What do you think?
Rate this book
PROGRESSIVE ROCK: THE Grand Design
This book is an in-depth exploration of progressive rock, the ambitious and often misunderstood genre that pushed the boundaries of rock music from the late 1960s to the present day. It offers a comprehensive journey through its history, tracing its origins in psychedelic and art rock, its golden age in the 1970s, its perceived decline in the 1980s, and its remarkable resurgence in subsequent decades.
The book delves into the core characteristics that define progressive its embrace of complex song structures, epic lengths, odd time signatures, and instrumental virtuosity. It highlights how these elements were often intertwined with conceptual themes, philosophical lyrics, and a holistic artistic vision that extended to album artwork and theatrical live performances. Readers will discover how progressive rock drew heavily from classical music, jazz, folk, and world music, creating a unique tapestry of sounds.
Prog Rock examines the foundational bands like King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Rush, detailing their innovations and landmark albums. It explores the diverse subgenres that emerged, from the jazz-inflected Canterbury Scene and the avant-garde Rock in Opposition (RIO) to the synthesizer-driven Neo-Prog of the 1980s led by bands like Marillion, and the powerful fusion of progressive metal spearheaded by groups such as Dream Theater, Tool, and Opeth.
Beyond the music, the book analyzes prog's broader its role in elevating rock to an art form, its influence on music education and instrumental technique, and its surprising connections to ambient and electronic music. It discusses the critical backlash that famously (and inaccurately) declared the "death of prog," and the crucial role of the internet and niche markets in facilitating its sustained relevance and global resurgence.
The book delves into the core characteristics that define progressive its embrace of complex song structures, epic lengths, odd time signatures, and instrumental virtuosity. It highlights how these elements were often intertwined with conceptual themes, philosophical lyrics, and a holistic artistic vision that extended to album artwork and theatrical live performances. Readers will discover how progressive rock drew heavily from classical music, jazz, folk, and world music, creating a unique tapestry of sounds.
Prog Rock examines the foundational bands like King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Rush, detailing their innovations and landmark albums. It explores the diverse subgenres that emerged, from the jazz-inflected Canterbury Scene and the avant-garde Rock in Opposition (RIO) to the synthesizer-driven Neo-Prog of the 1980s led by bands like Marillion, and the powerful fusion of progressive metal spearheaded by groups such as Dream Theater, Tool, and Opeth.
Beyond the music, the book analyzes prog's broader its role in elevating rock to an art form, its influence on music education and instrumental technique, and its surprising connections to ambient and electronic music. It discusses the critical backlash that famously (and inaccurately) declared the "death of prog," and the crucial role of the internet and niche markets in facilitating its sustained relevance and global resurgence.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2025
1 person is currently reading
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 19, 2025
A.I. generated, badly edited
Unlabeled photos
Gross mistakes (Mike Rutherford, bass player in Gentle Giant??!!?)
Never seen so many repetitions of the word "intricate", sometimes three or four instances on the same page.
Chapters structured as the typical ChatGPT output, but with horrible, inconsistent formatting
This smells of amlow-effort AI book.
Sad of having spent 2 bucks on it.
Unlabeled photos
Gross mistakes (Mike Rutherford, bass player in Gentle Giant??!!?)
Never seen so many repetitions of the word "intricate", sometimes three or four instances on the same page.
Chapters structured as the typical ChatGPT output, but with horrible, inconsistent formatting
This smells of amlow-effort AI book.
Sad of having spent 2 bucks on it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review