| Neo-prog | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Neo-progressive rock |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Early 1980s in England, UK |
| Other topics | |
Neo-progressive rock (commonly abbreviatedneo-prog)[1] is asubgenre ofprogressive rock that developed in the UK in the early 1980s. The genre's most popular band,Marillion, achieved mainstream success in the decade. Several bands from the genre have continued to record and tour.[2][3]
Neo-prog is characterised by deeplyemotional content, often delivered via dramaticlyrics and a generous use of imagery and theatricality on-stage. The music is mostly the product of carefulcomposition, relying less heavily onimprovised jamming. The subgenre relies very much on clean, melodic and emotional electric guitarsolos, combined withkeyboards. The main musical influences on the neo-prog genre are bands from the first wave of progressive rock such as earlyGenesis,Camel, and to a lesser extentVan der Graaf Generator andPink Floyd.[2]Funk,hard rock andpunk rock were also influences on the genre.[4]
In the bookThe Progressive Rock Files, author Jerry Lucky dedicates a chapter to neo-progressive rock with the title "A Neo Beginning!", stating that this subgenre "surfaced in late 1981, bearing testimony to the lasting values of this musical form" of progressive rock, but distinguishing it from this main genre, saying, "Sure the sound was a bit different ... a little more bite, a little more eighties". Later in the same book, Jerry Lucky suggested that neo-prog peaked in the mid-1980s: "As 1984 dawned all of the British neo-progressive rock bands release material." Famous neo-prog albums wereMarillion'sFugazi,Pallas'The Sentinel,Pendragon'sFly High Fall Far,Twelfth Night'sArt and Illusion,Solstice'sSilent Dance,IQ'sThe Wake, andQuasar'sFire in the Sky.[5]
A predecessor to this genre wasthe Enid, who fused rock with classical but were more heavily influenced byRalph Vaughan Williams than by more modern composers.[6] The change of approach can be heard in the shift toward shorter compositions and a keyboard-based sound in the 1980s Rush albumsSignals,Grace Under Pressure,Power Windows andHold Your Fire.[7] Neo-progressive bands emphasised individual solos instead of groupimprovisation, and they included moreworld music elements. Lyrics became more personal and less esoteric.Concept albums were still created, but not as frequently and on a smaller scale.[7]Digital synthesizers took over many of the roles formerly filled by bulkier keyboards such as Mellotrons and organs,[8] and their modern sound tended to minimise the folk influences that had been typical of 1970s progressive rock.[9] Heavy metal bands such asIron Maiden andQueensrÿche began to explore the mythological themes and extended concepts that had previously been the territory of progressive rock.[10]
Early neo-prog was marked by sophisticatedlyrics and often dark themes. While the accessibility of neo-prog to the mainstream is debatable, the form did generally seem more radio-friendly, with shorter and less complex songs than earlier progressive rock. Nonetheless, neo-prog never achieved the heights of popular success that the first wave of progressive rock in the 1970s did, with only one band, Marillion, achieving arena status.[11] Marillion achieved major success across Europe in particular and produced eight top ten UK albums between 1983 and 1994, peaking in popularity with their albumMisplaced Childhood in 1985, which topped theUK Albums Chart and produced two top five hit singles in the UK. The album has been called "the cornerstone of the entire 'neo-prog' movement".[12] Following this peak, neo-prog declined in popularity as a genre, although several bands have continued to record and tour, with Marillion and their ex-singerFish in particular both maintaining a largecult following.
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