Dr.Tchock

Can, with Pink Floyd as a close second.

Can: they were experimental but also extremely smart. All the member were western art music students, but they never lost their time trying to make Rock music akin to Classical or bring Classical conventions into Rock (unlike that godawful E.L.P. group). Instead they merged a truck load of genres in into one package taking into account all the properties of rock music: simplicity, repetition, minimalism.

Pink Floyd: Because they were the less prog of all the english prog bands. And actually had a good songwriter. Ignoring the post-Syd, pre-Darkside period they always knew how to trim the fat and drop all the pointless demostration of "talent" in over long, over the top compositions. I do love Echoes and Carefull with that Axe, Eugene.

I guess I'm not to big on prog.

boo boo

Do you ever get tired of being a parrot for pretentious twat music critics?

Oh for f*ck's sake.

Stay out of the prog section then.

__________________
It's only knock n' knowall, but I like it

http://www.last.fm/user/kingboobs

Dr.Tchock

I mean I can listen to Yes or Rush but not for the songwriting. I mean is Jon Anderson actually saying anything?

Okay, Genesis also know how to write songs. I was being unfair.

Mate, pretension music critics? The only critics I read is Mark Prindle and Starostin, because they are both funny (Prindle because he is and Starostin because he's opinions are truly laughable). I did visit Piero Scaruffi web site once so that may be it.

boo boo

I think songwriters actually do more than just write lyrics, correct me if I'm wrong.

Nor do I think you have to be a good lyricist to be a good songwriter.

So do Yes and Rush, it might not conform to the "Pretentious old hippie buttf*cking the corpse of Woody Guthrie while strumming an acoustic guitar" dynamic that people usually associate singing/songwriting with, or the "verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/guitar solo/chorus" dynamic of most rock music but I dunno, I always thought trying different styles of music should be encouraged. I guess not, prog doesn't conform to the rock n roll trifecta. Which is simple, miminal and repetitive, and god forbid you break the rules of rock n roll.

__________________
It's only knock n' knowall, but I like it

http://www.last.fm/user/kingboobs

Dr.Tchock

I'll give you this point. There is more to sonwrinting than lyrics. I suppose the style just doesn't attract me.

I'm all for variety. But I'm against gimmick variety. I might be dead wrong, but I find the "Look, I can put jazz and classical together in a 40 minute suit" to be more exabitionist than an actual artistic statment. I find it robotic. Again, my opinion. I'm not bashing anyone who thinks otherwise.

Anteater

Well, just for future reference Tchock, not all progressive rock is made up of albums with forty minutes suites and such, lol.

__________________
Anteater's 21 Fav Albums Of 2020

Anteater's Daily Tune Roulette

Dr.Tchock

I'm pretty open to suggestion on good prog rock, actually. There is alot more portential in a mega talented band than in a average rock band that's for sure. I like Porcupine Tree, are they considered prog?

boo boo

Yes they are.

But it's still all pretentious shite, argh.

__________________
It's only knock n' knowall, but I like it

http://www.last.fm/user/kingboobs

Unknown Soldier

The great beauty of Jon Anderson`s lyrics, are the fact that they don`t make any sense.

boo boo

Nor are they supposed to, not many prog bands really give two sh*ts about the lyrics, vocals are treated more like an instrument than a way to use lyrics to translate some point of view, and more often than not music comes first, and the lyrics are intended to just fit with the music. I think it's one reason fantasy themes are used so often because it fits with that kinda music.

But yeah, I'm pretty sure 90% of Jon's lyrics are made up on the spot and used just because they fit well with the music, I think he just uses words he really likes, like "River" and "Mountain".

Of course that's not to say there aren't prog bands with emphasis on lyrics, Ian Anderson, Peter Garbiel, Richard Sinclair and Peter Hammill are pretty tight lyricists IMO, and have a great sense of wit and humor that people often overlook. And Waters of course.

__________________
It's only knock n' knowall, but I like it

http://www.last.fm/user/kingboobs