Redartz: If you were like me 'back in the Bronze Age', you spent some time (possibly a great deal of time) sitting in your room, headphones on, eyes closed, just listening to some fantastic lp. And not just listening: absorbing, experiencing, FEELING it. The best music lends itself to such activity, it grabs you on numerous levels. Music offers many styles, many genres, capable of appealing to any taste. But one particular genre, Art Rock, seemed ideally suited. to Serious Listening.
Art Rock (or Progressive Rock, or Symphonic Rock: labels and genres can be rather fluid things) arose in the 60's with the experimental work of such acts as the Beatles, Velvet Underground, and even the Beach Boys. Psychedelia also no doubt lent a hand. Albums became 'concepts', the music itself more complex. Yes, it sometimes edged into pomposity or self-indulgence, but the best experimental music led the way to the genre's popularity peak in the 70's.
There were many bands active in Art Rock, some exclusively and others just dabbling. This is the crux of our discussion this time; what were your favorite progressive bands? Which left you bleary eyed? What were the best albums, best songs, and conversely, which were the worst? What later acts do you feel owe a debt to Art Rock and it's practitioners?
To give you a starting point, here are three examples by three of my favorite Art Rockers. All three of these bands filled my youthful headphones often, and indeed still do.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer: "From the Beginning:
The Moody Blues: "Tuesday Afternoon"
The Alan Parsons Project: "The Raven"
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm grabbing my headphones and a comfortable chair...
