Though they're seldom given proper credit for it, Vanilla Fudge were the godfathers of progressive rock—a fact that their 1967 debut album makes plain. Sure, they were ostensibly a psychedelic band, but from the opening track's first moments, as singer/organist Mark Stein unleashes a baroque-styled intro to an elongated elaboration on The Beatles' "Ticket to Ride," the Fudge pursued a blend of rock 'n' roll fury and classical concepts. In that heady era, the band briefly broke through to the mainstream; their epic, barnstorming take on The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On" became a major hit, bringing the album along with it to the upper reaches of the charts. For a record that basically contained no original material (tunes by The Zombies, The Impressions, and Sonny & Cher also get Fudgified here), Vanilla Fudge was a direct and crucial influence on everything from hard rock and heavy metal (Deep Purple) and art rock (Yes) to progressive R&B (The Rotary Connection).