Prog Rock didn't go anywhere say the diehards.
With names like 'Spock's Beard' you'd expect a few geeks to be in the crowd and the
sheer complexity of some of it can lead to lots of wholesome intellectualising.
Not to mention the hours of fun to be had trying to get that 9/16ths
time signature down.
Classic albums from this genre include King Crimson's 'In the
Court of the Crimson King', Yes's 'Close to the Edge' and Emerson, Lake
and Palmer's 'Pictures at an Exhibition'. Guitarists should check out
King Crimson's Robert Fripp and keyboardists are bound to get
something out of EL&P.
Prog rock was an offshoot from the late sixties psychedelic bands
with works like the Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
and Revolver being the foundation. Some characteristics of this
genre of music are: experimental forms and textures, highly
skilled musicians, played mostly on rock-music instruments.
Some newer bands in this genre include Spock's Beard, Boud Deun,
Cairo and Finneus Gauge. Sub-genres include Neo-prog which
is more pop oriented. A good example is Marillon with their album
'Misplaced Childhood'. Other sub-genres are pomp/pop prog (Kansas,
Styx), prog metal (Rush, Dream Theater), and Canterbury sound
(Soft Machine, Caravan, Happy the Man).
In March 99, Q magazine did a list of the best prog rock
albums of all time. Here it is ... Despite the major record companies not signing these sort of bands
because since the advent of punk they were seen as uncool
(record companies thinking someone else is uncool??) there is
a flourishing 'underground' scene in the US and Europe.
Aphrodite's Child - 666
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad surgery
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Marillon - Misplaced Childhood
The Moody Blues - On the Threshold of a Dream
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Radiohead - OK Computer (some would quibble with this one)
The Teardrop Explodes - Wilder
Van der Graaf Generator - H to He, Who Am the Only One
Yes - the Yes Album
Some Prog Rock places to go...
Artists, concerts, even an Encyclopedia! Check out progrock.net.
The prog rock webring has a couple hundred places.
Syn-Phonic Records stock a lot of prog rock if you want to buy something. They have a searchable database as well.