Did classic rock/metal artists do prog albums?
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Topic: Did classic rock/metal artists do prog albums?
Posted By: WrytXander
Subject: Did classic rock/metal artists do prog albums?
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 11:48
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Discussion about artists such as the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Metallica, System of a Down, Queen, George Harrison, David Bowie, etc.: They were not prog, but did they do prog albums? Or did they just make a few prog songs, but not a whole album that could be called prog? I find this topic attracts many people's attention, and I've seen some very mixed opinions about this. To back up the first point, I'll give Quadrophenia, Tommy, Houses of the Holy, Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper's, And Justice for All, System of a Down, Queen, Queen II, A Night at the Opera, All Things Must Pass and Ziggy Stardust as examples to start with. These albums could in one way or another be considered prog; concepts, odd time signatures, polymetres, overall song/album structures that seem too strange for classic rock/metal. Then again, these elements could be caused entirely by 2-3 songs, and may give a non-prog album a proggy feel/sound, and lead many to believe that an LP is indeed a full-on prog release. So, which thought do you support? Also, do you have some more examples to back up either of these points?
------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |
Replies:
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 15:59
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Queen's first four albums were always considered to be quite progressive by the prog community at the time (why ignore Sheer Heart Attack??) The others, I'm afraid, may have had some prog influences/influences on prog, but they were not truly progressive. Incidentally, I've just listened to Toto's Absolutely Live and I cannot for the life of me understand why Boston, Kansas and the like are on this site and Toto aren't. Again, not all their albums are truly progressive, but some undoubtedly are. It seems some of the above bands have gained a place on this site on the basis of quite spurious claims to progressiveness, but some far more qualified bands haven't.
------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: PrognosticMind
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 16:01
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Megadeth Rust in Peace is incredibly progressive for the genre and time period it was released. ------------- "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?" |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 16:19
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Hercules wrote:Posted By: JediJoker7169
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 19:29
| System of a Down's Mezmerize/Hypnotize is pretty undeniably Prog, as well. |
Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: September 15 2014 at 19:55
I didn't know SOAD was a classic rock/cassic metal band. ------------- Crushed like a rose in the riverflow. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 00:44
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Journey and Styx. Easier albums were proggy, but they both eventually gave way to Classic Rock IMHO.
I've heard folks talk up the debut Foreigner album, which featured King Crimson's Ian MacDonald - I have never heard this album though. |
Posted By: PrognosticMind
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 05:55
I didn't know Megadeth was either, but it was the first thing that came to my mind  .------------- "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?" |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 06:04
Of those albums you mentioned, only the Queen ones could be considered prog (imo), however I would point out that Jon Anderson said in the latest Classic Rock that the Abbey Road suite was what influenced him most to make the 20 minute Yes epics.
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Posted By: PrognosticMind
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 06:14
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Metallica definitely started gracing progressive elements on "...And Justice For All". ------------- "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?" |
Posted By: WrytXander
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 10:56
Well, if I divide every band by genre, it would look really unnecessarily long. You all get what I mean, and that's the point.  ------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 11:28
| The title track of the Doobie Bros. Captain and Me always came off as having prog leanings with its gentle build and harmonic vocals. |
Posted By: WrytXander
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 11:31
I would actually say it's a bit of a stretch calling it prog, but I definitely do see the leanings (and I know you didn't actually call it prog, don't worry)! ------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 11:55
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Richie Blackmore stretched out into more prog territory when he was not with Deep Purple. His band Rainbow had some progressive feel, and his current project Blackmore's Night is very impressive in a prog folk genre. Police guitarist Andy Summers stretched into prog with Bob Fripp's "I Advance Masked." He also put out some new-age colored solo albums, but I've never heard them.
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Posted By: Zenbadger
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 14:26
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I've always felt that Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was quite progressive for 1973 Black Sabbath, especially when you take into account their previous albums. You also have Rick Wakeman on it which gives it extra prog points!
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Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 14:31
With Wakeman on it, it surely must be worth picking up. Thanks for the info. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 14:32
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Domo arigato Mister Roboto.
"Doing the right thing is never superfluous." |
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 15:24
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Joe Walsh flirted with prog on songs like Life's Been Good and The Confessor.
