Ever feel grateful you weren't just into "rock"?

[regenerativemusic]

Do you ever look at what happens to a lot of the "rock" world and count your blessings you were more into Prog?

Back in my early 20s I was a pretty big part of the grunge thing in Seattle because at the time, it was more like "camp" done by people who were in the intellectual punk scene. A few of us came from a background of listening to 4 AD and early Industrial bands I was always a progger composing "classical" electronic music on my own, but these were some of my closest friends who I spent a lot of time with until I just left the scene in 1989 because of all the drug abuse and partying. The "gimmick" of grunge I never came back to, although i had one Soundgarden album and one Mudhoney album. I would never say anything to hurt any of those old friends, but it's like Prog saved my life. I can't imagine living in such a limited sonic spectrum.

If you look at the longevity of Prog rockers, you can see most in the major bands had led long happy lives so far. It's true that its not only the complexity and cross cultural and cross generational appeal of the beauty of the music, but it's the wisdom in the lyrics.

[notallwhowander]

I don't know. Prog has just been a surprisingly deep well, is all.

I am a rocker at heart, I just want a fair amount of novelty thrown in.

[regenerativemusic]

It's just like classical musicians, who usually live long. I think of the top four bands in the more
inner prog groups (that is not counting Floyd or Tull) Yes, Genesis, ELP, and KC, there has only
been one death?

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

I *am* just into Rock. What do you think Prog is? Prog is just Rock with a more complex compositional style. Prog isn't a genre, it's an approach incorporating Rock music elements.

[regenerativemusic]

Not going to argue semantics or what is prog, lol

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

I don't think anyone can argue that it's not Rock music. Perhaps your thread title is misleading. Reading the first post, it would have been better stated "Ever feel grateful you weren't just into "grunge"?" cause Prog is just Rock. Rock mixed with other music styles, but Rock just the same.

[Trane]

Yup, whebn I think that my first three albums bought in 74 (age 11) were Crime Of The Century, Dark Side Of The Moon and Selling England (that one took a while to sink in, though >> I had to wait until ToTT was released for it to really click in), I plunged right in the best stuff around... Within months, I had discovered TAAB, CTTE, G&P, 5è Saison, etc... Fuck, the best news-paper delivery job money ever spent, if you ask me.

All I knew before that were The Stones & Beatles, and of course Tull's Stand Up, which my father had bought in 69 on the strength of Bourée. I came to discover (or at least start buying their albums) heavy rock (from Purple to Rainbow, from Zep to Sab, from Priest to BOC, etc..) only a couple of years later.


I shudder what would've become of me, had I started out by buying if I had bought Alladin Sane, Transformer, Godbye Yellow Brick Road, Here Comes The Warm Jets, Tanx or Billion Dollar Babies (to name just the glam rock crowd)... Or if Zep, Sabbath or Purple had been my first three albums, FTM.



Or (shudders incontrollable... and throws up) if Poco, Eagles and Carpenters had been my first three acquisitions... Yikes!!!

[Sputnik]

An interesting question. I've said before that if it weren't for Progressive Rock, I'm not sure I'd be that into music at all, though that may be truer of listening than playing my own music. For me, as a listener, I need something more. There are remarkably few basic rock albums I really enjoy, but add on the additional elements of Prog, and I'm in heaven. Am I grateful for having that in my life? Hell yeah!

But sometimes I do wish I could just enjoy simpler forms without starting to squirm in my seat from boredom after the third or fourth song. I've recently started singing in a band, and we play relatively simple rock songs, mostly original with a few covers thrown in. For me, the act of singing creates a lot more interest, and I've gained a huge appreciation for a lot of singers in various rock and pop styles (regardless of whether I like their music). But if I was just playing bass, I'm not sure this would hold my interest as much. I've started learning to sing a lot of songs on acoustic as well, partly for practice, partly just for the fun of doing it.

So I seem to need some greater intellectual engagement in what I'm doing to enjoy it, that's just how I am. Prog provides that, though I draw the line with some Prog because sometimes what is classified as "Prog" isn't that intellectually engaging to me. I'm very grateful that some Prog delivers what my demented brain seems to crave.

Bill

[JKL2000]

I *am* just into Rock. What do you think Prog is? Prog is just Rock with a more complex compositional style. Prog isn't a genre, it's an approach incorporating Rock music elements.

I think it's pretty obvious he meant rock that isn't prog.

I agree with the original post - I actually feel sorry for people who don't like any kind of ambitious music - be it prog, jazz, classical, etc. To me it's the equivalent of only liking the Police Academy movies, for example.

[notallwhowander]

Be careful, we're treading into Wobbly Headed Bob territory.

