Samurai |
1971 |
Led by Dave Lawson, the reminants of Web were rechristened for one eponymous album, a classic of the era. |
United Kingdom |
Neu! |
1971 |
Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger left Kraftwerk in 1971 to form Neu!, releasing three albums before splitting ways, and giving us one of the most original and recognizable beats in rock music. |
Germany |
Cluster |
1971 |
Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius parted ways with Conrad Schnitzler to form Cluster in 1971. Their improvised music proved ground breaking in terms of structure and timbre, mostly composed by treated... |
Germany |
Kornelyans |
1971 |
Kornelyans, aka Korni Gruppa, a singles band from Yugoslavia, was led by its namesake, Kornell Kovach (Kornelije Kovač). In 1974 they recorded and released an excellent album of prog rock for the Italian Ricordi label. |
Yugoslavia |
Ikarus |
1971 |
Hamburg band led by Jochen Petersen released one album of superb progressive rock. |
Germany |
Ibliss |
1971 |
Former Organisation member Basil Hammoudi and one-time Kraftwerk drummer Andreas Hohmann formed this group, who under the tutelage of Conny Plank, released one album before calling it quits. |
Germany |
Fruupp |
1971 |
These Irish sons hailed from Belfast but found success with the Dawn label, a subsidiary of Pye Records. |
Ireland |
Eulenspygel |
1971 |
Originally called the Royal Servants in the 1960s, Eulenspygel's first album is curiously title "2." |
Germany |
Wild Turkey |
1971 |
Formed by Eyes Of Blue's Gary Pickford-Hopkins, Jethro Tull's Glenn Cornick, and a pre-Man Tweke Lewis, their earliest lineup included John Weathers but was replaced by a post-Man Jeff Jones. They recorded two albums... |
United Kingdom |
Midnight Sun |
1971 |
Originally known as Rainbow Band, Midnight Sun were a Danish supergroup of sorts. |
Denmark |
Emerson, Lake & Palmer |
1970 |
Not a law firm, but Prog's first supergroup. Though often an easy target for Prog Rock's excesses, Emerson, Lake & Palmer stand as the premiere artists of the genre. |
United Kingdom |
Ange |
1970 |
Le plus grand groupe de rock francais, and we'll pretty much agree. Ange's completely original and unique take on the "progressif" is most definitely and definitively French. Led by vocalist Christian Decamps. |
France |
Curved Air |
1970 |
One of the few progressive bands to feature female vocals, Curved Air featured the talents of Sonja Kristina, Darryl Way and Francis Monkman. |
United Kingdom |
Gentle Giant |
1970 |
One of prog rock's greatest bands, Gentle Giant combined the talents of the brothers' Shulman with Kerry Minnear and Gary Green. Their work during the 70s is as exemplary as any of the progressive era. Clever,... |
United Kingdom |
McDonald and Giles |
1970 |
Founding members of King Crimson |
United Kingdom |
Hoelderlin |
1970 |
One of the most under-rated groups of the progressive era, Hoelderlin's albums rival the best from the United Kingdom. The core of Hoelderlin's albums were released on CD by EMI in 2007. |
Germany |
Nektar |
1970 |
Expatriate Brits forged a career for a decade based in Germany. |
United Kingdom |
Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM) |
1970 |
Prematia Forneria Marconi, or roughly "Marconi's Award-Winning Bakery", the most successful of the Italian Prog bands. |
Italy |
Roxy Music |
1970 |
Though definitely a glam band at heart, Roxy Music served as a training ground and employer of many "progressive" musicians. |
United Kingdom |
Faust |
1970 |
German for "fist", Faust were pioneers in the studio. After two albums for Polydor, they signed with the fledgling Virgin label. Priced as a single, The Faust Tapes album sold a staggering 50,000 + copies - amazing... |
Germany |
Kraftwerk |
1970 |
From early free-form improvisation to the perfection of electro-pop, Kraftwerk reign as one of the most musically influential groups from the 70s. However, the Ralf & Florian and Autobahn era should appeal to most... |
Germany |
Grobschnitt |
1970 |
|
Germany |
Kraan |
1970 |
Happiest band from Germany. When will the "jam band" audience find them? |
Germany |
Quiet Sun |
1970 |
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United Kingdom |
Popol Vuh |
1970 |
Founded by Florian Fricke, Popol Vuh represents one of the earliest examples of spirituality in music that would later define "new age" music in the 80s. This however, is the real thing. Fricke also composed soundtracks... |
