Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

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Prog Brittania

I was in the UK a week ago and stumbled upon a program on BBC Four (I think) called Prog Brittania. It took two hours and told the story of the brith (and untimely death) of the Prog Rock scene in the UK from the early Soft Machine / Canterbury scene emergence through the many spin off groups and the ever increasing requirement of virtuoso musicianship and more extravagant stage presence - Yes, Genesis - until the Punk era overshadowed the genre. A fabulous program and one you should try to see. Did anyone else see it?
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I was told about this program by a friend on LinkedIn Prog discussion group. Did any of you English - or European Moonies see this program.

Any idea if it is available on DVD for purchase?

Thanks for any and all feedback.

Regards from Texas,
Ted

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

I knew about "Prog Brittania" but in Belgium it isn't possible to see Channel Four.
But a friend has a videotape from the program and I hope to see the program in the near future.
So far that I know there isn't any DVD. But maybe that's also a question of time ....

ErikM from Belgium.

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

BBC four podcasted TV programms are unavailable outise the UK, only radio programms are , sad :-(

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

outside * :-)

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

In all honesty I thought the programme a bit poor.

No mention at all of The Moody Blues apart from playing "Thinking is the best way to travel" in the fade out at the end of the programme.

I have it recorded on HDD and will watch it again to see if my opinion changes.

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

The documentary is very interesting. Has some flaws, though. Especially I refer to the third part. I think it is big exagerration to say that punk killed prog and that killed it in 1977. There were some other phenomenas in the second half of 70's that made prog go 'underground' and still the last years of the 70's produced some cult prog albums which were played much more often than punk in biggest UK radio stations (The Wall for example).
But the film is very well directed.

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

Thank you all for your replies - I really appreciate your feedback - good and bad. I found a link for the program and wanted to share it with you - especially those outside England:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/musictv/progbritannia/

I am sorry to hear about the lack in the program. It is always good to see Rick Wakeman!!

Take care!!

Regards from Texas,
Ted

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

found a link for the program and wanted to share it with you - especially those outside England:


Thank You Texas Ted :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

Hi Ted, wish we could have met up on your visit. I concur with KW, I was not too impressed with the ommissions from the programme but you would need at least 12 hours to do the subject justice. I do not agree with the punk theory either and they should have brought it right up to date. They could have interviewed people like KW!! :eek:
The best thing was that it was on the BBC and on Prog Rock which so rarely gets a mention. I would have looked at it again but the kids have already deleted it from my sky HD :headscrat
Thanks Ted for bringing this up for discussion.:thumbsup:
eloy1964

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

I watched this yesterday. A lot was missing -- specifically, some influential groups were elided from mention. It was also extremely anglocentric. I realize that the show's title was "Prog Britania" but it made it seem as if prog was strictly a UK phenomenon.

Also, the third part spent away too much time on the punk rock/demise of prog.

Re: Prog Brittania - BBC Four
 

It says "Not available in your area...:( :(

Nevertheless, thanks Ted