20 great OBSCURE Prog Song excerpts (1972-1980)

Here are excerpts of 20 GREAT songs by 20 great OBSCURE Prog Rock bands, all between 1972 and 1980.
They all fall under the Prog Rock genre including sub-genres Symphonic Prog, Space Rock, Eclectic Prog, Jazz/Prog and Heavy Prog. Watch the video to see who is included.
I discovered all these bands in the last 10 years (I'm 46 years old) and was first turned onto Prog Rock around 1990 by my friend Ron (R.I.P.). I started with more known bands like Amon Duul II, Rush, Yes, Van Der Graaf Generator, Gentle Giant, Genesis, King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, etc. But I'll bet even those who grew up in the 70's have never heard of many of these bands. They are THAT obscure.

Enjoy.

[davidandcookie]

You know what's scary? We can live our whole lives through and still miss hundreds, if not thousands of bands and recordings still out there. Life is too short to waste on sucky, mediocre music.

[Novha]

For the period of begining of 70 in Italy you can find a lot of prog bands some are hidden gems

[djmarkuss]

I do a local progressive rock radio show, and have been studying the genre for about fifty years. Even so, I have never heard of some of these bands. Some are even still available, if you know where to look. Thank you for posting this, hopefully it will inspire more listenership of this great music form.

[caryheuchert]

I think the secret to Progressive Rock’s longevity is its textures and colours. No other genre of Rock has such diversity.

[samcarson]

Let me add a long time personal obscurity, Nine Days Wonder "Sonnet to Billy Frost, " from Germany, their 4th & final LP, 1976 on Bellaphon, truly a lost gem to my ears, with a crushing finale "You're Always All Alone..." All 4 NDW albums were worthy, but "Sonnet" was their attempt to be more mainstream, and the songs & performances are EXCELLENT, with some sinewy & bruising guitar licks along with the keyboards us prog fans demand. The closing track to side one, "Turn and Go On" sounds like a lost Rolling Stones song to me. Sorry this couldn't find an audience in '76, but I'm glad to stand up for it now, 47 years later.

[fald]

31st of December of the year 2021 and I'm still discovering awesome prog I never heard of.

[ephraimmoritz]

00:00 – Mythos: “Powerslide” [“Strange Guys” (1978)] – CAN
00:40 – Twenty Sixty Sins & Then: “Autumn” [“Reflection of the Future” (1972)] – GER
02:11 – Atoll: “Au-Dela Des Ecrans de Cristel” [“Musiciens-Magiciens” (1974)] – FRA
03:35 – Circus 2000: “Need” [“An Escape From a Box/ Fuga Dall’Involucro” (1972)] – ITA
05:00 – Coma: “Orientexpress” [“Amoc” (1980)] – DEN
06:13 – Eden: “Ein Anderes Land” [“Erwartung” (1978)] – GER
07:33 – Elohim: “Au Coeur Des Cataclysmes” [“A L’Aube du Verseau” (1975)] – FRA
08:58 – Finch: “Register Magister” [“Glory of the Inner Force” (1975)] – HOL
10:34 – Mythos: “Mysterious Scene” [“Strange Guys” (1977)] – GER
12:07 – Nepočin: “Svijet po Kojem Gazim” [“Svijet po Kojem Gazim” (1977)] – YUG
13:24 – Ñu: “Preparan” [“Cuentos de Ayer y de Hoy” (1978)] – SPA
14:55 – Oktober: “Familie” [“Uhrsprung” (1976)] – GER
16:25 – P'Cock: “The Actors Fun” [“The Prophet” (1979)] – GER
17:39 – Ragnarok: “Fenris” [“Ragnarok” (1975)] – NZ
18:58 – Reform: “Dicke Bohnen” [“Reform” (1979)] – GER
20:18 – Schakta: “Magician” [“Tales” (1980)] – SWI
21:29 – Secret Oyster: “Oysterjungle” [“Sea Son” (1974)] – DEN
23:00 – Sensations’ Fix: “Finest Finger” [“Finest Finger” (1976)] – ITA
24:31 – Shylock: “Le Quatrieme” [“Gialorgues” (1977)] – FRA
26:09 – Womega: “Christo Said” [“A Quick Step” (1975)] – BEL
27:30 – Xarhanga: “Great Goat” [single, 1973] – POR

[fernandadias]

Bubu is an obscure prog rock band from Argentina, their first album Anabelas is a masterpiece imo. They are heavily inspired by King crimson, Stravinsky, Zappa and they also mix a bit of magma, vdgg, gong and more!

