50 years of progressive rock in 50 weeks

[MagmaShark]

With the year 2019 being the 50th anniversary of prog rock - OK, that's if we're using King Crimson "In The Court Of The Crimson King" as our starting point, which many people would either agree with or at least accept as a fairly logical starting point - I wanted to do something special for my ongoing live on air radio show. So this year every week will be dedicated to a consecutive year in progressive rock. Each show will spotlight the music I grew up listening to either from FM radio, or friends with older brothers (in the beginning) and from specialty record stores back in the day when prog rock records were simply known as imports.

Each show will spotlight and feature songs you would have heard listening to prog rock at that time. There will also be the usual fair of new releases, rare, fun and unusual mixed in as well. I am not attempting a complete documentary or exhaustive history, rather just playing what I heard and listened to at the time as a progessive rock music fan. Also, as I am a live on air show I want to bring prog rock to the average radio listener and share from my experience and point of view. Without scaring away too many casual radio listeners with music heavy on avante-garde or experimental "out there" stuff the show mainly concentrates on classic prog, neo prog, symphonic prog, and music somewhat proggy in the pop/rock vein.

I've uploaded 7 shows (so far) between 1969 and 1975 and will continue to add a new show every week until I reach 2019 in the 50th week. These and future shows can be heard on my mixcloud page ... https://www.mixcloud.com/magmashark/ or by searching Cal's Prog Rock Show. The show airs live every Friday night at 6pm (PST) or 9pm (EST) and repeats the following Wednesday at 6am (PST) or 9am (EST) and can be heard streaming live on the website - kootenaycoopradio.com (just click listen now). if anyone has any suggestions or comments please share them as well. I hope you enjoy the journey.

[Paulrus]

This is a fun idea. I've got my own version of this I created a few years ago. I picked songs from my own -- albeit non-comprehensive -- music library that I thought were the most significant for that year and created a playlist in iTunes (although I started my series in 1967.) Some years have a half dozen or so songs but others -- like '72 -- have twice that!

Over the course of the different years you get a close-up feel for the trends that were shaping the music that year and how both the music and how people delivered it evolved over time. Probably the clearest signposts for the evolution of prog were in keyboard technology. It's also interesting to see the change after about 1974/1975 when the first gen bands either went into cruise mode or came to an end and the second gen bands entered the scene. Anyways, I recommend a listen.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

cool idea... for me, 1969 would have to include pieces from the following albums of progressive Rock music pioneers

King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King
Pink Floyd Ummagumma
McLaughlin, John Extrapolation
Santana Santana
Williams Lifetime, Tony Emergency!
Zappa, Frank Hot Rats
Flock Flock
Fourth Way, The The Fourth Way
Bowie, David Space Oddity
Chicago Chicago II
Chicago Transit Authority Chicago Transit Authority
Coryell, Larry Coryell
Hansson & Karlsson Man at the Moon
Igginbottom's Wrench Igginbottom's Wrench
Moody Blues, The On the Threshold of a Dream
Ponty, Jean-Luc King Kong: Ponty Plays Zappa
Tasavallan Presidentti Tasavallan Presidentti
Amon Düül II Phallus Dei
Armageddon Armageddon
Arzachel (Uriel) Arzachel
Brainbox Brainbox
Can Monster Movie
Ekseption Ekseption
Nice, The Nice (aka Everything As Nice As Mother Makes It)
Soft Machine Volume 2

[MagmaShark]

[QUOTE=MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER;881942]cool idea... for me, 1969 would have to include pieces from the following albums of progressive Rock music pioneers

... well, I think I got 4 of them in the show. I wanted to be as honest as possible when choosing the songs that I was listening to at the time. Most of what you mentioned I got into much later and a lot of those you mentioned might not resonate with the average radio listener. So it's a balance between a journey through my perspective and what others might have heard as well.

[MagmaShark]

This is a fun idea. I've got my own version of this I created a few years ago. I picked songs from my own -- albeit non-comprehensive -- music library that I thought were the most significant for that year and created a playlist in iTunes (although I started my series in 1967.) Some years have a half dozen or so songs but others -- like '72 -- have twice that!

