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Can't reply to this topic. It's like trying to condense the entire Avant Garde forum into one reply. Considering how loosely the word Avant Garde is thrown around it's silly. I mean, really, most of these things as excellent as they are, technically are just genre mixing progressive rock.

My absolutely favorite bands are usually labeled as avant-rock bands. I like then because their ambition in mixing genres. However, once it becomes rock, it technically isn't Avant-Garde since the point of Avant-Garde is to avoid the existence of established genre technique entirely.

Bruce Haack, John Cage, and Harry Partch are Avant-Garde due to the fact they use never heard before inventions/techniques to present music.

Estradasphere, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, and Mr.Bungle are really just amazing prog(3 of my favorite bands) that chose not to conform to "prog sensibilities". which, in itself, is an illogical concept seeing as the point of prog is to not have restraint, but I digress. I mean, closest in the list is SGM which lightly uses homemade instruments, and household items. Which, essentially, is just skiffle. I don't include Harry Partch from this because his music is seemingly entirely constructed off of the invention of new instruments.

Technically, Avant-Rock is just a paradox, and a poor labeling for a fantastic subdivision of progressive rock. One of which hasn't ever been labeled. Closest thing is "Rock Against Rock" which doesn't fit all bands because not all bands in the genre fit the anti-commercial attitude(Mr.Bungle in fact was licensed by a major label after their singer won a Grammy with a different band).

I have learned to settle with the genre name, but it's very difficult to figure out what makes things like Mars Volta, King Crimson, and Red Hot Chili Peppers generally considered prog rock, and what makes very similar bands avant-garde, or what makes Boredoms noise rock, and not Avant Garde. However, it inhibits me from making a list.