What is Prog 5 - Ground Breaking
Economics
I’ve not said anything about this, but there is a sly discussion about Prog Rock, and the articles noted have completely ignored it. Perhaps the commentators don’t want to venture into places they feel are sensitive, or cripple their arguments when they know they will. But it is important to both bands and audience. It is that Prog is ‘Middle Class’. Which is a lump of a description, but I can go with that Prog music, more than most of the Rock uplift, often comes from moneyed backgrounds. Now, this is not true of some bands, there was nothing rich about the Prog late version of The Animals, (though by the time they went prog they had been to university), or Family. But yes, many came from comfortable places—Gentle Giant, The Zombies, Procul Harum, Gryphon and Genesis had solid sometimes privileged backgrounds and, if you want to include them, Pink Floyd, Elton John, and Pere Ubu (whose members once or twice avowed this).
Musically this can come through as a description of Prog as being “revenge on piano lessons”. Mark Deep Purple’s ‘Concerto for Group and Orchestra’. Given how those in Gentle Giant spoke, there is little doubt of this, though a more generous way to speak is to say that the bands explored their musical interests and backgrounds. As Sociology, the economics has many undertones—that the music is ‘Educated’ or ‘White’ and so of lesser value in terms of raw experience—which is held to be important to Folk music like the Blues—or the music is ‘pretentious’ in ambition, reaching for or casually using traditions that have taken centuries to develop, and also perhaps represent cultures that have alien values to the music the bands are involved in so can represent a kind of ‘blackface’ for whatever culture they evoke. Though others seem to be avoiding this, I wade again later, as it’s important to the musical argument.
Rock or thump
‘Prog rock’ is usually called as one, but if we’re gonna get serious about this, we’ve got to respect the ‘Rock’. And I have definitions for that—out goes Pop. Guess you may claim I’m cheating—I’m spawning a factor, not refining. But this drops most music that is Batt(y)—Evita, Phil Spector, Pet Sounds, Willie Nelson’s concept albums and Scott Walker’s solo albums and so forth. If you’re not happy with this, perhaps you need a category like ‘Progressive Pop’? Anyway, along the way, I have and will make references to non‐rock music like Jazz and Disco to show you where this goes. Some you may like, some not. Up to you.
Improv
There is also a case that many Prog acts, perhaps from their interest in unusual structure, like to improvise. This kind of definition needs to move beyond the guitar solo, but that is viable. The requirement would be to involve jamming or extended improvisation. Improvisation has a long history in Prog‐like musics, such as King Crimson, Magma, Can, and Prog‐like musics such as Pink Floyd or Ash Ra Tempel. However, I’m against this in a definition because many avowably Prog acts are not improvisational, especially at the beginning. There was not much improv in the works of Family or Gentle Giant, and those bands are solid Prog—a likely effect, but nothing primary.
Twiddly bits
I jest? But there is a case to be made for double‐speed and Jazz/Baroque influenced music to be Prog. Think of the long line of musics that describes, from Jethro Tull, Yes and Gryphon to Greenslade and Rush, and later the avant‐gardeisms of Massacre. But this excludes some important bands. What about Procul Harum, who progressed at a stately pace (“acoustic salad”, Joe Carducci) without a wasted note? Or ‘Red’‐season King Crimson (no fill)? Again, a likely effect, but not primary.
Cultural prog
Finally, there is a cultural definition. This is similar to a definition I used for Science Fiction, with the same limitations and advantages. You get a definition that includes all common‐acknowledged bands, but can’t cover extended use. Something like,
Any band recording between 1968 and 1970 that used skilled playing to record music that was in some way dense and/or extended, and either avoided, or made ornate constructions round, commonplace lyrical concerns of relationships
That has the advantage/disadvantage of including a few tracks by The Beatles. Also includes the Bob Dylan ‘Electric’ phase. So not as good as the SciFi cultural definition. But then, plenty would admit there was something Prog, or proto‐Prog, about music made by both of these in those periods. That said the time limitation is a trap. And including proto‐Prog long efforts like the Rolling Stones ’Goin Home’, Love’s ‘Revelation’, and ‘the End’ by The Doors seems too wide.