Help. Was Pink Floyd prog rock?

ICBM

Stuckfast said:

There were elements of prog in Floyd but I don't think they were a full-on prog band. As others have said one of the key features of prog rock was the incorporation of ideas and structures from classical music (and perhaps other genres such as jazz and Eastern music). 

Bands like the Beatles and Procol Harum could qualify as prog too, by the late 60s - a lot of Sgt Pepper is classically-influenced, George Harrison was the pioneer of eastern influences in rock, Here Comes The Sun is in an odd time signature and A Whiter Shade Of Pale is nicked from Bach…

Grumpyrocker

I wonder which band has had the most front covers of Prog Magazine. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't Floyd.

Chuffola

This notion of Pink Floyd not being prog because they weren't when they started is nonsense. Genesis and Jethro Tull weren't prog when they started. They all fell into the "prog" definition after their first albums (Genesis) or much later (Tull). Definitely in the Prog Big Five though.  Even Yes were arguably more pop / psychedelic rock in the first 2 /3 albums and didn't really become full-on-robo-prog until Fragile. 

I think pretty much any band that produces Echoes, Dark Side of the Moon, Shine On, Dogs and The Wall have to be considered Progressive. 

Litterick

From 1968, Eric Clapton tells Rolling Stone about the Pink Floyd:

"Very strange group. The nearest thing you would have to them here –— well, I can’t even think of a group you can relate them to. Very freaky. They’re not really psychedelic. They do things like play an hour set that’s just one number. They are into a lot of electronic things. They’re also very funny. They’re nice, they really are a very nice group. They’re unambitious and they give you a nice feeling watching them. They’re not trying to put anything over."

Stuckfast

Litterick said:

From 1968, Eric Clapton tells Rolling Stone about the Pink Floyd:

"They’re unambitious"

They certainly got over that in later years.

Mattharrier

Chuffola said:

This notion of Pink Floyd not being prog because they weren't when they started is nonsense.  

A bit like saying that Chuck Berry wasn't rock n roll, or Metallica weren't thrash metal. If your developing musical output helps to create a genre, then that's what you are, surely.

boogieman

I can’t think of a more prog-like track than Echoes… wafty lyrics, rhythm and key changes, weird psychedelic bit in the middle…so yup, they’re a prog band as far as I’m concerned. 

goldtop

If PF aren't prog rock, I'm going to have to rearrange my pigeonholes!

That said, if prog rock is the more wandersome Genesis/Yes, I am happy for them to be melodic rock, or whatever.

WiresDreamDisasters

No. Dad rock.

Springywheel

More psychedelic rock than prog

Kilgore

They're all in their 70's so they're Classic Rock. 

historyisjunk

 I think they are. Was going to say this is proved by having produced concept albums (unsure what the concepts were for the most part) but the Who also made a couple of very "concept" albums, maybe they had a prog phase?

They also wrote songs about "like serious stuff" & songs that it was pretty hard to say what they were about, except they were serious- i thing that's strong evidence

(I actually really like a lot of PF, but can't abide most of what I understand to be prog).

Grunfeld

ICBM said:

Did they ever play in a time signature other than 4/4 or at a push, 3/4?

Exhibit A: Money. The bulk of the song is in 7/4, with some parts in 4/4.

No further submission required.

However, Exhibit B:

The Ramones, Rockaway Beach  -- this song starts 1,2,3,4 and has some parts in 5/4

Whitecat

Grunfeld said:

ICBM said:

Did they ever play in a time signature other than 4/4 or at a push, 3/4?

Exhibit A: Money. The bulk of the song is in 7/4, with some parts in 4/4.

No further submission required.

However, Exhibit B:

The Ramones, Rockaway Beach  -- this song starts 1,2,3,4 and has some parts in 5/4

very unusual for a Ramones tune

darthed1981

Yes.

I mean, yes, Pink Floyd are prog.

But so are Yes.

viz

darthed1981 said:

Yes.

I mean, yes, Pink Floyd are prog.

But so are Yes.

a-ha!

(not prog)