As the World gets smaller, Prog seems to gets further away.

[Firth]

Music should always be a reflection of the life you have lived. The great classical guitarist Oscar Ghiglia posted a meme that someone should not practice more than four hours a day. My teacher is a longtime friend and colleague of Oscar's And agrees with that statement, generally. The point being, you have to get out there engage the world and life and not just practice Dorian scales for 10 hours a day .

I was talking to a friend of mine, now retired, who was a young Jazz musician (reed player-sax and clarinet)in the 1950s. One of his teachers was Harold Land. When Harold saw him play, he said, "don't play what I told you to practice. Play what you were thinking about as you came to the gig today as you saw the outside world". He also got to meet a young Ornette Coleman, Who wrote a blues for his band practice. Or not asked what they thought of his music: they responded, "it's confusing". Ornette retorted back: "well have you been out on the streets today ?

My friend would later live in Japan and Spain, where he would learn flamenco guitar as well and play with people like Paco de Lucia and Diego Del Gastor ( he actually got to play Royal Albert Hall with Paco.

He said that Paco became disillusioned with the fact that playing Music became like 'going to a job '. If only it was as simple as just playing music for the sake of playing music.

It should be so simple, but it becomes complicated because life is complicated. And if you want to play Music, you have to engage in life. So the famous Charlie Parker quote from above is right on target. .

Music should not necessarily be anything specifically[emoji848]

[Mr. Toad]

"If you think Arab, African, Indian, and Asian culture has a hard time breaking through in the prog world, fine. But don't imply those who aren't familiar are racists because they either don't know for the music or maybe don't prefer it. That's not only ignorant, but inflammatory"

Well said. It seems the label of "RACISM" can be thrown at anything these days.

[jkelman]

Music should always be a reflection of the life you have lived. The great classical guitarist Oscar Ghiglia posted a meme that someone should not practice more than four hours a day. My teacher is a longtime friend and colleague of Oscar's And agrees with that statement, generally. The point being, you have to get out there engage the world and life and not just practice Dorian scales for 10 hours a day .

With you 100%, Nav. I've written, more than once, that an artist's music is a reflection of who they are...and also where they are, a second idea that came to me after spending 8-10 weeks/year traveling the world between 2008-2014. While it's not an absolute, I will say that once you see where Terye Rypdal lives, a lot of his music, and especially his approach to sound, make perfect sense.

[HarmonyMan]

With you 100%, Nav. I've written, more than once, that an artist's music is a reflection of who they are...and also where they are, a second idea that came to me after spending 8-10 weeks/year traveling the world between 2008-2014. While it's not an absolute, I will say that once you see where Terye Rypdal lives, a lot of his music, and especially his approach to sound, make perfect sense.

I would add this is true not only for music, but for artistic works in general. Much of the artist's inspiration is influenced (and even drawn) by his own life experiences, by the environment where he lives, and finally by his own and unique personal character grown up under these mentioned factors.

Anyway.. I'm still waiting to see another 'classical genius' like Mozart born (and living) in New Orleans

[notallwhowander]

How about people play the music they want to play, and people listen to the music they want to listen to?

How's that for simple?

[StevegSr]

I don't know how 60s/70s prog albums are expected to reflect what is going on right now. One of the more baffling ideas I've seen here.

I'm not keen on songs which explicitly name names...not down to political grounds, but it's a sure-fire way of dating your material.

I'm sorry that you are so baffled by such a simple thread that you had to post about twice.

Sixties/Seventies rock can have universal themes that pervade events of current times (such as the wastes of war, or religious hypocrisies as Dark Elf pointed out in his post about Tull's lyrics of Wondering Aloud), or can be confined to a specific era and therefore become dated (such as CSN&Y's Ohio.)

I'm sorry that modern Prog (generally, as there are a few exceptions) has the deficiency that I brought to your attention. Perhaps modern Prog artists will see this post and act.

Even dedicating an album to victims of terror would be an incredible gesture. A small few actually have and for that they have my eternal respect and gratitude.

[JJ88]

Well, here's a third. You didn't state 'modern prog' in your initial post, you mentioned 'Grave New World' as some sort of exception to the rule...and that's 40 odd years old.

Perhaps modern Prog artists will see this post and act.

I'm sure they will....

Wow. I don't know where to begin with this, but you are really out of line here.

It's what he does. Best ignored.

[StevegSr]

Well, here's a third. You didn't state 'modern prog' in your initial post, you mentioned 'Grave New World' as some sort of exception to the rule...and that's 40 odd years old.



I'm sure they will....

Quote From The OP: "Were there a few who spoke up? Sure. Dave Cousins in Strawb's Grave New World, for example. But that album was a rarity from many, many years ago."

I said that their were exceptions and you seem to be unfocused due to your anger. As regards to Prog musicians seeing this post, I look at it this way: If they are decent people, they will not be offended. Many Prog musicians, like all rock musoes, do extraneous charity work and they know who they are.

For those that never gave another person a second thought, and there are many of those too, I say fuck them.

[The Dark Elf]

"If you think Arab, African, Indian, and Asian culture has a hard time breaking through in the prog world, fine. But don't imply those who aren't familiar are racists because they either don't know for the music or maybe don't prefer it. That's not only ignorant, but inflammatory"

Well said. It seems the label of "RACISM" can be thrown at anything these days.

I agree. It seems this Singh fellow usually posts just to be negative, behaving petulantly even on a thread acknowledging the works of David Bowie at his death. For me, I identify with the Belgian terrorist attack because I know folks who live and work in Belgium, and I worried about their safety. It doesn't mean I am not concerned for the rest of the terrorist attacks. Personally, I believe every last member of Douche or Daesh or ISIS and their rabid offspring in Nigeria and Somalia should be simply shot on sight, or strung up as perpetrators of genocide. But I would certainly like to see the Muslims in the countries where the bulk of these atrocities occur say as a majority "Enough is enough", stand up and fight these bastards themselves, rather than harboring them (as occurred in Belgium) or actively joining the cause. If that is considered racist or anti-Muslim, I really don't give a damn.

