Progressive Rock UK

Camel is an English progressive rock band formed in 1971.

Renaissance were an English progressive rock band popular in the 1970s.

Former Yardbirds members Paul Samwell-Smith, Keith Relf, and Jim McCarty organised a new group devoted to experimentation between rock, folk, and classical forms. This quintet (Relf on guitar & vocals, McCarty on drums, plus bassist Louis Cennamo, pianist John Hawken, and Relf's sister Jane Relf as an additional vocalist).

The reconstituted lineup that was eventually settled on was the best-known of the band's history, and consisted of Annie Haslam (vocals), Michael Dunford (acoustic guitar), John Tout (piano), Jon Camp (bass/vocals) and Terence Sullivan (drums).

In the 1970s, Renaissance had a successful career, their sound similar in many ways to folk rock with classical overtones. Renaissance included in their songs quotations and allusions from such composers as Bach, Chopin, Albinoni, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov, Prokofiev and others.

Renaissance scored a hit single in England 1978 with Northern Lights, which reached #10 during the summer of 1978. The single was taken from the album A Song for All Seasons, but the band floundered following 1979's Azure D'or, as fans were unhappy with the band's turn towards synthesizers, a path followed by most progressive rock bands at one time or another. Camp had assumed more of the band's songwriting, and Tout and Sullivan left. Haslam, Dunford and Camp released a pair of albums in the 1980s and then broke up.

Nektar is a 1970s English progressive rock band originally based in Germany.

The band formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1969, members included Englishmen Roye Albrighton on guitars and vocals, Allan "Taff" Freeman on keyboards (Allan's son Alain Freeman is still living in Hamburg, Germany and is an owner of a travel-office), Derek "Mo" Moore on Rickenbacker bass, Ron Howden on drums, and Mick Brockett on lights, special effects and other miscellanea. Songwriting was always considered a group effort.

The band's early albums such as Journey to the Centre of the Eye, ...Sounds Like This and A Tab in the Ocean were obscure psychedelic rock albums that won the band a small but growing cult following, based largely on word of mouth. The last of those albums was the first Nektar album to be released in the U.S., on the small Passport Records label.

It was Nektar's second U.S. release, Remember the Future (1973), that propelled the band briefly into mass popularity. A concept album about a blind boy who communicates with an extraterrestrial being, the music was a big leap forward for the band with a much more melodic sound than on previous albums. It shot into the Top 20 album charts in the U.S. The follow up album, Down to Earth (1975), was another concept album with a circus theme; it also sold well, breaking into the Top 40 album charts and included Nektar's only song to chart on the Billboard singles charts, "Astral Man". The next album, Recycled (1976), was stylistically close to bands like Gentle Giant and is considered by many fans to be Nektar's finest moment. Nektar's first major-label release, Magic is a Child (1977) was more eclectic, although with shorter songs and fairly straightforward rhythms many fans thought it was too pop-oriented; lyrically the album covered a wide range of subjects from Norse mythology and magic to more down to earth subjects like railroads, truck drivers, and an anti-drug song. Overall, fans considered the album a misfire and it proved to be the end of Nektar's brief popularity, although a few more albums were released, mostly live albums and compilations.

Alan Parsons (Project) met Eric Woolfson in the canteen of Abbey Road Studios in the summer of 1974. Parsons already acted as assistant engineer on The Beatles' Abbey Road and Let It Be, had recently engineered Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, and produced several acts for EMI Records. Woolfson, a songwriter and composer, was working as a session pianist; he also composed material for a concept album idea based on the work of Edgar Allan Poe.

Woolfson came up with the idea of making an album based on developments in the film business, where directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick were the focal point of the film's promotion, rather than individual film stars. If the film business was becoming a director's medium, Woolfson felt the music business might well become a producer's medium.

Through the late 1970s and early 1980s, the group's popularity continued to grow, with singles such as "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You", "Games People Play," "Time" , and "Eye in the Sky", making a notable impact on the pop charts.

Most of the Project's titles, especially the early work, share common traits (likely influenced by Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, on which Parsons was the audio engineer in 1973). They were concept albums, and typically began with an instrumental introduction which faded into the first song, often had an instrumental piece in the middle of the second LP side, and concluded with a quiet, melancholic, or powerful song. The opening instrumental was largely done away with by 1980; no later Project album except Eye in the Sky featured one (although every album includes at least one instrumental somewhere in the running order). The instrumental on that album, "Sirius," eventually became the best-known (or at least most frequently heard) Parsons instrumental because of its use as entrance music by various American sports teams, most notably its current use by the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, as well as the Chicago Bulls during their 1990s NBA dynasty, as well as during broadcasts of Pittsburgh Steelers games on their flagship station WDVE (which is coincidentally a classic rock station) just before the start of the game itself or the second half. It was also used as the entrance theme for Ricky Steamboat in pro wrestling of the mid 1980's.

Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band, one of the most experimental of the 1970s. Textually inspired by philosophy, personal events and the works of François Rabelais, the group's compositional purpose was to "expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of becoming very unpopular."

