Prog fans: Procol Harum?

[OldFogey]

Not being a devoted proggie (or whatever the right term is) myself, I wonder how prog rock fans view Procol Harum. Were they an ancestor of prog? Were they prog? Do you like 'em?

I'm thinking about pieces like Repent Walpurgis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQC7Kk4WOPU&fmt=18

or Quite Rightly So

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adduhMtTrRY&fmt=18

or Simple Sister

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubLXsvEfGYw&fmt=18

As S.C. would say:
Procol Harum: great? or greatest? discuss

[a21schizoidman]

progressive rock? no

influence on progressive and symphonic rock? hell yes

they are kinda like pre-prog (making them psychadelic rock)

[Insane3]

Yeah... psyche rock. Very very good though. Especially repent walpurgis.

[a21schizoidman]

Yeah... psyche rock. Very very good though. Especially repent walpurgis.

to me, they almost could be considered prog, but were before prog had actually begun, therefore, they couldn't really be prog (since they have the elements, but just aren't quite prog) making them psychadelic rock - the main genre from which prog spun off of

[Sayburr]

Hey! That is one band I have always enjoyed listening to. Their album A Salty Dog was my first taste of their music and I loved it. I didn't even know "Whiter Shade of Pale" was their song until I started buying all of their albums in exploration of their sound.

Prog Rock... pretty close. I guess I would consider them more of a classical rock group (not classic rock, classical music) with song structures relating more towards Jazz with Trower throwing Blues Guitar into the mix. This is one of those few bands with a unique sound that was unheard before they came together and has been unheard of since because no one has been able to recreate that unique mix that eventually broke up the band.

[OldFogey]

Well it just occurs to me that in all the discussion of underrated bands their name has never come up, and in all the discussion of underrated guitarists, Trower's name hasn't come up either -- and yeah I know I didn't bring 'em up myself. Just goes to show

Trower actually had some cool stuff when he went off on his own -- Too Rolling Stoned should be in Rock Band 2 for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhQJE7AUdxI

[afterstasis]

really good band.
"a whiter shade of pale" is one of those songs that i'm not sure can ever get old, so i don't mind hearing it everywhere i go.

[a21schizoidman]

Well it just occurs to me that in all the discussion of underrated bands their name has never come up, and in all the discussion of underrated guitarists, Trower's name hasn't come up either -- and yeah I know I didn't bring 'em up myself. Just goes to show

Trower actually had some cool stuff when he went off on his own -- Too Rolling Stoned should be in Rock Band 2 for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhQJE7AUdxI

I love Trower's solo work (I had him in my Underrated Guitarist battle btw)

[OldFogey]

I love Trower's solo work (I had him in my Underrated Guitarist battle btw)

ah sorry I forgot about that. :o

Still say this would be a great RB2 song :D

[JukeBoxHero]

Well it just occurs to me that in all the discussion of underrated bands their name has never come up, and in all the discussion of underrated guitarists, Trower's name hasn't come up either -- and yeah I know I didn't bring 'em up myself. Just goes to show

Trower actually had some cool stuff when he went off on his own -- Too Rolling Stoned should be in Rock Band 2 for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhQJE7AUdxI

Wow that song is amazing, nice groove, and the guitar is incredible.

I've heard Procol Harum before but I never took time to listen to their music. The songs you posted were great. I'm not sure what I would classify them in, perhaps border line psychedelic that almost branches into progressive rock.

[OldFogey]

Don't know how much it matters, but I decided to check AllMusic and they definitely classify PH as prog: http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0ifixqr5ldhe~T1

For instance the first sentence of the overview:


Procol Harum is arguably the most successful "accidental" group creation -- that is, a band originally assembled to take advantage of the success of a record created in the studio -- in the history of progressive rock.

But I've argued AllMusic has gotten it wrong in other cases, so they may have it wrong in this case, too. I'm satisfied at least with the view that they are close if not the real deal.

[a21schizoidman]

Don't know how much it matters, but I decided to check AllMusic and they definitely classify PH as prog: http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0ifixqr5ldhe~T1

For instance the first sentence of the overview:



But I've argued AllMusic has gotten it wrong in other cases, so they may have it wrong in this case, too. I'm satisfied at least with the view that they are close if not the real deal.

I would make the case that they are essential to the history of progressive rock, because I see them as an influence on the creation of the genre, but I cannot say they themselves are prog


and yes, Too Rolling Stoned, Day of the Eagle, hell give me the entire Bridge of Sighs album on RB, its the White Hendrix, it would totally beat the **** outta Activision

[Gowienczyk]

Proto-Prog, mang.

[mjlambert1]

Homburg is my fav. track.

[Cosma]

I'll take Trower's entire Victim's of the Fury album in RB2