As far as music from India or Africa, much of it isn't germane to the topic of prog rock, so it isn't brought up. Hey, if someone wants to discuss Ravi Shankar, who I have loved for decades, then by all means, let's do so; or the Malian music of the great Ali Farka Touré (who is akin blues-wise to John Lee Hooker, even though the compositions are electrified Malian traditional music that only sounds like the blues); or Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who I fell in love with when they toured with Paul Simon during the Graceland tour, or Hugh Masekela, for that matter. But guess what? These performers have no or perhaps only a vestigial attachment to Prog rock - so I don't bring them up here.

[Klonk]

Hey look! Another thread that makes me appreciate hair metal!

[StevegSr]

But guess what? These performers have no or perhaps only a vestigial attachment to Prog rock - so I don't bring them up here.

Ok, Ravi is not Prog. But he's still Psych to me! (Pulling out Shankar vinyl for rolling.)

[StevegSr]

Hey look! Another thread that makes me appreciate hair metal!

Ok, I was wondering what your avatar was supposed to represent.

[HarmonyMan]

How about people play the music they want to play, and people listen to the music they want to listen to?

How's that for simple?

Well, this world is not that simple. But.. anyway, for 'Greeks and Troyans', there is a democratic world called "Off-Topic (OT) - Music And Arts"

.

[Reginod]

Actually I kinda like the Ofege's Try And Love. I guess it kinda gets lumped in with "prog" (whatever), but it's just a cool listen IMO.

[-=RTFR666=-]

AS you may have noted, I'm not one to mince words, or better put, my feelings. I'll say it again: Prog lyrics are detached from topical events, which does have it's place in music and is not a bad thing. But times have changed radically, and perhaps Prog does not connect with me anymore.

,,,,as he writes this on PROGRESSIVE EARS...

[zravkapt]

Hey look! Another thread that makes me appreciate hair metal!

Fuck yeah!

[Gruno]

Those are my boys, Slaughter!!!

[Baribrotzer]

But I would certainly like to see the Muslims in the countries where the bulk of these atrocities occur say as a majority "Enough is enough", stand up and fight these bastards themselves, rather than harboring them (as occurred in Belgium) or actively joining the cause.

That may be fear, not support, and I suspect it probably is much of the time.

In places where organized crime is endemic, why don't people stand up against the Mob? Because those people have businesses, they have houses, they have families. Because the authorities are poorly funded and ill-organized, no one can really trust them, and the Mob has money, lots of money to buy cops and judges off with. Because the Mob has weapons - not just guns, but bombs and guided rockets. Because those people who can't afford to stand up are adult men and women, with children, and the Mob have plenty of crazy young hotheads for cannon fodder, and a small army of stone killers behind them. And, finally, because the Mob will stop at absolutely nothing to gain and hold on to wealth and power.

And when it comes to terrorists, it's the same. Their motivations may be different, although perhaps not as different at the top as they'd like the world to believe. But their tactics are the same, the fear they engender in subject populations is the same, and the response - just keep your head down, stay out of their way if you can, and give them what they want if you can't - they get from those populations is the same.

[Nijinsky Hind]

How about people play the music they want to play, and people listen to the music they want to listen to?

How's that for simple?

Right!! Some people like music thats uplifting and sunny, some prefer their music doom laden, others want something cerebral, maybe you like silly lyrics, maybe you like music that expresses certain moods and feeling without lyrics at all. To be honest I don't often pay attention to the ethnic origins of the music I listen to... Being a white guy, NWA or Iraqi or Syrian music does not resonate with my cultural roots, or my own proud Irish american heritage and culture ... Yes, I said proud. If that makes me a racist in someone else's eyes then fine. I will listen to what feels good to me and if I don't like ethnic music I will drop it.

There are exceptions and I still love most Motown, sly and family stone, parliament, Tierra, santana... Lots of it. To say Someone is racist because they have not yet grasped or cared to grasp your musics "greatness" is really dumb. On the other hand, I will never apologize for my race, culture, or family at the behest of lame guilt trippers or race baiters. Not gonna happen. I would expect nothing less from any other race.

[Zeuhlmate]

"If you think Arab, African, Indian, and Asian culture has a hard time breaking through in the prog world, fine. But don't imply those who aren't familiar are racists because they either don't know for the music or maybe don't prefer it. That's not only ignorant, but inflammatory"

Well said. It seems the label of "RACISM" can be thrown at anything these days.

Lyrics in prog have never meant much to me, its the music that matters. Lyrics 'can' be the nice topping on the pizza.

[Trane]

Hey look! Another thread that makes me appreciate hair metal!

Fuck yeah!

They didn't shave their twats??

[Trane]

I don't come to music site to talk about politics nor do I listen to musicians for their political opinion .

That thinly veiled racist " in honor of Belgium" thread is pure "White Power" garbage . Embarrassing.

Oh, another thing... if you read up the last page on the PE MIA members thread, we address this issue a bit, but let's face it, outside of North Am and its oceans as natural and impassable borders, the rest of the planet speaks quite a bit about Nairobi , Istambul or Ankara bombings and attacks, the subjects remaing present as frontline or headlines for a week or so (if not longer)...

[Gruno]

They didn't shave their twats??

That's a pretty dumb and rude thing to say.

[Trane]

That's a pretty dumb and rude thing to say.

hair metal >> played by talented twats >> shave or didn't shave??

Still not??


Ok, I thought it was funny!!

[Nijinsky Hind]

So did I... Lol