Vote On The Best Prog Albums Ever!
It’s a very special prog blog today as we’re starting the search to find your favourite prog album of all time!
Well we’re knee deep in the motherlode, so to speak, as we enter the final two weeks of production on issue 2 of Classic Rock Presents Prog. We’ll be letting you in on who you’re going to be able to read about over the coming weeks, but let’s just say we’ve been working overtime to better issue 1, from the wallet, magazine itself and the free CD. Issue 2 is on sale on May 20th.
Talking about the CD, we sequenced it yesterday. 12 tracks of even better prog than issue 1, and a couple of very special treats you are going to be very happy with, trust us.
Anyway, we thought we’d take on final opportunity to get you to vote for your favourite prog album ever. We’ve asked readers to vote so we can compile what we’re sure will be a more than interesting list of the Top 50 Prog Rock albums. There’ve been some very interesting choices already too. Have your say by e-mailing your Top Five Prog albums of all time, and the reason they strike such a chord with you to: voteprog@futurenet.co.uk.
Don’t forget you can find Classic Rock Presents Prog on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/ClassicRockProg and also on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1601032754&ref=name.
Grab your cape and join the fun.
Jerry Ewing, Classic Rock Presents…Prog Editor.
Anything under 5 hours long preferably including words of less than 6 syllables.
Just hope you’re actually gonna print enough copies….and tell those of us who missed out how we can get a copy of issue one please. Why can’t we just order from the CR website?
where can you find these issues in Brownsville Texas..? damn i want 2 copies of each ! ha ha !
Great mag, but you guys at CR need to expand your prog view beyond the UK a bit more, especially when covering contemporary prog.
I’d like a copy of issue 1 please. Not seen it in any shops. Can you help, CR?
Please cover the Italian Prog Rock scene
I ‘d like a copy but I’m not paying £7.99 for a magazine!!!
1. “In the Court of the Crimson King”. King Crimson – This ground breaker has a spirit that survives 40 years after its creation. “Epitaph” is one of the most moving prog compositions ever penned. Greg Lake’s vocals and and Ian McDonald’s years learning to be a bandsman in the British Army make the difference for this group (not to mention Barry Godber’s stunning album cover).
2. “Foxtrot” – Genesis. This album showed Genesis at the height of it’s creative power. “Horizons” is a Steve Hackett showstopper. “Can Utility and the Coastliners” is a perfect example of prog rock’s complexity and musical superiority to blues based traditional rock (in my subjective opinion).
3. “Larks Tongues in Aspic” – King Crimson. David Cross brings violin into Robert Fripp’s Crimson universe. John Wetton and Bill Bruford evolve into a great power duo. “Exiles” is a timeless classic.
4. “Close to the Edge” -Yes. The pinnacle for Yes. “And You and I” contains some of Rick Wakeman’s finest mellotron passages.
5. “Pawn Hearts” -Van der Graaf Generator. Peter Hammill’s vocals soar on “A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers”. George Martin’s “Theme One” a high moment on this LP.
Mark McMillan
Austin, Texas
1.Nursery Cryme has to be up there ..especially The Musical Box and Harlequin
The Clap on the Yes Album easily trumps Steve Hackett’s Horizons which is after all a Bach prelude rip off.
Agree with LArks Tongues in Aspic …superb!
How about Free Hand by Gentle Giant?
Top 5 prog albums of all time:
1. Genesis – Lamb Lies Down On Broadway – the ultimate prog double album.
Overblown, inpenetrable, genius.
2. Jethro Tull – Thick As A Brick – another concept album masterpiece.
Highly complicated stuff. Brilliant album cover as well.
3. Harmonium – Si On Avait Besoin D’Une Cinquième Saison. Perfection.Quite
possibly the most beautiful music ever committed to vinyl. Takes you to
another place.