[PeterG]

I've always been a musical omnivore.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

actually, seeing now what the OP is trying to say... I like plenty of Pop Rock so the answer is No, I'm not a Prog snob and do not think anyone is a better person for being a Prog snob

[Digital_Man]

[Do you ever look at what happens to a lot of the "rock" world and count your blessings you were more into Prog?]

Yes, I feel very blessed and fortunate that I somehow accidentally stumbled upon this genre. To be honest, it's certainly possible that I could have still been a big fan of YES and or Genesis and still not gotten into this kind of music as a whole(a lot of people who are fans of them don't go much further). But I always seem to want more. When I was a teen I just really liked the sound of certain bands. I liked the long songs, the mellotron, the weird parts and the whole adventurousness of it in general. You really won't find that much(if at all)in regular rock. I like regular rock too but prog was always something a bit different and mysterious. I think because it's not mainstream and doesn't appeal to the average rock listener is why it has such a cult following to this day. Most people just don't get it partly because they're not willing to dig deeper and invest the time and effort to just discover it and enjoy it. Yeah, it's quirky but so what? It's only prog and roll and I like it.

[Jeremy Bender]

I got in to music via my older siblings being British Invasion fans. I liked that stuff, was a huge Beatles fan, but the first bands that I had as my own were the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream and Iron Butterfly (they were too "heavy" and loud with too many long guitar solos for my siblings). I always loved quality pop music such as The Mamas and The Papas and Elton John, later got heavily in to Black Sabbath. Hearing ELP, Yes, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd and Genesis ca. 1974 was a big deal and to this day ELP from 1970-74 are my favorite band ever. Got burned out on prog ca. 1976, got in to orchestral music and jazz until punk came along. New Wave (as us Yanks called it), grunge, Britpop, electronica (Orbital, The Orb, The Chemical Brothers, Goa trance) and on and on followed. I grew up loving classical music via my Dad's extensive collection of Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky (especially the glorious ballets) and Stravinsky LP's, later became a huge opera fan.

I've never been a musical "joiner". Just as I never became a punk despite being a huge Sex Pistols and Clash fan, plus liking a lot of Los Angeles area punk bands (X, Bad Religion), I never became a Proghead either. The final nail in *that* coffin was being looked down on at a prog festival in the early 90's by a couple of guys who were incredulous that I didn't know every obscure Italian prog band who had released one album in 1971 and *gasp* actually liked stuff like The Carpenters Rainy Days and Mondays or The Partridge Family's great single I Think I Love You.

I actually feel sorry for people who don't like any kind of ambitious music - be it prog, jazz, classical, etc. To me it's the equivalent of only liking the Police Academy movies, for example

Or: you care more about music than most people, people who would scoff at you because you don't share *their* interests. If I introduced you to some people I know and you didn't have an encyclopedic knowledge of Cubist painting or the plays of Shakespeare or the entire ouvre of Dostoyevsky or haven't seen the 5 hour long TV version of Ingmar Bergman's Nicholas and Alexander, they'd feel sorry for *you*. What a poor way to experience art.

[regenerativemusic]

actually, seeing now what the OP is trying to say... I like plenty of Pop Rock so the answer is No, I'm not a Prog snob and do not think anyone is a better person for being a Prog snob

Orginal:

Do you ever look at what happens to a lot of the "rock" world and count your blessings you were more into Prog?

read the word "more"

read your statement trying to find a snob in the woodwork.....

maybe if you read every word in the sentences more you won't try to find your own personal meanings and
eventually write phrases that seem like insults.....

its not like most of us don't really focus on what each other is saying.....it does take a time to be nice to
people on forums when our tendency maybe is to be judgmental.

now, I listen to tons of music other than "Prog Rock" -- in fact, I'm known on a prog forum as arguing
that Prog is in fact more in the rock area and in favor of classical if people really want to explore innovation
in music.

I'm a huge exotic pop music fan focusing on 60s European music.

Most of the prog I listen to these days is from the fringes (Paternoster, Fields, etc.) so in that way, hopefully
I will remember your words and if I am ever in an ethical situation in which I may look down on a Rush fan,
I will think twice, lol

(ok, maybe you weren't calling me a Prog Snob, but thought that this would be helpful in helping you to see
the thought better)

[Facelift]

Do you ever look at what happens to a lot of the "rock" world and count your blessings you were more into Prog?

Back in my early 20s I was a pretty big part of the grunge thing in Seattle because at the time, it was more like "camp" done by people who were in the intellectual punk scene. A few of us came from a background of listening to 4 AD and early Industrial bands I was always a progger composing "classical" electronic music on my own, but these were some of my closest friends who I spent a lot of time with until I just left the scene in 1989 because of all the drug abuse and partying. The "gimmick" of grunge I never came back to, although i had one Soundgarden album and one Mudhoney album. I would never say anything to hurt any of those old friends, but it's like Prog saved my life. I can't imagine living in such a limited sonic spectrum.

