How are Pink Floyd considered PROG rock?

[FRoss6788]

A fair amount. I owned and listened to Leftoverture, PONR, Vinyl Confessions & Audio Visions quite a bit. Had monolith and that live album with the two little old ladies checking out the program on eight track. I liked them both but that format was so cumbersome.

For some reason I never considered them prog but you did convince me to go jam out with some Kansas.

I love Dave's playing!
Great lines and mixed way up front.

 

[evil dewars]

I love Dave's playing!
Great lines and mixed way up front.

Back from a fresh listen of Leftoverture sans Carry On. It had been a while...those keys, the ripping guitar, soaring vocals and, was that a xylophone ? And of course that bass you mention, up front.

I take it all back, man. Very progressive qualities throughout, Cheyenne Anthem and Magnum Opus especially!

 

[Iristone]

Prague, with the latter including the Plastic People of the Universe (of Prague, Czechoslovakia).

Also Spector Euro basses

 

[mellowinman]

Aha. Got it. The problem that others in this thread are having is that they think you're talking about progressive rock---the original stuff from the '60s and '70s, with trippy album covers and exploratory music that could incorporate elements of any or all musical genres (except blues, R&B, or jazz, of course).

You're talking specifically about prog rock---the revivalists that started their bands in the late '80s and after. As you say, that's a rigidly defined niche category, populated by virtuoso musicians pledging allegiance to music of a bygone era, like the white retired dentists who are the only people still playing Dixieland.

This clarifies so much for me!

 

[mellowinman]

Can is not prog rock. ELO is not prog rock.

They most certainly are.

 

[mellowinman]

No RELAYER, no list.

I could go the rest of my life without hearing Relayer again. In fact I hope I do.

 

[LBS-bass]

A fair amount. I owned and listened to Leftoverture, PONR, Vinyl Confessions & Audio Visions quite a bit. Had monolith and that live album with the two little old ladies checking out the program on eight track. I liked them both but that format was so cumbersome.

For some reason I never considered them prog but you did convince me to go jam out with some Kansas.

Their bassist is a member here. It would be interesting to hear what he thinks they should be categorized as. I won't tag him but he's easy enough to conjure up.

 

[LBS-bass]

I could go the rest of my life without hearing Relayer again. In fact I hope I do.

Relayer didn't suck. I'm more partial to Wakeman and Bruford's YES but things went well south with Tales and Relayer was a bit of redemption, actually. After that it was just... no.

 

[evil dewars]

Their bassist is a member here. It would be interesting to hear what he thinks they should be categorized as. I won't tag him but he's easy enough to conjure up.

That is very cool to know, it's hard to imagine a more trusted source.

 

[evil dewars]

Yep, that's South America, a specific region. It's not hard to attract the large crowds there.

South America is a continent. It is pretty much ignored by English speaking artists but still, rabid fans show up by the hundreds of thousands and sing along to every song. Seems silly to dismiss them.

 

[prowla]

South America is a continent. It is pretty much ignored by English speaking artists but still, rabid fans show up by the hundreds of thousands and sing along to every song. Seems silly to dismiss them.

Here's a South American band from the 70s; maybe more rock than prog, but great nonetheless...

 

[5StringBlues]

I could go the rest of my life without hearing Relayer again. In fact I hope I do.

Horses for courses. It'd still a prog masterpiece.



If you don't think To Be Over is a beautiful song, well........ ok then.

 

[5StringBlues]

Relayer didn't suck. I'm more partial to Wakeman and Bruford's YES but things went well south with Tales and Relayer was a bit of redemption, actually. After that it was just... no.

I'm certainly A Bruford/Wakeman guy ( tho Moraz/Bruford would have been a beast ) , but there are good things on Going For The One. Awaken is as good as anything they did and Turn of the Century is a remarkable piece of music.

IMHO,YMMV , and all that jazz.

 

[MidnightRunner]

I'm certainly A Bruford/Wakeman guy ( tho Moraz/Bruford would have been a beast ) , but there are good things on Going For The One. Awaken is as good as anything they did and Turn of the Century is a remarkable piece of music.

IMHO,YMMV , and all that jazz.

I'd say "Going for the One" is a very underrated album in Yes discography.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I'd say "Going for the One" is a very underrated album in Yes discography.

That's why I was thrilled Yes performed to whole album, in sequence with all the right guitars and basses, when I last saw them in August 2013.

 

[JimChjones]

Progressive Music in the UK back in the early 70s encompassed just about everything that wasn't Rock'nroll, Tamla or Bubblegum.

 

[RyanSaranich]

...they have no odd time signatures in their songs and they don't have complex compositions and arrangements and their music is not influenced by classical or jazz music.

I definitely don't believe they could be considered a prog band. They do play very technical music, but it's not the same type of technical playing that a prog band has as part of their sound. But the quoted stuff I included: 100% disagree. I'm happy to source a lot of examples, but I'm open to conversation about this!

 

[DanielW]

I think you will have to look beyond the actual music (Floyd was way too enjoyable to belong to the hideous 1970's Prog rock scene) and more at their concept albums and tours from Dark Side onwards. It's all just as pretentious as any King Arthur On Ice show by former Yes members. Only difference is the music is still fantastic after nearly 50 years. The photo shoot for ”Animals” where the inflatable flying pig escapes and is found days later is Prog level pretentious. As is making a concept album about being a rich, bored rock musician who's come to hate the very fans that are the source of his wealth.

 

[j_zuilkowski]

To be honest, I think Pink Floyd in any era was more prog than Genesis in any era. Pink Floyd was certainly more prog than Genesis at they ends of their respective careers.

 

[texasgreg]

I think one of the reasons why Pink Floyd cannot be prog is that they have a mass appeal and they had a huge mainstream success (the run of albums DSOTM

Also PF lack virtuoso instrumental playing, they have no odd time signatures in their songs and they don't have complex compositions and arrangements and their music is not influenced by classical or jazz music.

What would you say? Why are they considered prog?

I have to disagree on virtuosity. Gilmour has hundreds of thousands of guitarists wanting to play like him because he is a virtuoso. Likewise with the late, great Rick Wright. Now, as a drummer first and bassist second, I know I can play everything Mason ever has and most of what Waters has played on bass. I’m no virtuoso.

But certainly before Dark Side, they were a prog band within your narrow definition of prog. It’s not their fault that Dark Side is one of the most popular records ever and thrust them into arena rock from a band making weird prog music. And when I saw the Animals tour in the 70’s, it seemed pretty prog to me. My 2 cents.

edit: Labels can be so limiting. All I care is if I like it and/or if it moves me.