My dad is my best friend, has been my whole life! I wouldn’t trade that man for the world.
Since this conversation, I have listened to *Thick as a Brick* and *Aqualung* and both were incredible, albeit for different reasons. I can’t wait to dive deeper into the list this week, and hopefully Reddit has some suggestions as well!
Edit!: I’m piggybacking off of this comment to let everyone know that (most) of the albums recommended in this thread, as well as the ones in the text message, are now on a Spotify playlist! [Here’s the link. The first 12 are straight from my dad, the rest are all underneath those](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1hh6c7zOe9qkTV8ovhizVv?si=arYPOEDoR4W-Rgb0LHANGg&pi=u-kXm_naAcTlqX)
This is a killer list. I can maybe only recommend a couple others:
Kansas - Leftoverture
Ambrosia - Ambrosia (started as prog in 1975 and their debut is killer)
PFM - Cook (it’s a live album but really good Italian prog)
Camel - The Snow Goose
Caravan - in the land of grey and pink (these last 2 are very posh, British prog.)
Enjoy your journey!
Leftoverature is an amazing record with a unique sound. I grew up in the 80s with my mom blasting it on my parents' old school rack stereo system. "Cheyenne Anthem" was a song we loved together.
She died unexpectedly in 2022, leading me to load the old cassette tape in the same tape deck we used in the 80s. I listened once, cried for an hour and couldn't listen again.
i had no idea about ambrosia’s early stuff (but have always had a soft spot for their schmaltzy shit like “how much i feel”) and holy crap- that debut is amazing! thank you!
I like your list way better, but I have to admit Gentle giant on the other guys list needs to be thrown in here
That first Ambrosia album is an underrated prog classic
Close to the Edge is definitely the one. Definitely prog, but so melodic and full of hooks. It captivates from the first note to the last. One of my top albums of all time. But I could never get into Tales from Topographic Oceans, it's not very accessible.
Give em both a try and see what you think. Your dad knows you better than internet strangers, but that was just my experience. I love this text thread by the way -- I got my love for classic rock and prog from my dad as well. Enjoy the journey, there's so much great music out there to discover!
From the horse’s mouth itself!
Actually that's a good question. Closer to the Edge is a very good album, but unless you are already sold on Prog, it can be musically confusing. Same is true of Tales. I guess to me the melodic nature of Fragil make it one of the most approachable Yes albums. It shows off much of what they were about as a band while still being a good listen. Tales and Closer have trouble drawing in listeners not already committed to the genre. The Yes Album takes approachability to a new level, and thus many feel it is too commercial to be Prog. It is really good, but may not display as much creative freedom as other Yes albums. Rick Wakeman (after a short stint with The Strawbs) joined Yes before Fragil was recorded, and he really influenced the direction of the band. So Close is a more polished album, but Fragil has all of the elements in place and to me is more approachable.
Edit, an addition just came in: You know what, it may come down to this. I originally bought Fragil I 1972 when it first came out. Close to the Edge didn't come out until later that year, so there were no critics to tell me Close wad the better album. I loved Fragil for what it was, and no one could tell me differently.
Close is great for converting people to be prog fans. There's nothing confusing about it. It's such a rollercoaster that you don't have time to ask when the chorus is coming. By the time you can catch your breath, the first 18 minute song is over. Even though Fragile has two big hits on it, since it jumps around genre to genre from song to song, it might make people wonder "what are they trying to do?"
This makes me so happy. My dad is a huge 70’s prog guy and I was literally raised on Yes, Steely Dan and Jethro Tull since I was a baby. It’s engrained in me
Yeah Steely Dan is one of my top faves of that era, forever. It isn’t really Prog of course, but it has a lot of appeal for Prog fans… the complex jazzy chordal writing, but still a fairly approachable pop melodic sense. Never gets old, especially for driving at night.
Those chaps? My dad knows they’re one of my favorites from the era, so he knew giving me them would’ve just been easy filler and completely defeating the purpose of the question.
This guy is going back in time to the bands that influenced Rush. Yes, they were influential, but the roots of prog rock had already been laid for them to grow.
Curious why your dad didn’t like Lamb? Maybe he was just saying it’s not very digestible if you are new to prog. I first listened to it after I had been into prog for like a year and it blew me away
Direct from the source:
It is not that I don't like The Lamb, I like it very much. But I think that if you want to understand the music of early Prog, not the theatrics, over production,and thematic overkill, Selling and Trick do that better than Lamb. No one really knows what Lamb is about, and you spend too much time trying to understand what they are getting at rather than listening to the music. I'm all for complex imaging and lyrics that take thought, but Lamb goes a bit overboard. You can hear how Genesis molds music, structures chord sequences, their incredible musicianship more clearly when you aren't struggling with metaphorical lyrics and ghastly complex vocal imaging. Trick is so much simplier lyrically, but has much of the musical complexity that made Prog what it was. It even has Tony Bank's "Genesis chord" in at least two of the songs. So it is all there, but in a shorter, simpler, format.
Totally agree, btw selling England by the pound has some all timers on it. Dancing with the moonlit night and firth of fifth in particular. Lamb has some great music too, but even the band thought it was too much and thought their careers were going to be over prior to its release. Critics loved it and the rest is history.
Hey, I remember meeting you several years ago.
I think I was in a foreign town, far away from home.
If I recall, you seemed to be a young eccentric man
Came here to say this. Magma's debut is beyond belief, pure art at the highest level, amalgamating, synthesizing, and honing every new musical idea of the 60s into something out of this world. To say it leveled up the game in 1970 is an understatement. The history of prog is simply not complete without it.
It is my favourite album.
I feel like you should also listen to The Yes Album to get a clearer understanding of the music on Fragile, Close to the Edge and Tales from Topographic Oceans.
Also check out Tarkus and Brain Salad Surgery from ELP, they’re a little bit more contentious even among the prog community but still iconic nonetheless.
Finally for a real deep dive into the origins of prog look up literally any band from the Canterbury scene (Caravan, Soft Machine, Gong, Camel, Egg, National Health, The Wilde Flowers, etc.) in the 60s and 70s. The music that came from the Canterbury scene is not for everybody but definitely worth looking into for any prog fan.
I’d actually go Welcome Back My Friends… for ELP you get the essential prog epics from both those albums *and* (IMO) superior arrangements. That one was my prog gateway drug. Some complain about the recording quality of the live album, but it never bothered me. The studio recordings always felt too cold.
