[Rick Craig]

Gentle Giant, pre-1977 Genesis, Happy the Man, pre-1977 Yes, late 70's Gong, National Health, Grobschnitt, Group 87, Anthony Phillips, UK, Camel,ELP, Caravan.

I'm sure they're others lost from my memory  

[zybar]

You missed the best one....

RUSH

 

George

[Wayne1]

Nektar

Ambrosia's first three albums

Hawkwind

Aphrodite's Child

Curved Air

Strawbs

Jade Warrior

Jethro Tull (Thick as a Brick and Passion Play)

Kayak

Marillion

[SFDude]

and Genesis tops my list. Rush is not too far back. Yes, 2112 is my definitive all time fave from the mad rockers of Toronto. It's too bad Alex Lifeson is facing criminal charges in FL.  

[Rob Babcock]

They're towards the metal end of prog, but I like "Magnitude 9", "Zebra" & Dream Theater, too.

[pjchappy]

<---------------  I like. . .ummm. . .Pink Floyd.

p

[Dmason]

Way to go Wayne for Nektar. THAT takes talent.

 I went to see these guys based on an ad in the 'Stone," in summer of '75, that they had alot of equipment, and slipped into the States almost unkown. It mentioned their spectacular light show. It was weird, liquidy oily iridescence between two membranes generating colors and amoebic, changing, shifting shapes mixed with vintage film clips of biological fascination and human horror. Their music was like an industrial fusion of Pink Floyd, ELP, and sort of Hendrix guitar, with an unbelievably high degree of musicianship. The roadies were selling acid for a buck, and the follow spots were solid shafts of blue light. This was the standout prog rock show of all time. Totally, TOTALLY amazing band.

Zero attention to commercial viability was the order of the day back then, when writing and playing were the tools of the trade. Ambrosia was very cool. Get their remastered anthology. Gentle Giant were another astonishing act. I listen to all this stuff on a fairly regular basis.

[Wayne1]

I have all of these bands on vinyl

I went to see Nektar in NYC the first US tour. As soon as they turned on their light show they took out the power grid for a whole city block.

Their 4th album "Recycled" was done with Larry Fast of "Synergy"

Saw Caravan in a small theatre near Rutgers

Caught Jethro Tull in Carnegie Hall just before Aqualung was released

My first weekend after I moved to Colorado, I saw Genesis in Boulder. That was the first tour without Gabriel.

This was the music I listened to in my late teens and early 20's

Gryphon, Henry Cow, Roy Harper

Another good band was a "Yes" clone called Starcastle.

I recently unpacked all my vinyl from boxes under my bench. Now it is all on shelves in my office right next to the Teres. Roughly close to a 1,000 LPs. I have been renewing a lot of old friendships

[lonewolfny42]

I have all of these bands on vinyl

I went to see Nektar in NYC the first US tour. As soon as they turned on their light show they took out the power grid for a whole city block.

Their 4th album "Recycled" was done with Larry Fast of "Synergy"

Saw Caravan in a small theatre near Rutgers

Caught Jethro Tull in Carnegie Hall just before Aqualung was released

My first weekend after I moved to Colorado, I saw Genesis in Boulder. That was the first tour without Gabriel.

This was the music I l ...

Wayne, From this post , it seems you spent some time in NY. Are you a former NY'er ?

[Anton K.]

Can't believe nobody mentioned King Crimson!

[Wayne1]

King Crimson  

I saw them at Wolman rink in Central Park.

Golden Earing was the opening act.

I was born and raised in Bergenfield, NJ. Went through school with Al Dimeola. Dated Jackie Zeman (Bobbie in General Hospital)

Left the East Coast in January of 1977 and never regretted it

[Dmason]

King Crimson--there's another one. We forgot. Another Hyper-talented fusion machine. Kids these days would say, "whaaaa?" Saw them in '84 when Adrian Belew was doing his thing, and with the Levin-Bruford rhythm machine. Another sonic impact crater. Fortunately they were playing in Buffalo the next night.

