Prog Rock & Prog Metal’s 7 Greatest Mythical Albums!

So rare it's as if these mythical albums never even existed....

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Chris Jennings in Features

6. Pangdang Dang – Music For Gong

Predominantly silent – apart from the selection of Buddhist and dinner gongs banged at various intervals throughout – Music For Gong epitomised the prog rock era of the late 60’s.

The trio, only known as Ching, Ping and Betty, often held audiences entranced at festivals and auditoriums and became notorious for their use of Vick inhalers and highly embellished surgical stockings alongside their vast array of gongs. Unfortunately, Pangdang Dang notoriously struggled with the lyrical side of their music and live performances often degenerated into scandalous verbal abuse between the band and their audience. Regardless, Music For Gong was the pinnacle of their musical career; the following 38 albums never really making an impact and considered by most prog fans as a bit ‘samey’.

A ‘must own’ album for those passionate about prog, super-fans may consider a visit to the Gorton-in-Marsh museum of prog rock to see the entire Pangdang Dang gong collection in the flesh.

5. The Jelly Cottage Band – Owl

Everyone knows you can’t beat a good fart joke and Phil McKacks Jelly Cottage Band built a career around them. Launching a career that rivalled the infamous French flatulist Le Pétomane, The Jelly Cottage Band’s experimental fart based prog metal eventually filled stadiums across the planet.

Apart from a few unfortunate accidents along the way – requiring several costume changes and the liberal use of a mop – the JC Band (as they were known to their fans) arrived at the pinnacle of their musical career with the strangely titled album Owl. At this stage, drummer ‘Smelly Geezer’ Watson had perfected his patented ‘downwind’ method of drumming and bass player ‘Tweek’ Gristle’s melodic and harmonising flatulent riffs set this album apart from many released at the time.

Avid prog collector’s are always on the look out for the rare ‘Scratch ‘n’ Sniff’ version of this album. It may be incredibly hard to find but a mint condition copy is worth in excess of £3000 if you can lay your hands on its triple gatefold splendour!

If experiencing Owl in its entirety is a little to much to stomach, then we recommnd listening to the one track that epitomises this band more than any other; the evocative “Smells Like You’ve Got A Dead Rat Up It’. Once heard, never forgotten!