PROGRESSIVE ROCK
'Progressive rock was what happened in the early 70's when certain
brilliant instrumentalists got fed up with playing three-and-a-half minute
long songs about teenage love. Unfortunately, this led them to start playing
ten-and-a-half minute long songs about nothing in particular'. (Geoff
Nicholson).
Progressive Rock as a genre is one
filled with ambiguity. There is no specific set of criteria for determining
what constitutes a progressive rock band, however there are many typical
characteristics that many of these groups share. It is important to note
though, that each trait is not necessarily present in every band, but
a combination of the features listed below is. In addition, one should
be aware that during the time of this music, there was no conscious collective
effort on the musician's behalf to create a 'progressive rock movement.'
Only by observing these bands after the fact, were similarities between
them noted.
E.L. P. |
These resemblances are very general as one of the main characteristics
of progressive rock is originality. Regarding these ideas Bill Bruford
(Yes, King Crimson, UK) has said, '[There was]
no sense of alliance or cooperation in a musical movement between the
chief players. In 1972-74, for example, no self-respecting member of King
Crimson would have been seen dead in a musical movement that contained
Genesis.' Many of the musicians who created progressive rock had very
eclectic tastes in music. These styles were as diverse as R&B, jazz, classical,
folk, and North Indian classical music. The best groups (Emerson, Lake
& Palmer, Yes, Genesis, Van Der Graaf Generator,
King Crimson, Henry Cow, Soft Machine, Magma,
Gentle Giant…) were able to take all of these influences and fuse
them into something completely new and original, not just emulate what
had already been done before. Perhaps the greatest non-rock-based influence
comes from art music. Unfortunately, the term art music is a bad one,
but it is the best we have. It is used to refer to what is commonly called
'classical' music.
Genesis |
By the 1980s, the record industry had become a big business. While business
is always about money, record companies used to be run by music lovers,
but then the businessmen took over. Albums were discussed in terms of
'products' and how many 'units' were sold. The record companies no longer
gave artists the freedom to make the albums they wanted to, with very
few exceptions. Progressive albums such as Close
to the Edge (YES), Tarkus
(Emerson, Lake & Palmer) or 2112
(Rush) could never have been made by those bands if their careers
began in the 80s. The industry wanted short 'radio friendly' songs, not
epic side-long multi-movement suites. Commercialism had taken over and
there was a great amount of pressure on artists to sell records, and not
produce great art. Several big progressive groups continued their careers
in the 80s.
Some of the most significant contemporary progressive rock has come out
of Sweden. Änglagård and Anekdoten are two such bands which
came to international fame during the early-1990s with their retro-progressive
rock sounds. Anekdoten's sound in particular is reminiscent of the 72-74
era King Crimson. Both groups
use vintage gear including mellotrons. The Flower Kings is another
Swedish group which has become very important on the international progressive
scene in the later half of the 1990s.
Dream Theater |
Their style is not completely retro nor completely neo, but their approach
to this music does have its reference to the past. They have been one
of the most successful at maintaining a classic progressive rock sound,
while forging into new territory. The most important progressive American
band to emerge in the 1990s is Spock's Beard. They have become
very popular amongst fans of new progressive
rock. The group is comprised of very good players who weave elements
from progressive influences into a contemporary sound. At one moment,
they may have a Gentle Giant-like quality, then Genesis and then
Yes, etc., while sounding like a group from the 1990s. This has
caused them to gain a following among people who do not enjoy progressive
rock classics, and some of the purists dislike them for the same reason.
There are a number of groups who have fused the progressive rock style
with the heavy metal sound.
Three of the more notable groups are Queensrÿche, Fates
Warning and Dream Theater.
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