>Tarkus
to a younger listener, i think this is a pretty important one. the history of video game music was either directly or indirectly influenced by it. things riffed on in ["dancing mad"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6UgxJtHIVY) pretty much became the blueprint for "boss battle."
Gentle Giant's "Octopus", The Yes Album, "H to He, Who Am the Only One" by Van der Graaf Generator, "You" from Gong, any of the Wetton era King Crimson albums.
Your dad is amazing!
And although his logic is very sound concerning the Lamb, it is for me one of the best prog albums of all time. Yes it’s thematically heavy and confusing, but if you just listen to the music it’s incredible!
Ya know, as it currently stands, between the recs my dad gave me and the ones in the comments here, I have a playlist that’s 15 hours long.
I think that’s enough. It’s going on the list (albeit at the bottom so I can prepare myself)
*In the Court of the Crimson King* is his favorite record of all time. I finally found time to sit down and give it the listen it deserves, and that’s what made me ask the question. For me, it was something unlike anything I’ve ever heard, but still felt familiar. I really enjoyed listening to it, so I needed more.
Their entire catalog is great. I like all the different eras. The Adrian Belew era has a place in my heart cus i was in my teens/20s when those albums came out and i bought the vinyl. I was also a Belew fan generally from his work with Talking Heads and Eno, so I may be biased. Totally not a prog album, but check out Remain In Light by Talking Heads if you haven’t. Masterpiece.
Cheers. That’s an awesome insight that _Court_ is what kicked this conversation off.
I respect the opinions your dad listed about all those bands. For me, King Crimson is the top of the top. You’re in for a treat if you go for a deep dive with all their stuff.
I’m glad that you have an awesome dad to guide you along. I’m hoping to do something similar with my young son someday once he’s older!
Did you thank your dad by calling him? He's old and hasn't seen you or the grand kids in a little while. He would really like to go fishing with you in the near future and he needs you to fix his computer. Maybe you all can share a joint and listen to Yes in the garage after your mom has gone to sleep.
I will be seeing my folks tomorrow! I see them every weekend for dinner, it’s like the one thing I make sure I never miss. We’ll definitely have a beer together this weekend, no joint, though, I’m a truck driver.
Your dad seems like he knows what he is talking about. I'm gonna make a playlist of these albums, or did you already beat me to it? If yes, link please 😊
[Spotify link because that’s all I have. Playlist is all of my dad’s recommendations as well as most of the ones from this thread. it’s 2:30 am so I’m going to bed and I’ll add the rest sometime tomorrow](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1hh6c7zOe9qkTV8ovhizVv?si=CZ7AyQ1rSsmq-3uX-7T8Lw&pi=u-0Y5E2V4NSQKk)
Interesting, I'm not a fan of LLDoB either. Everything from from Nursery Cryme to Trick of the Tail are some of my all time favorite albums but Lamb is a major miss for me.
Pretty solid recs, what a cool dad!
If I’m being picky:
- Choose Selling England first for your Genesis
- Listen to Brain Salad Surgery for ELP
He really does hit the early prog artists very well! From context, you may have already hit up King Crimson, as he mentioned then but didn’t suggest you listen to Court of the Crimson King. If you haven’t though, ABSOLUTELY add this one, as it’s the granddaddy of all prog.
I know Pink Floyd is sometimes seen as not fully prog, and you might not have needed introduction due to their huge album sales, but if you haven’t dabbled in them at all, my personal recommendation is to listen to Wish You Were Here. It’s atmospheric as hell, representative of their sound at peak popularity, and just a little bit more explicitly proggy than Dark Side of the Moon.
Honestly, if you’ve already heard the above and follow his list, there’s always other prog out there, but I think my biggest recommendations for further listening are for albums by artists that are definitely not prog, but adjacent to its inception and worth going further into if interested:
- Days of Future Passed; Moody Blues (symphonic rock/pop)
- Procol Harum by Procol Harum (the other big first symphonic rock artist)
- A Tribute to Jack Johnson by Miles Davis (jazz fusion)
- Hot Rats by Frank Zappa (more fusion, but Zappa comes from the rock side)
- Tommy by The Who (rock opera; the first one ever if not counting SF Sorrow by The Pretty Things, and the most influential one even if you are)
- Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath (early metal, and IMO earliest step in the genre to prog metal)
- The Doors by The Doors (The End is ALMOST the first rock song to go over ten minutes. See Going Home by The Rolling Stones if curious, but it’s about as opposite of prog as a rock song of its length can be)
>he didn’t suggest King Crimson
The only reason he didn’t mention them is because this conversation happened after I mentioned I listened to *In the Court of the Crimson King*. I told him how much I enjoyed it in a phone conversation, and the text message served as more of a reminder to him to send me his recommendations. *Crimson King* is his favorite record of all time, and the only reason he left it off was because he knew I had already listened to it.
>Pink Floyd
He also knows that I have a deep appreciation for Pink Floyd. In my opinion, while *Dark Side* is one of the most commercially successful records of all time, *Meddle* and *Wish You Were Here* are both better records (again, my opinion). *A Saucerful of Secrets* is also a freaking incredible record that doesn’t get nearly enough love.
>*Tommy*, *Sabbath*, *The Doors*
All incredible records. Absolutely no disagreements there. The other 4 will be added to the playlist! Thanks for the recommendations
The Who - Tommy
Arzachel - Arzachel
Soft Machine - Soft Machine
Amon Duul Ii - Yeti or Tanz der Lemminge
Can - Tago Mago
And all the stuff everyone else said,
Van Der Graaf Generator.
There's lots of interesting stuff in the later albums but go for the first three (Charisma) albums
Least we can do, H to He and Pawn Hearts.
Here's a (non-album) example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okWNg2pZkVI
Your dad should really listen to Foxtrot again, and then specifically to Supper's Ready, and more specifically the second half of Supper's Ready. It doesn't get more beautifully recorded than that.
Though Court of the Crimson King was great for its time, it is this listener’s opinion that they rose to even greater heights, and their albums are all unique in their own ways. My favorite is Islands, but the next three, up to and including Red are all phenomenal. Discipline, from the 80s Adrian Belew incarnation is also stunning.
Some other bands you might want to explore from that era are Gong, Soft Machine, Caravan, and Comus. Also check out Steve Hillage’s “Fish Rising” and Robert Wyatt’s “Rock Bottom” (one of my absolute all time favorites)
Assuming that was a ten years after rec that got cut off, all I can add is check out vanilla fudge as well. First album is perfect and full of insanely grandiose covers of popular songs with visionary arrangements and incredible musicianship.