Over the course of the different years you get a close-up feel for the trends that were shaping the music that year and how both the music and how people delivered it evolved over time. Probably the clearest signposts for the evolution of prog were in keyboard technology. It's also interesting to see the change after about 1974/1975 when the first gen bands either went into cruise mode or came to an end and the second gen bands entered the scene. Anyways, I recommend a listen.

... for me, classic 70's prog almost ended abruptly in 1978.. which I consider the worst year, After that, most bands either disbanded or changed direction. Sure, things changed as you said around 1974/1975 but I can't ignore that all the major prog bands did excellent work in 1977.

[bigjohnwayne]

What will be the hardest year to fill up a show with good music of this genre? Sometime in the late 80s?

[Paulrus]

What will be the hardest year to fill up a show with good music of this genre? Sometime in the late 80s?

If you're a fan of neo prog that helps take over in the early 1980s, but the first wave of that petered out around 1987. After that (assuming you don't consider ABWH/Union as the great next chapter of prog) things go dark until the early 1990s. In my collection that gap is bridged by Ozric Tentacles and bits and bobs from bands like IQ. I think I have one song in my playlist from 1988. That's not to say there wasn't great music happening then, just not what I'd consider super important.

[Garyhead]

Another Do-it-yourself project would be to make a playlist in your iTunes library. One hour of music for every year of Prog. A 50-hour Playlist. It can also be printed out / posted here for all to see.....

[Scrotum Scissor]

... for me, classic 70's prog almost ended abruptly in 1978.. which I consider the worst year, After that, most bands either disbanded or changed direction. Sure, things changed as you said around 1974/1975 but I can't ignore that all the major prog bands did excellent work in 1977.

But if your display of "50 years" was supposed to make any sense whatsoever, wouldn't that imply that you relate first and foremost to the music itself - regardless of whether or not its performers comply with the criteria of being "classic"? After all, according to your own conditions, "classic" somehow ended in 1978 - didn't it? Then what about A) ensuing rock music which emerged in 1973-75 and was more advanced than the purported "classics", and B) which continued to develop and evolve way beyond 1978 and certainly beyond mere copycat renditions of the past? Are such enduring progressive rock foundations somehow exempt from these "50 years"?

What will be the hardest year to fill up a show with good music of this genre? Sometime in the late 80s?

Have you even bothered to open one of those approx. 19 threads on 'progressive rock in the 80s' that we've conducted these past 15 years?

[Trane]

why not making it last a full year, by celebrating the 52th anniv of prog and start with 67

... well, I think I got 4 of them in the show. I wanted to be as honest as possible when choosing the songs that I was listening to at the time. Most of what you mentioned I got into much later and a lot of those you mentioned might not resonate with the average radio listener. So it's a balance between a journey through my perspective and what others might have heard as well.

oh, I see... Just how many "prog" tracks/albums were you listening to in 69... Imean how old were you and were you able to afford all those albums?

... for me, classic 70's prog almost ended abruptly in 1978.. which I consider the worst year, After that, most bands either disbanded or changed direction. Sure, things changed as you said around 1974/1975 but I can't ignore that all the major prog bands did excellent work in 1977.

plenty of great "classic prog" stuff until 83 (+/-), but certainly not stuff that got hertzian airplay (and therefore inroads to your turntable), but enough to fill a good hour compilation

What will be the hardest year to fill up a show with good music of this genre? Sometime in the late 80s?

If you're a fan of neo prog that helps take over in the early 1980s, but the first wave of that petered out around 1987. After that (assuming you don't consider ABWH/Union as the great next chapter of prog) things go dark until the early 1990s. In my collection that gap is bridged by Ozric Tentacles and bits and bobs from bands like IQ. I think I have one song in my playlist from 1988. That's not to say there wasn't great music happening then, just not what I'd consider super important.

Even counting with RIO, for which he 80's were a valiant decade, becomes pretty dire. I mean choosing more than two worthy albums per calendar year isa bit of a challenge.

AFAIAC, even neo-prog is pretty weak in the late 80's (IQ starts sucking, Marillion's new singer , etc...)

It does start getting better with the year 90, though (but not the the Magna Carta stable, though )

[Paulrus]

AFAIAC, even neo-prog is pretty weak in the late 80's (IQ starts sucking, Marillion's new singer , etc...)

