Music Banter - View Single Post - I know what I like: Trollheart's History of Progressive Rock and Progressive Metal

Unknown Soldier · 01-07-2015, 01:42 PM

Great intro for the sixties there and I like the way you're doing this, by not only listening to the albums that have been recommended, but also questioning the validity of whether these albums should actually be there.

Most albums that were slightly complex and with a psychedelic angle were all deemed important for the development of prog and I've no real problem with that. But where things get debatable is when an album is experimental through its sound, use of instruments or left-of-field for the mid 1960s and its albums like this that are the most demanding on whether they should be included or not and at a squeeze I'd probably say they should, but not all of course ....

But then you get an album like Pet Sounds which falls into the two areas I've mentioned above but more dominant with the experimental side of things and like you I really can't see it as being of any real intrinsic value to prog. But on the other hand you get Frank Zappa style experimental which is a whole different ball game and I can see the instrinsic value to prog there straight away due to his melange of styles and his progression through his early albums.

I've noticed you're not listening to Absolutely Free, you should as it's a pair with Freak Out! and I'm sure you'll prefer both of those over Lumpy Gravy.

Totally agree with you about the books, a lot of literature on the subject goes round in circles without ever getting to the meat, when doing something like this you need a book that you can quickly relate to, if not it's a waste of time.

Finally of all the albums you've got there, I'd say the Moody Blues album will be the one most relavant to the British prog scene just around the corner.