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Progressive Rock...That ROCKS
- Thread starter Herrick
- Start date
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- Tags
- progressive
I'll go out on a limb a little with this: Richie Blackmore's group Blackmore's Night. Definitely proggy in a folksy sort of way - although I could never decide if it was much more than just a vehicle for Candace Night's exceptional looks and adequate voice. Annie Haslam or Maddie Pryor she wasn't...but she was pleasant enough to listen to...and easy on the eyes if that sort of blonde look is your thing. Some really good violin work throughout. Lots to like, marred by (IMO) a little too much restraint on the part of the band in order to keep Ms. Night squarely the centerpiece - and an unfortunate tendency to get maudlin at the worst possible times.
So why bring them up in this thread? because I think a lot of it could be retooled into some decent and far more edgy (dare I say metallic?) sounding songs. But that I'll leave as an exercise for the reader.
Hey, "they are what they is" as the saying goes..
Anyway, this is the band. Light up your pretty Moroccan hash pipes, put your suede-booted heels up, put your arm around your medieval-gowned and Wiccan bejeweled companion, and check it out.:
(Note: I went to a few Blackmore concerts ages ago because I had a friend with some sort of "in"with the band. So he always had tickets. I fell asleep at about half of them. Higher praise a musician cannot dream of.
)
So why bring them up in this thread? because I think a lot of it could be retooled into some decent and far more edgy (dare I say metallic?) sounding songs. But that I'll leave as an exercise for the reader.
Hey, "they are what they is" as the saying goes..
Anyway, this is the band. Light up your pretty Moroccan hash pipes, put your suede-booted heels up, put your arm around your medieval-gowned and Wiccan bejeweled companion, and check it out.:
(Note: I went to a few Blackmore concerts ages ago because I had a friend with some sort of "in"with the band. So he always had tickets. I fell asleep at about half of them. Higher praise a musician cannot dream of.
)I'll go out on a limb a little with this: Richie Blackmore's group Blackmore's Night. Definitely proggy in a folksy sort of way - although I could never decide if it was much more than just a vehicle for Candace Night's exceptional looks and adequate voice. Annie Haslam or Maddie Pryor she wasn't...but she was pleasant enough to listen to...and easy on the eyes if that sort of blonde look is your thing. Some really good violin work throughout. Lots to like, marred by (IMO) a little too much restraint on the part of the band in order to leave Ms. Night the centerpiece - and an unfortunate tendency to get maudlin at the worst possible times.
So why bring them up in this thread? because I think a lot of it could be retooled into some decent and far more edgy (dare I say metallic?) sounding songs. But that I'll leave as an exercise for the reader.
Hey, "they are what they is" as the saying goes..
Anyway, this is the band. Light up your pretty Moroccan hash pipes, put your suede-booted heels up, put your arm around your granny gowned and Wiccan bejeweled companion, and check it out.:
(Note: I went to a few Blackmore concerts ages ago because I had a friend with some sort of "in"with the band. So he always had tickets. I fell asleep at about half of them. Higher praise a musician cannot dream of.
I enjoy them a great deal - in moderation.
I enjoy them a great deal - in moderation.
Yup. I agree. Kinda like maple sugar candy. A little bit goes a long long way for me.
I'm good for about 15 minutes at a time. Live, I can go for about an hour - before I fall asleep.
Their live shows... I got to open for them a few times and the first time I remember I was about to leave because somehow the lead singer of my band convinced me they were not a good band (his own insecurities probably) and as I'm about to leave they started and both my jaw and bass case hit floor and I just froze and watched mesmerized.
I recall the lead singer just standing posing almost like a statue while smoking a cigarette through the first song and the second the cigarette was over, he would flicker it and go crazy! Amazing range too.
Yes they are. They're both Prog metal and prog rock, but not prog rock solely. Tool isn't prog rock solely either. They're also prog metal and alternative metal.
If you aren't afraid of a little weirdness, I'd recommend checking out Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. Incredible musicianship, impeccable tones, and very original.
Pretty much everything from Blood Mountain on has been on the prog side. I don't know if I would classify them as a Prog Rock band either, but they definitely move more toward that direction these days. If we're classifying Tool as Prog, than Mastodon isn't exactly a huge stretch imo.
Some others to mention:
Amplifier
Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree solo project, and he has Nick Beggs on bass -killer!)
Dredg
Karnivool
Tomahawk
Mute Math
Amplifier
Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree solo project, and he has Nick Beggs on bass -killer!)
Dredg
Karnivool
Tomahawk
Mute Math
Porcupine Tree x1000!
As far as what you're looking for, in the 'old school' division, King Crimson's "Red" is the pinnacle of that band's particular line-up(Wetton/Bruford rhythm section), as well as being very influential(primarily Tool). Brutal stuff for 1974, and still holds up today. The two previous albums('Lark's Tongue' & 'Starless')are worth checking out as well. You'll have to actually buy the album(s), as Robert Fripp keeps a tight reign on digital distribution of his music.
The two John Paul Jones solo albums are in that vein, but with an inevitable Zep flavor(and on Fripp's label, ironically), and definitely worth checking out...
This may be a bit too free-form, artsy, and perhaps fusion for what you're looking for, but this is a short-lived trio of stellar players with great cult reputations(not to mention unique fretless bass work)...