If you look at the longevity of Prog rockers, you can see most in the major bands had led long happy lives so far. It's true that its not only the complexity and cross cultural and cross generational appeal of the beauty of the music, but it's the wisdom in the lyrics.

Prog *is* rock - a part of it, anyway.

The main reason why many '70s prog artists are still around, is the same reason why many '70s rock artists are still around, which is continued economic viability based largely on nostalgia. The current Yes has the same touring model as the current (name your classic rock band): heavy emphasis on the old stuff, and play almost nothing live from the last 25 years. Most viable artists from that era stayed around as long as they wanted to. The "wisdom in the lyrics" has nothing to do with it, IMO.

[smcfee]

Orginal:
read your statement trying to find a snob in the woodwork.....

maybe if you read every word in the sentences more you won't try to find your own personal meanings and
eventually write phrases that seem like insults.....

You just perfectly captured L. Perez's last 15+ years on the Internet in a single post.

[regenerativemusic]

Prog *is* rock - a part of it, anyway.

The main reason why many '70s prog artists are still around, is the same reason why many '70s rock artists are still around, which is continued economic viability based largely on nostalgia. The current Yes has the same touring model as the current (name your classic rock band): heavy emphasis on the old stuff, and play almost nothing live from the last 25 years. Most viable artists from that era stayed around as long as they wanted to. The "wisdom in the lyrics" has nothing to do with it, IMO.

I meant "still around" as being actually alive

If you look at a lot of metal bands, a large number of them die before 50. Rap is even worse.

[Digital_Man]

[The current Yes has the same touring model as the current (name your classic rock band): heavy emphasis on the old stuff, and play almost nothing live from the last 25 years. ]

This would not apply to Genesis though. When I saw them in 2007 at least half of their set list was post 1980.

[Facelift]

[The current Yes has the same touring model as the current (name your classic rock band): heavy emphasis on the old stuff, and play almost nothing live from the last 25 years. ]

This would not apply to Genesis though. When I saw them in 2007 at least half of their set list was post 1980.

the last 25 starts in 1991. So yes - Genesis fit. I purposely didn't exclude the '80s, since a few of the popular prog bands had at least one album do very well between 1980 and 1986.

[Trane]

Oddly enough, while Prog (or art Rock as I knew it back then) was my first genre I investigated, I was also solidly searching in the British Blues Boom around the same time : Ten Years After, Savoy Brown, Fleetwood, Chicken Shack, Cream, etc...

I was never an exclusive dude , but let's just say AM radio stuff was not my stuff, so I was really content in listen to CHOM-FM in Montreal then CHUM-FM in Toronto... Discovered plent of stuff thanks to those stations ... To bad FM radio started sounding a bit more like AM radio in the second half of the 70's.

[flowerking]

An interesting question. I've said before that if it weren't for Progressive Rock, I'm not sure I'd be that into music at all, though that may be truer of listening than playing my own music. For me, as a listener, I need something more. There are remarkably few basic rock albums I really enjoy, but add on the additional elements of Prog, and I'm in heaven. Am I grateful for having that in my life? Hell yeah!

Bill

Well said, I feel a similar way. I like classic rock and will listen to various bands that hold my interest, but far more prog holds my interest. I've gotten to the point where I turn off much classic rock because I just find it boring.

[BaldJean]

It depends on how the question is meant. If it is meant as "just rock" vs. prog rock: No, I am not. Actually I am just into rock, of which prog happens to be a part. But mostly the rock of the late 60s and early 70s. My parents were hippies, and when I was a little girl I listened to all that weird stuff, including lots of Krautrock (my parents had a friend who had to do military service in Germany, and he sent them all that stuff). I actually was at Woodstock when I was 8 months old: So I grew up with all this music.

I am also into jazz, classical music (I had many years of classical piano training starting at age 6) and ethnic music as well.

[Trane]

It depends on how the question is meant. If it is meant as "just rock" vs. prog rock: No, I am not. Actually I am just into rock, of which prog happens to be a part. But mostly the rock of the late 60s and early 70s. My parents were hippies, and when I was a little girl I listened to all that weird stuff, including lots of Krautrock (my parents had a friend who had to do military service in Germany, and he sent them all that stuff). I actually was at Woodstock when I was 8 months old: So I grew up with all this music.

I am also into jazz, classical music (I had many years of classical piano training starting at age 6) and ethnic music as well.

That goes a bit against the grain of the idea of hippies and friends would actually dodge the draft... though I suspect that if one was "caught" by/in it, it was better to serve in Germany than in Indochina.

[BaldJean]

That goes a bit against the grain of the idea of hippies and friends would actually dodge the draft... though I suspect that if one was "caught" by/in it, it was better to serve in Germany than in Indochina.

Ir was not always possible to dodge the draft.