üÎÃÉËÌÏÐÅÄÉÑ ÐÒÏÇÒÅÓÓÉ×ÎÏÇÏ ÒÏËÁ (ÎÁ ÁÎÇÌÉÊÓËÏÍ) part1
Valery Mifodovsky
Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock
I am very pleased to present the Gibraltar Encyclopedia of
Progressive Rock. A lot of time and effort was involved in
compiling the information into a usable format for handy
reference. I sincerely hope you will find it useful. This survey
is designed as a reference for you to discover bands that are
unfamiliar to you and to broaden your listening horizons. It is
assumed you are already familiar with the "mainstream" or
"big-time" progressive bands, such as Genesis, Yes, EL P, Pink
Floyd, Jethro Tull, Marillion, and King Crimson, plus a few
others, and are looking for new territory to explore. Many of the
bands below are compared to some of these major name prog bands,
so it helps to be familiar with their work. There are entries for
these "big-time" but they only serve as guidelines. There are
many artists included that you may not consider progressive.
There are probably several that NOBODY considers progressive. All
of them, however, may be of interest one way or another. There
are psychedelic bands, electronic musicians, and fusion bands to
be found. There are one or two bands that are included as
warnings, perhaps because a progressive artist guested on an
album but the music is nothing more than pop, or because it
contains a cover of a progressive song though not cover ed in a
progressive style. If you submitted a name as progressive, but it
is wasn't included, it's because you didn't follow up with an
entry nor did anyone else. I tried to be fairly broad-based in
this survey to account for a wide variety of taste s &
definitions of "Progressive." There are a few bands with no
entries, but I was able to gleen some information from a catalog
or book. References used included The Laser's Edge and Wayside
mail order catalogs, Terry Hounsome's "Rock Record" (3rd
Edition), The Rolling Stone "Encycl opedia of Rock and Roll,"
John Wagstaff's "The International Record and CD Price Guide
1950-1990," Barry McRae's "The Jazz Handbook," lists submitted by
Mike McLatchey and Peter Thelen, and various discographies taken
from the internet and the 60S 70S PROGROCK echo on Fidonet. This
information can be found in square brackets following the
discography and any cross-references. Note that these "tidbits"
were extracted from those references and are not opinions of
those p The GEPR is arranged alphabetically by band or artist.
Immediately following the name is the country of origin for the
band. Next, if available, a brief discography has been provided,
followed by all the entries for that group. Entries are arranged
in the order I received them, and follow any existing entries
from the previous survey. After the entries are any known
cross-references that lead to related bandsЧa poor man's family
tree if you willЧand an occasional brief comment. Many of the dis
cographies are incomplete du to a lack of resources. I could
spend a year trying to track down albums and release dates by
many of the bands but then you'd never see the survey. Please, if
you know of albums not listed, year of release that I could not
find, or a cross-reference I could not establish, send me the
information so I can update the GEPR. The file, in it's entirety,
is currently about 1.8 megabytes, ten times larger than the
original survey. I have broken it into manageable "chapters" so
you can get it a bit at a time without taking up all of your
allocated space, and so it can easily be mailed to those without
FTP access.
The Future
----------
I consider this survey to be a dynamic process, continuously
evolving. If you'd like to add an entry, please send it along at
any time. I will make a formal request for submissions every year
or two but new "editions" may appear at any time. I would like to
make the results of this survey available to the widest audience
possible. Therefore, I've decided to publish this in a book
format with graphics and a fully cross-referenced index. I am in
the process of placing this information int o a page layout
program to produce professional looking spiral bound,
double-sided copies. In no way do I intend to make a profit, so
it will be sold strictly to cover my costs of duplication,
binding, and postage. If you are interested, please cont act me
(see below). I will post more information after I complete the
layout and find out duplication charges, etc. Expected by 1 April
1994.
Now, the Good Stuff!
--------------------
As with the previous survey, I've included a list of styles
within progressive rock and a brief description of each. These
will guide you as you read about the many bands. Remember, they
are not definitive in any way. Music is a blending of all ide as
and there will be many bands that cross among or hybridize
between the many styles. The best guide is your own ears and
experience. Again, I hope you will find this to be useful. Above
all else, I hope it will encourage you to explore the wide
variety of progressive rock and related musics. And with that I
say, "Enjoy!"
