Interesting list. I can see a valid case being made for each entry. I was a teen when these records came out and I had most of them. Many of them became pivotal in my development as a musician. Also as a Deadhead, I got a thrill for the inclusion of Anthem Of The Sun. Looking forward to checking out the other videos in the series.
Some say Stg Pepper by The Beatles or Freak Out by Zappa. Days of Future Past by Moody Blues all have influences. King Crimson ITCOTCK was really the first True Prog album. From the Cover a Classic which even today is intense just like the music. That album really is the Blueprint. 1969 that album turned the music world upside down. Ithas English Folk Heavy Meddle Jazz Classical. Those Boys could play . 21st Century Song today brings it. Robert Fripp to me is Godfather of Prog. A Visionary who for 50 years operated from outside the Box. Crimson influenced Yes Genesis ect. Thats my take.
In those days I think they admired each other. I don't think they were directly influenced . There was a lot of experimenting. Each of the bands had their own musical color and progression.
Nice list - I am looking forward to hearing about each album. I did think that maybe one of the Small Faces albums might be a worthwhile addition to the list? I always thought that "Itchycoo Park" was ahead of its time.
I hear you on the Small Faces - Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake has some great moments on it. There will be an "Honorable Mentions" episode at the end of the series to address the various albums that didn't make my initial list - there are a number of them!
Yeah good list....I would also add Magical Mystery Tour and Abbey Road from the Beatles, Are You Experienced by Hendrix,, Ogden's Nut Gone Flake by Small Faces, and Hot Rats by Zappa....all before 1970 when Prog started to really take off as a genre....but all showing the shape and flavour of things that would come in the years and decade ahead.
Remember the criteria I selected - only one album per artist. The Beatles, Hendrix and Zappa are already represented. Ogdens is a VERY interesting album, for sure!
I know that not everyone may agree but I think that the first Velvet Underground albums could be considered proto-prog. John Cale played viola, piano (prepared piano on All Tomorrow's Parties), organ, and bass guitar. Lou Reed also played a fretless guitar with all strings tuned to the same note on some songs along with atonal solos laden with feedback. They also had numerous long songs with unusual structures with lyrics that were considered to be too mature and sometimes unsuitable for rock music. They did influence the Soft Machine, Can, Amon Duul, Roxy Music, Brian Eno, and others. My view may be anathema to some prog fans but, at least to me, I think that they have been.
Like the premise of this video...always have tried to have discussions with my music friends of what REALLY was the initial beginnings and seeds of prog. Fun watch...I subscribed btw
The Velvet Underground also had Andy Warhol the famous artist who was painter, filmmaker, photographer, and sometime journalist. He put together 'The Exploding Plastic Inevitable', a very interesting multimedia show with lights, movies, and other bizarre things. It was actually very progressive, experimental, and psychedelic, even though they didn't like the psychedelic scene. Admittedly some of it was developed under the influence of LSD and amphetamines. This was the stage show/happening that occured while the Velvets were playing. They toured with this before Pink Floyd came up with their own multimedia show too.
I was thinking also of the influence of Minimalism (example: Philip Glass), somehow with its theory might have influenced the rise of Progressive music.
Good list. Needs more Jazz. Glad for what's there, but you can't tell me these cats weren't listening to Ornette Coleman or Sun Ra. The Sly album A Whole New Thing too, for when prog gets funky.
I have no doubt that many of these musicians were listening to jazz beyond Miles and Trane - in particular, the Hammond players on this list certainly knew about Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff. I suspect that constructing a fully comprehensive list here would be impossible, though. I DO plan to include an "Honorable Mentions" episode upon finishing work on the albums in the list that includes artists and titles included in the comments.
Many people think Court was the start of prog. Imo, it was the album that put it on the map and made prog a "thing" but there were bands before them exploring beyond standard rock. These bands are typically referred to as "proto prog." Anyway, I remember having a discussion (well actually more like a disagreement or debate) with a guy on a facebook group who absolutely insisted that Touch (the US band) were the first prog rock band. While I disagree with that assesment I do think sometimes the US artists don't get the credit they deserve when it comes to proto prog and early prog. Spirit are another band who could be in the discussion.