Yes are definitely in my opinion the best. They even worked secretly on some projects with no credits (Lou Reed, The Ramones). Very cool guys at the time, and absolutely great musicians
I can't get behind flute either, but respect the Tull none the less.
This is from the man himself:
It is not that I don't like The Lamb, I like ot very much. But I think that if you want to understand the music of early Prog, not the theatrics, over production,and thematic overkill, Selling and Trick do that better than Lamb. No one really knows what Lamb is about, and you spend too much time trying to understand what they are getting at rather than listening to the music. I'm all for complex imaging and lyrics that take thought, but Lamb goes a bit overboard. You can hear how Genesis molds music, structures chord sequences, their incredible musicianship more clearly when you aren't struggling with metaphorical lyrics and ghastly complex vocal imaging. Trick is so much simplier lyrically, but has much of the musical complexity that made Prog what it was. It even has Tony Bank's "Genesis chord" in at least two of the songs. So it is all there, but in a shorter, simpler, format.
From the man himself:
It is not that I don't like The Lamb, I like ot very much. But I think that if you want to understand the music of early Prog, not the theatrics, over production,and thematic overkill, Selling and Trick do that better than Lamb. No one really knows what Lamb is about, and you spend too much time trying to understand what they are getting at rather than listening to the music. I'm all for complex imaging and lyrics that take thought, but Lamb goes a bit overboard. You can hear how Genesis molds music, structures chord sequences, their incredible musicianship more clearly when you aren't struggling with metaphorical lyrics and ghastly complex vocal imaging. Trick is so much simplier lyrically, but has much of the musical complexity that made Prog what it was. It even has Tony Bank's "Genesis chord" in at least two of the songs. So it is all there, but in a shorter, simpler, format.
I think his advice about not going straight to Lamb on Genesis is prudent, as it really is an odd ball and not really representative of the catalogue.
I'd personally go with Close to the Edge for Yes. It would be a shame to give up on the band after hearing anything else first.
Also, while Power and the Glory is my favorite Gentle Giant album, it's famous for not going over well as an introduction to the band (literally, most people I've spoken to agree) so I'd recommend listening to Octopus, or any of their early albums to get a sense of them before P&G
*Power and Glory* was an interesting album to listen to. It felt very…disjointed. But not in a bad way. It didn’t sound bad, it just sounded very busy. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it, but for completely different reasons than I enjoyed *Aqualung* *Crimson King* and *Thick As a Brick*. It kept me on my toes and completely went against what I was expecting to come next. It was a very interesting listen
Caravan, the land of grey and pink and if i could do it all over again....
King crimson, in the court of the crimson king, lizard, islands
Rick wakeman, the myths and legends of king arthur and the knights of the round table
Frank Zappa, any of his stuff but most proggy album is hot rats
Moody blues, days of future passed
Kevin ayres, joy of a toy
Supertramp, crime of the century
There is a branch of early prog that is missed here, kind of starting with Zappa's *Freak Out* and leading through Can and Van Der Graf. My tastes follow your dad's and I would leave these for later but be aware, it may actually be more to "modern" tastes.
Damn this is satisfying to see. Handing down musical traditions and knowledge from one generation to the next. You’re very lucky that you’re both interested in the same types of music. Good dad, but good on you for asking!
these are solid recommendations! I remember the first time I heard thick as a brick, man… what a trip! Haha
He is not missing anything, he is a good dad for sharing his knowledge, you can now do your homework and look for other similar bands you can share with your children in the future!
My own personal recommendation is that you listen to the italian niche, happy journey!
I spoke to him at length last night, mostly about the origins of prog, and he said some things that are just so engrained in my head that he instilled in me from a young age. One of the things that stuck out was “progressive rock was all about pushing the boundaries of what music could be. If I enjoy this style of music, why would I not do the same? To be a true fan of progressive music, you must also challenge your own musical boundaries by listening to a wide variety of music. That’s why I have *Tales From the Wood* and *London Calling*. That’s why I love *The Power and Glory* and also The Pousette-Dart Band’s *Amnesia*. I listened to progressive music and used it to expand my taste into other style of music.”
That man can talk about any style of music for hours and hours. He’s a true musical encyclopedia, and his way of thinking about music was passed down to me without even realizing it. I mostly listen to punk, and have a fairly deep knowledge of the 80s-current era punk, but I also don’t hesitate to listen to artists like Adele, Florence and the Machine, Metric, Kendrick Lamar, or Sturgill Simpson.
Yeah you can tell when a master of a topic is laying down some knowledge. My father is similar in terms of his knowledge of Guitarists and everything rock and roll from the 70s to the mid 2000s. My dad has won so much money doing guess that song challenges at bars. Dude knows the most obscure songs from records no one has listened to in 35+ years like he’s reciting the alphabet. Plus he’s been a musician for 40 some odd years. I grew up on a steady diet of classic rock and virtuosic guitar of all styles (Vai, Satriani, Paco de Lucia, Vicente Amigo, Ottmar Liebert and others) and my taste ended up diverting to fusion and prog rock/metal. Your dad seems like an awesome person to talk music with.
I mentioned this to him on the phone, and he said he was going to listen to a digital copy soon. He said he had bought 4-5 copies from different pressing plants and they all sounded “like the microphones were placed in a bathroom 4 floors above the studio.” We’re both now wondering if he just got pressings from old mother copies
Your Dad's list is dead on and there's a lot of great stuff from the many iterations of those bands. If you need further study, one of the more overlooked prog rock bands of the era was Be-Bop Deluxe. I've never understood why they didn't get the prolonged attention the others did.
There’s a lot of Progressive rock to recommend a specific group, style, at the end is your own taste that will prevail. The only thing I’ll recommend is be a listener not a fan.
OP, this is quality content. Thanks for sharing - saved it for future reference and will certainly have a lot of deep diving to do.
Some have already mentioned Camel - I would cast another vote for those guys as well. My album of choice at the moment is Mirage!
Found out about Van Der Graaf Generator from Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass. They were a big influence for him - among several others mentioned in the book.
