If you love 70s prog, the focus is often on the English giants of the genre but of course, thats just scratching the surface, there were plenty of proggy/jazzy bands in Europe, Germany especially and it’s those bands I’d like to talk about and recommend. Some like Kraan and Necktar used to appear in the NME and the like but many more never made an impression. Here’s just a few;
Eloy: Often called the "German Pink Floyd," they dominated the 70s with landmark atmospheric space-prog albums like Ocean (1977) and Power and the Passion (1975).
Triumvirat: Heavily inspired by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, they released classic 70s keyboard-driven albums like Illusions on a Double Dimple (1974) and Spartacus (1975).
Grobschnitt: Famous for their epic 1970s multi-part suites—most notably their legendary live opus Solar Music (1978)—and theatrical stage shows.
Novalis: Released acclaimed romantic, synth-driven albums throughout the decade, including Sommerabend (1976) and Brandung (1977).
Jane: Blended heavy organ-driven rock with progressive soundscapes on classic 70s records like Together (1972) and Lady (1975).
Birth Control: Combined heavy progressive rock with hard rock and jazz, famous for their 1972 classic track "Gamma Ray".
Neuschwanstein: Formed in the 70s, their 1979 release Battlement is considered one of the finest late-70s symphonic prog albums.
Ramses: Known for atmospheric, synth-heavy symphonic prog reminiscent of Camel and Jane, best heard on their 1975 album La Leyla.
Streetmark: Blended symphonic rock with early electronic synths (a young Wolfgang Riechmann played on their 1977 release Eileen).
Epidaurus: Produced rare, organ-laden symphonic prog with dual keyboardists, highlighted by their 1977 release Earthly Paradise.
Message: Formed by German and British musicians, delivering a heavier, sax-driven style of progressive rock on albums like From Books & Dreams (1973).
Kraan: Blended progressive rock with tight jazz-funk grooves and flawless basslines, famous for their 1975 live album Live.
Embryo: A prolific collective combining progressive rock with jazz fusion and world music influences on early 70s records like Rocksession (1973).
Passport: Led by saxophonist Klaus Doldinger, one of Germany's leading jazz-prog outfits throughout the decade (notably on 1973's Looking Thru).
Twenty Sixty Six and Then: A short-lived, dual-keyboard heavy-prog group that released the hard-hitting album Reflections on the Future (1971).
Agitation Free: Famous for loose, improvisational space-rock jams combined with early tape loops and synths on Second (1973).
Popol Vuh: Focused on spiritual, acoustic-electric space music and acoustic ragas, well known for scoring Werner Herzog's films and albums like Hosianna Mantra (1972).
Cluster / Harmonia: Key pioneers who bridged spacey progressive rock and early ambient synthesizer music alongside Brian Eno
The bands you will have heard of, even if it was from your older brother
Can: Released their most celebrated, ground-breaking albums in the early 70s, including Tago Mago (1971), Ege Bamyasi (1972), and Future Days (1973) which is the one I still return to.
Amon Düül II: Defined early 70s German psych-prog with heavy, chaotic masterpieces like Yeti (1970) and Tanz der Lemminge (1971). They had some great album covers.
Neu!: Pioneered the hypnotic 1970s "motorik" beat across their self-titled 1972 debut, Neu! 2 (1973), and Neu! '75 (1975). They still sound surprisingly modern
Faust: Pushed the absolute limits of avant-garde 70s rock collage with Faust IV (1973).
Tangerine Dream / Ash Ra Tempel: Leading figures of 1970s Kosmische Musik (Cosmic Music), bridging space-rock jams and electronic ambient prog. I love Ricochet.
