Didn't realise that John Wetton had gone as well

New band from West Yorkshire called This Winter Machine may be up your alley. Just released first album The Man Who Never Was and have a youtube channel with a couple of tracks on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI1Koj0JJ9I

 

The Winter Machine have their CD (The Man who Never Was) on Progstreaming, which is an excellent resource for Prog Fans. I remember listening to the CD, but I thought it was covering old ground to be honest. The prog genre is a very wide one and covers lots of different sounds. For example, I find Italian prog very samey, American Prog too bombastic, but the Northern European traditions are those I love most.

 

If you tell me who you rate in the prog world, I will put my thinking cap on and try to come up with some suggestions.

Arjan Luccassen is probably the hardest working musician in the genre. He has so many identities and has made so many guest appearances on other musician's CDs that it is hard not to have listened to him at some point if you listen to the genre regularly. Similarly John Mitchell, who I referred to in my first post is a British equivalent. They are the stand byes when you want a particular sound, and consequently they are both very busy. However, without knowing your particular areas of interest to is hard to make relevant recommendations. The band in my fist post are my favourites, but I recognise the have the same North European sound.

 

I am somewhat time warped in terms of prog rock. And unknowing to any real depth. Stuck in the 70's. But then again it is not a bad place to be, and revisit.

John Wetton - the voice and the Fripp sweet guitar - is as good as it gets. Is that prog rock, or just the fruit that every now and then bursts forth from this particular musical tree? There's a lot of pretentious stuff, and some stuff demonstrating the mastery of the instrument without it being that attractive to hear.

I go back to Genesis - Trespass (my favourite) through to Wind and Wuthering.

Melodic bits of Yes and King Crimson.

Not sure whether Camel (very melodic) and Jethro Tull (more agricultural!)qualify.

Rate Your music is my bible. For all genres. If you try hard enough on there you have the chance to catch what you let slip through.

If you have a thread following on from Trespass, that would be nice. Though that album sounds perfect to me. Not progressive. Perfect.

 

I accept that the progressive rock era dates back to the period you describe and to the bands that you name. I also date back to this period, and those bands among others were some of my favourites, but life took over. I drifted away as marriage and family responsibilities took over. When I returned to the genre, most of the bands you list had broken up/retired/pass on. The most inventive period in the life of a band comes when they are young enough to innovate, and if it is nothing else, progressive music should be innovative. I had had my fair share of concerts by fading rock stars, who remember what they did in the past, but no longer have the spark to produce anything truly new. It was clear that I had to move on.

Although the bands that I listed draw their inspiration from the past, they are, nevertheless, producing music which is different. Where it is better, or worse, or of a similar standard is up to the individual listener to decide, but I have bought more CDs since I returned to music after by hiatus than I did when the originals were in their prime. Clearly, I cannot judge for you, and in order to judge, you must give it a try. Equally clearly, my recommendations are based upon my own musical taste, which is not necessarily in accord with your own.

I would just add that there are plenty of bands who base their sound on Peter Gabriel era Genesis. That was indeed a fine era for progressive rock, which I love dearly. But it is just that love that keeps me away from slavish imitation. However, if that is your choice, try Watch, an Italian band with a singer who sounds exactly like '70s Peter Gabriel.

 

Had completely missed this sad news, didn't see it until Friday evening and site has been so hit and miss since then so not been able to post on this.

Wasn't a particular fan of prog rock, but so called super group Asia were one of my guilty pleasures of the early eighties in particular their first two albums 'Asia' and 'Alpha' which I played constantly.

By the wonders of You Tube I have rolled back the years and been playing the albums again over the weekend and remembering how good they both were.

RIP John Wetton

 

Yes, where would we be without YouTube? It was only while casually trawling there for my favourite Crimson songs that I happened to scroll down to the comments section and so many referred to his passing. I must admit that I was never aware of Asia at the time but I should make an effort to listen to some of their stuff now. John Wetton's voice would make that worthwhile, certainly.

 

I am aware that Asia were not everybody's cup of tea, but you should give the early stuff a try, you may like it!

I hadn't realised that they had continued up to today with various different line ups, and had released so many albums! In fact they are due to commence a tour in America in March supporting Journey. John Wetton had been due to be on this tour up until the illness got to him.