Dinah Douieb is a music producer at Skydog France (rock, punk) and Dinamyte (Raï music).

From Progressive Rock to Punk — A Cultural and Political Shift 

In the early 1970s, bands like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, Genesis, Sparks and Vangelis emerged with a highly symphonic sound. What exactly was this music?

Dinah Dinamyte: It was progressive rock — often called “prog rock.” These were musicians who drew heavily from classical composition, jazz structures, and experimental sound design. They used long arrangements, complex harmonies, and conceptual albums. Many were formally trained or deeply invested in instrumental mastery. At the time, some of these artists saw themselves as shaping a kind of new classical music. That wasn’t a retrospective interpretation — it was something they openly claimed. Their performances were serious, theatrical, and ambitious. This wasn’t club music; it was immersive, almost ceremonial. They also became major commercial forces, selling hundreds of thousands of records. Prog rock was first underground — then became huge with Pink Floyd, Genesis, King Crimson, Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Electric Light Orchestra, Jethro Tull, Tangerine Dream).

Was progressive rock political? Did “progressive” mean left-wing?

Dinah Dinamyte: Not exactly. While the word “progressive” might suggest political radicalism today, at the time it did not necessarily imply leftist ideology. The term referred more to musical ambition and experimentation than to explicit politics. That said, there was a libertarian spirit in the air — a broader countercultural mood. These bands projected seriousness and artistic autonomy. But framing prog rock as explicitly “left-wing rock” would be an oversimplification.

How did audiences relate to this music compared to classical music?

Dinah Dinamyte: In the early 70’s, young audiences were deeply engaged by prog rock in ways they were not by traditional classical music. It wasn’t that classical music lacked power or sophistication; it simply did not connect with youth culture in the same immediate way. Prog rock offered grandeur and technical virtuosity — but within a modern, electrified, amplified format. It became a bridge between high musical ambition and popular culture.

What was happening in France at the same time?

Dinah Dinamyte: France had its own experimental and progressive scene. Alongside Magma were: Ange – Triangle – Crium delirium – Catharsis, Atoll. Magma in particular was considered highly experimental — sometimes labeled “rock expérimental.” However, many of these French prog groups quickly faded from mainstream visibility, especially once musical tastes shifted later in the decade. Their music was symphonic, intense, and rooted in complex structures. There were also cross-channel influences from bands like Soft Machine and Gong, in UK both linked to the broader European psychedelic progressive movement.

Then comes punk. What changed?

Dinah Dinamyte: Everything changed. Meanwhile, bands like bridged pub rock as Docteur Feel Good, Duck de Luxe Eddie and the Hot rods London SS and early punk energy gave the movement its explosive visibility and political edge. By 1974–1975, the foundations were laid In the United States, bands like The Stooges, MC5, New York Dolls, and Ramones paved the way for punk rock to groups such as In the United Kingdom, The Damned, Sex Pistols, and The Clash. In France, bands as Asphalt Jungle, Metal Urbain, Bijou, Stinky Toys, Marie et les Garçons shape a distinctly French interpretation of punk.They all created a new style — not only in music, but in Art, fashion and attitude DIY. By 1976–77, punk had exploded across Europe with the 1st and 2nd European Punk Festivals in Mont-de-Marsan, organized by the French label Skydog, featuring bands such as…The Police and Eddie and the Hot Rods, The Clash, and Shakin’ Street Asphalt. By 1976–77, punk had exploded across Europe with the 1st and 2nd European Punk Festivals in Mont-de-Marsan, organized by the French label Skydog, featuring bands such as…The Police and Eddie and the Hot Rods, The Clash, Shakin’ Street, Asphalt Jungle, The Lou’s Punk stripped rock back to raw energy Rejected musical elitism. Three chords. Short songs. Urgency over virtuosity. Where prog rock required training and  discipline, punk suggested that anyone could pick up a guitar and play. It open the field of rock music. The shift was cultural as much as musical. Punk rejected grandiosity and attacked seriousness. It embraced outrage, scandal, and provocation. Festivals hesitated to book bands like Sex Pistols; venues feared chaos. There was a perception — often exaggerated — that rock culture was linked to delinquency. But there was no formal “collusion” with criminal networks. The connection was more about image, drugs, and marginal spaces.

Did punk erase progressive rock?

Dinah Dinamyte: Not exactly. Bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin continued to sell massive records. But the cultural center shifted. Punk became a catalyst. It opened the door to post-punk, new wave, and eventually electronic music. By the early 1980s, movements that grew out of punk energy — blending reggae, funk, and experimental textures — had reshaped the landscape. Meanwhile, technological changes were also decisive. The rise of synthesizers and samplers transformed music production. Disco, techno, and hip-hop emerged alongside and after punk, further fragmenting the scene.

Was television important in this transition?

Dinah Dinamyte: Interestingly, not as much as one might assume. In France, after the end of programs like Pop 2, rock largely disappeared from television for several years. But rock culture did not depend on TV. It moved through concerts, record shops, fanzines, word of mouth, and physical networks. When punk finally appeared more visibly on French television later in the decade, it was already a movement thriving in clubs and underground spaces.

So what ultimately defines the difference between prog rock and punk?

Dinah Dinamyte: Progressive rock aimed upward — toward complexity, mastery, and symphonic ambition. Punk aimed outward — toward immediacy, accessibility, and confrontation. One sought to elevate rock toward high art. The other tore it back down to street level. Both were reactions to their time. And both reshaped music in ways that still resonate today.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)