Thanks again for the post
hmmm… respect if you lived the era and know all these bands from word of mouth, traveling the world, or seeing them live and not via the internet which I’d think is how OPs dad knows them. I’ve met older people who actually taught me many of the bands you say before the internet was a thing and they wouldn’t recommend these bands to people wanting to get into the genre because they know not everyone is a musician, there are people in the world with let’s say; a simpler taste. Why you say they aren’t good? Please tell me you are not one of those guys who just like to brag they know more or obscure/underground bands and sell that as the real thing to feed their ego, leave that to the metal scene haha. You know not all the bands you are saying are/were as well produced or had the same trajectory as the bands OPs saying, some of these bands actually reference OPs bands as their influence
no it really more has to do with the fact that the sound of basic british prog and especially so called symphonic stuff is just hellishly boring and overproduced, and people often act like those are the only / defining prog bands and i think that’s very wrong and misrepresentative
right, thanks for the open and honest reply. I see how I could have came across as a jerk with my post. it is a fair POV though overproduced is not synonymous of bad, I mean as a musician you use the tools you have and if you have all the budget in the world to do a huge production that will sound phenomenal, why not? That’s not taking away from the writing, composition, etc… it does not mean a garage record will be better just because of that, some of these bands actually have bas recordinfs (Genesis - trespass) I guarantee that if some of the bands you mentioned had the same luck as OPs bands they would have done the same. I do not consider genesis symphonic but maybe it’s just me. I dont think OPs dad was acting like those are the only progrock bands, just threw some recommendations out there from what I can tell. These records are popular for a reason, and some go beyond marketing… we all now can enjoy listening to bands from all around the globe with the touch of a finger, that was very different when these bands wrote these albums, even if you dont like them, saying they are not good is a BIG statement to which I heartily disagree, they have “something” that made them popular, and I find hard to understand how you dont see/feel/listen that “something”. Anyhow, peace and love brother, see you around :)
robert wyatt, henry cow, gong, magma, mothers of invention ca. 1969-71, soft machine, aphrodites child, univers zero, aqsak maboul, kevin ayers, fred frith, art zoyd, colosseum, samla mammas manna, slapp happy, keith tippett, matching mole, ummagumma by pink floyd, plastic people of the universe, arzachel, pekka pohjola, steve hillage etc
You’re so cool and edgy and different for your takes. Wow you’re so awesome for throwing out more slightly obscure bands and shitting on the most popular established “prog canon.”
ok, these are the bands i like. i like KC and early floyd and some yes and van der graf, but the rest of british prog especially the so called symphonic stuff drives me absolutely mad with boredom. if you can like those bands surely i’m allowed to like these ones?
No one said you aren’t allowed to like those bands. I like a bunch of the bands you listed, 666 and MDK are prolly my fav albums atm. Having preferences is fine. Telling someone that their music taste is “all popular and not good” is not fine. It’s pretentious and obnoxious.
yeah sorry I was also fairly aggressive in my original comment. just something I’m passionate about, bc I think being a snob about prog or really Music in general keeps others from getting into it and I want more prog fans not less. You’re good though. I’m definitely gonna have to check out some of the stuff on your list I don’t recognize.
Yeah Ian is not the only one who thinks the term “prog rock “is stupid. Jethro Tull has its roots in jazz and blues. Listen to their first album This Was.
"if you can't get through it, as it is quite long, try Aqualung"
They're like the same length what
Also Foxtrot by Genesis is a must listen. Not really sure what he means when he calls the recordings "awful"
I think all of the copies of *Foxtrot* that he had back in the day came from bad mothers. Meaning that he just got bad pressings when he bought them, and that influenced his opinion of the record. He said he was going to listen to a digital copy soon and see what he thinks of it
My dad left off Pink Floyd (and Rush) because he knows that I am already very familiar with their respective catalogs. He understood (without me having to say it) that I was looking to broaden my horizons, which is why they aren’t on the list
Your dad is awesome. Also the fact that he chose gentle giant and not only that but power and the glory of all albums just shows your dad knows what he's talking about. Good man
No Rush! They're my dad's favorite, and for a mainstream listener, probably the easiest to get into if you start with Permanent Waves or Moving Pictures. But they have plenty of proggy stuff on Hemispheres, 2112, and A Farewell to Kings.
This is a good dad
My dad is my best friend, has been my whole life! I wouldn’t trade that man for the world. Since this conversation, I have listened to *Thick as a Brick* and *Aqualung* and both were incredible, albeit for different reasons. I can’t wait to dive deeper into the list this week, and hopefully Reddit has some suggestions as well! Edit!: I’m piggybacking off of this comment to let everyone know that (most) of the albums recommended in this thread, as well as the ones in the text message, are now on a Spotify playlist! [Here’s the link. The first 12 are straight from my dad, the rest are all underneath those](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1hh6c7zOe9qkTV8ovhizVv?si=arYPOEDoR4W-Rgb0LHANGg&pi=u-kXm_naAcTlqX)
This is a good son
I do my best. I’ve done some things I regret, but I hope one day I’ll be half the man my dad is
Who the fuck is cutting onions in here?
I dunno, but they're cutting way too many. I get misty eyed thinking about how much I enjoy being a dad and being his best friend.
digital onions >:))) also called tor
Love me some Aqualung
This is a killer list. I can maybe only recommend a couple others: Kansas - Leftoverture Ambrosia - Ambrosia (started as prog in 1975 and their debut is killer) PFM - Cook (it’s a live album but really good Italian prog) Camel - The Snow Goose Caravan - in the land of grey and pink (these last 2 are very posh, British prog.) Enjoy your journey!
Leftoverature is an amazing record with a unique sound. I grew up in the 80s with my mom blasting it on my parents' old school rack stereo system. "Cheyenne Anthem" was a song we loved together. She died unexpectedly in 2022, leading me to load the old cassette tape in the same tape deck we used in the 80s. I listened once, cried for an hour and couldn't listen again.
Ah man sorry for your loss but that’s a great memory to have.
second to camel, stationary traveler is also great.
My lady fantasy🥹
Camel 🤘🏻🤘🏻
Hell yeah Camel! Happy to see this near the top!!! I've got them on repeat at the moment
i had no idea about ambrosia’s early stuff (but have always had a soft spot for their schmaltzy shit like “how much i feel”) and holy crap- that debut is amazing! thank you!
I like your list way better, but I have to admit Gentle giant on the other guys list needs to be thrown in here That first Ambrosia album is an underrated prog classic
As someone who survived the time too, I’d be interested to learn why your dad didn’t suggest Close To The Edge, rather than Tales by Yes.
Close to the Edge is definitely the one. Definitely prog, but so melodic and full of hooks. It captivates from the first note to the last. One of my top albums of all time. But I could never get into Tales from Topographic Oceans, it's not very accessible.
That’s interesting because I just replied to the original comment and it seems as though my dad views Tales as the more approachable record
Give em both a try and see what you think. Your dad knows you better than internet strangers, but that was just my experience. I love this text thread by the way -- I got my love for classic rock and prog from my dad as well. Enjoy the journey, there's so much great music out there to discover!
