Take it, Jerney --

+1

 

I'd go for Keiko Kumagai from Ars Nova.

 

Hey Tom, indeed epic VdGG track.

 

Both Keiko and Kyoko are

Saw Ars Nova in pub basement in London in early 2000's, hardly anyone there, superb show. Was at same venue week before seing Vanilla Fudge, and at the end of the show announcer said come back next week to see a Japanese group who look like porn stars and sound like ELP. Intriuged by this sexist comment went back and they were fabulous.  

For me too. I'd take Annie without a doubt.

 

King Crimson

 

Jerney Kaagman IS the Queen of Prog. 

There are moments, but I would agree that "completely" is not always there.

 

However, Kate Bush is quite independent and has always been her own person and writer, and that is far more progressive than most of the bands that we listen to over here. The only problem is that we do not accept that a woman can do keyboards like Keith or Tony (who the fudge would want to?), and then do their own music. On top of it, her material is not even that boring or commercially repetitive as Genesis became!

 

I would also suggest that Renate of AD2 is also quite a feminist, however, the band has even made fun of that in "Hijack", which is a bit sad, but I think that Renate knew that what they satirised was the extreme side of it, not the feminist side of it, which she has been fairly vocal about it in many pieces here and there. Their material, sometimes is very strong and quite venomous.

 

My biggest problem is that it looks like we're looking at these and making a call as if we would want to date that person, and that's sad. We should have a better say about the artist and their work, than just what her body and dress looked like. And yes, the lady from "Earth and Fire" has a very nice voice, but I hardly think that she is better than Kate or Annie. Annie, however is not progressive at all.

 

I noticed that Dagmar is left out cold! But we could go after Siouxie, Lene Lovitch, Toyah and so many others that did different things ... I guess they were all ugly!

 

 

 

 

 

One of the prettiest voices EVER!

 

 

Eleven highly distinctive and unusual albums--eight of which are currently in Britain's Top 40. Incredible. 

Annie has a gorgeous voice. As does Anneke, Rachel, Sonja, Marjana, Sharron Fortnam, Elaine di Falco, Joanne Hogg, Julie Kiss, Petronella Nettermalm, and Carolina Prieto.  

Caveman Shoestore, (Caveman) Hughstore with Hugh Hopper, Three Mice, Thinking Plague, Combat Astronomy, Yugen, Dave Wiley and Friends, and Empty Days--whatever album Elaine has touched has been blessed by her talents. And she's not just a singer: she's also an accomplished keyboard player.

 Thanks, I saw that as well!  

Considering the huge contribution that women could make to prog music, I'm really amazed that they contribute as little as they do.  Prog would be improved with far more female vocalists and instrumentalists, as would rock in general.  

Let's face it....pop rock really rakes in the cash with its selection of women vocalists!  Maybe if Lady GaGa would reprise "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway?"  I bet she'd do a bang-up job with it!! 

Yes.

And for voice Annie Haslam

And for Fairy Tales Gilli Smyth

And for instrumentalism Mireille Bauer and Ruth Underwood

And for Blows Against the Empire Grace Slick

Kate Bush would probably be the most imperial female figure of prog, if she had anything to do with prog (alternative eclectic art-pop isn't quite prog). 

Anneke v G is a royal character of magnitude, but she is a bit of an outlander in the prog realm. That said, the Queen of England is German, and so was Catherine the Great of Russia. Go figure .. 

Marjana is too young, and Hiromi is just way too good (and too busy being the Princess of Electric Fusion)

Annie wins, therefore, and not by default. She is the only one I can think of who is a fantastic music-maker, not weird, incontestably "prog", and has done more than enough to earn the title.  

 

No argument that they are indeed the most famous female fronted prog rock band.  I was only pointing out, with reference to what he said, that she's not the only one who meets those criteria.  The most notable among singers who meet those criteria, yes.

Queen consort?

The "non-weird criteria" was not designed to exclude Krause and Knapp, because I don't know who they be. Unless you mean the lovely and 100% wholesome Alison Krauss 

Also, are you sure you are using the word "specious" correctly? I have always thought that specious referred to a idea that looks legit on outside, but is based either on an hidden ulterior motive, or on a fallacy, or both. For example, environmental taxes have a lot more to do with raising revenues than with the environment. 

I meant Dagmar Krause who worked in Henry Cow and Art Bears.  And it was actually Knaup, Renate Knaup (got it mixed up with Karine Knapp, a current tennis player), who was the singer of Amon Duul II. You will find that those prog rock listeners who have a liking for its more experimental side are quite familiar with both names.  

I used the word specious because I find the notion that only a non weird singer could be the queen of prog fallacious.  Now, reading this follow up comment of yours, I feel that perhaps you came up with that criteria to account for your unfamiliarity with weird prog?  There are lots of talented female singers in weird prog too.  And since this is a kind of music that is progressive in its approach, I don't think there's anything wrong with a singer choosing a less conventionally appealing style, if that's what the music calls for.

My vote honestly would be a split between Stella and Annie.

How did I miss that? I went through the entire thread and didn't see yours right there. 

 

At least they do get mentioned. Nobody cares about Janita Haan (Babe Ruth) anymore. That band wasn't for everybody, but their first three albums cook.