Does no one want to make Prog Music?

[Clarebear68]

I thought there was a bit of a resurgence of prog rock style music with people Steven Wilson doing quite well and bands like Porcupine Tree, Spock's Beard, Pineapple Thief selling out venues?

[SpondonBassed]

I remember progressive rock. IIRC live performances were attended in part by lots of, let's say zoned out individuals with extraordinarily pungent cigarettes. We will never witness the likes of that again.

Not sure if it's a good thing or not. Anyone else know the album Visitor 2035? I lost my copy of the LP but found it again on yooboob recently. Wow, the memories that brought back.

[Cameronj279]

I would like to be in a prog-metal band but I'm not good enough if I'm honest.

My band just now has little smatterings of prog in some songs so I'll be content with that just now.

[Wolverinebass]

I find this really depressing. You would think in London that there would be people who could play progressive metal? To date, I've met one. He was one of the most phenomenal guitarists I've ever played with and a truly lovely man as well. The down side was that he lived across the other side of London from me and when we tried to do file sharing it didn't work very well as we weren't in the same room for the interaction.

The definition of the genre was one of the main reasons for the fizzling out of one of my last bands. The guitarist's idea of "progressive" material was Rush, Kings X or Alter Bridge. Don't get me wrong, I love Rush and Kings X, but to me stuff that's for the most part in 4/4 just isn't progressive at all. I was writing songs which weren't in 4/4 and he couldn't be bothered with the effort and I found more conventional material boring. No falling out, but certainly musical differences.

"Prog" in itself to me suggests people in capes playing garish keyboard solos in the 70's which I don't care for at all. Ironically, it's modern equivalent of that style a la Porcupine Tree is something I love. For me, trying to find a band that either sounds like Tesseract or Tool is just impossible even in London. I find that statement so profoundly depressing as I realise how it limits my options for doing anything except recording my own material.

[probablypike]

Another thumbs up for ArcTanGent! I've been every year, and it's a great community and always with a great line-up.

Whether it's math rock or djent etc, there's plenty of "prog" scenes in the UK atm. (I always think it's strange when people talk about new bands that sound like rush etc. and describe them as prog. It's hardly progressive if it sounds like it's from 30 - 40 years ago. Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

[LewisK1975]

You might also be interested in this - 'Last Flight to Pluto'

It's a new band I'm delighted to be part of, album has been released and is available on itunes now, tasters available on youtube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh-Ea8ZpQm0 - 'See you at the End' - album taster

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs3YK-xuGVQ - 'Heavy situation' - First track of the album in full

We've a 'limelight' feature in the next issue of prog magazine, so we hope to get some good exposure following that. Not many prog bands have a female singer, we hope that'll cut us apart from what's already available!! Hope you enjoy..

[JamesTun]

[quote name='Wolverinebass' timestamp='1463343920' post='3050674']
I find this really depressing. You would think in London that there would be people who could play progressive metal? To date, I've met one. He was one of the most phenomenal guitarists I've ever played with and a truly lovely man as well. The down side was that he lived across the other side of London from me and when we tried to do file sharing it didn't work very well as we weren't in the same room for the interaction.

The definition of the genre was one of the main reasons for the fizzling out of one of my last bands. The guitarist's idea of "progressive" material was Rush, Kings X or Alter Bridge. Don't get me wrong, I love Rush and Kings X, but to me stuff that's for the most part in 4/4 just isn't progressive at all. I was writing songs which weren't in 4/4 and he couldn't be bothered with the effort and I found more conventional material boring. No falling out, but certainly musical differences.

"Prog" in itself to me suggests people in capes playing garish keyboard solos in the 70's which I don't care for at all. Ironically, it's modern equivalent of that style a la Porcupine Tree is something I love. For me, trying to find a band that either sounds like Tesseract or Tool is just impossible even in London. I find that statement so profoundly depressing as I realise how it limits my options for doing anything except recording my own material.
[/quote]

It's bizarre that there isn't a scene for it in London. I'm originally from Reading where all the guys from Tesseract all worked in a guitar shop called Guitar Works. Even those two, Tool and Tesseract are kind of flirting with prog metal in a sense. There is not many bands like Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree and Haken coming up these days. Perhaps there isn't market for this kind of thing even in the capital.


[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1463316296' post='3050381']
I don't really follow the old school prog bands any more but there's some decent music with prog influences happening in Sheffield. Not sure if that's what you're after but you might find something to enjoy out of these.

