Proging the USA

It's time for the 3rd entry in the international scene series: The United States. Unlike France or Italy, the per capita production of Prog in the USA was rather low. As a more conservative nation, the general ability of prog to come to fruit was lower to begin with. However, the prog from the United States is by no means a slouch, as a good mix of bands played rock both in a British-Emulating style and with their own flare.

One of the signatures of American Prog was a tendency towards the weird. The nation's most famous progressive rock icon is the witty Frank Zappa, who created some of rock music's greatest social commentary delivered through whimsical and confusing non-sequittuers. Additional bands like the Residents and the Muffins practiced avant garde music to the tee, creating some of the least accessible but most interesting progressive rock of the period. Other bands, particularly from the New York area, continued the psychedelic tradition of the 60's with a progressive touch, such as Sweet Smoke. Even the great Jimi Hendrix himself was in talks with Emerson, Lake, and Palmer about moving into Prog before his untimely death.

On the flip side of the coin, some of the most melodic and accessible Prog came from the USA. Known for their radio hits "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind", Kansas led this movement. Their music was a mix of English symphonic prog and American Country music into a unique blend. Other groups like Pavlov' Dog, Starcastle, and even the earliest incarnations of the bland arena rock group Journey were progressive pop leaders.

Until death by Disco, American Prog was a steady presence in influence. While it may not have been as productive as The UK, the quality is just as strong. Like the nation itself, one of the best ways to describe U.S. Prog is "diverse."