Neo-prog

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Neo-progressive rock (commonly abbreviated neo-prog) [2] is a subgenre of progressive rock which developed in the UK in the early 1980s. The genre's most popular band, Marillion, achieved mainstream success in the decade. Several bands from the genre have continued to record and tour. [3] [4]

Contents

Characteristics

Neo-prog is characterised by deeply emotional content, often delivered via dramatic lyrics and a generous use of imagery and theatricality on-stage. The music is mostly the product of careful composition, relying less heavily on improvised jamming. The subgenre relies very much on clean, melodic and emotional electric guitar solos, combined with keyboards. The main musical influences on the neo-prog genre are bands from the first wave of progressive rock such as early Genesis, Camel, and to a lesser extent Van der Graaf Generator and Pink Floyd. [3] Funk, hard rock and punk rock were also influences on the genre. [1]

History

In the book The Progressive Rock Files, author Jerry Lucky dedicates a chapter to neo-progressive rock with the title "A Neo Beginning!", stating that this subgenre "surfaced in late 1981, bearing testimony to the lasting values of this musical form" of progressive rock, but distinguishing it from this main genre by going on to say that "Sure the sound was a bit different ... a little more bite, a little more eighties". Later in the same book, Jerry Lucky suggested that this subgenre of progressive rock peaked in the mid-1980s: "As 1984 dawned all of the British neo-progressive rock bands release material. Famous neo-prog albums were Marillion's second, Fugazi , Pallas' The Sentinel , Pendragon's Fly High Fall Far, Twelfth Night's Art and Illusion , Solstice's Silent Dance, IQ's The Wake , and Quasar's Fire in the Sky. [5]

A predecessor to this genre was The Enid, who fused rock with classical but were more heavily influenced by Ralph Vaughan Williams than by more modern composers. [6] The change of approach can be heard in the shift toward shorter compositions and a keyboard-based sound in the 1980s Rush albums Signals, Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows and Hold Your Fire . [7] Neo-progressive bands emphasised individual solos instead of group improvisation, and they included more world-music elements. Lyrics became more personal and less esoteric. Concept albums were still created, but not as frequently and on a smaller scale. [7] Digital synthesizers took over many of the roles formerly filled by bulkier keyboards such as Mellotrons and organs, [8] and their modern sound tended to minimise the folk influences that had been typical of 1970s progressive rock. [9] Heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Queensrÿche began to explore the mythological themes and extended concepts that had previously been the territory of progressive rock. [10]

Early neo-prog was marked by sophisticated lyrics and often dark themes. While the accessibility of neo-prog to the mainstream is debatable, the form did generally seem more radio-friendly, with shorter and less complex songs than earlier progressive rock. Nonetheless, neo-prog never achieved the heights of popular success that the first wave of progressive rock in the 1970s did, with only one band, Marillion, achieving arena status. [11] Marillion achieved major success across Europe in particular and produced eight top ten UK albums between 1983 and 1994, peaking in popularity with their album Misplaced Childhood in 1985, which topped the UK album chart and produced two top five hit singles in the UK. The album has been called "the cornerstone of the entire 'neo-prog' movement". [12] Following this peak, neo-prog declined in popularity as a genre, although several bands have continued to record and tour, with Marillion and their ex-singer Fish in particular both maintaining a large cult following. Progressive rock has continued with genres such as new prog, and prog metal. Further, the alternative rock band Radiohead's ambitious work has been credited with inspiring a revival of interest in progressive rock. [13]

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IQ are a British neo-prog band founded by Mike Holmes and Martin Orford in 1981 following the dissolution of their original band The Lens. Although the band have never enjoyed major commercial success and had several lineup changes, IQ have built up a loyal following over the years and are still active as of 2024, currently with the original recording line-up. In 2021/22, IQ performed a series of concerts in the UK and Europe celebrating their 40th anniversary.

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"Lavender" is a song by the British neo-prog band Marillion. It was released as the second single from their 1985 UK number one concept album Misplaced Childhood. The follow-up to the UK number two hit "Kayleigh", the song was their second Top Five UK hit, entering the chart on 7 September 1985, reaching number five and staying on the chart for nine weeks. None of the group's subsequent songs have reached the Top Five and "Lavender" remains their second highest-charting song. As with all Marillion albums and singles between 1982 and 1988, the cover art was created by Mark Wilkinson.

