Frank Zappa's take on 'progressive rock'

[RushFanForever]

There's diehard fans of 'progressive rock' who post about the typical vintage and modern bands on here with lists and opinions about them.

 

Check out Frank Zappa's brief 'to the point' opinions about the above from this Dec 1984 video interview below.

 

Interviewer: Some of the bands that we’re going to be highlighting in this show are Procol Harum, Traffic, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Genesis, ELP, Yes, King Crimson, Devo. Do you have any comments on any of these bands?

 

Frank: Is that progressive rock?

 

Interviewer: Well?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t say so.

 

Interviewer: You consider none of these bands progressive rock?

 

Frank: Name them again.

 

Interviewer: Procol Harum?

Frank: No

Interviewer: Traffic?

Frank: No

Interviewer: Pink Floyd?

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Jethro Tull

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Genesis

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: ELP

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Yes

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: King Crimson

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Devo

Frank: No..

Interviewer: Why?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t describe them as progressive rock.

 

Interviewer: You?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t describe myself as progressive rock either. In fact a lot of the time it’s not rock and roll at all, it just happens to be consumed by rock and roll audiences.

 

Interviewer: Do you think that you as a musician have had any influence on any of the bands that we just went through?

 

Frank: That’s always a possibility.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eln3J6BxWN0

Edited November 17, 2017 by RushFanForever

[Ancient Ways]

More like his opinion on select bands and if they are progressive rock.

[HemiBeers]

There's diehard fans of 'progressive rock' who post about the typical vintage and modern bands on here with lists and opinions about them.

 

Check out Frank Zappa's brief 'to the point' opinions about the above from this Dec 1984 video interview below.

 

Interviewer: Some of the bands that we’re going to be highlighting in this show are Procol Harum, Traffic, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Genesis, ELP, Yes, King Crimson, Devo. Do you have any comments on any of these bands?

 

Frank: Is that progressive rock?

 

Interviewer: Well?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t say so.

 

Interviewer: You consider none of these bands progressive rock?

 

Frank: Name them again.

 

Interviewer: Procol Harum?

Frank: No

Interviewer: Traffic?

Frank: No

Interviewer: Pink Floyd?

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Jethro Tull

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Genesis

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: ELP

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Yes

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: King Crimson

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Devo

Frank: No..

Interviewer: Why?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t describe them as progressive rock.

 

Interviewer: You?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t describe myself as progressive rock either. In fact a lot of the time it’s not rock and roll at all, it just happens to be consumed by rock and roll audiences.

 

Interviewer: Do you think that you as a musician have had any influence on any of the bands that we just went through?

 

Frank: That’s always a possibility.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eln3J6BxWN0

Just typical Frank being kind of a PITA.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

Interviewer: Genesis

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: ELP

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Yes

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: King Crimson

Frank: Sometimes

 

If those bands aren't prog rock, then who is?

[vaportrailer]

Interviewer: Genesis

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: ELP

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Yes

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: King Crimson

Frank: Sometimes

 

If those bands aren't prog rock, then who is?

 

Frank's fave, The Moody Blues!

[vaportrailer]

Interviewer: Devo

 

[Oracle]

Interviewer: Genesis

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: ELP

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Yes

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: King Crimson

Frank: Sometimes

 

If those bands aren't prog rock, then who is?

 

I think you have to remember that when this interview took place, most of those bands had shifted AWAY from progressive music. Frank was also a major PITA during interviews like this one, you can tell he's taking the piss out of this poor interviewer.

[New_World_Man]

Interviewer: Genesis

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: ELP

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Yes

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: King Crimson

Frank: Sometimes

 

If those bands aren't prog rock, then who is?

 

Along with Rush and Pink Floyd those are most of my all time favorite bands.

[Fordgalaxy]

There's diehard fans of 'progressive rock' who post about the typical vintage and modern bands on here with lists and opinions about them.

 

Check out Frank Zappa's brief 'to the point' opinions about the above from this Dec 1984 video interview below.