Germany |
Ash Ra Tempel |
1970 |
One of the earliest krautrock groups, featuring guitarist Manuel Göttsching, Klaus Schulze on drums and bassist Hartmut Enke. Think album side-long psychedelic jams of the highest order... |
Germany |
Città Frontale |
1970 |
The mother of all "Neopolitan" prog bands, Città Frontale was the precursor to Osanna and Balletto di Bronzo. Their eponymous record was recorded in the mid-70s. |
Italy |
T.2. |
1970 |
Prog trio featuring guitarist Keith Cross, bassist Bernard Jinks and drummer Peter Dunton released one much hearlded album for Deram in 1970, but broke up due to internal strife. Members were previously in Bulldog Breed... |
United Kingdom |
Semiramis |
1970 |
Hailing from Rome, Semiramis included the Zarrillo brothers Maurizio and Michele (just teenagers), and got their start at the Villa Pamphili pop festival in 1972. They released one album before breaking up. |
Italy |
Carmen |
1970 |
This flamenco-rock band featured the talent of David Allen, and a pre-Jethro Tull John Glascock on bass. |
United States |
Lard Free |
1970 |
Founded by drummer Gilbert Artman, Lard Free was similar to Richard Pinhas' Heldon; French, unconventional, experimental, but, incredulously, a rock band. Later albums would draw parallels to the cosmic side of the... |
France |
Patto |
1970 |
Featuring namesake Mike Patto on vocals and Ollie Halsall on guitar along with the rhythm section of Clive Griffiths and John Halsey, Patto began when the members of Deram-signed Timebox signed with Vertigo Records.... |
United Kingdom |
Frumpy |
1970 |
Hamburg's finest, Inga Rumpf, Jean-Jacques Kravetz, Carsten Bohn, and Karl-Heinz Schott, blazed as Frumpy before morphing into Atlantis. |
Germany |
Eiliff |
1970 |
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Germany |
Brainstorm |
1970 |
Hailing from Baden Baden, Brainstorm featured the talents of future Guru Guru man Roland Schaeffer. |
Germany |
Lucifer's Friend |
1970 |
Ostensibly a studio group, Lucifer's Friend debut album is a standard of heavy rock for the 70s, while their second effort is there most progressive. Later albums drifted towards hard rock. |
Germany |
Jane |
1970 |
One of Germany's most idiosyncratic rock bands, the slow burn rock of Jane remained a constant through most of their career. |
Germany |
Jackson Heights |
1970 |
Lee Jackson's post-Nice, pre-Refugee band. |
United Kingdom |
Brian Davison's Every Which Way |
1970 |
Ex-Nice, Pre-Refugee Brian Davison's band with singer Graham Bell. |
United Kingdom |
Fotheringay |
1970 |
Sandy Denny's post-Fairport group, with future husband Trevor Lucas. |
United Kingdom |
Stud |
1970 |
Former Taste members Charlie McCracken and John Wilson joined up with ex-Family guitarist Jim Cregan, and later John Weider. |
United Kingdom |
Centipede |
1970 |
Founded by Keith Tippet, Centipede were a large ensemble, purpose built for success! |
United Kingdom |
Hawkwind |
1969 |
Combining a driving rhythm, early electronics and sci-fi imagery, Hawkwind lay claim to being the ultimate space rock band. Coming from the underground scene in London's Ladbroke Grove, their success during the 70s -... |
United Kingdom |
Renaissance |
1969 |
Mark II, this version of Renaissance starts with Michael Dunford, and features the vocals of Annie Haslam. |
United Kingdom |
Atomic Rooster |
1969 |
Always driven by Vincent Crane's keyboards, Atomic Rooster road a firm line between the hard and progressive. Crane and drummer Carl Palmer, first together in Arthur Brown's band, made one album before Palmer was off to... |
United Kingdom |
Quatermass |
1969 |
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United Kingdom |
Rare Bird |
1969 |
Charisma label band that scored a hit with "Sympathy". In 1972, Mark Ashton and Graham Field left, and the band ditched the dual-keyboard format, recording three infinitely listenable albums for Polydor. Dave Kaffinetti... |
United Kingdom |
Tony Williams Lifetime, The |
1969 |
Tony Williams, John McLaughlin and Larry Young. The birth of fusion. |
United States |
Egg |
1969 |
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United Kingdom |
Focus |
1969 |
Premiere Dutch band hit the big time in both the UK and US, due to the talents of guitarist Jan Akkerman and flautist Thys Van Leer, and one silly hit record, "Hocus Pocus" by Focus! |
Netherlands |