Mach One are a British neo-prog band, founded in 1980 by a group of students attending Burlington Danes High School in West London. After a series of studio demos, school gigs and lineup changes, the band attracted the attention of Keith Goodwin who represented them through 1983-85. During this time Mach One embarked on a series of live shows at pubs and clubs around London, and universities across England, while releasing two albums, Six of One and Lost for Words, that featured prominently in underground progressive rock fanzines and specialist progressive rock catalogues. However, in the more mainstream press they received mixed reviews for their second album, including a humorous 1-star review by Mary Anne Hobbs in Sounds, although their live show was given a positive write-up in the same paper a few weeks thereafter by journalist Gareth Thompson.

Janysium are a British neo-prog band, founded in 1980 by two pupils from Little Ealing Middle School; Peter Matuchniak and Simon Strevens. Their debut release in 1982 attracted the attention of Phil Collins via a chance meeting with his mother, and was also given a positive review in the Official Genesis Fan Club quarterly magazine.

Quasar was formed in 1979 by founder Keith Turner. They found themselves to be amongst a movement of British bands during the early 1980s, including Marillion, Pendragon, IQ, Twelfth Night, Solstice and Pallas, that continued in the progressive rock style created by 1970s bands such as Genesis and Yes. Though Quasar has had quiet times due to leaving members, they are now based in San Francisco.

This is a timeline of artists, albums, and events in progressive rock and its subgenres. This article contains the timeline for the period 1960–1969.

This is a timeline of artists, albums, and events in progressive rock and its subgenres. This article contains the timeline for the period 1980 - 1989.

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Progressive pop is pop music that attempts to break with the genre's standard formula, or an offshoot of the progressive rock genre that was commonly heard on AM radio in the 1970s and 1980s. It was originally termed for the early progressive rock of the 1960s. Some stylistic features of progressive pop include hooks and earworms, unorthodox or colorful instrumentation, changes in key and rhythm, experiments with larger forms, and unexpected, disruptive, or ironic treatments of past conventions.

Post-progressive is a type of rock music distinguished from vintage progressive rock styles, specifically 1970s prog. Post-progressive draws upon newer developments in popular music and the avant-garde since the mid-1970s. It especially draws from ethnic music and minimalism, elements which were new to rock music. It is different from neo-prog in that the latter pastiches 1970s prog, while "post-progressive" identifies progressive rock music that stems from sources other than prog.

Proto-prog is the earliest work associated with the first wave of progressive rock music, known then as "progressive pop". Such musicians were influenced by modern classical and other genres usually outside of traditional rock influences. They often employed longer and more complicated compositions, interconnected songs as medley, and studio composition. Some of the artists that were essential to the development of progressive rock, rather than just anticipating the movement, include the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Doors, the Pretty Things, the Zombies, the Byrds, the Grateful Dead, Buffalo Springfield and Pink Floyd.

Ulysses is a German progressive rock band from the early 1990s with an international line-up. They were part of a colourful scene of new bands, labels and magazines that emerged in Germany at that time. Musically, they were less influenced by the German "Krautrock" phenomenon but initially oriented strongly towards the second generation of British progressive rock bands. Hegarty & Halliwell would have classified them as part of third wave of progressive rock bands, who can also be described as a second generation of neo-progressive bands. So one might not wonder that most reviewers heard similarities to Marillion, Galahad and Änglagård in their music which is characterised by a strong emphasis on melodies and the integration of folkloristic elements, abrupt changes of moods and partly complex and ever changing arrangements often moving towards a climax.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Romano, Will (2010). Mountains Come Out of the Sky: The Illustrated History of Prog Rock. Backbeat Books. ISBN   978-0-87930-991-6 . Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Covach & Boone 1997, p. 5.
  3. 1 2 "Pop/Rock » Art-Rock/Experimental » Neo-Prog". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Neo-Prog and the Bad Rap by Jerry Lucky, author of 'The Progressive Rock Files'". Archived from the original on 7 October 2008.
  5. ↑ "QUASAR". Progarchives.com. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  6. ↑ Hegarty & Halliwell 2011, pp. 184–185.
  7. 1 2 Hegarty & Halliwell 2011, pp. 183–186.
  8. ↑ Macan 1997, p. 35.
  9. ↑ Hegarty & Halliwell 2011, p. 242.
  10. ↑ Hegarty & Halliwell 2011, p. 187.
  11. ↑ "A Guide To Progressive Rock Genres (section IV.B.11)". Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  12. ↑ Reed, Ryan (17 June 2015). "30 Years Ago: Marillion Release 'Misplaced Childhood'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  13. ↑ "It's back... Prog rock assaults album charts". BBC News. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2015.

Bibliography

Further reading

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