 

Interviewer: Some of the bands that we’re going to be highlighting in this show are Procol Harum, Traffic, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Genesis, ELP, Yes, King Crimson, Devo. Do you have any comments on any of these bands?

 

Frank: Is that progressive rock?

 

Interviewer: Well?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t say so.

 

Interviewer: You consider none of these bands progressive rock?

 

Frank: Name them again.

 

Interviewer: Procol Harum?

Frank: No

Interviewer: Traffic?

Frank: No

Interviewer: Pink Floyd?

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Jethro Tull

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Genesis

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: ELP

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Yes

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: King Crimson

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Devo

Frank: No..

Interviewer: Why?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t describe them as progressive rock.

 

Interviewer: You?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t describe myself as progressive rock either. In fact a lot of the time it’s not rock and roll at all, it just happens to be consumed by rock and roll audiences.

 

Interviewer: Do you think that you as a musician have had any influence on any of the bands that we just went through?

 

Frank: That’s always a possibility.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eln3J6BxWN0

Notice he didn't mention Rush? Because they aren't prog.

[New_World_Man]

Xanadu, Hemispheres(title track), 2112 title track, YYZ, La Villa Strangiato, Natural Science. Right. No prog there. :P

[78jazz]

There's diehard fans of 'progressive rock' who post about the typical vintage and modern bands on here with lists and opinions about them.

 

Check out Frank Zappa's brief 'to the point' opinions about the above from this Dec 1984 video interview below.

 

Interviewer: Some of the bands that we’re going to be highlighting in this show are Procol Harum, Traffic, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Genesis, ELP, Yes, King Crimson, Devo. Do you have any comments on any of these bands?

 

Frank: Is that progressive rock?

 

Interviewer: Well?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t say so.

 

Interviewer: You consider none of these bands progressive rock?

 

Frank: Name them again.

 

Interviewer: Procol Harum?

Frank: No

Interviewer: Traffic?

Frank: No

Interviewer: Pink Floyd?

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Jethro Tull

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Genesis

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: ELP

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Yes

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: King Crimson

Frank: Sometimes

Interviewer: Devo

Frank: No..

Interviewer: Why?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t describe them as progressive rock.

 

Interviewer: You?

 

Frank: I wouldn’t describe myself as progressive rock either. In fact a lot of the time it’s not rock and roll at all, it just happens to be consumed by rock and roll audiences.

 

Interviewer: Do you think that you as a musician have had any influence on any of the bands that we just went through?

 

Frank: That’s always a possibility.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eln3J6BxWN0

Just typical Frank being kind of a PITA.

 

Perhaps to a point.

 

He also did not say some of those bands weren't, but sometimes they were.

 

I am not convinced he was entirely wrong here. I also suspect the musical landscape of late 1984 had something to do with this as well.

 

Oracle is at least partially right IMO, if not completely.

[Mr. Not]

I know most of you won't watch the 19 min interview, and I don't blame you for that whatsoever... But I've watched this interview a couple times in the past, so I detected right away that the OP left out the most crucial part of this part of the interview -- Frank Zappa's definition of "progressive rock"

 

Interviewer: We're doing an hour show right now on progressive rock, first of all it might take us an hour to try to define what progressive rock is (forced laugh), no one seems to have been able to- do you have definition for it?

 

Frank Zappa: Well I would say that the general definition, and it's not mine, but I'd presume that people would accept this definition, progressive rock is anything that doesn't sound like regular rock. Regular rock is everything that sounds like itself, all songs that sound the same. Everything on MTV, everything on the radio, that's rock. Progressive rock is stuff that doesn't sound like that.

 

^ this probably clears quite a bit up.

 

Frank Zappa's a genius, but I'm not afraid to disagree with the guy. I actually find myself doing that often... This description of progressive rock is kinda naive.

Edited November 18, 2017 by Mr. Not

[78jazz]

I will say this is an interview I have watched more than once. It is a good watch and worth the time...but I am quite the FZ fan, so...

