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Thread: Who were the Big 5?

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    Who were the Big 5?

    People clearly still want to argue about this, so do it here.

    http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/s...d.php?t=620574

    King Crimson, Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull - all released their first album before 1970

    Some points to consider though, before painting yourself into a revisionist corner using current definitions:

    1. Underground music back then was far more than just symph rock or Canterbury, it included progressive blues-rock (what we now roughly call hard rock), as well as contemporary folk, acid rock, space rock, psychedelic, psych-soul and art school rock.
    2. So what by today's standards we might not consider "prog rock" i.e. the heavy folk of Tull or the space rock of Floyd or the heavy psych of Sabbath was most certainly part of the progressive underground in 69.
    Last edited by PeterG; 10-25-2013 at 09:39 AM.

  2. #2
    I suspect many would swap out Tull for ELP. Not me, though.
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  3. #3
    Henry Cow, Magma, GGiant, (allthings) Dave Stewart, KCrim.

    WTF else...?
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
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    Oh No! Bass Solo! klothos's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeterG View Post
    2. So what by today's standards we might not consider "prog rock" i.e. the heavy folk of Tull or the space rock of Floyd or the heavy psych of Sabbath was most certainly part of the progressive underground in 69.
    Thats because many of the influences of "Todays Standards" didnt exist back then. Many First Generation musicians got together and said "Let's Experiment". Fast forward to now, and many musicians get together and say "Lets put a band together like Rush or Yes" .....thats just the core of it, really.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post
    I suspect many would swap out Tull for ELP. Not me, though.
    I love Jethro Tull more than any other prog band. And while they are always listed as one of the classic Big 5 I have never really considered them a prog band.

    There is a difference of course between what one considers the Big 5 and one's favourite prog bands. My fav list for example doesn't include King Crimson or Yes.

    My FAV 5 i.e. NOT Big 5 would be:

    Jethro Tull
    Genesis
    Pink Floyd
    Camel
    Gentle Giant

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    Quote Originally Posted by klothos View Post
    Thats because many of the influences of "Todays Standards" didnt exist back then. Many First Generation musicians got together and said "Let's Experiment". Fast forward to now, and many musicians get together and say "Lets put a band together like Rush or Yes" .....thats just the core of it, really.
    Very good point! Back then they were breaking now ground, experimenting. Today they are covering old ground & creating retro-bands.

  7. #7
    Big 5 of prog , in 'classic' years, just fairly, and not by revisionist view - Yes, ELP, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Jethro Tull.

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    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeterG View Post
    People clearly still want to argue about this, so do it here
    Let's not.
    WANTED: Sig-worthy quote.

  9. #9
    My big 5 looks like this:
    Jethro Tull
    Genesis
    Gentle Giant
    Pink Floyd
    King Crimson

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    Member Just Eric's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    Henry Cow, Magma, GGiant, (allthings) Dave Stewart, KCrim.

    WTF else...?
    Close ....

    GG, Yes, ELP, KC, Kansas

    Neither Pink Floyd nor Tull are Prog and accordingly cannot be in a Big 5.
    Duncan's going to make a Horns Emoticon!!!

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    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Wasn't the Big 5 a term coined here at PE?

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    Member Man In The Mountain's Avatar
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    How is KC a big five? What big shows, tours did they ever do? Did they headline Cal Jam? Make a concert film shown in theaters? Were on the cover of Cream Magazine all the time?

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    Member LASERCD's Avatar
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    My Big 5 looks something like this:

    Nessa Devil
    Seka
    Tori Welles
    Ginger Lynn
    Tabitha Stevens (pre-cosmetic surgery)

    YMMV

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    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean View Post
    Wasn't the Big 5 a term coined here at PE?
    First place I ever heard it. And we'll never agree on it because there's no official "correct" answer.

    For me (fwiw):

    Yes
    Genesis
    KC
    GG
    ELP

  16. #16
    For me, it's (in no particular orer):

    Pink FLoyd
    Yes
    Genesis
    Jethro Tull
    Nektar
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    facetious maximus Yves's Avatar
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    Member Lopez's Avatar
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    The Big Three were Cass Elliot, Tim Rose, and Jim Hendricks.

    Wait, oh, Big 5? Then how about Cass Elliot, Bob "The Bear" Hite, John Popper, Leslie West, and Randy Bachman?
    Lou

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  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by gregory View Post
    Big 5 of prog , in 'classic' years, just fairly, and not by revisionist view - Yes, ELP, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Jethro Tull.
    In the context of the 'Golden Years of Prog -1971-77' your list is spot on.

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    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    Recently Resurrected zombywoof's Avatar
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    This is getting dangerously close to a "what is prog?" thread ...

    JUST LISTEN!!

    Leave categorizing to the music stores ... or what's left of them ...

  22. #22
    For these ears.. Yes, Floyd, ELP, Genesis, King Crimson.. 6-10 debatable.. lot's of bands to choose from.. Camel, Gentle Giant, Caravan, Happy the Man, Gong etc.

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    Moderator Sean's Avatar
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    Wasn't this term coined here at PE?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean View Post
    Wasn't the Big 5 a term coined here at PE?
    Are you joking? I first heard the term Big 5 used to refer to those 5 prog bands in the 80s long before I had a computer & even longer before I used the internet.

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    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LASERCD View Post
    My Big 5 looks something like this:

    Nessa Devil
    Seka
    Tori Welles
    Ginger Lynn
    Tabitha Stevens (pre-cosmetic surgery)

    YMMV
    You heartless bastard. Nessa Devil and Tori Welles aren't prog. The big 5 is not complete without Stoya and Dana DeArmond.
    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

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