I’m re-reading this book, originally published back in 1996. Paul Stump tries to strip away the official punk-obsessed revisionist history of 70s rock, and tell us how it really was. Starting with a chapter entitled “Duffle Coats from Outer Space” he traces the rise and fall of progressive rock from it’s origins in sixties psychadelica through it’s marginalisation in the face of punk and new wave a decade later, eventually reaching the second generation neo-progressive bands of the 80s and 90s.
Stump tries to establish progressive rock in the context of the era, such as explaining how the tax-exile status of many big bands in the mid 70s was a contributing factor to the genre’s decline as they lost touch with UK audiences. He also suggests that the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in the late 70s and early 80s worked against progressive rock in that it competed against it for up and coming musicians. I’m not sure I buy this thesis, since the first of the 80s Neo Prog bands followed swiftly in the wake of NWOBHM, and I remember a big overlap in the fan bases.
The book covers most of the significant artists and albums, not just the megastars like Pink Floyd, Yes and Genesis, but the lesser known ones like Hatfield and the North, or Henry Cow. He doesn’t shirk from naming some of the more risible excesses of the late 70s, although he does make a brave attempt to defend Yes’ overambitious failure “Tales from Topographic Oceans”. In contrast, he’s very harsh on ELP, to an extent which will probably not endear him to any remaining fans of the band.
Overall, it’s a good overview of a much maligned genre which is long overdue for critical reassessment. Unfortunately, being published nine years ago, it doesn’t cover the more recent ‘third generation’ of bands who have sprung up in the last few years, playing progressive music with the underground DIY ethos of punk, while the musical heirs of punk and new wave dominate the record companies and airwaves.