Gilmore Trail - instrumental post rock with a traditional 4 piece band setup. Currently in need of a drummer.
[url="https://gilmoretrail.bandcamp.com/album/the-floating-world"]https://gilmoretrail...-floating-world[/url]

Fly On Byrd Fly On - More instrumental post rock influences but with synths and samples.
[url="https://soundcloud.com/flyonbyrdflyon"]https://soundcloud.com/flyonbyrdflyon[/url]

Awooga - Contemporary, heavy take on prog.
[url="https://awooga.bandcamp.com/"]https://awooga.bandcamp.com/[/url]

inFictions - More contemporary again but mellower than Awooga. I played bass/synths/glockenspeil/vibraphone/mandolin on this (not at the same time).
[url="https://infictions.bandcamp.com/album/maps-of-revenge-and-forgiveness"]https://infictions.b...and-forgiveness[/url]
[/quote]

This first band is great, thanks for linking me these. Would they be described as prog or math or post-rock? Whatever each genre means.

[KevB]

Prog's doing very well, shame the OP can't find enough like minded people to have a go. You can get an idea of how many bands are around from just the soon to be released/new releases from online sources like these guys:
http://www.progrock.co.uk/newsletter/20160513online.htm

[dand666]

Me and a friend are just starting to write a prog album. Can't wait.

[KevB]

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1463387441' post='3050839']
You might also be interested in this - 'Last Flight to Pluto'

It's a new band I'm delighted to be part of, album has been released and is available on itunes now, tasters available on youtube here:

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh-Ea8ZpQm0"]https://www.youtube....h?v=bh-Ea8ZpQm0[/url] - 'See you at the End' - album taster

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs3YK-xuGVQ"]https://www.youtube....h?v=zs3YK-xuGVQ[/url] - 'Heavy situation' - First track of the album in full

We've a 'limelight' feature in the next issue of prog magazine, so we hope to get some good exposure following that. Not many prog bands have a female singer, we hope that'll cut us apart from what's already available!! Hope you enjoy..
[/quote]

Didn't know this was your band, had the album a while and enjoyed it. Lots of prog bands with female singers though - Mostly Autumn, Karnataka, Touchstone, Magenta, Panic Room to name a few of the current ones Then there are those from yesteryear but still working like Renaissance and Curved Air...

Edited May 16, 2016 by KevB

[Spoombung]

[quote name='Clarebear68' timestamp='1463338054' post='3050614']
I thought there was a bit of a resurgence of prog rock style music with people Steven Wilson doing quite well and bands like Porcupine Tree, Spock's Beard, Pineapple Thief selling out venues?
[/quote]

Yes, you're right. Plus bands like Thumpermonkey, Knifeworld, in London

[toneknob]

You're right, there's loads of prog being made these days. Getting audiences to go see it is another story though.

I'm currently working my way through all the cover CDs given away with Prog magazine. Some of it is amazing, some less so. Favourites so far: Motorpsycho, The Fierce And The Dead, Trioscapes, Hedvig Mollestad, The Grand Astoria, Mumpbeak, Schnauser. And I'm only on Vol 20 so far. (I could add others like A Formal Horse, Elephant9, The Far Meadow, aforementioned Knifeworld, for example)

Edited May 16, 2016 by toneknob

[LewisK1975]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1463390224' post='3050867']
Didn't know this was your band, had the album a while and enjoyed it. Lots of prog bands with female singers though - Mostly Autumn, Karnataka, Touchstone, Magenta, Panic Room to name a few of the current ones Then there are those from yesteryear but still working like Renaissance and Curved Air...
[/quote]

Thanks Kev, you learn something every day! Good to know, I'm relatively new to prog music (Rush & 70's Genesis apart).

I got to know the guys after the lion's share of recording was already completed, but it's all me on 'House by a lake', and large chunks of 'Heavy situation'. Some other touch ups here and there too. I think it's a top album personally and I hope after the Prog magazine feature comes out, that it gets more attention than it has just yet..

[AndyF]

Prog? In Yorkshire? Surely not! :-)

Have a look at classicrocksociety.co.uk - as the name implies we cover "classic rock" as a whole, but for the 25 years of our existence our remit has always been to give as much support as possible to bands that would otherwise receive very little coverage..there is a thriving community of new prog out there.

Despite all of us being dotted around the country, historical reasons mean the CRS is based around Rotherham. In the past we've been responsible for giving bands such as Spock's Beard and Mostly Autumn their first breaks and we continue to promote gigs as often as we can (on a voluntary basis - none of us take any money from the CRS). This weekend we've got a sold out Pendragon show, and we've had Magenta, Steve Rothery, Renaissance and Arena in the past few months as well as more obscure artists like Franck Carducci and Lazuli.

Sorry for the advert(!) but if it's prog you want....check out the CRS!

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1463400627' post='3050989']
You're right, there's loads of prog being made these days. Getting audiences to go see it is another story though.

I'm currently working my way through all the cover CDs given away with Prog magazine. Some of it is amazing, some less so. Favourites so far: Motorpsycho, The Fierce And The Dead, Trioscapes, Hedvig Mollestad, The Grand Astoria, Mumpbeak, Schnauser. And I'm only on Vol 20 so far. (I could add others like A Formal Horse, Elephant9, The Far Meadow, aforementioned Knifeworld, for example)
[/quote]

I'm loosely associated with a band on this month's cover CD. Didn't play on the song that's on there, but am on the album somewhere (I left years ago, but they kept my part for one track).