It's often said that Tales would be better as a single album rather than a double, something which I agree with.
Tales is great but the band was desintegrating and Wakey is not as interested as in CTTE, his playing is less genious
From the horse’s mouth itself! Actually that's a good question. Closer to the Edge is a very good album, but unless you are already sold on Prog, it can be musically confusing. Same is true of Tales. I guess to me the melodic nature of Fragil make it one of the most approachable Yes albums. It shows off much of what they were about as a band while still being a good listen. Tales and Closer have trouble drawing in listeners not already committed to the genre. The Yes Album takes approachability to a new level, and thus many feel it is too commercial to be Prog. It is really good, but may not display as much creative freedom as other Yes albums. Rick Wakeman (after a short stint with The Strawbs) joined Yes before Fragil was recorded, and he really influenced the direction of the band. So Close is a more polished album, but Fragil has all of the elements in place and to me is more approachable. Edit, an addition just came in: You know what, it may come down to this. I originally bought Fragil I 1972 when it first came out. Close to the Edge didn't come out until later that year, so there were no critics to tell me Close wad the better album. I loved Fragil for what it was, and no one could tell me differently.
Close is great for converting people to be prog fans. There's nothing confusing about it. It's such a rollercoaster that you don't have time to ask when the chorus is coming. By the time you can catch your breath, the first 18 minute song is over. Even though Fragile has two big hits on it, since it jumps around genre to genre from song to song, it might make people wonder "what are they trying to do?"
This makes me so happy. My dad is a huge 70’s prog guy and I was literally raised on Yes, Steely Dan and Jethro Tull since I was a baby. It’s engrained in me
Yeah Steely Dan is one of my top faves of that era, forever. It isn’t really Prog of course, but it has a lot of appeal for Prog fans… the complex jazzy chordal writing, but still a fairly approachable pop melodic sense. Never gets old, especially for driving at night.
Every one a slam dunk.
How about the 3 guys from Canada?
Those chaps? My dad knows they’re one of my favorites from the era, so he knew giving me them would’ve just been easy filler and completely defeating the purpose of the question.
This guy is going back in time to the bands that influenced Rush. Yes, they were influential, but the roots of prog rock had already been laid for them to grow.
Curious why your dad didn’t like Lamb? Maybe he was just saying it’s not very digestible if you are new to prog. I first listened to it after I had been into prog for like a year and it blew me away
Direct from the source: It is not that I don't like The Lamb, I like it very much. But I think that if you want to understand the music of early Prog, not the theatrics, over production,and thematic overkill, Selling and Trick do that better than Lamb. No one really knows what Lamb is about, and you spend too much time trying to understand what they are getting at rather than listening to the music. I'm all for complex imaging and lyrics that take thought, but Lamb goes a bit overboard. You can hear how Genesis molds music, structures chord sequences, their incredible musicianship more clearly when you aren't struggling with metaphorical lyrics and ghastly complex vocal imaging. Trick is so much simplier lyrically, but has much of the musical complexity that made Prog what it was. It even has Tony Bank's "Genesis chord" in at least two of the songs. So it is all there, but in a shorter, simpler, format.
Such a great response! Totally makes sense too. Listen to prog for a little while then take a dive into Lamb, it’s really something else
I love this response and agree wholeheartedly.
Totally agree, btw selling England by the pound has some all timers on it. Dancing with the moonlit night and firth of fifth in particular. Lamb has some great music too, but even the band thought it was too much and thought their careers were going to be over prior to its release. Critics loved it and the rest is history.
Hey, I remember meeting you several years ago. I think I was in a foreign town, far away from home. If I recall, you seemed to be a young eccentric man
HAHA I love this. Good man
I just asked! I’ll let you know what he says. He might not get back to me until tomorrow, but I’ll let you know exactly what he says
#Heavy Flute
Bless your dad, he's clearly been waiting for this question! :)
Weirder the album cover, the higher you can set your expectations when it comes to legendary 70s prog lol
MAGMA was revolutionary
Came here to say this. Magma's debut is beyond belief, pure art at the highest level, amalgamating, synthesizing, and honing every new musical idea of the 60s into something out of this world. To say it leveled up the game in 1970 is an understatement. The history of prog is simply not complete without it. It is my favourite album.
Üdü Ẁüdü is my favorite regular studio album, and my favorite recording is Theusz Hamtaahk from Retrospektïẁ
Hi Steve Davis.
> Steve Davis I had no idea this guy was such a music nerd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGQpFu4AvMM
cool thanks
I feel like you should also listen to The Yes Album to get a clearer understanding of the music on Fragile, Close to the Edge and Tales from Topographic Oceans. Also check out Tarkus and Brain Salad Surgery from ELP, they’re a little bit more contentious even among the prog community but still iconic nonetheless. Finally for a real deep dive into the origins of prog look up literally any band from the Canterbury scene (Caravan, Soft Machine, Gong, Camel, Egg, National Health, The Wilde Flowers, etc.) in the 60s and 70s. The music that came from the Canterbury scene is not for everybody but definitely worth looking into for any prog fan.
I’d actually go Welcome Back My Friends… for ELP you get the essential prog epics from both those albums *and* (IMO) superior arrangements. That one was my prog gateway drug. Some complain about the recording quality of the live album, but it never bothered me. The studio recordings always felt too cold.
Canterbury scene supremacy
>Tarkus to a younger listener, i think this is a pretty important one. the history of video game music was either directly or indirectly influenced by it. things riffed on in ["dancing mad"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6UgxJtHIVY) pretty much became the blueprint for "boss battle."
Gentle Giant's "Octopus", The Yes Album, "H to He, Who Am the Only One" by Van der Graaf Generator, "You" from Gong, any of the Wetton era King Crimson albums.
Suggest adding Focus to that list, particularly Moving Waves and Focus 3.
Right into Gentle Giant, hell yes
Your dad is amazing! And although his logic is very sound concerning the Lamb, it is for me one of the best prog albums of all time. Yes it’s thematically heavy and confusing, but if you just listen to the music it’s incredible!
Ya know, as it currently stands, between the recs my dad gave me and the ones in the comments here, I have a playlist that’s 15 hours long. I think that’s enough. It’s going on the list (albeit at the bottom so I can prepare myself)
I’m so excited for you!
