My Prog Years - Adventures in Progressive Rock
An exploration of my musical journey.
Unbeknownst to me at the time, progressive rock was a constant presence in my life growing up.
From a very early age, and long before I knew the moniker, I was exposed to Pink Floyd, Camel, Triumvirat, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Rick Wakeman, Mike Oldfield, and Santana records.
Browsing through my father's record collection, I came across several records from Pink Floyd like Atom Heart Mother, Wish You Were Here, and Dark Side of the Moon (Obviously).
Before I became fascinated with the music, I found myself enthralled by the cover art of said records, and I've since become something of a Hypgnosis fanatic.
Pictures of cows, burning men, flying pigs, light refraction on a prism, all seemed mysterious, terrifying, and fascinating in equal measures.
Everything from David Gilmour's expressive guitar playing to Rick Wright's keyboard flourishes was mesmerizing.
I still get goosebumps whenever I hear the first chords of Wish You Were Here. Don't you?
For whatever reason the long-form compositions didn't dissuade me, complex arrangments didn't deter me.
Of course, at the time I wasn't able to differentiate a tempo change or a chord progression from a hole in the wall (If I'm being honest, I still can't!).
I just felt that the more I listened to the music, the more secrets it revealed.
The detailed structure, the long instrumental passages, the hectic tempo changes, and even the weird experimentation were appealing to me.
Maybe it was my fondness for movies with elaborate and jazzy soundtracks like the Dirty Harry series, that made me adept at such musical complexity.
Those Lalo Schifrin arrangments really got to me. Also being a Spaghetti Western aficionado, I was exposed to me multilayered compositions of Ennio Morricone at a very early age.
The following is a list of records, that were instrumental to my process of evolving musically towards the labyrinthic conceptual meanders of progressive rock.
Camel - The Snow Goose
I was unaware of the background, and thematic threads of this record, at the time.
Quite simply the music was beautiful, pastoral, and detailed.
Chock full of flute and orchestral arrangments. Also, the precise drumming of Andy Ward struck a chord with me. He was precise, with pinpoint accuracy on his runs and fills.
Supertramp - Crime of the Century
The first thing that got my attention was the phenomenal cover. What was that about? A prison in space, maybe?
The back cover was baffling to me because it featured semi-naked dudes staring into infinity.
The second the needle touches the groove, and you hear that harmonica, the music captures your imagination. You're hooked!
An extraordinary rhythm section, featuring propulsive bass riffs, and clinically precise drumming (there I go again with the drummers).
I was also fascinated with the dual vocal approach, the more raspy, aggressive style of Rick Davies, pitted against the more ethereal and angelic Rodger Hodgson's delivery.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Trilogy
A record that at the time played like a soundtrack to me.
Carl Palmer's explosive drumming coupled with Keith Emerson's frantic keyboard and piano runs.
All of this is brought together and held by Greg Lake's ethereal vocals and exceptional bass work. He was the bass player in King Crimson, and to keep up with the other two virtuosos you can't be a slouch, right?
Rick Wakeman - The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
Well, there is no mystery about the conceptual arc of the record, wouldn't you agree?
It was simply mindboggling then and still is whenever I listen to it. The sounds this guy could get out of his multiple keyboard instruments.
At the time I was unaware of his illustrious career from David Bowie, to the Strawbs and everything in between.
I just realized writing this essay that I knew Wakeman's work before I heard Yes. Amazing.
Triumvirat - Illusions on a Double Dimple
My dad's copy of this album features a completely different cover art, from the original.
Only many years later did I discover this fact and realize I had an exclusive Portuguese edition.
The music this German power trio chugged out was complex, multilayered, and hectic.
Some call this a "poor man's version" of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
I believe, despite the obvious similarities between the two bands (a trio of Keyboards, Bass & Drums being the most obvious), there are still many things to differentiate them, from a mere copy.
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here.
The fascinating, enthralling, and mystifying cover was the first thing that drew me to this record.
The vinyl cover had a seal that had to be broken to access it. A very cool detail, indeed.
Unlike Emerson, Lake & Palmer, or Triumvirat, the musicians were exceedingly more subdued but no less adept at composing long-form songs.
The rhythms were less expansive, and more introspective, but no less addictive.
Mike Oldfield - The Complete
A double album's worth of Mike Oldfield is divided into five thematic sections (The Instrumental Side, The Vocal Side, The Complex Side (not my favorite at the time), The Live Side, and Platinum).
At the time I was already familiar with Tubular Bells and also Moonlight Shadow (this last one being a staple in Portuguese radio at the time).
Santana - Abraxas
Although not prog rock per se, leaning more towards Latin rock with jazz inklings, still this has enough complexity, layers, and technical runs to put many of today's "prog masters" to shame.
The psychedelic cover features a semi-naked woman on the cover, a white dove, an angel, and a conga. What the hell was going on?
This was the first time I heard Black Magic Woman, unaware it was actually a version of a Fleetwood Mac tune, excuse me, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac.
Everything from the cinematic percussion to Carlos Santana's piercing guitar lines.
Suffice it to say I was hooked.
I was fortunate enough to have a strong basis, as a starting point to my ongoing musical journey.
As the years went by I became more invested in discovering bands like Genesis, Yes, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, et al.
In regard to Pink Floyd I could have chosen, Dark Side of The Moon, Atom Heart Mother, or even my personal favorite Animals. But that album cover stops me in my tracks.