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Best Prog Rock?

Best Prog Band?

  • Rush

  • Pink Floyd

  • Genesis

  • King Crimson

  • Tool

  • Dream Theatre

  • ELP

  • ELO

  • Yes

Results are only viewable after voting.
#81
While I voted Yes, it's a tough choice. I'm a fan of Yes, but just as much Pink Floyd, ELP, and Genesis. Frankly, I think Jethro Tull should be in there somewhere.

And while Rush was a great band they were a little later to the game. I can't seem to include them in the "classic Prog" list. I love King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King, but I don't think they did anything close to that in their subsequent albums. Yeah, I know I'll get some disagreement to that.

I've been going back and forth between the greatest Prog album of all time, It's either Close to the Edge or Dark Side of the Moon. Currently, it's DSOTM, because it's a bit more accessible. But I could just as easily pick CTTE.
 
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#83
Sid Fang said:
Not going to argue with a lot of what you're saying there - most of it is a purely a matter of personal taste and opinion, to which you're welcome and with which I largely agree. But there are reasons why Wishbone Ash were considered a progressive or semi-progressive band, around the time of their second and third alibums. I mean, this is pretty damned proggy for 1971:
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Sounds rather proggy to me for 1971 but I was only born in 1968.
;)

My test: My mother would have told my father to turn off that weird music not for being loud but for being unfamiliar and sonically challenging.

If this isn't prog, take Genesis and Yes off the list.:thumbsup:
 
#84
Was a huge fan of the genre back in the day and am still very influenced by it. Van der Graaf was my favorite band in my college years, along with Crimso, Yes, ELP, Genesis, Floyd, Zappa, et. al. Saw all of them (except VDGG :bawl:) in their primes. Some of that stuff holds up better than others in retrospect. But the middle-period King Crimson; Fripp, Bruford, Wetton, (optionally Cross) remains the closest thing I've heard to what I think a rock band ought to sound like.
 
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#86
After Neil's passing I was browsing YouTube for Rush covers and I stumbled across this South American band called Fleesh. They do some very nice covers of Rush, Genesis and Floyd and other prog-ish bands. It's not note-for-note covers, rather they have their own mellow style. Anyway, I rather like them and I think many of you will enjoy a listen. They definitely deserve more views.

 
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#88
DrMole said:
My test: My mother would have told my father to turn off that weird music not for being loud but for being unfamiliar and sonically challenging.
Click to expand...
I fondly remember my mother singing along to the modulating riff toward the end of Larks Tongues in Aspic Part II, while working in the kitchen. My dad asked me what I was listening to when I was playing Black Sabbath's first album, circa 1973, and when I told him "a band called Black Sabbath", he said "That singer's got a great dramatic voice". This from people who grew up in the 1940s listening to classical and swing. Bless 'em.
 
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#89
Note the spelling...

Dream_Theater_-_Black_Clouds_%26_Silver_Linings.jpg
 
#90
Doctor Intrepid said:
We're not talking about personal favorites here. We're talking about the best.
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If you are really talking about the best and not favourites - what are the parameters? The weirdest keys/time signatures/length of songs/story telling of the song/virtuosity on the instrument? It is so individual - it is impossible to say who is the best...

Who is the best bassist in those groups? how do you measure that? John Myung is arguably the fastest. Geddy Lee the most multi talented, Chris Squire probably the most influential (maybe Geddy), Tony Levin maybe the has the most interesting phrasing and Justin Chancellor brought bass back to the forefront in heavy music...

Drummers - Neil is the most influential for sure but Mancini, Bruford, Portnoy could all go toe to toe with him on a kit. Song writing again - so personal.

Realistically - your poll can only be who is your favourite. You simply don't have enough categorization to make it anything but a popularity contest... I like all of them but on virtuosity - I have to give the nod to Dream Theatre. Personal favourite right now is probably Tool. Rush always stands tall... Love Yes and King Crimson so...?
 
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#96
Sid Fang said:
Not going to argue with a lot of what you're saying there - most of it is a purely a matter of personal taste and opinion, to which you're welcome and with which I largely agree. But there are reasons why Wishbone Ash were considered a progressive or semi-progressive band, around the time of their second and third alibums. I mean, this is pretty damned proggy for 1971:
Click to expand...

Certainly sounds Proggy, reminiscent of Flash, though I see them more of a Their Own Category Rock band much like Be Bop Deluxe were. It's a good choice.

Which begs the question, can a non-Prog group have Prog music?

Some consider early Journey to be Prog, not sure I agree (their later stuff makes me gag but that’s just me); could this from Ambrosia considered Prog? Ambrosia are not really a Prog band either.

Or this from Phideaux as Neo-Prog?
 

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