Catalog - 1st Edition 2007

PROGRESSIVE ROCK
FORTY YEARS OF HISTORY

THE A-Z LISTING
Catalog - 1st Edition 2007
... COMING SOON ...

Introduction To The A-Z Listing

Welcome Prog fans...!

I'm proud to provide fans of PROGRESSIVE ROCK music with any information I can : bands, comments, discographies and pictures of the album covers from the time-honoured PAST right up to the PRESENT. This extremely well-researched information might be useful for people who want suggestions on where to start. It is not yet sure, whether it will be published as a CD-ROM version (html - 500+ pages) or as an essential PROG catalog.

Suffice it to say...

Like a work in progress, I would like to compile a comprehensive A-Z LISTING with the complete discographies of over 5000 PROGRESSIVE ROCK artists & bands. This discography was originally compiled by the database of my Web Site on PROGRESSIVE ROCK music plus additional information here from different sources. Entries are arranged in alphabetical order, by band name (excluding leading words ’’A’’, ‘’An’’ and ‘’The’’) or by artist’s last name. There is something here for everybody who enjoys adventurous music that would be hard to find anywhere else.

Each band, from the most famous to the most obscure, is covered by a biography with a brief critical analysis (stylistic aspects & artistic influences) plus a complete record discography (including many photos of covers in color) and recommendations of particular albums. In most cases, I have tried to identify their musical genre(s) (jazz-rock/fusion, symphonic, folk, neo-prog, prog metal, experimental, etc.) of each band listed to help in the quest for PROGRESSIVE ROCK music, and then see what these people have to say about other artists you think you might be interested in. For each band, the discography lists all of their recordings (under their name) with additional date of release. As a rule I have avoided listing reissues, releases in "various artists" compilations, Singles/EPs and DVD/videos music.

PLEASE NOTE :
That this ‘’essential source of information’’ is a work in progress, and is far from complete. Many artists not already included are slated for inclusion in the future. These artists/bands are listed in the alphabetical index along with those currently available.

PROGRESSIVE ROCK music is covered only to some extent.

... COMING SOON ...
o Please let me know if you find mistakes or omissions.
o Please let me know if you think I should include other artists.
o Opinions on ‘’ratings’’ are also welcome.

NOTE:
An interesting html Web page is currently under construction (expected to be available by February 2007) that will contain an up-to-date listing, including full band details, discography, etc.

Thanks to all people who provided information.

Ronald Couture (ProgLucky)
Founder of www.progarchives.com

Quebec, CANADA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS :
o Greg Walker - USA & Thedo Roes - Germany
For their generous assistance in providing band information
o Ian Alterman – USA, Bob McBeath (Easy Livin) - Scotland & Lise Brault - Quebec (CANADA)
Improved and adapted in English

CONCLUSION:

Edition of the listing with almost all the band's progressive production (5000 references!).

For almost three years collecting information, I has compiled every band published in the whole world in the field PROGRESSIVE ROCK music - quite a monumental task. Each band appears in this list with its biography and a brief comment about them, country of origin and discography record for a big listing.

A VALUABLE RESOURCE for anyone interested in the PROG genre's more obscure offerings over the past forty years only a few days.

Enjoys your adventurous music...!

by Ronald Couture

OZRIC TENTACLES

OZRIC TENTACLES - England (1985)
Psychedelic & Space Rock
Classic album: Erpland (90)

A band from another time, OZRIC TENTACLES (commonly known as the OZRICS) are certainly one of the best British bands around in the 90’s, whose music can loosely be described as a ‘’pagan psychedelic punk folk band’’. Formed in 1983 with a debt to jazz fusion as well as space rock, the band originally included founder member and guitarist Ed Wynne, drummer Nick Van Gelder, keyboard player Joie Hinton, bassist Roly Wynne and second guitarist Gavin Griffiths (through Griffiths left in 1984). In 1987, Marv Pepler replaced Van Gelder, and synthesizer player Steve Everett was also added. Inspired by a myriad of musical genres and a number of lineup changes, the music style is very hard to categorize : it is a brillant mix of their own instrumental twist on the 70’s trippy instrumental GONG, AMON DÜÜL II, HAWKWIND, Kraut-rockers KRAAN to Steve HILLAGE space-rock style. Such is its COMPLEXITY...! OZRIC's music carries on the tradition of the finest aspects of space rock with spinning in a land of space-out synthesizers versus stratospheric guitars, skanking bass and tribal drums, floating flute, lots of high energy riffing.