[ytserush]

Watched this interview before. I don't disagree with a lot of that.

 

It also depends on your definition of progressive.

[New_World_Man]

I would agree that when he was interviewed(circa 1984)his definition of progressive rock is probably not too far off the mark. Today not so much. However, even back then you had new wave, post punk, psychedelic and jam bands none of which really sound like regular rock and today you have post rock and all kinds of other experimental rock which are not regular rock either and also not really "prog" or "progressive rock" in the general sense of the term.

 

Also, imo, Rush weren't included mainly because they weren't part of the original wave of progressive rock. Kansas, Saga, Marillion, UK, and a few other bands also weren't included. It's mainly the usual suspects who are the first ones people think of when they hear the term "progressive rock." I'm not sure why Devo was mentioned other than the fact that they were rather experimental. They would be the answer for "which one of these does not belong with the others" though.

Edited November 19, 2017 by New_World_Man

[ytserush]

I would agree that when he was interviewed(circa 1984)his definition of progressive rock is probably not too far off the mark. Today not so much. However, even back then you had new wave, post punk, psychedelic and jam bands none of which really sound like regular rock and today you have post rock and all kinds of other experimental rock which are not regular rock either and also not really "prog" or "progressive rock" in the general sense of the term.

 

Also, imo, Rush weren't included mainly because they weren't part of the original wave of progressive rock. Kansas, Saga, Marillion, UK, and a few other bands also weren't included. It's mainly the usual suspects who are the first ones people think of when they hear the term "progressive rock." I'm not sure why Devo was mentioned other than the fact that they were rather experimental. They would be the answer for "which one of these does not belong with the others" though.

 

I think Devo is as progressive as any of the others, but that just me.

 

I consider experimentation to be a key element in what I consider to be progressive.

[New_World_Man]

I hear you. I actually like the are we not men album. However, I guess the thing is it's not typically considered "progressive rock" ie prog in the usual sense of the term. We could also say the Police were "progressive" but not really prog. Maybe the Police should have been mentioned too especially considering when this first aired.

[ReRushed]

I would agree that when he was interviewed(circa 1984)his definition of progressive rock is probably not too far off the mark. Today not so much. However, even back then you had new wave, post punk, psychedelic and jam bands none of which really sound like regular rock and today you have post rock and all kinds of other experimental rock which are not regular rock either and also not really "prog" or "progressive rock" in the general sense of the term.

 

Also, imo, Rush weren't included mainly because they weren't part of the original wave of progressive rock. Kansas, Saga, Marillion, UK, and a few other bands also weren't included. It's mainly the usual suspects who are the first ones people think of when they hear the term "progressive rock." I'm not sure why Devo was mentioned other than the fact that they were rather experimental. They would be the answer for "which one of these does not belong with the others" though.

 

I think Devo is as progressive as any of the others, but that just me.

 

I consider experimentation to be a key element in what I consider to be progressive.

The concept behind Devo is more progressive than some bands labeled as progressive.

[New_World_Man]

I would agree that when he was interviewed(circa 1984)his definition of progressive rock is probably not too far off the mark. Today not so much. However, even back then you had new wave, post punk, psychedelic and jam bands none of which really sound like regular rock and today you have post rock and all kinds of other experimental rock which are not regular rock either and also not really "prog" or "progressive rock" in the general sense of the term.

 

Also, imo, Rush weren't included mainly because they weren't part of the original wave of progressive rock. Kansas, Saga, Marillion, UK, and a few other bands also weren't included. It's mainly the usual suspects who are the first ones people think of when they hear the term "progressive rock." I'm not sure why Devo was mentioned other than the fact that they were rather experimental. They would be the answer for "which one of these does not belong with the others" though.

 

I think Devo is as progressive as any of the others, but that just me.

 

I consider experimentation to be a key element in what I consider to be progressive.

The concept behind Devo is more progressive than some bands labeled as progressive.

 

Actually, it's regressive isn't it since their concept is "de-evolution?" ;)