Friday Fun: The Best Prog Band… Ever?

For too long progressive rock fans have been treated like second-class citizens. Critics lambaste our favorite bands for wanting more than just a beat you can dance to. They snicker at the theatrics, laugh at 30-minute songs and deride orchestral arrangements.

But we know better, don’t we? Pink Floyd, Rush, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Moody Blues… the list of progressive bands is filled with groups that went beyond three chords and a catchy hook to captivate fans’ imaginations and carve out an important chapter in rock history.

Are you a prog rocker? Scientists are still split as to what actually defines such a beast, but if you’ve ever been captivated by a Keith Emerson solo; if you cried on the day you learned Roger Waters left Pink Floyd, written essays about the magnificence of King Crimson, if you ever hummed “Tarkus” in the shower or argued about which side of Tales From Topographic Oceans was the best, then it’s a good chance you’re a progressive rock fan.

Now it’s time to pick the best of the best and tell the world which band you think is the greatest prog act ever.

And don’t be afraid to talk about how many times you’ve seen Patrick Moraz solo tours or how much money you spent buying a Journey To The Center Of The Earth tour poster on eBay. Go ahead, unleash your inner prog fan in the comment thread below. After all, you’re among friends.