4. Magma – Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh.Could have picked any album by
these crazy Frenchmen led by the great Christian Vander (except perhaps
their dodgy 80’s album Merci). Groundbreaking stuff, unlike anything else
you will ever hear. This is possibly the most well known of their records.
5.I am really struggling with the final berth. I am torn between:
i) Seventh Son of A Seventh Son (Iron Maiden)
ii) In The Court of the Crimson King/Larks Tongue/Islands (King Crimson)
iii) Still Life/Pawn Hearts (Van Der Graaf Generator)
iv) Wish You Were Here/Animals (Pink Floyd)
v) Trespass/Nursery Cryme/Foxtrot/Selling England By the Pound (Genesis)
However, I will throw a curveball and nominate : Phideaux – Doomsday
Afternoon. Pretty recent release this one, but is to be very deservedly
mentioned in the company of the above. This is a great prog record.
I could have picked a 100 records. This was very difficult.
The best Prog album ever? I’ll start these 10 albums that I never get tired of, only one album per band (not counting Best of types). Put on your headphones and enjoy…..
1-Days of Future Passed-Moody Blues
2-Dark Side of the Moon-Pink Floyd
3-Sgt. Pepper-The Beatles
4-Fragile-Yes
5-The Grand Illusion-Styx
6-Blows Against the Empire-Paul Kanter & Jefferson Starship
7-Their Satanic Majesties Request-The Rolling Stones
8-A New World Record -ELO
9-In the Court of the Crimson King-King Crimson
10-Shine on Brightly-Procol Harum
Gosh!! This is quite difficult…too many to mention with only 5 choices. Well, I would have to go with the classics
1. Yes – Relayer- When I heard Gates of Delirium for the first time way back when, I was simply blown away…period!
2.Yes-Close the Edge – What were they thinking then…were they from another planet????..lol
3. Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here- Hats off on this one. I saw “things” I never saw before….what a trip..lol
4. Jethro Tull – Passion Play – Ian Anderson at his finest and Barry Barlow’s drumming…impeccable.
5. Mike Oldfield- Tubular Bells – How much talent can a guy get!! To play all these instruments and compose this incredible music…is awe aspiriing. Would he classify as a prodigy???
in no particular order how about these
Solaris ‘Martian Chronicles’
ELP ‘Tarkus’
Genesis ‘Foxtrot’
David Sylvian ‘Gone To Earth’
Camel ‘A Live Record’
Rush Permanent Waves
Dream Theater Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
Queensryche Operation Mindcrime
Pink Floyd Animals
The Who Quadrophenia
Genesis – Trick of the Tail / Seconds Out
Yes – Close To The Edge
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
King Crimson – Discipline
Jethro Tull – Songs From The Wood
Marillion – Brave
Nothing else comes close
Rush ceased to be a ‘prog’ band after Hemispheres.They’ve been hard rock ever since (albeit with experimental edges) – remember such epithets as ‘techno rock’ and ‘cyber rock’ used by the old Kerrrang! gang.Their music hasn’t been twiddly -widdly for ages,just different,which,is what makes them so interesting.Labels ,fuckin hate ‘em!
1. Foxtrot – Genesis
2. Brain Salad Surgery – ELP.
3. Diamond Dogs – David Bowie.
4. For Your Pleasure – Roxy Music.
5. Seconds Out – Genesis.
Beatles
Led Zeppelin
Queen
U2
the Doors
Pink Floyd
Eagles
Deep Purple
Whitesnake
Bad company
ACDC
Thin Lizzy
Nikssino 3 I apologise, but, in my opinion, you are not right. I suggest it to discuss. Write to me in PM, we will communicate.
_____________
vlagra
homemade
6
my top 10 albums range from old and new and in no particular order
genesis-duke
pendragon-believe
transatlantic-whirlwind
peter gabriel-plays live
genesis-selling england
pink floyd-wish you were here
supertramp-even in the quietest moments
roger waters-amused to death
pendragon-not of this earth
marillion-misplaced childhood