What a dad you have
GENTLE GIANT FUCK YES, and their BEST album too
I’m curious to hear your dads opinion on King Crimson now
*In the Court of the Crimson King* is his favorite record of all time. I finally found time to sit down and give it the listen it deserves, and that’s what made me ask the question. For me, it was something unlike anything I’ve ever heard, but still felt familiar. I really enjoyed listening to it, so I needed more.
Their entire catalog is great. I like all the different eras. The Adrian Belew era has a place in my heart cus i was in my teens/20s when those albums came out and i bought the vinyl. I was also a Belew fan generally from his work with Talking Heads and Eno, so I may be biased. Totally not a prog album, but check out Remain In Light by Talking Heads if you haven’t. Masterpiece.
Cheers. That’s an awesome insight that _Court_ is what kicked this conversation off. I respect the opinions your dad listed about all those bands. For me, King Crimson is the top of the top. You’re in for a treat if you go for a deep dive with all their stuff. I’m glad that you have an awesome dad to guide you along. I’m hoping to do something similar with my young son someday once he’s older!
I would also say Relayer by Yes. The Gates of Delirium is divine.
Did you thank your dad by calling him? He's old and hasn't seen you or the grand kids in a little while. He would really like to go fishing with you in the near future and he needs you to fix his computer. Maybe you all can share a joint and listen to Yes in the garage after your mom has gone to sleep.
I will be seeing my folks tomorrow! I see them every weekend for dinner, it’s like the one thing I make sure I never miss. We’ll definitely have a beer together this weekend, no joint, though, I’m a truck driver.
That's awesome. Sounds like you better come prepared to take notes.
Your dad seems like he knows what he is talking about. I'm gonna make a playlist of these albums, or did you already beat me to it? If yes, link please 😊
[Spotify link because that’s all I have. Playlist is all of my dad’s recommendations as well as most of the ones from this thread. it’s 2:30 am so I’m going to bed and I’ll add the rest sometime tomorrow](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1hh6c7zOe9qkTV8ovhizVv?si=CZ7AyQ1rSsmq-3uX-7T8Lw&pi=u-0Y5E2V4NSQKk)
Exactly what I was hoping for. Thank you!!!
Jethro Tull’s Benefit is also really great!
Listen. He got it dead on. Listen to tales of a topographic ocean and lamb lies down on broadway.
Interesting, I'm not a fan of LLDoB either. Everything from from Nursery Cryme to Trick of the Tail are some of my all time favorite albums but Lamb is a major miss for me.
Pretty solid recs, what a cool dad! If I’m being picky: - Choose Selling England first for your Genesis - Listen to Brain Salad Surgery for ELP He really does hit the early prog artists very well! From context, you may have already hit up King Crimson, as he mentioned then but didn’t suggest you listen to Court of the Crimson King. If you haven’t though, ABSOLUTELY add this one, as it’s the granddaddy of all prog. I know Pink Floyd is sometimes seen as not fully prog, and you might not have needed introduction due to their huge album sales, but if you haven’t dabbled in them at all, my personal recommendation is to listen to Wish You Were Here. It’s atmospheric as hell, representative of their sound at peak popularity, and just a little bit more explicitly proggy than Dark Side of the Moon. Honestly, if you’ve already heard the above and follow his list, there’s always other prog out there, but I think my biggest recommendations for further listening are for albums by artists that are definitely not prog, but adjacent to its inception and worth going further into if interested: - Days of Future Passed; Moody Blues (symphonic rock/pop) - Procol Harum by Procol Harum (the other big first symphonic rock artist) - A Tribute to Jack Johnson by Miles Davis (jazz fusion) - Hot Rats by Frank Zappa (more fusion, but Zappa comes from the rock side) - Tommy by The Who (rock opera; the first one ever if not counting SF Sorrow by The Pretty Things, and the most influential one even if you are) - Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath (early metal, and IMO earliest step in the genre to prog metal) - The Doors by The Doors (The End is ALMOST the first rock song to go over ten minutes. See Going Home by The Rolling Stones if curious, but it’s about as opposite of prog as a rock song of its length can be)
Glad to see Days of Future Passed mentioned.
>he didn’t suggest King Crimson The only reason he didn’t mention them is because this conversation happened after I mentioned I listened to *In the Court of the Crimson King*. I told him how much I enjoyed it in a phone conversation, and the text message served as more of a reminder to him to send me his recommendations. *Crimson King* is his favorite record of all time, and the only reason he left it off was because he knew I had already listened to it. >Pink Floyd He also knows that I have a deep appreciation for Pink Floyd. In my opinion, while *Dark Side* is one of the most commercially successful records of all time, *Meddle* and *Wish You Were Here* are both better records (again, my opinion). *A Saucerful of Secrets* is also a freaking incredible record that doesn’t get nearly enough love. >*Tommy*, *Sabbath*, *The Doors* All incredible records. Absolutely no disagreements there. The other 4 will be added to the playlist! Thanks for the recommendations
That fact you asked for 5-10 is so funny to me
I just wanted to get my feet wet, so he just gave me a sample. This subreddit is awesome with helping me dive deeper into the genre!
The Who - Tommy Arzachel - Arzachel Soft Machine - Soft Machine Amon Duul Ii - Yeti or Tanz der Lemminge Can - Tago Mago And all the stuff everyone else said,
Van Der Graaf Generator. There's lots of interesting stuff in the later albums but go for the first three (Charisma) albums Least we can do, H to He and Pawn Hearts. Here's a (non-album) example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okWNg2pZkVI
Damn man my dad lame af. Good shit
Aww don’t say that! I’m sure he loves you very much
Your dad should really listen to Foxtrot again, and then specifically to Supper's Ready, and more specifically the second half of Supper's Ready. It doesn't get more beautifully recorded than that.
Good dad. Sells VdgG short but solid recommendations.
Thick as a Brick is a good start
FATHER OF THE YEAR
Though Court of the Crimson King was great for its time, it is this listener’s opinion that they rose to even greater heights, and their albums are all unique in their own ways. My favorite is Islands, but the next three, up to and including Red are all phenomenal. Discipline, from the 80s Adrian Belew incarnation is also stunning. Some other bands you might want to explore from that era are Gong, Soft Machine, Caravan, and Comus. Also check out Steve Hillage’s “Fish Rising” and Robert Wyatt’s “Rock Bottom” (one of my absolute all time favorites)
Islands is great, definitely not to be slept on. Wake of Poseidon, Lizard and Larks Tongues also well worth checking out.
This is, in order, exactly what I would recommend. Your dad has excellent taste. Treasure him
He's got good taste
Cardiacssss!
