3 Progressive Rock Bands That Are Active Today With No Original Members

Quite a few progressive rock acts have stood the test of time, decades after the genre’s heyday. However, as it is with many decades-old rock bands, quite a few progressive rock outfits that are still around and touring today do not have any original or founding members in their lineups. Let’s look at a few examples! Even without the OGs in tow, these bands still rock particularly hard.

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Yes

Well, this famous prog-rock band was a shoo-in on our list of progressive rock outfits with no original members currently in the lineup. Given that they formed way back in 1968, that’s not exactly surprising. Though, some of the current members of Yes have been with the group for a long time.

Yes was originally formed in 1968 by Chris Squire, Jon Anderson, Tony  Kaye, Peter Banks, Bill Bruford, and Tony O’Reilly, though O’Reilly and Banks were in the band for a short amount of time. Today, Yes is made up of Steve Howe (joined 1970), Geoff Downes (joined 1980), Billy Sherwood (joined 1997), Jon Davison (joined 2012), and Jay Schellen (2023).

Soft Machine

Oldheads likely remember Soft Machine well, as they were one of the most unique progressive rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. It’s difficult to pin them exclusively as prog-rock, too. Soft Machine has always had a unique style that touched on jazz, psychedelia, and instrumental rock. And, of course, they were one of the most important bands in the Canterbury scene of the 1960s.

Soft Machine’s original lineup consisted of Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen, and Larry Nowlin, the latter of whom was only in the band for its first year in 1966. Sadly, most of those members have since passed on. Today, Soft Machine is made up of John Etheridge, Theo Travis, Fred Thelonious Baker, and Asaf Sirkis, most of whom joined the outfit in the 21st century.

Gong

Another essential Canterbury scene outfit makes it to our list of progressive rock bands with no original members. Formed in 1967, Gong produced some of the finest prog and psychedelic space rock tunes of the era. And their lineup looks very different today.

Gong’s original lineup in 1967 consisted of Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth, Ziska Baum, and Loren Standlee. Sadly, all but Baum have since passed on. And, quite surprisingly, all of the current members of Gong joined decades after the group first formed. Fabio Golfetti joined in 2007, Dave Sturt and Ian East joined in 2009, and Kavus Torabi and Cheb Nettles joined in 2014.

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