Rock: well recorded bass...60s/70s

I wouldn't throw Cream in with Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, etc. but they certainly had songs with a nod in that direction--As You Said, Passing the Time, Deserted Cities of the Heart, for instance. The use of orchestration and time changes is consistent with Progressive Rock. But they still had their bluesy/jazzy feel so the overall effect is different.

The psychedelic movement and associated interest in experiments in music in the mid to latter sixties was what initially spawned early examples of "progressive rock" as per King Crimson, the Moody Blues, etc. Cream was part of all that, but came at it like the Yardbirds and many other British rockers from an original strong base formulated on the blues. So while Cream may not be strictly considered "progressive rock" in their time, they no doubt participated on the road that led to the more purely "progressive" acts that soon followed.

Taht might help explain why I have never taken as strongly to Eric Clapton as many. I appreciate what he does and has done but his music seldom truly touches me.

My favorite Clapton album of late is the one he did with JJ Cale a few years back and I attribute that largely to JJ Cale.

BD,

I really enjoy your posts on popular music. What is your background? Sounds like maybe you are/were in the biz?

About Hugh Banton of Van Der Graaf Generator from Wikipedia:

"In 1975 he began building a custom organ based on a Hammond but with added electronic oscillators to closely approximate a full pipe organ sound, with bass notes down to 16 Hz played through 24-inch subwoofers."

I am pretty sure this must be the organ used on "Still Life" as I mentioned in an earlier post. Its as clean, low and prominent as anything I have heard on even classical organ recordings. Probably things going on there at very low frequency that only the very best systems could register.