[LightFire]

Here are my 10 favorite prog albums:
1) Emerson, Lake & Palmer in Concert
2) Yesshows (Yes)
3) Dark Side of The Moon (Pink Floyd)
4) Misplaced Childhood (Marillion)
5) Leftoverture (Kansas)
6) Fragile (Yes)
7) Seasons End (Marillion)
Moving Pictures (Rush)
9) Free Hand (Gentle Giant)
10) Feel Euphoria (Spok's Beard)

[Dmason]

Even the audiophools have for years considered Brain Salad Surgery to be a writing/performing/arranging/recording/mastering tour de force. Although I am a BIG ELP fan, I hadnt heard this album for about eight years, until two weeks ago. It actually sounded better and even more sophisticated, as my older and wiser brain could better appreciate just how much better these three were than even I had thought, lo these many, many, many years. The level of interplay and syncopation between Keith and Carl is a serious study in itself.

 Moral: Alot of the good prog stuff just gets better with age.

 FYI: I have discovered that a non oversampling 16 bit DAC is The Antidote to the sketchy production values on outstanding older albums such as "Selling England By The Pound." Through the Monica DAC it becomes a whole new album. There are other examples. This alone was a good reason for me to have a DAC like Monica. It was actually what sold me on the idea of these very simple convertors.

[Jim N.]

Selling England By The Pound was the first well produced album Genesis released. Foxtrot, Nursery Cryme and Trespass were all muddy and flat recordings coupled with piss poor Charisma Records pressings. "Selling" is detailed and dynamic. The CD remaster from about 10 years ago is very good.

As mentioned by another, the Pierre Moerlen led version of Gong was quite good. A lot of Alan Holdsworth on guitar and the multiple percussionist format gave them a unique sound. Moerlen was a superb drummer.

Gong was more in the fusion genre but I don't really differentiate it from prog. If you like accomplished muscianship and complex compositions fusion has much to offer. Some prefer fusion to prog as it eliminates the ofttimes cringe-inducing lyrics associated with the classis prog. How can you tell if it's fusion? Jazz fans call it rock and rock fans call it jazz.

I just enjoy listening to great musicians. Prog, fusion and jazz are all pretty much the same to me. Chops music.

A shout out for the great Dixie Dregs. Steve Morse did kind of look like a chick back in the day  . Skinny with long blonde hair down to his ass.

[doorman]

Niacin: Great musicians, call the music what you will. fusion/prog rock or? You might also like stuff by Uzeb, Trey Gunn, Tony Levin, to name a few. It's a voyage of discovery!
                                                                              Don
                                                                         

[Soundbitten]

Didn't Rhino put out a prog box set a few years ago ?

[Dmason]

edit: these copies I had are older ones, likely late 80's, and sound VERY sketchy. I didnt realize there were remasters of the old Genesis stuff. I would moreso like to hear Trick of The Tail. That is my favorite Genesis album of all. Yes, the careful remasters of these jewels really is pretty special. The Yes stuff came out nicely, and was supervised by Chris Squire, and masters were agreed upon by the band. Rhino and Caroline were indeed the record companies in question.

First time I saw the Dixie Dregs, I had no idea of who or what they were, only that they were special. I was COMPLETELY blown away by that one. T Lavitz on keys as well. ++

[Bwanagreg]

I just received the new Porcupine Concert DVD "Arriving Somewhere" http://www.amazon.com/Arriving-Somewhere-Porcupine-Tree/dp/B000I2IT44/sr=8-1/qid=1162264823/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4907741-9432832?ie=UTF8&s=dvd
It was filmed at the Chicao Park West a year ago. I was at one of these shows  and it was a great one (the audience was a different story ...  ). This disc will give your sub a workout. I like it! (I do think it's good.)

[Passive Chappy]

Just wanted to jump in here with my 2 cents on a vey good thread.

