Advanced Prog

Likewise I have trouble with the ambiguity of the term. For me,  I would suggest 'advanced prog' is music by a band or heard on an album, which you struggled to get into  but by persistence achieved that state, AND still heard something new on on every listening. I would suggest Henry Cow, Robert Wyatt (especially End Of An Ear), Soft Machine, and much of RIO (e.g. Univers Zero) and perhaps Pierre Henry/Spooky Tooth's ceremony (which Ultima Thule shop in Leicester have on their shelves labelled with the guidance: "Amongst the most difficult prog albums around").

Good thread this.

I agree with Gdub that Van Der Graff Generator's output is a challenging listen along with a lot of the Crimson back catalogue. In truth, I've never really thought of ELP as advanced prog. Complex and well arranged maybe but for me, they tend to lay their cards on the table in no uncertain terms which is no bad thing.

I always equate advanced prog with the ability to move beyond the 'big' sounds of Genesis, Yes, Tull, Dream Theatre, etc who IMO exhibit a masterful knowledge of mainstream harmony and use it to great effect but don’t take any real chances with their compositions. For me I enjoy the kind of bands that like to 'stray off the path' a little into the world of dissonance or rhythmic ambiguity and above all, are not afraid of doing what's right instead of what is popular.

Zappa, Beefheart, Cardiacs, Adrian Belew, The Mars Volta (as a few prog related examples) all exhibit to a greater or lesser extent that quality of advancement that leave the majority of MOR fans looking on in bemusement. Personal taste aside, to be advanced in my book is to ask something more of your audience that simply buying a ticket, standing at the front of the auditorium and yelling for 'Grendel'.

Understanding that the two are not mutually exclusive, I suppose it depends if you're after the entertainment more than the adventure.

Edited by sigod

See you guys all come up with your own terms.. and thats good.  But I don't think its a question that needs to be limited to any one term.  Everyone has their opinion on whats a little harder than others to be digested easily.

I look at ELP as being advanced in some respects.  For instance, when BSS came out, I turned some friends on to Toccata for the first time.. Friends who were into ELP and Yes before.. but the minute they heard Toccata.. and to a lesser extent, KE9-2, they just looked at me and said... "What the hell was that"???

Velvetclown wrote: Shud up Sigod !!!!

Swinton MCR wrote:  GYBE for example are avant-guarde noise makers and cacophany specialists,

That would look great on a business card.


Edited by sigod

Top 10 Advanced prog

1. ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

2. ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

3. ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

4. ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

5. ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

6. ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

7. ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

8. ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

9. ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

10.ELP 'Brains Salad Surgery'

Garenteed to blow your head apart..

Step inside! Hello! We've the most amazing show
You'll enjoy it all we know
Step inside! Step Inside!
We've got thrills and shocks, supersonic fighting
cocks.
Leave your hammers at the box
Come Inside! Come Inside!
Roll up! Roll up! Roll up!
See the show!
Left behind the bars, rows of Bishops' heads in jars
and a bomb inside a car
Spectacular! Spectacular!
If you follow me there's a speciality
some tears for you to see
Misery, misery,
Roll up! Roll up! Roll up!
See the show!
Next upon the bill in our House of Vaudeville
We've a stripper in a till
What a thrill! What a thrill!
And not content with that, with our hands behind our
backs,
We pull Jesus from a hat,
Get into that! Get into that!
Roll up! Roll up! Roll up!
See the show!


Quite offsetting to the older crowd!

Edited by DallasBryan