Bill, you are a new voice on the RU-vid prog space. I like your diction, professorial nature, calmness, and intelligence. It is hiding what underneath I think is a humorus and devilish soul - I liked the list, obviously no list is canon it is an opinion, but I personally feel psych had a much larger impact on prog than most people realize. While I saw the Mothers and the Doors on the list, I am wondering if you considered Arthur Lee and Love and Forever Changes? In the 1965-67 Los Angeles music scene, no band was revered or set the tone for fashion, culture, sound, attitude, and willingness to experiment more than Arthur Lee. He is often forgotten, and I am not sure why. Both the Doors and Hendrix were directly influenced or looked up to him, as did most everyone in the Sunset Strip/Laurel Canyon scene.
Thats a good list man.Coltrane,Miles Davis, The Beatles,Zappa, Hendrix and Pink Floyd really did alot. The band Gun 1968 I think could have made the list, and Andromeda/Atomic rooster but that came a bit later. Fuse and Horse are some of the earliest examples of full blown prog IMO around same time at in the court in 69. Then UfO and deep purple lucifers friend in early 70's is basically prog rock in baby stage
Of course! We discuss the contribution of classical music in several of our individual episodes in the series ... you should especially like the ones on the Nice, Procol Harum and Switched-On Bach, all to be issued soon!
I certainly wouldn't disagree with any of the choices here, but I've always thought that there are prog roots in the Fugs second album's "Virgin Forest" suite from 1966, and also in the work of The Incredible String Band, too. There's also SRC (a Detroit band with "cosmic"-themed songs), and the "Zodiac Cosmic Sounds" album by Mort Garson and Jaques Wilson (performed by "Wrecking Crew" musicians). Don't forget "Ogden's Nut-Gone Flake" and it's "Happiness Stan" suite, either!
I can understand your love for the Incredibles and for Ogden's, and Zodiac Cosmic Sounds is a somewhat-forgotten gem. Calling the Fugs "prog" feels like a stretch, but they were certainly willing to push the envelope in their way too.
@@PROGpaganda I don't really think of the Fugs as "prog" at all, but Virgin Forest was one of the first long-form "suites" I've ever heard, or heard of, on a rock record, and I think it had some influence on Zappa and others.
Well' having lived through the era, it's certainly a list I have no qualms with. I see prog as an outgrowth from psychodelia. That and a bid for legitimacy. Before these albums rock was viewed as a teenage adolescent phenomena. And as prog took off in the 70s there was a critical backlash to the whole thing. Other than some singles, I didn't hear much prog until 1969 when a couple college FM stations started broadcasting. These stations had special programs featuring progressive rock with quite a varied playlist.
Interesting selection. For me, progressive rock was principally a British thing, and there are a few too many US albums on the list (but some essential ones too!). And "Satanic Majesties" definitely does not deserve a place here, imho.(I think everyone tried to forget that one by 1968). "Streetnoise" is an interesting choice, and one I've realised is not in my collection, which must be remedied! Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the comments! If you have time, check out our episode on Satanic Majesties. I've always felt that its biggest problem was that it was made by the Stones, exploring territory that wasn't in their wheelhouse. If another band had made it I think it would have been better received.
@@PROGpaganda I will watch your video on Satanic Majesties, but my personal opinion is that if it had not been made by the Stones, no one would ever have bought it or been influenced by it! There are many stronger candidates, such as The Pretty Things "SF Sorrow", Small Faces "Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake" or "Odessey and Oracle", as suggested in another comment (great album!).
I agree entirely that "prog" is a British (or rather English) genre. I always snort tea over my keyboard whenever I hear/read the phrase "American Prog".
You can make that argument. The premise behind the list was to review albums released before October of '69, when King Crimson's debut was issued. In that regard the Nice's first three albums all qualified for the list.
Nooo! I wanted to listen what you had to say, but suddenly when I closed my eyes there's nothing. Please do the same list, and talk briefly about the name of the band, musicians, year. I was eager to hear about the late 1960 prog.
Thanks for your feedback. I had originally posted this video doing exactly that, but made the mistake of including sound samples from the songs. The samples got the video blocked. I will upload a re-edited version including verbal introductions of the songs in the near future.
Fair point. My initial version of the video included the album titles along with music samples, but it was blocked for copyright so I replaced it with this version. Apologies for any inconvenience!
