Product Description

In the early seventies, King Crimson, Yes, Jethro Tull, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and many others brought forth a series of adventurous and visionary works, often of epic length. Responding both to the new possibilities in rock music opened up by "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", as well as to the countercultural politics and aesthetics of the late sixties, these musicians applied consummate instrumental and compositional skill to transgressing boundaries. Since the late seventies, histories of rock music have either ignored or marginalized the progressive rock era. In part, this has occurred because rock music criticism has taken an almost completely sociological turn, with little or no interest in musical form itself. In "Listening to the Future", Bill Martin argues that it is a musical and political mistake to ignore this period of tremendous creativity, a period which still finds resonance in rock music today. He sets the scene for the emergence of progressive rock (showing that, in fact, there has always been a progressive trend in rock music, a trend that took a quantum leap in the late sixties), and develops a terminology for understanding how an avant-garde could arise out of the sonic and social materials of rock music. Martin examines groups from the famous to the obscure: along with well-known groups such as Genesis or ELP, lesser-known groups such as Henry Cow, Magma and PFM receive attention that is long past due. He also surveys the albums, and provides resources for readers to explore the music further. Finally, he discusses the critical reception of progressive rock and the impact of the trend beyond the time of its greatest popularity - in particular considering the emergent "neoprogressive" trend, as well as recent works by Yes, Jethro Tull and King Crimson.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #196844 in Books
• Published on: 1997-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 376 pages

Customer Reviews

Excellent analysis of the music and the time that made it.
Martin makes me want to argue with him! I love that. Martin has an opinion and a bias, doesn't pretend otherwise, and the book is stronger for it. It's a quirky book -- certainly not a straight history -- but Martin genuinely succeeds at providing a singular view of a singular style of music. If that's not valuable, I don't know what is.

Very good analysis of a major period in music history
After Martin finally gets off his political/philosophical soap box (hard to get through even if you agree with most of it), he presents a very good analysis of the music itself. Highly recommended to anybody who has a serious interest in progressive rock.

Fascinating but flawed study of progressive rock.
I found this book enjoyable and infuriating at the same time. Martin's take on prog rock is well informed and thorough. But I kept wanting to argue with him all the time I was reading it.

My main problem with the book is that Martin has specifically modified his definition of progressive rock to exclude Frank Zappa. His definition also excludes Pink Floyd, while admitting the Mahavishnu Orchestra. This strikes me as ducking the issue; if Martin were to consider the work of Zappa along side Yes, King Crimson, etc., he would probably have to modify his thesis, and would probably has produced a stronger book.

Nevertheless, I am quite glad I bought this. But my copy will be severely marked up!!!