Beginning with 1984’s ’’Erpsongs’’, the band have released a series of cassettes (sold at gigs and via a fan club) and put out 25 albums as of 2006. Throughout, the basic motivation behind band’s existence developed their own cottage industry - studio, record label (Stretchy), tour bus - selling around a million albums worldwide despite never having major label backing. Their first label release was "Pungent Effulgent" in 1989, which was also re-released in the early 2000s, packaged with "Strangeitude". OZRIC TENTACLES’ first major release, ‘’Erpland’’ (an album dedicated to Erp) was an instrumental tour de force recorded by a ten-unit ensemble including two electronic keyboards, a sampler, four percussionists, flute, bass and guitar, and displaying an almost baroque elegance. ‘’Strangeitude’’ (1991) blended as many sources but also added dance beats to its galloping symphonic poems and colorful festivals of sounds. ‘’Jurassic Shift’’ (1993) continued to move towards the taste of the time via increasing nods to ambient, cosmic, new-age and ethnic music. ‘’Waterfalls Cities’’ closed out the decade in 1999. OZRIC TENTACLES surfaced in 2000 to release ‘’Hidden Step’’, followed by the EP ‘’Pyramidon’’. The new live double album, ‘’Live at the Pongmasters Ball’’ was recorded at their sold-out show at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire earlier this year. The DVD of this show will be released in September 2002.

With a legacy of brilliant instrumental work over the last twenty years, the OZRIC's combine progressive jazz & reggae rhythms with spacey synth & gripping guitar work to create a musical landscape of color, depth & motion.

DISCOGRAPHY :

Erpsongs (85) / Tantric Obstacles (85) / There Is Nothing (86) / Live Ethereal Cereal (86) / Sliding Gliding Worlds (88) / Pungent Effulgent (89) / The Bits Between the Bits (89) / Erpland (90) / Sploosh / Live Throbbe - EP (91) / Strangeitude (91) / Live Underslunky (92) / Afterswish (92) / Ozric Tentacles (93) / Jurassic Shift (93) / Arborescence (94) / Vitamen Enhanced (94) / Become the Other (95) / Curious Corn (97) / Spice Doubt (98) / Floating Seeds (99) / Waterfall Cities (99) / The Hidden Step (00) / Swirly Termination (00) / Pyramidion - EP (01) / Live at the Pongmasters Ball (02) / Spirals In Hyperspace (04) / Eternal Wheel - Best of (04) / Waterfall Cities / Hidden Step (05) / The Floor's Too Far Away (06)

BEST ALBUMS : Erpland (90) / Strangeitude (91) / Jurassic Shift (93)

GROBSCHNITT

GROBSCHNITT - Germany (1972)
Kraut Rock & Symphonic Progressive Rock
Classic album: Rockpommel's Land (77)

Formed in 1970 the band existed till 1989, GROBSCHNITT (which translates to ROUGH CUT) was the best German band from the mid-Seventies (ELOY were then in a more PINK FLOYD... and ambient style). All of the members of the band adopted pseudonyms, namely "Eroc", "Mist", "Wildschwein", "Lupo" and "Popo". The band was created by Joachim "Eroc" Ehrig (drums, percussion), Stefan "Wildschwein" Daneliak (guitars & vocals), and Gerd-Otto "Lupo" Kühn (guitar, vocals). This nucleus was later completed by Wolgang "Popo" Jäger (bass) and Volker "Mist" Kahrs (keyboards, Mellotron, synthesizers). They were best known as a clone of YES (symphonic progressive group), but they also explored other progressive rock styles (either psychedelic prog or more cohesive "Krautrock" with some stunning instrumental passages that will be familiar to anyone into the likes of MAN, AMON DUUL II, WISHBONE ASH and many similar bands). Their sound was characterized by sometimes long suites allowing ambitious composition developments, with intermingled themes, rhythms, climates changes and symphonic passages. A VERY COMPELLING BRAND OF MUSICAL MOODS: haunting melodies, funny voices (by Eroc), wonderful guitar work, great synthesizer sounds, strange drumming/effects man, and sophisticated arrangements. This eclectic German band became one of the most popular live acts in German history.

