But there is no doubt that the Abbey Road medley is a primary inspiration for what was to become progressive rock in short order.

 

After the creative exercise that was the White Album, the Abbey Road medley was a kind of distillation of the White Album's experimentation with styles into a highly concentrated musical form. 

 

 

Fair point, but perhaps a more tactful reaction to a newbee finding his way would have more appropriate.

 

I think you are thinking of Moon's solo in Won't Get Fooled Again...? I certainly see similarities... but where Ringo's solo essentially just keeps time, Moon's soars...

 

I would disagree about Ringo's solo "just keeping the time." I think it's actually a laughing mockery of drum solos and it's one of the funniest drum solos I've ever heard. Not to mention one of the most memorable.

 

Listen to that drum fill on the beginning of Come Together: that's incredibly creative. I was arguing to my friend Adam, a considerable punk and metal drummer, about Ringo. He played that song one time, and said "It's not that hard to play. I can play it" and I said "yeah, but could you have thought of it?" That stopped him. Of course not. Ringo wasn't flashy but he was creative. Always. Listen to his drumming in "Rain." Hard hitting and precise and not to be laughed at.

 

Why fight about which of these two was best? Both AD and LIB, they were both great and The Beatles were the only band to quit while they were on top of their game and left wit their best two albums ever just released.

 

Harrison was really the icing on top of the cake..... his songwriting gave The Beatles another edge than the good ol Lenon/MacCa ..... and my fave on LIB is I Me Mine.

 

I always thought it was ... but in a different way ... and it makes much more sense when one looks at the history of music in 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's ... to really see the impact they made. .... and specially popular music ...

 

BTW, there is a film out there about Tom Dowd ... and everyone in this board should catch that film ... it is fantastic, and really shows the growth in "popular" music ... and it helps make sense of stuff like this a lot more than we give it credit for.

 

The Beatles impact was not quite in terms of music per se, as it was the free form mix of ideas, songs and content in any album, all of which blended into an impressive album that was beautifully written and played together, of which Abbey Road is undoubtedly the most focused and the best of them all  ... and the only "concept" it had was that it was all recorded at Abbey Road ... and I'm not sure that is a concept, but I suppose that the technical capability of that place compared to so many mom and pop places out there (specially today) ... should make a difference.

 

I always thought that the ending set was a really good primer for what became known as "progressive" and in reality it was a very well defined and performed jam that was extended and made stronger by the feelings involved.

 

There was also, at the time, a slight movement in the business that was making fun of the Beatles as just pop music ... and they had already been trying to take "pop music" into more serious areas, and folks like The Rolling Stones, and many others like John Mayall and the like, were already doing music that was more vefitting what we call "progressive" and adventurous, but was not "radio music" or "pop music" ... which the Beatles were not prepared to leave behind, or the record company could not accept their wanting to leave it behind ... so the blow out towards the end with a perfect set finger flashing on the last bit ... the Beatles never said they were progressive or that they could not play music ... and they showed everyone that they could rock and pop with the best of them ... regardless of who you are!

OK. If Abbey Road is a great progressive record, then you would have to throw every Beatles album from Rubber Soul to Abbey Road in the same category. Personally, I don't think it's a *progressive* record. In my opinion, it is one of the greatest albums ever recorded, BUT, they are pop/rock songs with orchestration. Part of the definition of "progressive rock" is *arrangement*, and there's nothing "progressive" about the arrangement of this album. Production? Sure, the Beatles have had some of the greatest productions, but there's more to Progressive Rock than that, too.

This is not meant to discredit The Beatles in any way. Without them, we probably wouldn't have this forum!

 

It's "light" prog as in Xover Prog. Not very prog in my book either.

 

Fantastic it is, nontheless.

 

As for Abbey Road, I would say it is as progressive an album The Beatles released, right up there with Revolver. But remember, in 1969 prog rock was indicative of something more on the lines of In the Court of the Crimson King. Looking back, with the Long Medley on one side, a collection of innovative pieces on the other and a tremendous texture and feel throughout my answer is yes. Look at 'Here Comes the Sun', at first listen it seems to be a pretty simple pop tune. But listen carefully to the layering of synthesizers throughout the piece, especially during the last verse and chorus.

 

What I always look for in an album is depth, from piece to piece or within the pieces themselves. Abbey Road has more depth than many prog albums I have heard. It is ambitious and defining last statement by the band; it may not sound like 'traditional' prog albums but it is certainly progressive in sounding like the culmination of the Beatles work.

 

I remember that i borrow that original stereo album from my uncle's collection.

 

When i hear that album the first time i was 9 or 10 years, and i was in awe when i hear it, fantastic.

 

Last wednesday i put the remaster version in my parents house and my little daughter (2 years old) was dancing along the hall with the songs.

 

What else can i say? fantastic.