Mike Taylor 128 Hano Road pis...@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
(internet) Madisonville, LA 70447-9542 1:390/9 (Fidonet) USA
======================================================================
Contributors to the Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock:
Jun-Ichi Akahani Tim Klein
Philip Arickx Michael Lamoureux
Angelo Baio Doug Lomas
Dan Barrett Claudio Maggiora
Bryan Basham Dave Markfield
Clark Battle Keith Marshall
Bear Robert Martino
Don Becker Mike McLatchey
Alan Benjamin Rick Meyer
Mike Borella Danny Miles
Mike Borowiec Dennis Montgomery
Brian Svein Kveim Morton
Dan Casey Gary Mosier
Jesse Chang Bob Netherton
Elaine Charlson Mike Ohman
Eileen A. Christman Randy Omel
Steve Cook Ranjit Padmanabhan
Ian Cornwell Archie Patterson
Ed Craig Marc Pelath
Al Crawford John Reilly
Cassidy Curtis The Reverend
Ray Dittmeier Tim Ringwood
Doc Simon Roberts
Piotr Dubiel Steve Robey
Simon Duff Scott Sanderson
Jonas Forssell Sandy Santra
Rich Friedrich Henry Schneider
Eloi Fernando Fritsch Craig Shipley
Don Grimm Erland Sommarskog
Brian Harnfishfeger Peter Stoller
Geir Hasnes Brian K. Sward
John Hiatt Frank Taurozzi
Dwight Hodge Mike Taylor
Jeff Hunnicutt Peter Thelen
Thor Iverson Rob Walker
Jeff Greg Ward
Patrick Jost Steve Ward-Smith
Eamonn Keane Marshall Wood
Phil Kime Fulop Zsolt
Sean Kinsey Ofir Zwebner
Those who helped in some way for the first survey (1992) are:
Dan Barrett Mike McLatchey
Mike Borella Scott McDaniel
Dan Casey Les Nemeth
Malcolm Humes Ranjit Padmanabhan
David Kuznick Jesper Peterson
Rauli Lauhanen Marc Wilhelm
Bjorn Lisper Marshall Wood
Rick Meyer
Special thanks are due to Dave Markfield for putting together the
first survey and letting me take over for this one. Thanks!!
========================================================================
Progressive Rock Styles
-----------------------
Ambient - More of a minimalist form of electronic music (although not always electronic) bands that tried this form of music
were usually quite experimental. Maybe the most deceptively simple form of progressive music. Bands: Eno, Cluster, early Kra
ftwerk, Neu etc.
Art Rock - The very border of progressive music in which more commercial styles of music were created at a different angle. Not quite progressive but almost. Bands: Be Bop Deluxe, early Eno, Roxy Music etc.
Canterbury - More of a region in England where all these bands originated. Maybe the earliest form of progressive, Canterbury bands wallowed in complexity and sounded extremely English. The ideas resulting from this form of music were very original.
Bands: Caravan, Soft Machine, Hatfield & The North etc.
Classical Progressive - More accessibly related, bands starting with The Nice that fused classical music, i.e Bach, Beethoven with rock structures and were often quite pompous yet were quite successful at their time. Usually a three man format.
Bands: Nice, ELP, Le Orme, Ekseption, Trace, The Trip etc.
Dutch Euro-Rock - Obviously Dutch oriented, bands like this all had a certain sound in common, yet one I find difficult to describe except for the fact that they usually have a huge guitar presence.
Bands: Focus, Finch, Supersister, Crucis (Arg.), Earth & Fire etc.
Early British Progressive - Most associated with much of the music on the early Vertigo 'Swirl' label, this type of music was
like combing late sixties psychedelic rock with the advent of progressive music and was almost that exact combination. bands
: May Blitz, Cressida, Spring etc.
Electronic Progressive - Often mis-categorized by being called 'new age,' much of this music was around far before they
coined that awful term. Arguably the most explorative of the prog genres, this is a wide open field and is categorized by the use
of almost all electronic equipment. Only for the patient.
Bands: 70's Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Steve Roach, early
Popol Vuh, Heldon, Pinhas etc.
Euro-Rock - A catch all that basically describes a more straight forward type of progressive music, characterized best by the early 70's German label Bellaphon. Often combined with "Kraut Rock" bands: Nektar, Message, Nine Days Wonder etc.
Euro Rock sub Genre No. 2 - Almost like Euro rock yet with a distinctively styled female vocalist that was quite lush and usually very German sounding. bands: Earth & Fire, Sandrose, Analogy etc.
Experimental/Industrial - Very weird genre that may do anything at any time and can be quite stunning to quite horrible depending on what you are listening to. Bands: Nurse With Wound, Current 93 etc.
French Theatrical / Symphonic - Close to the symphonic genre yet distinctly French - a style of music that consisted of
progressive rock and theatrical sensibilities and carried on with Gabriel's costume / rock style. too French to be compared to Gen
esis though except for that fact. bands: Ange, Mona Lisa, Angipatch etc.
Fusion - More explorative jazz-rock that took this simple form of music to a new level of innovation. Maybe a little jazzier
than the space fusion, if you don't like jazz at all, you may want to avoid this category. not a good enough description but
it will do.
Bands: Mahavishnu Orchestra, Brand X, Bruford, Arti E Mestieri
Gentle Giant Influenced - Gentle Giant were an island unto themselves and created a startlingly complex music that involved more elements than I have time to describe here. This include bands heavily influenced by them.