Gentle Giant was formed by Derek, Ray and Phil Shulman in 1970 after the dissolution of their soul/pop band Simon Dupree and the Big Sound in 1969 . The brothers joined with Gary Green, Kerry Minnear, and a succession of drummers to produce a series of twelve albums throughout the 1970s, finally dissolving quietly in 1980.

Their earlier albums were more eclectic and experimental than their later ones. By 1974, as they started to gather an American following, they simplified their songs (which, compared to other rock artists at the time, were still very complex) to gain a wider audience. Free Hand reached the Top 50 in the U.S.

By 1977, as cultural trends saw the mainstream of music shifting towards punk and New Wave, the band developed a much more commercial sound. In 1979, they relocated to America to record their twelfth and most mainstream album, Civilian, after which the group disbanded.

Within the music, counterpoint is one of the most common stylistic devices. Furthermore, polyphony, polymetrics, hocketing, and the technique of using patterns is widely common in the ensemble's repertoire. Hocketing is the technique of passing a melody across different instruments: the phrase is divided into small groupins of one, two or three notes, and each part is then played by different instruments. This can be heard when the instruments come in after the vocal introduction to "Knots." Another example is the long build up in "Proclamation" after the instrumental mid-section, where a one-bar phrase is not only hocketed, but also spread out in sixteen repetitions, in which one of the small parts is added with almost every repetition.

However unusual the music of Gentle Giant might sound, a closer look reveals relatively few intricate chords, especially compared with contemporary classical music. Harmonically, the pieces are often traditional or at least closer to the neoclassicism of the first half of the 20th century. There are exceptions; songs like "Proclamation" and "So Sincere" utilise modern and more complicated harmonics, but mostly the unusualness lies in the sudden and unexpected twists and turns. For example, simple chords are often broken up in patterns in which some of the tones are altered from repetition to repetition, creating subtle differences in the chord's overall quality. Another common trick is unusual successions of more usual chords.

Melodies and instruments, as in the case of Gentle Giant, do have a compositional meaning while nearly in every piece from the start they are put contrapuntally against other lines and melodies. The opening vocal line of "Pantagruel's Nativity" is repeated in another rhythm in the saxes as they play background in the songs improvisational section, for example. Another changing method in Gentle Giants pieces is the clever handling of transitions between sections: in just a few bars, a hard rock guitar riff moves for a medieval choral in "Why not?".

Gentle Giant consciously used the classical composition technique of stating themes. For example, one theme used on one instrument in the beginning was later reused simultaneously or in counterpoint on another instrument, or against other chords or instruments than in the tunes beginning. Furthermore, often an opening theme is later sung in a choir, even in a development of the original theme elaborated through using bits and pieces of it.

The Moody Blues are a British rock band originally from Birmingham. Founding members Michael Pinder and Ray Thomas performed an initially rhythm and blues-based sound in Birmingham in 1964 along with Graeme Edge and others, and were later joined by John Lodge and Justin Hayward as they inspired and evolved the progressive rock style. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their seminal 1967 album Days of Future Passed (1967) was to become one of the most successful commercial releases of all time.

The album plus two singles, "Nights in White Satin" and "Forever Afternoon" (more commonly referred to as "Tuesday Afternoon"), became massively popular, as was the 1968 follow-up LP, In Search of the Lost Chord. Also included on this album is the song "Legend of a Mind", a song written by Ray Thomas in tribute to LSD guru Timothy Leary which encompassed a masterful flute solo performed by Thomas. Justin Hayward began playing sitar and incorporating it into Moody Blues music, having been inspired by George Harrison.

In late 1972, a re-issue of the five-year-old "Nights In White Satin" became the Moody Blues' biggest U.S. hit, soaring to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a certified million-seller; the song had "bubbled under" the Hot 100 charts on its original release. The song also returned to the UK charts, reaching #9, ten places higher than its original release in 1967.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) were an English progressive rock supergroup. In the 1970s, the band was extremely popular, selling over 31 million albums and headlining huge concerts. The band consisted of Keith Emerson (keyboards), Greg Lake (guitar, bass guitar, vocals) and Carl Palmer (drums, percussion).

Before settling on Carl Palmer, they approached Mitch Mitchell of The Jimi Hendrix Experience; Mitchell was uninterested but passed the idea to Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix, tired of his band and wanting to try something different, expressed an interest in playing with the group. The British press, after hearing about this, speculated that such a supergroup would have been called HELP, or "Hendrix, Emerson, Lake & Palmer". Due to scheduling conflicts, such plans were not immediately realised, but the initial three planned a jam session with Hendrix.

Their first four years were a creatively fertile period. Lake produced their first six albums, starting with Emerson, Lake and Palmer (1970), which contained the hit "Lucky Man". Their best known early performance had been a relatively modest show at the August 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, one of the last of the great Woodstock-era festivals. At the end of their set, Emerson and Lake lit two cannons either side of the stage.

Tarkus (1971) was their first successful concept album, described as a story about "reverse evolution". The March 1971 live recording (Newcastle, UK) of the band's interpretation of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition was issued as a low-priced record, the success of which contributed to the band's overall popularity. The 1972 album Trilogy contained ELP's best-selling single, the understated "From the Beginning".

