'nuff said."  Far from it.

"Prog-Related" is a nonsense category, then.  So nebulous is its definition, that the likes of Journey, Metallica, and Blue Oyster Cult make the grade but Boston, with so many progressive guitar arrangements and keyboard passages (if Emerson had written "Foreplay" or "Get Organ-ized," I'm certain it would be another hailed credit to his catelogue) is passed by because they're played a lot on the radio?

Ridiculous.

Ivan, your comment that "other Prog sites consider AOR as Prog Related...We don't" is patent and utter foolishness.  To quote you, "please."  Refer to this:

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/listoftheday/84689/the-top-25-aor-bands-of-the-1970s-1980s

And do take note of #1, which is a new addition here under what?  Not "Prog-Related," but "Crossover Prog."