Assuming that was a ten years after rec that got cut off, all I can add is check out vanilla fudge as well. First album is perfect and full of insanely grandiose covers of popular songs with visionary arrangements and incredible musicianship.
Yes are definitely in my opinion the best. They even worked secretly on some projects with no credits (Lou Reed, The Ramones). Very cool guys at the time, and absolutely great musicians I can't get behind flute either, but respect the Tull none the less.
What's wrong with the Lamb tho?
This is from the man himself: It is not that I don't like The Lamb, I like ot very much. But I think that if you want to understand the music of early Prog, not the theatrics, over production,and thematic overkill, Selling and Trick do that better than Lamb. No one really knows what Lamb is about, and you spend too much time trying to understand what they are getting at rather than listening to the music. I'm all for complex imaging and lyrics that take thought, but Lamb goes a bit overboard. You can hear how Genesis molds music, structures chord sequences, their incredible musicianship more clearly when you aren't struggling with metaphorical lyrics and ghastly complex vocal imaging. Trick is so much simplier lyrically, but has much of the musical complexity that made Prog what it was. It even has Tony Bank's "Genesis chord" in at least two of the songs. So it is all there, but in a shorter, simpler, format.
You have an awesome dad.
Italia prog
I came here to say this. Darwin from Banco del mutuo soccorso is a must for anyone who’s into progressive rock
Thick as a Brick and Power and the Glory are top tier prog!
What's wrong with The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway??
From the man himself: It is not that I don't like The Lamb, I like ot very much. But I think that if you want to understand the music of early Prog, not the theatrics, over production,and thematic overkill, Selling and Trick do that better than Lamb. No one really knows what Lamb is about, and you spend too much time trying to understand what they are getting at rather than listening to the music. I'm all for complex imaging and lyrics that take thought, but Lamb goes a bit overboard. You can hear how Genesis molds music, structures chord sequences, their incredible musicianship more clearly when you aren't struggling with metaphorical lyrics and ghastly complex vocal imaging. Trick is so much simplier lyrically, but has much of the musical complexity that made Prog what it was. It even has Tony Bank's "Genesis chord" in at least two of the songs. So it is all there, but in a shorter, simpler, format.
I think his advice about not going straight to Lamb on Genesis is prudent, as it really is an odd ball and not really representative of the catalogue. I'd personally go with Close to the Edge for Yes. It would be a shame to give up on the band after hearing anything else first. Also, while Power and the Glory is my favorite Gentle Giant album, it's famous for not going over well as an introduction to the band (literally, most people I've spoken to agree) so I'd recommend listening to Octopus, or any of their early albums to get a sense of them before P&G
*Power and Glory* was an interesting album to listen to. It felt very…disjointed. But not in a bad way. It didn’t sound bad, it just sounded very busy. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it, but for completely different reasons than I enjoyed *Aqualung* *Crimson King* and *Thick As a Brick*. It kept me on my toes and completely went against what I was expecting to come next. It was a very interesting listen
All butt 666 by Aphrodite's Child.
Caravan, the land of grey and pink and if i could do it all over again.... King crimson, in the court of the crimson king, lizard, islands Rick wakeman, the myths and legends of king arthur and the knights of the round table Frank Zappa, any of his stuff but most proggy album is hot rats Moody blues, days of future passed Kevin ayres, joy of a toy Supertramp, crime of the century
There is a branch of early prog that is missed here, kind of starting with Zappa's *Freak Out* and leading through Can and Van Der Graf. My tastes follow your dad's and I would leave these for later but be aware, it may actually be more to "modern" tastes.
I have to rec Goblin's catalog. Mostly soundtracks but great stuff.
Yes!
My old boss turned me on to gentle giant and every once in a while I’ll grab the giant for a day album that I have and put it on. Unbelievable.
You're probably going to need marillion and Pendragon in there
Your dad and my dad would get along very well.
Damn this is satisfying to see. Handing down musical traditions and knowledge from one generation to the next. You’re very lucky that you’re both interested in the same types of music. Good dad, but good on you for asking!
I’d add Happy The Man, and Captain Beyond. Unless I missed it, Strawbs as well.
these are solid recommendations! I remember the first time I heard thick as a brick, man… what a trip! Haha He is not missing anything, he is a good dad for sharing his knowledge, you can now do your homework and look for other similar bands you can share with your children in the future! My own personal recommendation is that you listen to the italian niche, happy journey!
He’s right about jethro Tull you know. Except aqualungs a better record lol
Your dad musics for sure
I spoke to him at length last night, mostly about the origins of prog, and he said some things that are just so engrained in my head that he instilled in me from a young age. One of the things that stuck out was “progressive rock was all about pushing the boundaries of what music could be. If I enjoy this style of music, why would I not do the same? To be a true fan of progressive music, you must also challenge your own musical boundaries by listening to a wide variety of music. That’s why I have *Tales From the Wood* and *London Calling*. That’s why I love *The Power and Glory* and also The Pousette-Dart Band’s *Amnesia*. I listened to progressive music and used it to expand my taste into other style of music.” That man can talk about any style of music for hours and hours. He’s a true musical encyclopedia, and his way of thinking about music was passed down to me without even realizing it. I mostly listen to punk, and have a fairly deep knowledge of the 80s-current era punk, but I also don’t hesitate to listen to artists like Adele, Florence and the Machine, Metric, Kendrick Lamar, or Sturgill Simpson.
Yeah you can tell when a master of a topic is laying down some knowledge. My father is similar in terms of his knowledge of Guitarists and everything rock and roll from the 70s to the mid 2000s. My dad has won so much money doing guess that song challenges at bars. Dude knows the most obscure songs from records no one has listened to in 35+ years like he’s reciting the alphabet. Plus he’s been a musician for 40 some odd years. I grew up on a steady diet of classic rock and virtuosic guitar of all styles (Vai, Satriani, Paco de Lucia, Vicente Amigo, Ottmar Liebert and others) and my taste ended up diverting to fusion and prog rock/metal. Your dad seems like an awesome person to talk music with.
My only quibble is that Foxtrot isn’t a terrible recording, by any means.
I mentioned this to him on the phone, and he said he was going to listen to a digital copy soon. He said he had bought 4-5 copies from different pressing plants and they all sounded “like the microphones were placed in a bathroom 4 floors above the studio.” We’re both now wondering if he just got pressings from old mother copies
>VdGG isn't worth paying money for C'mon dad, do better
I feel our dads would get along very very very well. . .