Jethro Tull 'Thick as a Brick'
Gryphon 'Red Queen Two Gryphon Three'
Renaissance 'Renaissance'
Yes 'Relayer'
Genesis 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'
ELP 'Trilogy'
Brand X
UK
Return To Forever 'Where Have I Known You Before'

these albums have alot of meat on them and sound as fresh today as yesterday.

[Bwanagreg]

My list starts with King Crimson, too. I've seen every tour since '82, with the exception of the last one. Favorite version of the band though by far is the "Larks Toungue" lineup with Jamie Muir. That album still blows my mind. Red is a close second.

Anything with Bruford!

I like a lot of the other stuff mentioned. How about Porcupine Tree? A lot of the other "neo-prog" bands are very derivative, but these guys sound more original to me. Spock's Beard is good, but they sound a lot like Kansas or Genesis. Ditto Flower Kings. Dream Theater is good but they crack me up. Listening to "Scenes from a Memory" is like taking a prog music history quiz. "OK, that was a bit of Floyd, there was a Kansas keyboard sound, oh very good, a little Zappa riff, ...".  The female vocal stuff is such a direct, um, "reference" to "Great Gig in the Sky" that  it's kind of embarrasing.

ZAPPA! He was always hard to classify, but I'll add him out of respect.

Gongzilla anyone? It's the Pierre Morlin version of Gong with Alan Holdworth.  Might be more fusion than prog.

[Bwanagreg]

I forgot another new band - Mars Volta. They even admit on their website that they are unashamed to be prog! That takes cahones these days! They have a real industrial metal king of sound. Cool stuff - not great audiophile material though - the damn recording levels are maxed out most of the time.  

[Dmason]

It may be worth noting that in societies that value real art and its performance, progressive rock forms have flourished for years. In Montreal for example, it is not unusual to still find this type of music being played live in large clubs, just like everywhere years ago. Morse Code, Offenbach, from Quebec City put out some beautiful stuff back when. Progressive rock bands always sell out in the large venues there. Nice! Vive le bon taste de les Quebecois!

 Sweden seems to be producing some real talent in the complex music played with a high degree of musicianship formula.

[dogberry]

I'll add Porcupine Tree, Spock's Beard, Transatlantic, Flower Kings, and Ozric Tentacles.

[Bwanagreg]

Dmason, you comments about Sweden made me think of Garmarna. I'm not sure if it's prog, but it is an interesting fusion of rock forms with Swedish folk music. Of course then there is Iceland's Sigur Ros.

Has anyone listened to auralmoon.com? They have prog programming 24/7.

[PeteG]

Prog Rock

To many to list, but I have forgotten a lot of bands
from the 70's/80's and you guys have brought back some memories.

[Rick Craig]

Jethro Tull 'Thick as a Brick'
Gryphon 'Red Queen Two Gryphon Three'
Renaissance 'Renaissance'
Yes 'Relayer'
Genesis 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'
ELP 'Trilogy'
Brand X
UK
Return To Forever 'W ...[/quote]

I had a chance to see Renaissance open for Al DiMeola (strange combination,huh?) at an auditorium in San Diego. Annie Haslam was the attraction for me  

Brand X is one I forgot to put on my list, but they and RTF lean more towards fusion than progressive. I heard RTF two different times, once with the horn section and later on the reunion tour of the quartet (Corea,DiMeola,White,Clarke). Tha reunion concert was amazing.

I also had a chance to see Peter Gabriel on his first tour after leaving Genesis. Quite a show with Tony Levin and Rick Marotta in the rhythm section.

[Wayne1]

Rick,

I caught that same tour with Al DiMeola. Taj Mahal was playing on the same bill.

Al And Annie had a bit of a romantic interlude during that tour.

I went out partying with him and his band one night they were here. He did mention that Annie was VERY British and liked to be spanked