The group released about fifteen albums and added touches of absurd humor to their records and live shows. Their first five albums are all classics. Vocals are mostly in English, although some albums were released with German vocals for the home market and English vocals for export. "Ballermann" (1974) consisted of two LP's, one filled with symphonic progressive rock, and the other that contained a space rock suite... the original version of "Solar Music". "Rockpommel's Land", the fourth studio album exhibited intricate ensemble work, delicate dual lead guitars and theatrical vocals which dominate the music. A solid concept album in the YES/GENESIS tradition, the record told the story of a boy's adventures in a strange land and ultimately finding some sort of wisdom about human nature, as well as piece of mind. The beautiful cover painting looks exactly like an early Roger Dean cover. "Solar Music Live" (1978) is sometimes considered one of the best live albums of all time (similar to early PINK FLOYD's albums in space/cosmic rock).

DISCOGRAPHY:
Grobschnitt (72) / Ballermann (74) / Jumbo (75) / Rockpommel's Land (77) / Solar Music - Live (78) / Merry-Go-Round (79) / Volle Molle (80) / Illegal (81) / Razzia (82) / Kinder + Narren (84) / Sonnentanz (85) / Fantasten (87) / Last Party - Live (89) / Die Grobschnitt Story (94) / Die Grobschnitt Story 2 (98) / The History Of Solar Music Vol. 1 (01) / The History Of Solar Music Vol. 2 (02) / The History Of Solar Music Vol. 3 (02) / The History Of Solar Music Vol. 4 (03) / The Grobschnitt Story 4 - Illegal Live (03) / Die Grobschnitt Story 5 (2004) / The International Story (06) / Story 6 - Rockpommel's Land And Elsewhere... (06)

BEST ALBUMS:
Ballermann (74), Rockpommel's Land (77), Solar Music - Live (78)

MINI-GUIDE TO PROG ROCK Part II

ESSENTIAL MINI-GUIDE TO
PROGRESSIVE ROCK- PART II
... COMING SOON ...

After two years of intensive research, I present to you the first edition of my Mini-Guide to PROGRESSIVE ROCK Part II. It covers over 1000 to 2000 ??? old and new prog bands to whom countless new groups refer to when laying claim a PROGRESSIVE ROCK heritage. A heritage that started some forty years ago.

FEATURING:

- ??? pages of essential PROGRESSIVE ROCK references
- A description of 20 new and influential PROGRESSIVE ROCK bands with their best albums
FRANK ZAPPA (66) - SOFT MACHINE (68) - AMON DUUL II (69) - BARCLAY, JAMES & HARVEST (70) - MAGMA (70) - TANGERINE DREAM (70) - ANGE (72) - GROBSCHNITT (72) - GRYPHON (73) or MAGENTA (01) - HARMONIUM (74) - KANSAS (74) - UNIVERS ZERO (77) - PALLAS (81) - OZRIC TENTACLES (85) - ANGLAGARD (92) - SYMPHONY X (94) - OPETH (95) - GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR (97) - The MARS VOLTA (03) - The TANGENT (03)
- An in-depth review of the 30 all-time best PROGRESSIVE ROCK albums (Past & Present - Part I & II)
- An analysis of the artwork of PROGRESSIVE ROCK
- A comprehensive A-Z listing of over 1000 to 2000 PROGRESSIVE ROCK bands and their brief musical description

"All intelligent listeners should be made aware of the wonders of this style"
Source: FreeSon Music (Montréal, CANADA)
http://www.freesonrock.com