From "The Book of Revelations" comes an intoxicating combination of Rock, Orchestral and Folk music with its lyricism, poetry and grandiloquence, convoluted with complex rhythms and, quite frankly, ludicrous time signatures; the ideal medium in which to explore musical ideas, and express the full panoply of human emotions. This is PROG at its best.
The multiple acoustic guitar harmonies referencing our extensive British folk music heritage, the glories of jangling electric 12-string guitars, the pomp and circumstance of orchestral polyphony and out–and-out ROCK.
At this point, we need to take a moment to make special reference to the greatest proponents of PROG ROCK that ever drew breath, the mighty Genesis whose sound was so wonderfully complex, beautiful, intense, interesting and diverse, that by osmosis entered my DNA many years ago. Over time this was nurtured and caressed, mothered and smothered (in a good way!), immersed and surrounded by the majesty that is PROG ROCK.
In early Genesis lyrics, Greek and Roman Classical Mythological references abound. There are literally thousands of great tales covering every aspect of the human condition (and some beyond); life, death, love, sex, crime, war, intrigue, family loyalties, greed and avarice to name just the best ten!
Mix all these components together and the blank canvas of a PROG ROCK “masterpiece” is soon awash with colour, light, shade, tone and form. What’s not to like!!
For a more in-depth, comprehensive discussion of all things PROG, visit the excellent website www.progarchives.com
Watch this space, Chapter 1 “The Plumes of Enceladus” are about to rain down.