Stemming from Ivan's current thread, it struck me that at least one  band that did one (but NO more than 2) prog albums got included. For instance Family - Leicester's own, (I live 10 miles away from that city) - were into mainstream rock in the early 70's. However, their late 60's LP output, e.g the classic In a Dolls House, might be categorised as prog, better still post-psychedelia/underground.

Therefore please nominate any album by a band, effectively doing a one off in the prog rock field, before moving back to what they are better known for. And the recording date should be 1967 or after.

A couple for consideration:

Wishbone Ash: Argus

Spooky Tooth/Pierre Henry: Ceremony

Queen I, Queen II, Night at the Opera.

Prog classics!

Certif1ed wrote: Queen I, Queen II, Night at the Opera. Prog classics!

Can I add Sheer Heart Attack?

No contest - has to be Radiohead's OK Computer - it's an almost perfect progressive rock album - innovative, complex, musically endlessly rewarding, top notch

Dick Heath wrote: Certif1ed wrote: Queen I, Queen II, Night at the Opera. Prog classics!   Can I add Sheer Heart Attack?

Of course you can add it, DH - you can do anything you like on this forum as head guru!

I don't find it very proggy on the whole, though - it doesn't have the concept of NOTO or DATR, even though the latter contains many moments of pure stadium rock rather than prog. SHA also contains a lot of stadium rock - the massive chants of "In the Lap of the Gods" for example. The one real concession to prog, I think, is "Brighton Rock", although intrinsically that's a silly pop song about little Jimmy meeting a girl on holiday then unceremoniously dumping her with some nice prog tacked onto the end! "Bring Back Leroy Brown" is my personal favourite on this album - I love Barbershop music and I'm not afraid to admit it!

I think "Innuendo" was a more proggy album, and even "The Works" has some nice prog touches 

...

Good call on "OK Computer", arcer - pure prog from start to finish, with only slight concessions to their mainly indie audience! Did you see their amazing set at Glastonbury in 1997? One of the greatest gigs I never went to

I hear it as the album Barclay James Harvest wouldn't dare to make 'coz it's too experimental! Actually, I got the BJH link from the Iron Lung EP, which shows Radiohead's natural progression from "Pablo Honey" to "The Bends" and their growing proggy sound which they then spectacularly demolished with "Kid A". Several of the tracks on the IL EP seem to have a BJH "wash" to them.

"Argus" by Wishbone Ash for me.

"A night at the opera" is indeed classic prog though, even though "no synthesisers were used".

Can't say I've ever noticed the BJH connection with Radiohead Cert, I'll need to listen for that.

Kitaro's "Cirque Ingenieux"

Aphrodite's Child - 666 (Does that one count?)

1.- Rolling Stones......Their Satanic Majesties Request: A real masterpiece of Psychedelic/prog' genre, is more than just inspired in Sgt. Pepper's, but I believe it's far batter, songs like She's a Rainbow and 2000 Man, 2000 Light Years from Home among others are simply excellent. 

2.- Aphrodite's Child......666: As Richardh already mentioned, great album.

Also important: The Roaring Silence by Manfred Mann and The Earth Band, Woyaya by OSIBISA, STYX II by STYX, etc.

Iván

• Colour Of Spring - Talk Talk
• Welcome To The Canteen - Traffic
• Book of Invasions:A Celtic Symphony - Horslips
• Terrapin Station - Grateful Dead
• Gone To Earth - David Sylvian

I have to add DIRE STRAITS 'LOVE OVER GOLD'. 'Telegraph road' is essentially a prog song, and being that way, it was (and is) looked suspiciously by music critics.

Apohrodite's Child and Horslips are usually considered prog groups. I haven't listened the former, although just 'The Book of invasions' and 'The Tain' from the irish band sould qualify as prog in my opinion. Anyway, prog-folk is a very difficult genre to put a band completly into. 