Great bands to consider -

Amon Duul II (Heavy German kraurtrock)
Soft Machince (Wacky British stuff)
King Crimson (An old favorite)
Synergy (Larry Fast stuff)
Can (How could anyone have missed this one)
Happy the Man (Made in the USA.  kicks arsh.)
Faust (More Mind blowing krautrock)
Tangerine Dream (Top notch krautrock)
Kraftwerk (The real deal)
Neu (Kraftwerk's other half)
National Health (British canterbury fusion that's excellent)
Hawkwind (More great british space rock)
ELO (What can I say.  I really like the early stuff)
Heldon (I could call this French King Crimson, but it's much wilder than that)
Hatfield and the North (Quirky British stuff)
Steeleye Span (More Quirky British stuff) 
Sparks (Great long lost band)
Brian Eno (How could we miss him?)
Alan Parson Project (First three albums are a fave)
Jean-Michel Jarre (First two albums are more great french stuff)
FM (Another great Canadian band besides Rush)
Cluster (Dense krautrock)
Agitation Free (Rare krautrock)
Ashra Tempel (More wacky krautrock)
Cosmic Jokers (More rare krautrock)
Caravan (Very British stuff)
Camel (The Brits do it again)
Roxy Music (A real fave of mine)
Magma (More dense french stuff.  One of the best shows I ever saw)
Van Der Graaf Generator (This is one crazy band man)
Gryphon (A friend turned me on to these guys about 20 years ago.  Very good stuff)
Os Mutantes (They're back from brazil after 40 years)
Secret Oyster (An long lost old favoratie from Denmark.  If you see any, grab it)
 
Acid Mother's Temple (The Japanese carry on prog with a modern take)   
King's X (These guys get no respect, but I like them)
 

Weather Report (I like fusion too)
Mahavishnu Orchestra (More great fusion)
Billy Cobham (Great solo fusion)
 
And one last suggestion that's really maybe unexpected for everyone -

PDQ Bach  (Progessive Classical.  Check it out)

[bunky]

Any Dixie Dregs fans here?

Yup, saw them 5 times in the late 70's at various small venues around San Diego. Smokin' shows. Finally got the Japanese CD with the LP covers of "Dregs of The Earth", "Unsung Heroes" and "Industry Standard" and I'm Freaking Out  .

Forgot one other very obscure band in my earlier post: Crack The Sky. The "Live Sky" album (sans main man John Palumbo) was a great live recording.

Maybe I Can Fool Everybody (Tonight).......

Im suprised that anyone on the audiocircle's knew who Crack the Sky were. i have seen them live six times. i have all of thier albums including "Live Sky" without John Palumbo and another recording made by them during a live radio broadcast with Mr Palumbo as front Man....Crack the Sky was very popular in our neck of the woods. thanks....WCW III  

[Gordy]

 And one last suggestion that's really maybe unexpected for everyone -

PDQ Bach  (Progessive Classical.  Check it out)

    For the fortunate souls unfamiliar with PDQ Bach, his offical biography... http://www.schickele.com/pdqbio.htm

[BobM]

It's amazing to me when I consider that I became familiar with Crack the Sky, Renaissance, Brand X, Bebop Deluxe and dozens of bands by listening to FM RADIO!

WLIR - Long Island. Not only did they play these bands, but they also broadcast (and taped) live concerts. I wish someone would go back into those vaults and publish some of that stuff.

WLIR is still around, but they went through the 80's and 90's. Not prog anymore, but still playing fairly cutting edge stuff, for radio anyway.

Bob

[Jim N.]

It's amazing to me when I consider that I became familiar with Crack the Sky, Renaissance, Brand X, Bebop Deluxe and dozens of bands by listening to FM RADIO! Can you imagine hearing any of these bands on the radio today? Ha!

Back in the day (70's) KNAC in Long Beach was almost all prog before going Metal in the 80's and internet only in the late 90's. That was a great station! They were one of the few stations in the 90's to play Dream Theater.

KDAY AM/FM would play Frank Zappa (Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?) and such in the 70's before going soul then rap.

KROQ played King Crimson in the 80's.

KLOS and KMET would play prog late at night.

FM used to be great!

Bunky, the remastered CTS CD is excellent! HOLD ON!

[slinco]

This may have already been mentioned - Genesis is getting back together for a reunion tour. It's the Collins, Banks, Rutheford line-up, with Daryl Steurmer and Chester Thompson. Unfortunately, the talks with Peter Gabriel about him joining up fizzled, and he decided to opt out. Bummer. Should still be a fun show to see though....

Equally interesting is EMI Records decision to re-issue 14 Genesis studio albums as SACD's next year. NICE!!!

Here's the press release....

http://auralmoon.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=439&Itemid=2

[Rob Babcock]

Lots of good stuff mentioned here!  I'd probably be in the minority here but my favorite Allan Holdsworth album is I.O.U.  Beyond the great bands already listed, I'd recommend Magnitude 9 if you like harder edged prog.  Anyone who has my Encyclopedia Metallicus has heard their song Far Beyond Illusion.