Euro Rock sub Genre No. 2 - Almost like Euro rock yet with a distinctively styled female vocalist that was quite lush and usually very German sounding. bands: Earth & Fire, Sandrose, Analogy etc.
Experimental/Industrial - Very weird genre that may do anything at any time and can be quite stunning to quite horrible depending on what you are listening to. Bands: Nurse With Wound, Current 93 etc.
French Theatrical / Symphonic - Close to the symphonic genre yet distinctly French - a style of music that consisted of
progressive rock and theatrical sensibilities and carried on with Gabriel's costume / rock style. too French to be compared to Gen
esis though except for that fact. bands: Ange, Mona Lisa, Angipatch etc.
Fusion - More explorative jazz-rock that took this simple form of music to a new level of innovation. Maybe a little jazzier
than the space fusion, if you don't like jazz at all, you may want to avoid this category. not a good enough description but
it will do.
Bands: Mahavishnu Orchestra, Brand X, Bruford, Arti E Mestieri
Gentle Giant Influenced - Gentle Giant were an island unto themselves and created a startlingly complex music that involved
more elements than I have time to describe here. This include bands heavily influenced by them. bands: Gentle Giant, Epidermi
s, Yezda Urfa etc.
Italian Progressive - Since this genre is so undefinable, I never bothered to compare all those bands in my articles to the
English ones. For the most part this type of music is purely Italian with the accentuation on dynamics and elegance and vocal
sophistication.
Bands: PFM, Banco, Nuova Era, Semiramis, Il Balleto Di Bronzo
Kraut Rock - Another catch all that vaguely defines most of the music created in Germany in the early seventies and may or may
not include the labels Ohr, Brain, Komische, and Pilz. This definition is quite inadequate- most of these bands were pionee
rs as of themselves and all merit intense discussion! bands: Amon Duul II, Annexus Quam, Xhol, Can, Faust etc.
Neo-Classical Progressive - Music that fused Bartok, Prokofiev, and Satie 20th century classical music with Crimsonian rock structures and chamber rock. Also very difficult to get into, bands like these were way out on a limb and quite different.
Bands: Univers Zero, Art Zoyd, ZNR etc.
Neo-Progressive - Symphonic rock done in a typically more simple or commercial format. Also very lush but lacking the complexity of the upper bands. Bands: Marillion, iQ, Pendragon, Aragon etc.
Oldfield Progressive - I don't know what else to call this type of music since it was so innovative. Mike Oldfield, an
incredible musician and composer created a form of music that combined everything form hard rock to Celtic music and did it with su
ch style and verve that it actually became popular. Usually written like Symphonic prog and was also quite bombastic yet more sensible. bands: Mike Oldfield, Jean-Pascal Boffo etc.
Progressive Folk - A variety of music that took simple folk songs and did something quite new with them. There were many forms of this exploration. bands: Emtidi, Witthuser & Westrupp, Malicorne etc.
Progressive Fusion - A more rock oriented fusion that isn't purely jazz-rock but fuses together many elements from the different progressive genre including Euro-rock, symphonic and ethnic musics.
Bands: Embryo, Area, Thirsty Moon etc.
Progressive Space Fusion - Very jazz oriented but typically with a heavier rock edge or 'punch' bands in this category used heavy amounts of trippy synth effects and were incredibly rhythmic.
Bands: 'You' era Gong, Ozric Tentacles, Neo, Carpe Diem, some
Djam Karet etc.
Rock In Opposition - A form of music coined by ex-Henry Cow drummer Chris Cutler. This type of music consistently defies categorization (except for "RIO") and is extremely challenging and often hard to listen to. Only for the very explorative.
Bands: Henry Cow, Art Bears, News From Babel, Thinking Plague
pace Rock - Like the above but without the jazz edge, more of a straight forward type of space rock. Hawkwind were almost the be all and end all of this genre and were the innovators.
Bands: Hawkwind, Amon Duul (the English line-up)
Symphonic Progressive - characterized by lush keys/synths and very melodic vocals and usually written like a piece of
classical music- ie "Symphonic" Different from Neo-progressive by being much more complicated, especially in rhythm or scale structur
e.
Bands: Yes, Genesis (early), Camel, Atoll, Teru's Symphonia etc.
Zappa Music - If you listen to Zappa, you know what I mean. Not typically quoted as being 'progressive' but deserves to be included here maybe more than some of these others. Quite individual.
Bands: Mothers of Invention, Zappa, Beefheart, Floh De Cologne etc.
"Zeuhl" Music - A type of jazz fusion heavily influence by the French band Magma. Magma were a truly bizarre band who's
drummer, Christian Vander created his own language to convey his conceptual universe. The music is often dark and gloomy and can
swing form Coltrane-ish marches to wailing fusion opera's in a matter of seconds.
Bands: Magma, Shub Niggurath, Honeyelk, Musique Noise etc.
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