Certif1ed wrote: The one real concession to prog, I think, is "Brighton Rock", although intrinsically that's a silly pop song about little Jimmy meeting a girl on holiday then unceremoniously dumping her with some nice prog tacked onto the end!

That was the specific tune that had me thinking - I know it was against their principles at the time to include electric keys, but it is easy to imagine some of the May solo taken by a suitable synth. And how many prog lyrics aren't silly 0r even incomprehensible -  I think I've accidently suggested a new thread prog songs with meaningless lyrics (aka metaphysical poetry/rhymes???). Which reminds me of a  line from the HeeBeeGees one and only hit: "Meaningless Songs In Very High Voices, Ah, AHhh AAAHHHH".

And as to "head guru"  - bloody hell man, amongst the seriousness sometimes I want to take the urine, that notion could be very constraining.

gdub411 wrote: The Who...Quadrophenia

Totally and why didn't I think of it.....................

threefates wrote: Welcome To The Canteen - Traffic

I'm on that album (you can hear me clapping and hand whistling - amongst 500+ others...............).  It was recorded as part of the Oz Benefit Concerts, it was recorded at the Central Middlesex Poly's canteen in central London. Traffic started at 7.30pm (incredibly early in those days), stopped because of power failure around 7.40pm, started briefly at about 8pm, and stopped instantly. The support went on, and Traffic eventually went back  on for the 4th or 5th time about 8.45pm, and the electrics sort of behaved themselves. The enthusiastic applause on Gimme Some Good Lovin' (the final number of the set), was probably more a measure of  relief that Traffic  had got to the end with only 4 breakdowns.)

Richard Neville who the benefit was for,(notorious to the fuzz, but heroic to the hippies), was the editor of one of London's main underground magazines, Oz. He was sitting literally in front of me on that canteen floor, cassette-recording the gig; (I trod on ithe recorder going to the bar and got some choice Australian expletives). BTW in it daft way, the OZ trial  (on publication obscenity charges) at London's Old Bailey was equivalent to the Chicago 7 trials* in the US - authority attacking the underground/youth alternative  -  and in both cases some of the accused have subsequently become stinking rich, one can surmiss using methods quite opposite to the hippy views they expressed in the late 60's, (to name names Dennis and Hoffman respectively).

But 3Fates, not prog - undergound blues rock. 

*That's where Chicago, the brass rock band, took their original name.

T2: It'll all work out in boomland

Man Erg wrote: P.I.L. - Metal Box

Interesting. I really rate the PIL album various called Cassette, CD, Album (depending what format you bought it when it was first released) - and apparently the album John Lyden disliked most. A Krautrock expert reckons with Lyden love of german band Can, Flowers Of Romance is PIL's indirect tribute to Can - comments please as I've never heard the album.

Dick Heath wrote: But 3Fates, not prog - undergound blues rock.  *That's where Chicago, the brass rock band, took their original name.

I don't know, Dick...that Traffic album has always had a very progressive feel to me  and its definitely not just blues rock.  Actually even Chicago had some progressive moments...

I don't know, Dick...that Traffic album has always had a very progressive feel to me  and its definitely not just blues rock.  Actually even Chicago had some progressive moments...

Within my broad definition of progressive music (a more timely term for the music of that period) /rock, I can't argue with the progressive aspects of Traffic's music. You realise there are a number of common features on Welcome To The Canteen also found on Ginger Baker's double live Airforce album - including Stevie Winwood and Reebop with those Afro rhythms (and of course that album has another  mega-long Baker drum solo). The there were many prog bands 1969 to 1972 who played blues rock tunes and then throw a little classical into the middle 32 bars of keyboard solo. In fact, probably the only keyboard player to avoid that was Mike Ratledge.

In passing, has anybody heard and therefore can pass comment on Reebop's Melodies In A Jungle Mans Head (thru Jonas Hellborg's DEM Record label)?

threefates wrote: Oh and I forgot to mention, Dick, that I think Traffic's "John Barleycorn Must Die" also has some prog moments....