[domenicocasalino]

Hi Mikael nice to meet you and congratulations for the original mix you made, thank you.
I want to tell you that in addition to the most famous Italian groups abroad such as Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM), Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (BMS or Banco), Le Orme, New Trolls, Osanna, Balletto di Bronzo, Rovescio della Medaglia, Museo Rosenbach etc., in Italy in the decade 1970/1980 many other interesting Prog, Psychedelia, SymphoProg, JazzProg were born which unfortunately did not have luck and are little known to international Prog music enthusiasts. Among all those groups, I suggest you listen carefully if you can at least these here:
Alphataurus, Buon Vecchio Charlie, Quella Vecchia Locanda, Maxophone, Nuova Idea, La Locanda delle Fate, Acqua Fragile, Le Orme, Il Volo, Trip (Atlantide), Cervello, Saint Just (La casa sul lago), Napoli Centrale (Campagna), Perigeo (La Valle dei Templi), Arti & Mestieri (Tilt), Goblin, Ibis, Jumbo, Metamorfosi, Formula 3 (Dies Irae), Biglietto per l'inferno, Latte e Miele, Garybaldi, Celeste, Corte dei miracoli, J.E.T., Apoteosi, Triade (1998: la storia di Sabazio), Dalton (Riflessioni: Idea D'Infinito), L'Uovo di Colombo, Jacula, Il Castello di Atlante.
If you are interested in knowing other less famous but interesting and original Italian PsycheProg '70/80 bands, write to me and I'll make another list.
It would be nice and interesting for all of us international enthusiasts if each of you manages to publish a list of Psychedelia, Prog, etc. bands from your country. released in the decade from 1970 to 1980 which are not famous to the g
It would be nice and interesting for all of us enthusiasts if each of you manages to publish a list of Psychedelia, Prog, etc. bands from your country. released in the decade from 1970 to 1980 which are not famous to the general international public but which are still interesting and original to be able to listen to today after 40/50 years.
Greetings from Nettuno (ROME) and good music to all of you.

[Broxin]

German musicians are so in a league of their own. This was good stuff.

[iananderson]

Wow a Progressive rock YouTube video without the usual tired out Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, ELP etc. songs. You had to have lived through this era to know these bands. Some of them had very limited press runs.

[ramongarcia]

Glad to find Atoll in this selection! There may not be such an underrated prog band like this French assembly! Their second album “L’Araignée-Mal” is a prog masterpiece

[memphistennis]

Obscure, yes, Great? do love prog, thanks for your contribution educational

[monicaleal]

I'm 64, have been into prog since 1976, and even hung out in a used record store in the late 70s so I saw nearly all albums come thru there, and on this list I recognized only ONE band!!! (Sensations Fix whom I learned about from the Jem Import Records catalog, and I had that album you played.) Usually I know a lot of the bands in compilations, so I'm impressed! and will check many of these out! Thank you!

[frodon]

Glad to watch you've included Atoll 1st album I have reissued around 30 years ago as Musea founder. Atoll was a French band which started from a rather Crosby, Stills, Nash/America styled-rock for a progressive rock which was rather close to Yes/Genesis. The second album "L'Araignée-Mal" with 2 keyboarddists and a violonist (ex Komintern) is more prog and contains excellent tracks with some jazz-rock influences too.

[ndBrother]

I count myself lucky to have grown up in the 70’s it was such a musically rich time not to mention all the great concerts.

[zelly]

Yes, what an obscure brew. Another great symphonic prog band from NZ/Australia was ALEPH their album Surface Tension is well worth a listen.

[NimrodelMirage]

I've had difficulties trying to discover obscure prog stuff ever since I've been into this kind of music. I don't know most of these bands so thank you very much for this!

[paulmchugh]

Out of the 20, I have 2 for in my collection ; Finch and Shylock. I have a different Atoll album and one from Mythos. Most I have never heard. I have been a prog fanatic since 1969 with In the Court of the Crimson King.

[electricbrainelectricshado]

I love this idea. I adore prog, but branching out into the obscure stuff can be so daunting, just because any new prog takes some focus. The highlight format is very helpful. Awesome video!