“It works because we said it worked." This
was what John Lennon had to say in regards to whether he felt Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was,
what many people were calling, the first concept album. Many believe this album
was the first to introduce the use of elaborate album artwork, sound effects,
and a central idea that would surround an entire record. It was 1967, and the
British psychedelic movement was well underway. This was the year that saw the
release of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper as
well as Pink Floyd’s debut album, The
Piper at the Gates of Dawn and The Moody Blues’ Days of Future Passed, the first prominent rock record to feature a
full symphony orchestra. It was a time of experimentation and new ideas. The
use of hallucinogens mixed with elements of jazz and influence from pioneers of
American blues and R&B would soon give rise to a new musical movement that
would forever challenge listeners and change the course of music: progressive
rock, or “prog” for short. This was a movement that would combine classical
music with rock, present lyrics inspired by works of literature and
philosophical ideas, and introduce the presence of stage antics during live
performances.
Sgt.
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is believed to be the first album that incorporated many
different genres such as rock, jazz, blues, classical, and psychedelic.
Prominent cultural figures of the 60s such as Timothy Leary attributed the
album’s subtle philosophy to the way people felt about drugs (in songs such as “With
a Little Help From My Friends” and “When I’m Sixty-Four”) and the desire for a
cultural change based on peaceful values. Due to its suggested drug references,
many songs off the album were banned from British radio. Sgt. Pepper inspired aspiring musicians to deviate from the norm
and break away from the society they grew up in that enforced conformity and
structure. The album influenced musicians that would go on to form bands like
Yes, Genesis and King Crimson.
After the success of Sgt. Pepper, in 1969, a new band arose: King Crimson. Guitarist
Robert Fripp, along with bass player Greg Lake, drummer Michael Giles,
multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald, and lyricist Pete Sinfield, had their first
rehearsal in January and their first show in April. They became an overnight
success and soon after, began work on their debut album, which would mark the
official start of the entire British progressive rock movement of the 60s and
70s: In the Court of the Crimson King.
Lyrically, the album explored injustice, the fear and terror that arose from
the Vietnam War, and a “lack of faith in traditional institutions.” The
beginning track, “21st Century Schizoid Man,” is illustrated by the
album’s cover art, which depicts a close up of a man screaming in terror.
According to Greg Lake, when the band saw the artwork for the album for the
first time, they knew that they were staring directly into the face of the
Schizoid Man. The image illustrated not just the opening track, but also the
overall fear and confusion that existed within the world at the time. The inner
gatefold of the LP depicts a “vampiric ghoul,” which is referred to as the
“Crimson King.” He appears to be smiling, but when the smile is covered, his
eyes display a kind of sadness to them. “Schizoid Man” features a
jazz-influenced musical composition, complete with 6/8 time and heavily
distorted vocals. The rest of the album, notably the songs “Epitaph” and “I
Talk to the Wind,” contain lyrical symbolism expanding on the concepts of war
and disillusion.
The rise of King Crimson had a massive influence on
many musicians who were just starting out at the time, including the members of
Yes. Although Yes felt “secretively competitive” with King Crimson, they gained
much influence from them, and in 1971, they released their breakthrough album, The Yes Album. The album marks the
moment Yes began to develop an established sound and really take off with their
careers. This new approach and direction can be heard beginning with the first
track, “Yours is No Disgrace,” which was the band’s first try at featuring
lengthy musical introductions and guitar breaks. It is one of their longest
recorded songs, clocking in at over nine and a half minutes. The second-to-last
track on the record, “Starship Trooper,” displays the influence bassist Chris
Squire and lead singer Jon Anderson gained from Simon and Garfunkel as well as
the influence guitarist Steve Howe gained from players like Chet Atkins and
Chuck Berry. The lyrics on the album (as well as those of future Yes albums)
come from the spiritual ideations of Jon Anderson along with the spiritual
texts that he had read.
While bands like Yes and King Crimson were developing
their sounds, Pink Floyd were pushing the boundaries of rock music even further
with their continued incorporation of psychedelic imagery with music. By the
time they released their eighth and most successful studio album in 1973, Dark Side of the Moon, they had moved on
from the “extended instrumental excursions” of their first few studio albums.
With the absence of original member and key composer and lyricist, Syd Barrett,
Roger Waters had taken over as the main lyricist and visionary creator. While it
is debatable whether this album is a concept album, there is no denying that
every track on Side A (From “Speak to Me” through “Great Gig in the Sky”) and
every track on side B (From “Money” through “Eclipse”) flows into each other,
taking listeners on a musical journey through topics such as war and racism
(“Us and Them”), greed and 7/4 time (“Money”), and the process of living and
dying (“Time” and “Great Gig in the Sky”). The album takes a close look at the
“temporal nature of time” and everyday stresses. The track “Brain Damage” was
inspired partially by Syd Barrett’s madness before leaving the band. Dark Side of the Moon is said to be one
of the main albums that truly embodies the essence of prog rock and its
timelessness through its use of broad themes that remain relevant today. The
album’s world-famous cover artwork comes from keyboardist Rick Wright’s desire
for a cover that was “clean and classy.” The signature image of the rainbow
passing through the prism is what branded the band into the minds of rock
listeners to this day.
While progressive music has received support from
millions of people worldwide since it began, it has also been subject to
endless amounts of negative criticism from various music magazines and critics.
Many of them complain that this music is too complex for the common listener,
and even pretentious at times. As a result, fans of progressive music have been
considered to be part of a cult following. A prog concert is not like other
concerts that we know today. At a prog concert, the audience connects not just
with the band, but also with each other. Prog encourages musicians to step away
from what is expected and to, instead, challenge their listeners to explore
philosophical ideas that may not be present in traditional rock songs. It lets
the world know that there are many stories left to tell, many concepts left to
explore, and more musical ideas available than one can ever hope to exhaust. In
a world where music is now thought to be repetitive and unoriginal, prog exists
to challenge musicians to create music that is worthwhile to them, rather than
what mainstream media is looking for. Rick Wakeman of Yes once described prog
as being “freedom of your heart and freedom of your mind.”
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