Like the astonishingly good "Every mother's son" (anyone remember the excellent Island sampler "Bumpers").

Just dusted off another good one tonight.

Anyone remember the excellent "The Alchemist" by HOME from 1973. Their earlier albums had been good, if slightly dull soft rock, with a bit of what is now known as alt. country, then they suddenly came up with this masterpiece of a concept album.

Dick Heath wrote: Certif1ed wrote: Queen I, Queen II, Night at the Opera. Prog classics!   Can I add Sheer Heart Attack?

I just listened to "Sheer Heart Attack" tonight, 'coz I fancied a bit of an intelligent rock out - OK, it's not Rocket Science...

Oh. Brian May is a Rocket scientist, I nearly forgot...

Anyways, I take back what I said earlier - this is a prog album in spirit, alright - the whole album has that inventive, making it up as you go along yet tight as a gnat's chuff feel to it, with glorious tape loops, skilled, technical playing, classical influences (among others), time and key changes and the Queen choirs.

Queen rock!!!

(progressively...)

Best  album by a non-prog band

A band, not an artist:

The Fixx - Walkabout

The Fixx - Phantoms

The Fixx - Reach the beach

The Fixx - Shuttered room 

 Why is The Fixx non prog??????????????

VanHalen - I

Iron Maiden - Killers

Iron Maiden - Piece of mind

Mercyful fate - Don't break the oath

Accept - Balls to the wall

Van Halen - 1984

Pat Metheny (group) - Secret Story

Pat Metheny (group) - As falls Wichita,...

Triumph - Thunder seven

The Police - Synchronicity

Spandau Ballet - True

Simple minds - Street fighting years

Simple Minds - New Gold Dream

Checkfield - Water wind & stone

Dire Straits - Love over gold

Eddie Jobson - Theme of secrets

Judas Priest - Screaming for vengeance

Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith

Judas Priest - Sad Wings of destiny

Led Zeppelin - 2

Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a madman

Ozzy Osbourne - Bark at the moon

Scorpions - Love at first sting

James Lee wrote: bit of a metal fan, eh?

indeed, I like metal of the  80's.

Don't tell me you know the "bewitched" album (Summers/Fripp): I've always found the short songs really interesting: all those guitar textures.

Prog track by on non prog band:

First album of us psyché band : Spirit

Track:"Elijah" Pure canterburyan, before soft machine

No contest -

Radiohead - OK Computer

here endeth the lesson...

Although not all of it is "proggish," I'd have to say that a majority of "Physical Graffiti" would qualify.  Indeed, I still think "Kashmir" is possibly the best single "non-prog" prog song ever written.

I also agree with Velvetclown re XTC.  In fact, every album beginning with English Settlement could be included.  (Velvetclown: would you like to support me in trying to get XTC added to the site?  I cannot believe they are not included.)

There is also a group called Babble that did two albums - The Stone, and Ether - both of which I would qualify as prog.  (Whatever they are, they are two totally amazing creations.)

I would also agree with Queen's "Night at the Opera" (most of it) and "Day at the Races" (most of it).  Although I love "Sheer Heart Attack," I'm not sure I can bring myself to call the album as a whole "prog."

The Who's "Quadrophenia" (or most of it) might also qualify.

And there are others...

For me it would have to be Mercury Falling by Sting. There's hardly a song on it which isn't in some crazy time signature and contains all the exotic chord work that marks out many a fine prog album. In addition, the line up on that album is second to none, Vinnie Colliuta (ex-Zappa), the late and great, Kenny Kirkland (ex-Branford Marsalis & 'Blue Turtles' era Sting band) and the marvellous Dominic Miller (ex-Peter Gabriel & Mark Hollis). All of these musicians have vague ties to the prog community so I suppose it's hardly surprising that there would be a bit more on offer from this disc.

I will admit it's not one of Sting's finest contributions to popular music but it has my vote.

