Progressive Rock musicians

[expatmuso]

Anyone play in this genre? I've always wanted to play in a prog band. Initially, I was intimidated and didn't feel that I was skilled and knowledgable enough. Once I got more confidence I just found it was hard to find musicians who wanted to play in this genre, and take it seriously. The band I'm in now does some originals, and a few of them have prog elements, (the ones I submitted) I wouldn't call the band prog though.

A friend of mine is in a prog band, Arketecture, which is based in Seoul. Their new album is awesome. I recently caught one of their gigs, and so have been jazzed about prog lately.

How about you? Anyone in a prog band? How's it going?

 

[turf3]

I did this in college. It was a great experience, but I have to admit the dance band I worked with right out of college was more fun, though less musically challenging.

However, that was almost 40 years ago. I periodically go on a listening binge of 1970-1984 proggy stuff. A genre I never really listened to that much back n the day, is the "Olde Englishe Folke Plus Progge" style (say, Pentangle) - but I've been digging that stuff lately.

For fun check out Hildegard Von Blingen's "Bardcore" take-offs on famous songs.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I played progressive rock for most of my 52 years of playing, some just jams with friends, some with a couple of more serious bands. I haven't been in a band in many years but still play it on my own while creating new original music.

 

[rtav]

I play prog and have been in prog bands since about 1977.

I’ve been in original prog bands, part original/part covers, cover bands and even prog tribute bands (Im including prog metal).

Im most familiar with literally everything Rush through MP (been in 2 Rush cover bands), a Dream Theater/Dregs/Liquid Tension tribute, a Porcupine Tree tribute - and even an ELP tribute band back in the 70s besides original bands, projects, etc.

Prog is the greatest to play because you can’t overplay, you can (possibly) underplay (IMHO Colin Edwin is an example), you can solo (or not), tap, chord, hammer on, play atmospheric, play double necks, play bass synth with your feet, use harmonics - or stay in the back and enjoy the show.

Don’t like the song? It’s prog. In a few seconds a whole new part is coming up, possibly unrelated to this part, so there’s a good chance you’ll like it.

Same with the tempo.

Same with the dynamics.

Same with the instrumental choices.

Prog is freedom to do pretty much anything at anytime.

No rules.

The only 2 limits in prog are imagination and sheer technique.

Shameless plug for my YouTube prog bass cover channel:

https://youtube.com/@RonTavalinProgBassist

 

[Bob_Ross]

Don’t like the song? It’s prog. In a few seconds a whole new part is coming up, possibly unrelated to this part

Boy, you sure got that right!

...and I say that as someone who genuinely enjoys a lot of prog.

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My very first band, from age 12-17 during the 1970s, performed mostly original material that we thought was prog, but in hindsight I think it was just pretentious and mostly bad. Let's just say our aspirations exceeded our musical abilities.

In the mid-1980s I formed a band that played all original material that probably fell under the rubric of "post-punk progressive rock". Overtly influenced by The Police, Talking Heads, Adrian Belew-era King Crimson, Gang of Four, and Mission of Burma...not afraid to tackle thorny and dense musical concepts, but always couched in an insoucient/irreverent SEX-DRUGS-&-ROCK'N'ROLL! attitude.

And then for ten years (88-98) I played in Debris, a band of composers/improvisiors that skewed mostly towards the "New Music"/avant-jazz comprovisation genre (e.g., Tim Berne, Henry Threadgill, Anthony Braxton, early Bill Frisell, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Anthony Davis) but that also incorporated a healthy dose of 20th Century chamber music (especially the works of early- and mid-century serialists)...and, if you listened closely, you would detect a healthy influence from prog-rock groups like Henry Cow, Gentle Giant, and John Wetton-era King Crimson.

Despite all ^^^that it still feels a bit disingenuous to call myself a "prog" musician. But there's still time!

 

[expatmuso]

Interesting to read your stories. Thanks for sharing. Ratv, I checked out your Youtube channel, and subbed. Anyone else care to share recordings?

Here's my band's album. Not quite prog but a few proggy moments perhaps.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Here are a few from my days with Rare Blend (1997-2008).

This is from a gig in Baltimore in August '08:


The first song we ever wrote together in 1997:


This is definitely where the Blend part of the band name comes into play:


My first attempt at "soloing"! (I much prefer just being an ensemble player):


This was the first song at the aforementioned Baltimore gig, and totally improvised: