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King Crimson/Roxy Music
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IanB
IanB
6761 posts

Edited Dec 07, 2007, 10:23
Re: King Crimson/Roxy Music
Dec 07, 2007, 10:19
It's about two branches of Psych I reckon.

Generally speaking the rump of Engish prog came out of Psych and leant on folk, church and classical traditions for additional inspiration. Hence the provincial posh-boy / public school vibe. It's a cliche but with some truth in it. Lots of choir practice and enforced piano lessons. Very Un-American music and not an iota of Blues.

I think KC and VdGG were also Psych based but coming from more of a jazz, English blues boom and r&b place shared by the Pete Browns of this world. Although they both did some impenetrable stuff they were less about flash and more about blowing hard with controlled menace. You can hear why Graham Bond was invovled in VdGG and why saxes fit so naturally into the KC sound. They could also groove which Yes and Genesis couldn't in a million years. Nothing more alarming than the sound of Jon Anderson and Steve Howe trying to rock-out.

Roxy were just out on their own. No one else was so concerned with 20th century retro (Hollywood Deco etc), with American style, camp and high fashion while keeping the whole thing really hetero despite the dressing up. Art School yes, but with a twist provided by drapers and milliners. There's no template for what they did and had the huge advantage of being really iffy players. Limited skills focus the mind!

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