Pixel Pirate wrote: I would have to go with "Queen II". They were definitely leaning heavily in the prog direction on that one much more than the Zeppelin clones they were said to be at the time.

100% agreement here. How can you not call "Ogre Battle" or "March of the Black Queen" (or really, 95% of the rest of the album) pure progressive rock? Queen II is probably my favorite album by the band, although most of the other 70s releases had a lot going for them. Brian May's guitar and Freddie's operatic turns are IMAO ideal examples of "symphonic rock", on par with any band in the database.

Certif1ed wrote: Even Zeppelin stood at the edge of prog - the first two albums especially.

I have to both agree and disagree - confusin' ain't it - but I'll explain.

The  first two LZ's albums were released when rock was young and innovations were occurring on many fronts. Therefore these records would have been included in the then broad progressive music category. The music is directly derived from the blue-eyed British Blues Boom which occurred (from the mid 60s to around '70 or '71) - several of the tunes can be heard elsewhere, recorded by other British blues bands, and then stemming back to the Chess record catalogue (Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, etc) and even back to the Delta. However, the heaviness was new (but as I've said before, Jeff Beck was very pissed when Page played him the demos for the first LZ album, seeing his ideas being lifted from Truth and Cosa Nostra albums - and Beck said those albums were his attempted to imitate the heaviness of Vanilla Fudge (explaining the Beck Bogart Appice collaboration in the early 70's). Similarly Deep Purple, May Blitz,  Black Sabbath, Black Widow etc. would have been accepted under the progressive music umbrella without music fans thinking twice.

However, because of the blues boom emphasis on LZ and LZ2, I feel uncomfortable putting these records under the progressive rock umbrella, with its more prescriptive definitions - later LZ albums fit better, e.g. Stairway To Heaven goes through a series of musical changes which are pretty typical of many prog rock tunes.

Sweet smoke live'74

if you consider this bad as  non-prog

oliverstoned wrote: Sweet smoke live'74 if you consider this bad as  non-prog

Kings of Glam Rock

* TOWARD THE SUN - DRUID

* WARRIOR AT THE EDGE OF TIME - HAWKWIND.

* CARAVANSERAI - CARLOS SANTANA.

* SOLAR FIRE - MANFRED MANN

At least the Band Druid which released 2 albums in the mid 70ies, one was totally prog and the later FLUID more folk-celtic oriented. As for Hawkwind, I know that many folks dont consider them a true prog rock band ( I do though !) Their overall work has far too many prog elements that could delete them from the prog shelves. Ok what about the true punk element in HAWKWIND's music ! (Yes, many of us also consider The Hawklords pioneers if punk rock LOL ) CARLOS SANTANA's CARAVANSERAI is a prog rock master piece and loaded with pure prog elements (hammond organ, long guitar solos and mellow as it comes !) Manfred Man is always "caught in the middle" and true enoung both SOLAR FIRE and ROARING SILENCE are definitly prog albums, well, even ANGEL STATION has nice prog passages, I wouldnt consider MM a true prog band eigther. KITARO's DAWN OVER MALASYA is more like borderline, between prog and new age !  But guys ! Isnt CRIME OF THE CENTURY - SUPERTRAMP a bit proggish too !

____________________

Lunar

Prog_Bassist wrote: James Lee wrote: Pixel Pirate wrote: I would have to go with "Queen II". They were definitely leaning heavily in the prog direction on that one much more than the Zeppelin clones they were said to be at the time. 100% agreement here. How can you not call "Ogre Battle" or "March of the Black Queen" (or really, 95% of the rest of the album) pure progressive rock? Queen II is probably my favorite album by the band, although most of the other 70s releases had a lot going for them. Brian May's guitar and Freddie's operatic turns are IMAO ideal examples of "symphonic rock", on par with any band in the database.   What! Ogre Battle and March of the Black Queen??? Thats a game! You mean to tell me that these games must be based on queen songs????? Im confused here... http://www.rottentomatoes.com/g/super_nintendo/ogre_battle_the_march_of_the_black_queen/overview.php - http://www.rottentomatoes.com/g/super_nintendo/ogre_battle_t he_march_of_the_black_queen/overview.php

WOW! I thought I knew my gaming history, but I'd never heard of this. Coincidence? No way...I know too many gamers who are into prog...