Yeah, I think my lone 1988 item is IQ's "Nostalgia/Falling Apart at the Seams" (or did that come out in '89?), perhaps not the greatest thing ever but I wasn't even aware of IQ when I first heard it back then and it made me realize there was other music happening that I needed to check out (I didn't discover the Ozrics for another few years.) So it filled that gap for me. It goes to the point that collections like this end up being personal diaries as much as anything else.

[Progbear]

What will be the hardest year to fill up a show with good music of this genre? Sometime in the late 80s?

I’d say 1972 has too much good music for just one show.

Some 1988 stuff of worth:

Midas: Beyond the Clear Air
Nuova Era: L’ultimo viaggio
The Lodge: Smell of a Friend
Terraced Garden: Within
Tiemko: Espace fini

So...yeah, kind of a paltry year.

[saucyjackstl]

I’d say 1972 has too much good music for just one show.

Some 1988 stuff of worth:

Midas: Beyond the Clear Air
Nuova Era: L’ultimo viaggio
The Lodge: Smell of a Friend
Terraced Garden: Within
Tiemko: Espace fini

So...yeah, kind of a paltry year.

Kansas: In the Spirit of Things was 88

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

why not making it last a full year, by celebrating the 57th anniv of prog and start with 67

is that the "new math"?

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

is 1988 really that bad?

lemme check...

Boffo, Jean Pascal Rituel
Edhels Still Dream
Asturias Circle in the Forest
Watanabe, Kazumi Spice of Life Too
Dark Tamna Voda
Iconoclasta Adoloscencia Cronica
Last Exit Iron Path
Minimum Vital Les Saison Marines
Nuova Era L'Ultimo Viaggio
Peet, Wayne / Doppler Funk Blasto!
Santana Blues For Salvador
Scofield, John Loud Jazz
Ancient Future Dreamchaser
Gong, Pierre Moerlen's Second Wind
Hellborg, Jonas Axis
Howe, Greg Greg Howe
Lanz, David Cristofori's Dream
Montrose, Ronnie Speed of Sound
Shadowfax Folk Songs for a Nuclear Village
Tiemko Espace Fini
Vangelis Antarctica
Wishbone Ash Nouveau Calls

lots of great albums right there!

and that doesn't include any of the great Funk and worthy straight Rock from 88

[MagmaShark]

It goes to the point that collections like this end up being personal diaries as much as anything else.

thank you Paulrus .... that is exactly what I'm doing with my show. thank you for recognizing that. It's my personal perspective and my journey through prog rock over the years. that's all ... it's not meant to be complete, or definitive - just fun. I started the show 5 years ago for fun and enjoy playing prog rock over the radio to people who might have no idea what a lot of this stuff is, but if it reaches them and gets them interested, I'm satisfied with that.

[Trane]

is 1988 really that bad?

lemme check...

Boffo, Jean Pascal Rituel
Edhels Still Dream
Asturias Circle in the Forest
Watanabe, Kazumi Spice of Life Too
Dark Tamna Voda
Iconoclasta Adoloscencia Cronica
Last Exit Iron Path
Minimum Vital Les Saison Marines
Nuova Era L'Ultimo Viaggio
Peet, Wayne / Doppler Funk Blasto!
Santana Blues For Salvador
Scofield, John Loud Jazz
Ancient Future Dreamchaser
Gong, Pierre Moerlen's Second Wind
Hellborg, Jonas Axis
Howe, Greg Greg Howe
Lanz, David Cristofori's Dream
Montrose, Ronnie Speed of Sound
Shadowfax Folk Songs for a Nuclear Village
Tiemko Espace Fini
Vangelis Antarctica
Wishbone Ash Nouveau Calls

lots of great albums right there!

and that doesn't include any of the great Funk and worthy straight Rock from 88

not one of those in your list would classify as a Gnosis 10 for me (and having checked, none of them are a Gnosis 9 except for Carlos' Salvador).

what I have to say about 88
11 5uu's with Motor Totemist Guild Elements
10 Last Exit Iron Path
10 Scofield, John Loud Jazz
10 U2 Rattle and Hum

only 1 is prog (Last Exit, which we have in common, isn't 'prog")

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

(Last Exit, which we have in common, isn't 'prog")

not Symph Weenie "prog" but it's definitely progressive *and* it Rocks!