The ELP sound was dominated by the Hammond organ and Moog synthesizer of the flamboyant Emerson. The band's compositions were heavily influenced by classical music in addition to jazz. Many of their pieces are arrangements of, or contain quotations from, classical music, and they can be said to fit into the sub-genre of symphonic rock.

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Jethro Tull are a Grammy Award winning British rock group that formed in 1967-1968. Their music is marked by the distinctive vocal style and lead flute work of front man Ian Anderson. Initially playing blues rock with an experimental flavor, they have, over the years, incorporated elements of classical, folk and 'ethnic' musics, jazz and art rock.
Because of the heavy touring schedule and his wish to spend more time with his family, drummer Bunker left the group after the Aqualung album, and was replaced by Barriemore Barlow in early 1971. Barlow first recorded with the band for Life Is a Long Song and made his first appearance on a Jethro Tull album with 1972's Thick as a Brick. This was conceived as a concept album consisting of a single track running 43:28 (an innovation previously unheard of in rock music, split over the two sides of the LP, with a number of movements melded together and some repeating themes. The first movement with its distinctive acoustic guitar riff received some airplay on rock stations at the time (and occasionally turns up in modern classic-rock programming as a "deep" or "rare" cut). Thick as a Brick was the first true progressive rock offering by the band, as well as the first Jethro Tull album to reach number one on the (U.S.). Best Album: Thick As A Brick.

King Crimson are a British musical group founded by guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Michael Giles in 1969. They have typically been categorised as progressive rock, although they incorporate diverse influences ranging from jazz, classical and experimental music to psychedelic, New Wave, hard rock, gamelan and folk music. King Crimson have garnered little radio or music video airplay, but gained a large cult following. Their debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King, is widely regarded as a landmark in progressive rock. Their later excursions into even more unconventional territory have been influential on many contemporary musical artists.

In the late-1960s, the band were influential in popularising a previously unexplored mellotron rock style. Throughout the early-1970s, King Crimson's membership fluctuated as the band explored elements of jazz and funk. The band developed an improvisational sound influenced by hard rock and became a more stable unit in the mid-1970s, before their initial break up in 1974. The band re-formed in 1981 for three years, influenced by new wave and gamelan music, before breaking up again for around a decade. Following their 1994 reunion, King Crimson blended aspects of their 1980s and 1970s sound, which has continued into the 21st century.

Pink Floyd -One of rock music's most successful acts, the group have sold over 200 million albums worldwide including 74.5 million albums in the United States alone. are an English progressive rock band that initially earned recognition for their psychedelic or space rock music, and later, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. They are known for philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative cover art, and elaborate live shows.

Pink Floyd had moderate mainstream success and were one of the most popular bands in the London underground music scene in the late 1960s as a psychedelic band led by Syd Barrett. Barrett came up with the name The Pink Floyd Sound, after two blues musicians, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. However, Barrett's erratic behaviour eventually forced his colleagues to replace him with guitarist and singer David Gilmour. After Barrett's departure, singer and bass player Roger Waters gradually became the dominant and driving force in the mid-1970s, until his eventual departure from the group in 1985. The band recorded several albums, achieving worldwide success with The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), and The Wall (1979). Best Album: Darkside of the Moon

Yes are an English progressive rock band that formed in London in 1968. Their music is marked by sharp dynamic contrasts, often extended song lengths, esoteric, abstract lyrics, and a general showcasing of its members' instrumental skills. Yes uses symphonic and other 'classical' structures with their blend of musical styles in an innovative marriage of music. Despite a great many lineup changes, occasional splits and many changes in popular music, the band has continued for nearly 40 years and still retains a strong international following.

Yes was formed in 1968 by vocalist Jon Anderson and bassist Chris Squire. In May 1968, Squire met Anderson in a Soho nightclub, La Chasse, where Anderson was working. The two had a common interest in vocal harmony and began working together soon afterwards.
Best Album: Close to the Edge

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Genesis are an English rock band formed in 1967. With approximately 150 million albums sold worldwide, Genesis is among the top 30 highest-selling recording artists of all time. The most well-known and longest-tenured members of Genesis are: Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks. Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett were also members of the band in its early days.

Genesis recorded their first album in 1968, From Genesis to Revelation, after being discovered by Jonathan King. King named the band "Genesis", recalling that he had "thought it was a good name... it suggested the beginning of a new sound and a new feeling". This was in fact King's second choice for the band's name. His first suggestion was "Gabriel's Angels" (I'm glad this didn't work out- Phil's Angels?!)

During the 1970s they evolved into a progressive rock band and began to incorporate complex song structures and elaborate instrumentation, while their concerts took on a more theatrical tone. This second phase was characterised by lengthy performances such as the twenty-three minute "Supper's Ready" and, in 1974, the concept album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. The 1980s saw the band produce more accessible pop music based on melodic hooks; this change of direction gave them their first number one album in the United Kingdom, Duke, and their only number one single in the United States, "Invisible Touch". Best Album: Selling England By the Pound

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