Great link, man!

Dick Heath wrote: oliverstoned wrote: Sweet smoke live'74 if you consider this bad as  non-prog   Kings of Glam Rock

?????????????????????

Welcome,Lunar. Great to have you here! And I agree about "Crime Of The Century".

oliverstoned wrote: Dick Heath wrote: oliverstoned wrote: Sweet smoke live'74 if you consider this bad as  non-prog   Kings of Glam Rock   ?????????????????????

I presume when you write about Sweet, (and a recording '74)  that you are talking about the British band Sweet who were the kings of glam rock - at least from the point of view of sales and fan worship, e.g. hits like Ballroom Blitz. They gigged at Loughborough University around 1974, when I saw them and it  was remarkable for two things. First nobody under 18 was allowed in (all other gigs average age was 14), and it was the only gig of the tour without crash barriers around the stage (because there were no 14 year olds in the audience).

If it isn't this Sweet, let me know.

Spot on with QueenII Pixle Pirate/James Lee/Prog_B, etc

I had completely forgotten what a gem that album is (cue mad rush to CD player and slamming said disk into machine, followed by wild cried of 'YES, BLOODY HELL!" and strange air guitar impressions).

Ogre Battle is rather good isn't?

Dick Heath wrote: oliverstoned wrote: Dick Heath wrote: oliverstoned wrote: Sweet smoke live'74 if you consider this bad as  non-prog   Kings of Glam Rock   ?????????????????????   I presume when you write about Sweet, (and a recording '74)  that you are talking about the British band Sweet who were the kings of glam rock - at least from the point of view of sales and fan worship, e.g. hits like Ballroom Blitz. They gigged at Loughborough University around 1974, when I saw them and it  was remarkable for two things. First nobody under 18 was allowed in (all other gigs average age was 14), and it was the only gig of the tour without crash barriers around the stage (because there were no 14 year olds in the audience).   If it isn't this Sweet, let me know.

Dear friend,

No, you've made a confusion with this one

DIDDY:GOTTA AGREE ABOUT SALISBURY BY URIAH HEEP IN MY OPINION ONE OF THE GREAT UNDERATED PROG CLASSICS,(i CONSIDER U.H PROG,OR AT LEAST BORDERLINE)

PACO FOX:AGAIN I AGREE, TELEGRAPH ROAD  IS PRETTY DAMN CLOSE TO A PROG TRACK BY A BAND THAT WAS NOT IN THE GENRE

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:I BELEIVE THAT RAINBOW RISING BY RITCHIE BLACKMORES RAINBOW IS ABOUT AS CLOSE TO PROG AS YOU CAN GET WHILE STILL  BEING IN ANOTHER GENRE(great album)

AS A MATTER OF FACT I BELEIVE MUCH OF DEEP PURPLES EARLY OUTPUT(book of talysin ETC) HAS AT LEAST A PROG INFLUENCE THAT AFFECTED MANY TRULY PROG BANDS THAT STEMMED FROM THAT ERA

Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado (one of two ELO concept albums).

Five extra bonus prog points for those who could name the other album?

would it be the album "Time"?(dont know the year though)

You may mention some good english non-prog bands, I would refer to some albums that would be consider...

"Pequeñas Anectodas sobre las Instituciones" (Sui Generis), the next step would be La Maquina de hacer Pajaros (that's prog)...Also Seru Giru Giran stuff after La Maquina...I would suggest The self titled and Bicicleta, I would also mention La Grasa de las Capitales, but songs on that album don't really move me at all.

Spanish stuff, I would say the most basic, but really good examples.