There's much cross-pollination of players in this world; here's bassist Mick Karn from the previous outfit, along side his former 'Japan' band mates Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen, AND Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson...
Wilson remixed the current versions of the King Crimson catalog, keyboardist Barbieri was in Wilson's Porcupine Tree, and PT drummer Gavin Harrison is in the present-day King Crimson lineup. Crimson uberlord Robert Fripp has worked extensively with former 'Japan' frontman David Sylvian. You might find Japan's music interesting, but it's not exactly heavy, and very Roxy Music/world beat/funk influenced, but still very proggish for a glammy new wave band..."Gentlemen Take Polaroids" and "Tin Drum" are the albums to check out. Pity on anyone who sits down to compile a 'six degrees of separation from Robert Fripp' list; the old Pete Frame band family trees were insane enough.
I don't recall if anyone above mentioned Brand X, which featured Karn's fretless bass mentor Percy Jones(and some drummer named Collins), they may be a bit too fusion/funk/world for you, but still...
Heavy without guitars(for the most part)? I give you Vandergraaf Generator...
still at it...
Van Der Graaf Generator Live at Leverkusen 2005 (Rockpalast full concert)
yeah, an acquired taste, may be too ponderous and dramatic for you; KC's Fripp had a hand in their early career, lead vocalist Peter Hammill was guest vocalist on Fripp's 1979 solo album, "Exposure"(worth checking out, an all-star cast of players), and was once cited by Sex Pistols' frontman Johnny Rotten as an influence(go figure).
Did anyone mention Hawkwind? There, I just did...not a lot of chord changes, not exactly prog, but certainly 'heavy'; plenty of space noise, ya got Lemmy in the classic era, and um, Stacia...
Hawkwind - Silver Machine (Promo) [Complete]
Hawkwind - In Search Of Space - FULL ALBUM
Hawkwind - Brainstorm
Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera's all-star band 801's live album is iconic in an under-the-radar way, you might find it interesting...
801 - 1976 Live 801
Here's a German band wearing their influences on their sleeves, not necessarily 'heavy', but worth sampling...
SFF - Tao
That's all I got(for now)...
As far as what you're looking for, in the 'old school' division, King Crimson's "Red" is the pinnacle of that band's particular line-up(Wetton/Bruford rhythm section), as well as being very influential(primarily Tool). Brutal stuff for 1974, and still holds up today. The two previous albums('Lark's Tongue' & 'Starless')are worth checking out as well. You'll have to actually buy the album(s), as Robert Fripp keeps a tight reign on digital distribution of his music.
The two John Paul Jones solo albums are in that vein, but with an inevitable Zep flavor(and on Fripp's label, ironically), and definitely worth checking out...
This may be a bit too free-form, artsy, and perhaps fusion for what you're looking for, but this is a short-lived trio of stellar players with great cult reputations(not to mention unique fretless bass work)...
There's much cross-pollination of players in this world; here's bassist Mick Karn from the previous outfit, along side his former 'Japan' band mates Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen, AND Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson...
Wilson remixed the current versions of the King Crimson catalog, keyboardist Barbieri was in Wilson's Porcupine Tree, and PT drummer Gavin Harrison is in the present-day King Crimson lineup. Crimson uberlord Robert Fripp has worked extensively with former 'Japan' frontman David Sylvian. You might find Japan's music interesting, but it's not exactly heavy, and very Roxy Music/world beat/funk influenced, but still very proggish for a glammy new wave band..."Gentlemen Take Polaroids" and "Tin Drum" are the albums to check out. Pity on anyone who sits down to compile a 'six degrees of separation from Robert Fripp' list; the old Pete Frame band family trees were insane enough.
I don't recall if anyone above mentioned Brand X, which featured Karn's fretless bass mentor Percy Jones(and some drummer named Collins), they may be a bit too fusion/funk/world for you, but still...
Heavy without guitars(for the most part)? I give you Vandergraaf Generator...
still at it...
Van Der Graaf Generator Live at Leverkusen 2005 (Rockpalast full concert)
yeah, an acquired taste, may be too ponderous and dramatic for you; KC's Fripp had a hand in their early career, lead vocalist Peter Hammill was guest vocalist on Fripp's 1979 solo album, "Exposure"(worth checking out, an all-star cast of players), and was once cited by Sex Pistols' frontman Johnny Rotten as an influence(go figure).
Did anyone mention Hawkwind? There, I just did...not a lot of chord changes, not exactly prog, but certainly 'heavy'; plenty of space noise, ya got Lemmy in the classic era, and um, Stacia...
Hawkwind - Silver Machine (Promo) [Complete]
Hawkwind - In Search Of Space - FULL ALBUM
Hawkwind - Brainstorm
Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera's all-star band 801's live album is iconic in an under-the-radar way, you might find it interesting...
801 - 1976 Live 801
Here's a German band wearing their influences on their sleeves, not necessarily 'heavy', but worth sampling...
SFF - Tao
That's all I got(for now)...
I got their York concert from uTorrent. It's pretty entertaining. Blackmoor is amazing and his wife is pretty darned, um, pretty. It looks like age is catching up with him, though. I get the feeling playing is physically painful for him. He tends to "shake" his hands between short riffs.Yup. I agree. Kinda like maple sugar candy. A little bit goes a long long way for me.
I'm good for about 15 minutes at a time. Live, I can go for about an hour - before I fall asleep.
I kinda like the history lesson between songs.