[LewisK1975]

[quote name='AndyF' timestamp='1463403603' post='3051038']
Prog? In Yorkshire? Surely not! :-)

Have a look at classicrocksociety.co.uk - as the name implies we cover "classic rock" as a whole, but for the 25 years of our existence our remit has always been to give as much support as possible to bands that would otherwise receive very little coverage..there is a thriving community of new prog out there.

Despite all of us being dotted around the country, historical reasons mean the CRS is based around Rotherham. In the past we've been responsible for giving bands such as Spock's Beard and Mostly Autumn their first breaks and we continue to promote gigs as often as we can (on a voluntary basis - none of us take any money from the CRS). This weekend we've got a sold out Pendragon show, and we've had Magenta, Steve Rothery, Renaissance and Arena in the past few months as well as more obscure artists like Franck Carducci and Lazuli.

Sorry for the advert(!) but if it's prog you want....check out the CRS!
[/quote]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Hey Andy, Not sure if I'm barking up the wrong tree here, but if I've got it right, is it the same CRS that welsh prog band Ezra used to do shows for back in the 90's?[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]If so it might interest you to know that the drummer of 'Last Flight to Pluto' (who I've mentioned above and put youtube links up for in post#31) is none other than Daz Joseph, of Ezra fame. [/font][/color]

[AndyF]

It is indeed the same CRS - under new management since the Ezra days but I remember them well (before I became involved with the organisation I was a regular CRS punter and played for them several times). I have the first CD on the Cyclops label...my band at the time were signed to the same label!

[LewisK1975]

[quote name='AndyF' timestamp='1463412883' post='3051136']
It is indeed the same CRS - under new management since the Ezra days but I remember them well (before I became involved with the organisation I was a regular CRS punter and played for them several times). I have the first CD on the Cyclops label...my band at the time were signed to the same label!
[/quote]

Small world. I shall pass on to him that the CRS is alive and well and in good hands! What band were you in?

[AndyF]

A band called Walking on Ice - the usual story of revolving door line ups, we did shed loads of gigs but only got the one album out. I then did ten years with Jump, I left in 2008 but they are still very much a going concern and well worth catching live if you can. Currently working with Agnieszka Swita - she's done a load of work with Clive Nolan over the years and put out a solo album a year or so ago.

Prog is alive and kicking, but it's also a small world where everyone knows everyone!

[KevB]

Andy, I was at the CRS Magenta gig on Saturday and shall be at Pendragon this coming Saturday. My first CRS gig was spock's Beard in 1999!

[Mikkoantt]

My favorite these days is Big Big Train.

[Wolverinebass]

Some really good stuff here. Some I'd heard and some not (really cool though), but in some ways it sadly doesn't really cut to the heart of the matter in that nobody wants to do progressive material anymore. Frankly, I'd sell my soul to Satan if I could join a band that sounded like Tool, Tesseract or Soen. Not only do such bands not exist in London, people don't want to create them. Go on Gumtree/Join My Band and you'll see the usual sort of indie/covers (my favourite recently being the call for members for a Nickelback cover band - like how low does one have to stoop?!! Ha!!) but nobody wants to do more complicated stuff.

To illustrate this with some comedy, I tried to explain to a friend once that the section he was trying to play along to was in 11/8. He just couldn't understand (nor play it) and yet professed to be "really technically proficient." I thought that I better not try to explain what a tuplet was as he might think it was some sort of French hat.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is where does one find people?!!

[blue]

I think playing prog music at the local level will be a challenge.

Blue

[Earbrass]

I recall Bilbo making very similar complaints on these august pages not long ago with respect to jazz. The reasons are similar in both cases - the music is harder to play, so there are fewer people capable of it, and the audiences are smaller, so the opportunities to gig are fewer. Then again, if you think you have a hard time of it, try being a fan of nordic folk music...

[Edit to add, before someone takes offence, that I'm not denying that there are very highly skilled musicians playing the more popular forms of music, it's just that those forms are also open to those of more modest abilities in a way that jazz and prog aren't]

Edited May 16, 2016 by Earbrass

[blue]

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1463437710' post='3051412']
I recall Bilbo making very similar complaints on these august pages not long ago with respect to jazz. The reasons are similar in both cases - the music is harder to play, so there are fewer people capable of it, and the audiences are smaller, so the opportunities to gig are fewer. Then again, if you think you have a hard time of it, try being a fan of nordic folk music...

[Edit to add, before someone takes offence, that I'm not denying that there are very highly skilled musicians playing the more popular forms of music, it's just that those forms are also open to those of more modest abilities in a way that jazz and prog aren't]
[/quote]

Good call, yes there are some of us that have to play easier to play genres in order to get work.

Blue

Edited May 16, 2016 by blue