Will Romano has an ax to grind against punk rock. A recurring complaint in Prog Rock FAQ is that punk turned the tide against progressive rock in the late ’70s. He’s at least partially right (though many of us are happy it happened that way), even if he overlooks the possibility that the original prog wave was already losing inspiration and that the world (for better or worse) was moving toward shorter, faster experiences. Prog Rock FAQ is a sprawling collection of interviews, authorial opinions and anecdotes. Progheads will devour it but open-minded music buffs of all sorts will also find much to savor, especially chapters on unknown but fascinating-sounding bands inspired by the idea that rock should be more than an endless echo of “Louie Louie.” Portions of the book are devoted to current bands, buttressing Romano’s other theme: Prog lives!
