Recommendations please

Not an easy ask, there are not too many bands with organ as main lead playing "prog".

A couple of bands that are linked on music sites are Pavlov's Dog and Spock's Beard.

Unfortunately our expert on Sir Keith Emerson" is now not available, mind you he would probably say there is no need to go further than ELP, but it is a slightly restricted back catalogue.

While I cannot abide ELP, I heard some Porcupine Tree once and I can imagine that an ELP fan may like them too.

Try

Greenslade

Triumvirat

Steve

Some suggestions in a potentially similar type of space:

Transatlantic

Kaipa

The FlowerKings

You may also like - The Tangent, Neal Morse, IQ and Comedy Of Errors

Good information there. Thanks

I'm not that bothered about the organ being there but I like the musical style. I realise this is a big question. Trouble is for reasons of health I was out of the loop for a long time and lost touch with current bands ( a number of years ago ) I ended up listening to classical more and more. It was easy to find out about and gives me more enjoyment than any other genre but I do feel I'm maybe missing out on current bands.

Anyway, I will search out the bands mentioned. Most grateful for your help.

Willie

More for the similar kind of sound than anything else, maybe you could lend an hear to Ars Nova. I find them quite fun. Try 'Android Domina', you'll find that easily on YouTube. I wouldn't rate them as high as ELP or Porcupine Tree though.

I take you already dived into King Crimson, Can, Van der Graaf Generator and Frank Zappa ?

I find the various works of Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon, Star One, Guilt Machine, etc.) entertaining. I also enjoy Spock's Beard, Dead Soul Tribe and O.S.I. And to my surprise I discovered that Pendragon had improved considerably with time, as witnessed by the fantastic 'Pure'. None of them to the level of ELP I'm afraid.

But there's hope (or profound despair, depending on your tastes): A truly fascinating band if you can get into them is Magma. There's nothing quite like them, really. Try some albums as different as 'Mekanïk Destruktïẁ Kommandöh' and 'Merci'. And if you can survive to 'Magma Live'...

On a very different note, another similar trio configuration that I got to appreciate recently is Medeski, Martin and Wood. Jazz with a lot of groove, and some experimental flavour to it. I find them very interesting and fun.

Happy digging !

Maurice

Slightly off topic but.......

I have never really liked the term "prog" and thought the 60's bands such as Tull,The Nice, Floyd etc were described much better when listed as "underground"  - but of course then they became mainstream so it did not apply anymore.

I have always thought that "Prog" as in progressive was directly related to the other sounds being produced in the same period in that it had to be something different - for example pure poppy stuff like the Tremeloes from the 60's would be "prog" in the 50's. Another example could be Beefheart because nobody was really doing anything like that in his earlier days but he was never described as "prog"

I like a lot of the current bands termed "prog" by the magazine of the same but their sound has not really progged much from the 60's/70's when one considers classic Crimson,VDGG, Yes etc. I really like Porcupine Tree and appreciate the skills and craft but I could not consider it to be "progressing" music of that nature.

Having said this, I cannot think of another quick and snappy term for the genre.

Thanks for some new names to try out though.

Ron

If you are interested in new bands you may like SydArthur. They have one album On and On.

They are also brilliant live if you get the chance.

Thanks Maurice. I'm very big on Zappa. Love KC and the others you mention. I haven't heard the ones you mention later on in your post though and most certainly will be hunting down some samples over the next few days

Thanks. Will check them out too

Willie

Hi Willie,

The last few months has seen an expansion of my music listening & buying that may be of interest.

Ron Toolsie started a thread, "Mining for obscure prog rock...some surprising finds!", which encouraged PROG related suggestions of course https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...nt/22262699363504351 

During that period I discovered the Magma loving Snooker player Steve Davis' weekly Radio show. This has been very entertaining and led to a number discoveries that I would never have come accross on radio. Possibly 6 Music may cater for some alternative music, but I've not listened to any of the show's and would be willing to try recommendations.

I spoke to Steve at a recent Thumpermonkey (SD recommendation) gig and the good news is that he is gradually adding his previous broadcasts to Mixcloud, with the playlists. I'd start with the Tim Bowness & Stephen Bennett special, which has some interesting chat about music & the Burning Shed label - Try here -> http://www.mixcloud.com/interestingalternative/

Another discovery for music & chat is "The Epileptic Gibbon podcast music show", with a large catalogue of older shows. This is presented by a friend of Steve Davis, Ian Fairholm.

http://epilepticgibbon.wordpress.com/

Some of the alternative music I've bought recently is by:- Antlered Man, Cheer Accident, Cyril Snear, Days Between Stations, Elias Kranz, Fauns, Godsticks, Guapo, Knifeworld, Motorpshycho, Syd Arthur,Thumpermonkey.

Oh, and here is an interesting Steve Davis & Kavus Torabi interview http://thequietus.com/articles...avis-interview-magma 

ATB

Denis