FROM CLASSICAL GENESIS TO REVELATION
Progressive rock turns 50, a musical genre that spawned Yes, ELP, Genesis and more
Progressive rock turns 50 this year (1968-2018), and it’s a birthday worth celebrating. Music enthusiasts are still mesmerized by prog rock’s “persistence.” British rock critic Adam Sweeting once referred to it as “the rock that just won’t die.”
In their zenith, bands such as Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer (ELP) and Genesis were successful, not only because they packed stadiums and sold millions of records, but also because they broke all the rules. These acts gained notoriety by divorcing themselves from rhythm and blues, de-commercializing rock music, and pioneering stagecraft and state-of-the-art technology.
Ironically, prog-rock musicians drew very little from rhythm and blues, the foundation of American rock and roll. Instead, they embraced European classical music. Prog rockers had more in common with Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and Jean Sibelius than they did Elvis Presley or James Brown.
Although accused by some critics of being pretentious, prog rockers were simply drawing inspiration from their own heritage. As a result, rock music became more culturally diversified. Furthermore, prog rock did not rely heavily on hit singles to attract an audience.
Noted for its lengthy, complex compositions, the music involved lush melodies intertwined with counter-melodies, complex rhythms and blistering technique.
Unlike pop music, which is almost exclusively written in 4/4 time, prog rockers use a multitude of time signatures that shift throughout a single composition. Clocking in at more than 20 minutes, ELP’s Tarkus is a concept piece beginning in 5/4. Yes’s Awaken is a 15-minute opus written in 11/4. Firth of Fifth by Genesis contains rare time signatures of 13/16 and 15/16, alternating with bars of 2/4.
This makes it nearly impossible to dance to prog rock. It’s considered the thinking person’s music. To understand a song ’s potential, it must be listened to repeatedly, an evolving process that takes time and patience.
Lastly, prog rock pushed the boundaries of technology and stagecraft. Although commonplace now, playing “in the round” was an idea first introduced by the band Yes. A revolving stage allowed greater visibility so that audiences could see group members clearly from any direction.
Showmanship was central to ELP’s concerts. Elevated 50 feet above the stage, Keith Emerson performed on a spinning grand piano and played the Hammond organ backwards as it lay on top of him. His mastery of synthesizers is unparalleled.
That said, prog rock still invites its fair share of detractors. Atlantic Monthly editor James Parker downplayed the genre’s accomplishments, stating that it “ruled the world for about 30 seconds.” Rolling Stone recently called the invention of progressive rock “a dumb idea,” ranking prog-rock bands far down on the list of influential inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Yet as prog rock celebrates 50 true summers long, the genre’s influence is undeniable. Prog opened the door to virtuosity and a sense of excellence. Like orchestral musicians, prog rockers took pride in their ability to write and play difficult arrangements, even to the point of reinterpreting entire classical compositions.
By doing so, they brought classical music to the masses.
For those who view rhythm and blues as the soul of rock and roll, or who prefer the pareddown style of groups such as The Ramones or the Sex Pistols, prog rock is sacrilege — the stuff of show-offs and elitists. To the prog rocker, however, there are no fixed rules or authentic ways of expressing oneself artistically, just an endless dream of musical possibilities.