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Posted By: PrognosticMind
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 17:50
I agree completely. ------------- "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?" |
Posted By: Michael678
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 18:18
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well, The Beatles' White Album had songs coming from all over the place (the genres i mean, its a double album overall), plus that simple cover is a, well.... good cover for it i guess, it ain't grandiose as it really is, so the unexpected happened i guess. ------------- Progrockdude |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 18:30
| Pink Floyd did a couple. |
Posted By: StaaViinsZ
Date Posted: September 16 2014 at 20:45
I have no idea about the validity of this statement, however, ROCK ON BROTHER!!  ------------- "Let us scream like Tom Mallicoat, and whisper like Geoff Tate, for the difference between the two is nigh." |
Posted By: tamijo
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 04:00
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The first post i read today : Deadwing is not prog at all. The second : Ziggy and Justice for All, could be considered prog. Now we just need Pink Floyd is not prog, And could Franki goes to Hollywood be considered prog, because Pleasure Dome is surely and Epic
------------- Prog is whatevey you want it to be. So dont diss other peoples prog, and they wont diss yours |
Posted By: PrognosticMind
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 07:06
I will still argue that both Rust in Peace and ...And Justice for All grace prog-dom  .------------- "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?" |
Posted By: geekfreak
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 09:34
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yes most of whom you put down are on the edge of PROG ------------- Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake." Music Is Live Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. Keep Calm And Listen To The Music… < |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 10:32
I Advance Masked was actually one of two collaboration albums by both Summers and Fripp. I tried like heck to get into it, but outside of technique, it was a real yawner. It went the way of the used record store. |
Posted By: WrytXander
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 11:33
http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2008/oct/08/pink.floyd.not.prog.rock" rel="nofollow - http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2008/oct/08/pink.floyd.not.prog.rock Here ya go. ------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 12:25
Hey. You spelled eleven out of twelve of your favorite bands correct. Not bad at all.
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Posted By: WrytXander
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 14:25
"Theatre" is an actual word. Also, you don't see me making sarcastic remarks when people use adjectives instead of adverbs. Seriously, what's with everyone picking at me in these forums?
------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |
Posted By: WrytXander
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 14:38
I love that album, but had no idea Rick Wakeman played on it! Thanks for that bit of information  And yes, Bloody Sabbath had some progginess in it, but I wouldn't call it a prog album really. ------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |
Posted By: Zenbadger
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 15:07
I think the story behind that is Yes were recording Topographic Oceans in the next studio. Wakeman ended up hanging out with Sabbath a lot while the others were noodling around with that. He layed some keys and synth down on a few tracks. Apparently accepting payment in the form of beer! Rick's good mates with Sabbath, if you can find the Tony Iommi interview he did for his Face To Face series it's well worth a watch. Adam Wakeman also plays Keys for Sabbath on the road as well as Ozzy's band. |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 17:12
My mistake - I was sure I'd seen a review of them, but I was clearly in error. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 17 2014 at 17:33
Sorry I didn't know about that. My comment was very supportive, though.
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Posted By: tamijo
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 03:50
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PA quote garbage deletet ------------- Prog is whatevey you want it to be. So dont diss other peoples prog, and they wont diss yours |
Posted By: tamijo
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 03:51
Yes Pink Floyd is fantastic, and for sure not prog at all, but prog in general is sh*t. ------------- Prog is whatevey you want it to be. So dont diss other peoples prog, and they wont diss yours |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 08:10
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Prog albums..? No.
Albums with proggy songs and elements.? Yes. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: PrognosticMind
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 08:34
This sounds about right. I remember reading that Wakeman would get bored during the Tales sessions, and go next door and play darts with the Sabbath guys. I love his brief appearance on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath quite a bit. ------------- "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?" |
Posted By: WrytXander
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 12:18
That article is stupid, and I don't support what it says. Also, I didn't say Deadwing isn't prog; I'm actually really liking it. Also also, those albums have prog elements and the whole point of this thread is to discuss whether they can truly be considered prog or not. ------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |
Posted By: WrytXander
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 12:19
Oh, okay then... I actually thought you were being sarcastic and making fun of me... Sorry for that ------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |
Posted By: WrytXander
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 12:25
He also got so bored during concerts that he once ordered chicken curry during the concert, put the plate on top of his keyboards and ate it ------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: September 19 2014 at 12:33
I was. Just a little. But I didn't mean to be cruel. Irony. It just doesn't work on the internet.
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Posted By: thwok
Date Posted: September 20 2014 at 08:05
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I haven't read every post on this thread, so I hope I'm not going to be redundant. What about Jimi Hendrix? Surely his first 2 or 3 albums qualify as prog! ------------- I am the funkiest man on the planet! |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: September 20 2014 at 08:16
How so...? ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: PrognosticMind
Date Posted: September 20 2014 at 09:17
Doesn't surprise me one bit! Tales From Curry-Covered Keyboards .------------- "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?" |
Posted By: WrytXander
Date Posted: September 20 2014 at 10:05
I haven't listened to those albums enough to make an accurate observation, but I do have some doubts about that... Try psychedelic maybe. ------------- 20+ prog bands discovered and explored in 3 years, still going strong... |