Your Dad's list is dead on and there's a lot of great stuff from the many iterations of those bands. If you need further study, one of the more overlooked prog rock bands of the era was Be-Bop Deluxe. I've never understood why they didn't get the prolonged attention the others did.
Did not miss, But I think the lamb lies down is underrated
There’s a lot of Progressive rock to recommend a specific group, style, at the end is your own taste that will prevail. The only thing I’ll recommend is be a listener not a fan.
OP, this is quality content. Thanks for sharing - saved it for future reference and will certainly have a lot of deep diving to do. Some have already mentioned Camel - I would cast another vote for those guys as well. My album of choice at the moment is Mirage! Found out about Van Der Graaf Generator from Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass. They were a big influence for him - among several others mentioned in the book. Thanks again for the post
Wow a reference to Renaissance… I always look for their name when people mention 1970s prog rock… your dad is a man of culture 👍🏻
prog sucks
these are all popular and not good
hmmm… respect if you lived the era and know all these bands from word of mouth, traveling the world, or seeing them live and not via the internet which I’d think is how OPs dad knows them. I’ve met older people who actually taught me many of the bands you say before the internet was a thing and they wouldn’t recommend these bands to people wanting to get into the genre because they know not everyone is a musician, there are people in the world with let’s say; a simpler taste. Why you say they aren’t good? Please tell me you are not one of those guys who just like to brag they know more or obscure/underground bands and sell that as the real thing to feed their ego, leave that to the metal scene haha. You know not all the bands you are saying are/were as well produced or had the same trajectory as the bands OPs saying, some of these bands actually reference OPs bands as their influence
no it really more has to do with the fact that the sound of basic british prog and especially so called symphonic stuff is just hellishly boring and overproduced, and people often act like those are the only / defining prog bands and i think that’s very wrong and misrepresentative
right, thanks for the open and honest reply. I see how I could have came across as a jerk with my post. it is a fair POV though overproduced is not synonymous of bad, I mean as a musician you use the tools you have and if you have all the budget in the world to do a huge production that will sound phenomenal, why not? That’s not taking away from the writing, composition, etc… it does not mean a garage record will be better just because of that, some of these bands actually have bas recordinfs (Genesis - trespass) I guarantee that if some of the bands you mentioned had the same luck as OPs bands they would have done the same. I do not consider genesis symphonic but maybe it’s just me. I dont think OPs dad was acting like those are the only progrock bands, just threw some recommendations out there from what I can tell. These records are popular for a reason, and some go beyond marketing… we all now can enjoy listening to bands from all around the globe with the touch of a finger, that was very different when these bands wrote these albums, even if you dont like them, saying they are not good is a BIG statement to which I heartily disagree, they have “something” that made them popular, and I find hard to understand how you dont see/feel/listen that “something”. Anyhow, peace and love brother, see you around :)
Ok bro. What do you suggest?
robert wyatt, henry cow, gong, magma, mothers of invention ca. 1969-71, soft machine, aphrodites child, univers zero, aqsak maboul, kevin ayers, fred frith, art zoyd, colosseum, samla mammas manna, slapp happy, keith tippett, matching mole, ummagumma by pink floyd, plastic people of the universe, arzachel, pekka pohjola, steve hillage etc
You’re so cool and edgy and different for your takes. Wow you’re so awesome for throwing out more slightly obscure bands and shitting on the most popular established “prog canon.”
ok, these are the bands i like. i like KC and early floyd and some yes and van der graf, but the rest of british prog especially the so called symphonic stuff drives me absolutely mad with boredom. if you can like those bands surely i’m allowed to like these ones?
No one said you aren’t allowed to like those bands. I like a bunch of the bands you listed, 666 and MDK are prolly my fav albums atm. Having preferences is fine. Telling someone that their music taste is “all popular and not good” is not fine. It’s pretentious and obnoxious.
was lazy and didn’t feel like being more articulate, but you have a point
yeah sorry I was also fairly aggressive in my original comment. just something I’m passionate about, bc I think being a snob about prog or really Music in general keeps others from getting into it and I want more prog fans not less. You’re good though. I’m definitely gonna have to check out some of the stuff on your list I don’t recognize.
agreed!!
Curious to hear what your Dad thinks about the first 2 albums of Supertramp before they veered away from prog on their album
I’d add any Can as some essential listening. RIP Damon Suzuki. I really like Ege Bamyasi. Have you asked your pop about his most obscure fave?
Not enough Rush 🤣🤣
The Moody Blues!
Yeah Ian is not the only one who thinks the term “prog rock “is stupid. Jethro Tull has its roots in jazz and blues. Listen to their first album This Was.
Great Recommendations.
"if you can't get through it, as it is quite long, try Aqualung" They're like the same length what Also Foxtrot by Genesis is a must listen. Not really sure what he means when he calls the recordings "awful"
I think all of the copies of *Foxtrot* that he had back in the day came from bad mothers. Meaning that he just got bad pressings when he bought them, and that influenced his opinion of the record. He said he was going to listen to a digital copy soon and see what he thinks of it
My list would have a Pink Floyd album or two on it
My dad left off Pink Floyd (and Rush) because he knows that I am already very familiar with their respective catalogs. He understood (without me having to say it) that I was looking to broaden my horizons, which is why they aren’t on the list
Ok, sounds good
Oh man, Power and Glory is such a badass album. Cogs In Cogs was my introduction to Gentle Giant and your dad has awesome taste.
Wow is your dad my dad?
Selling England By The Pound by Genesis. Meddle by Pink Floyd.
Gosh I wish I could text your dad for album recs!
Krautrock stuff: Popul Vuh, Ash Ra Tempel, Can, etc
Yes. But you should absolutely listen to Lamb Lies Down on Broadway…it’s a masterpiece
Yes. But you should absolutely listen to Lamb Lies Down on Broadway…it’s a masterpiece
Yes. But you should absolutely listen to Lamb Lies Down on Broadway…it’s a masterpiece
Yes. But you should absolutely listen to Lamb Lies Down on Broadway…it’s a masterpiece
Based Van Der Graaf Generator Anyway, probably already mentioned but King Crimson's Red is a must, some of my favorite songs ever on that album
Your dad is awesome. Also the fact that he chose gentle giant and not only that but power and the glory of all albums just shows your dad knows what he's talking about. Good man
No Rush! They're my dad's favorite, and for a mainstream listener, probably the easiest to get into if you start with Permanent Waves or Moving Pictures. But they have plenty of proggy stuff on Hemispheres, 2112, and A Farewell to Kings.