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Prog Rock FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Rock's Most Progressive Music
Prog Rock FAQ traces the controversial, but much misunderstood musical genre through its five-decade history, highlighting the rise, eventual decline, and recent resurgence of one of the most inventive and storied popular musical forms of the latter half of the 20th Century. Prog Rock FAQ digs deep to deliver a view of progressive rock as you've never known Technical wizards, cosmic messengers, visionary producers, groundbreaking album-cover illustrators, and even innovative musical instrument vendors separate memory from myth, fact from fiction, to recount prog rock's most historically significant milestones and little-known tales. This interview-rich, unapologetic volume addresses topics taboo and burning alike, while welcoming the reader on an enthralling journey replete with rapturous visions, wondrous stories, and endless enigmas.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
400 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 27, 2025
I found this to be somewhat disappointing, as only about 20% of the book could accurately be termed FAQs, while the remainder seems to be either the author's favourite "sidemen" who happened to work with prog artists at some point in their careers, or else interviews that the author wasn't successful in getting published in other (magazine) venues. Not without some interest, but overall pretty dull and off the mark.
January 3, 2021
tem bastante informação ,queria ter gostado, mas é super mal organizado e sem linearidade cronológica :/
September 25, 2016
Really 3 1/2 stars.
Back in high school I was into prog rock, first two concerts I saw were Yes and Jethro Tull. But over the next three years my tastes would change, influenced by punk movement. And my tastes have continued to grow and evolve. Every few years I go back and listen to Yes or Tull (or whatever else I'm curious about) to see if my opinion has changed. Sometimes it has, like with the first Tull album (never really cared for it much back in the day, but now I like it), and in other cases it doesn't change.
I had seen this book in the bookstore for awhile. I'd pick it up and read a couple pages each time. Finally after the fourth or fifth time I decided to break down and buy this. And at first I would jump around (since one chapter doesn't necessarily follow another, you can do that), but finally just decided to go from beginning to end. If you are new to prog and looking for a history, you will want to look elsewhere. But if you are familiar with prog, then you might find this book of interest. Given the nature of this type of book, you are at the mercy of the author's whims. Some chapters I found more interesting than others, such as finding out about the first prog group. One of the the good things about this book was reading something about groups I had heard of, but knew very little about (and thanks to the internet, could now give a listen to). I also found out some groups I had never heard of, thanks for introducing me to Neu! My main gripe is the chip on the shoulder that prog fans have that pops up at times during the book. It is really pronounced in two chapters (the one on punk and prog and the one on critical reviews) and mars what could have been an interesting discussion.
Back in high school I was into prog rock, first two concerts I saw were Yes and Jethro Tull. But over the next three years my tastes would change, influenced by punk movement. And my tastes have continued to grow and evolve. Every few years I go back and listen to Yes or Tull (or whatever else I'm curious about) to see if my opinion has changed. Sometimes it has, like with the first Tull album (never really cared for it much back in the day, but now I like it), and in other cases it doesn't change.
I had seen this book in the bookstore for awhile. I'd pick it up and read a couple pages each time. Finally after the fourth or fifth time I decided to break down and buy this. And at first I would jump around (since one chapter doesn't necessarily follow another, you can do that), but finally just decided to go from beginning to end. If you are new to prog and looking for a history, you will want to look elsewhere. But if you are familiar with prog, then you might find this book of interest. Given the nature of this type of book, you are at the mercy of the author's whims. Some chapters I found more interesting than others, such as finding out about the first prog group. One of the the good things about this book was reading something about groups I had heard of, but knew very little about (and thanks to the internet, could now give a listen to). I also found out some groups I had never heard of, thanks for introducing me to Neu! My main gripe is the chip on the shoulder that prog fans have that pops up at times during the book. It is really pronounced in two chapters (the one on punk and prog and the one on critical reviews) and mars what could have been an interesting discussion.
October 14, 2016
An astonishingly unfocused and inaccessible read. Will Romano has evidently written, other, better books about the subject and gives us leftover essays that are so niche and specific (even within the already niche and specific world of progressive rock), that I couldn't believe it was published under the FAQ series.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews