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Thread: The Progect - International Conference on Progressive Rock (Edinburgh UK)

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Baribrotzer View Post
    There is also, within punk, a "clean", intentional, post-modern intellectual current: It was born as a stripping-down, a casting-off of excess, a Marxist return of Art to the People; its background, formation, and artistic aims were fairly clear and well-documented; and it had the published manifestoes and sense of making history required for a proper "movement". Within punk, there were always people who knew exactly what they were doing on a cultural and political level, and could hold forth at length and in depth about the hows, whens, and whys of said movement. They may have lived it, but they editorialized upon it at the same time, and they were knowing in a few rock musicians were or are. All of which made punk quite well-suited to academic study.

    Certainly far more so than the relatively chaotic growth of prog out of psych, orchestral pop, jazz, the BBC's restrictive broadcasting policies, Music Appreciation classes, and a dozen other threads; perhaps with parallel artistic impulses, but with a hundred different ways of realizing those, with a hundred different philosophies behind it - or with no discernible philosophy at all, other than, "Let's do something different and interesting!" And with little or no editorializing - they were too busy doing it to worry about how or when or why.
    It certainly could be an interesing topic of a prog seminar that how did it happen that [almost] all rock journalists in the late 70s were spit on progressive rock & falling in love with such a shit genre called punk-rock and that none of them had even been tried to seriously defend progressive rock in rock press at that time.

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Svetonio View Post
    It certainly could be an interesing topic of a prog seminar that how did it happen that [almost] all rock journalists in the late 70s were spit on progressive rock & falling in love with such a shit genre called punk-rock and that none of them had even been tried to seriously defend progressive rock in rock press at that time.
    Because it was new, and it was exciting, and it had a lot of energy, and it was simple and direct, and anyone or his dog could play it - you didn't need to spend five years practicing scales before any band would have you. That's why. Also , I have a suspicion that a lot of those journalists started out as fans of folk music, especially Dylan, never really connected with prog (in which the music counted more than the lyrics), and saw punk as a brand new form of folk music. And finally, because punk was easy to write about - the stories almost wrote themselves.
    Last edited by Baribrotzer; 05-25-2016 at 03:43 AM.

  3. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by Baribrotzer View Post
    And finally, because punk was easy to write about - the stories almost wrote themselves.
    Mostly, however, due to the other main factor you mentioned previously; punk music corresponded with a larger subcultural youth movement of its day. Art- and social-theory buffs at the editorials could easily play off their degrees on both stageing, analyzing and partaking in this phenomenon - and why wouldn't they? Instead of contributing to silly foras discussing "what is punk?!?", I mean.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  4. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Baribrotzer View Post
    Because it was new, and it was exciting, and it had a lot of energy, and it was simple and direct, and anyone or his dog could play it - you didn't need to spend five years practicing scales before any band would have you. That's why. Also , I have a suspicion that a lot of those journalists started out as fans of folk music, especially Dylan, never really connected with prog (in which the music counted more than the lyrics), and saw punk as a brand new form of folk music. And finally, because punk was easy to write about - the stories almost wrote themselves.
    Actually, I wasn't so surprised with that journalistic enthusiasm for "new", but with the amount of saliva used to slander one legitimate genre such as prog.

  5. #30
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    Love this:

    Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen (University of Edinburgh, UK)
    “‘Prog rock, we can also do that!’ The peculiarities of Icelandic progressive rock in the 1970s”

  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by rob martino View Post
    As a new resident of Edinburgh this event caught my eye:

    https://sites.eca.ed.ac.uk/theprogectconference/

    Not much info there, anyone know more about it?

    Rob
    Hi Rob

    Welcome to Edinburgh! I live just down the road in East Lothian, but work in the city.

    I'm afraid Edinburgh is a bit of a prog wasteland at the moment, but perhaps you can put that to rights with some gigs once family life permits?

    Anyway, hope you're all settling in.

    Cheers

    John

  7. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by Zeuhlmate View Post
    Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen (University of Edinburgh, UK)
    “‘Prog rock, we can also do that!’ The peculiarities of Icelandic progressive rock in the 1970s”
    Ah, those damn eleven bands, all featuring the drumming of Asgeir Oskarsson!
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Svetonio View Post
    Actually, I wasn't so surprised with that journalistic enthusiasm for "new", but with the amount of saliva used to slander one legitimate genre such as prog.
    But by critical judgement, prog wasn't "legitimate". It wasn't "authentic", it wasn't a form of folk music or at least strongly rooted in folk music, it hadn't grown organically from The People, from the rich, fertile artistic soil of peasant or proletarian culture. It was invented - by middle-class professional musicians, many with some degree of classical training - and as something invented, it was always suspect. The rise of punk only cemented that suspicion. That all art is in some way invented wasn't part of their world-view, and they never would have conceded such an impossible notion.

    It's worth noting that the punk musicians themselves never truly disliked prog so much as they disliked disco, Boston/Journey-style "corporate rock", and legacy bands who'd sold out, like the Stones.
    Last edited by Baribrotzer; 05-25-2016 at 05:08 PM.

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    Ah, those damn eleven bands, all featuring the drumming of Asgeir Oskarsson!
    Its the Islandic Spirit: "we can also do that!"

  10. #35
    "as my oldest kid is enrolled at the University of Edinburgh."

    Haha - I just picked up my middle 'un, who'd finished her first year at Edinburgh.

    What's yours studying, Scrot?

    Whatever your thoughts about the rest of the lineup - 90 minutes listening to Georgie talking about her work is well worth the admission price on its own.

  11. #36
    Quote Originally Posted by Valen View Post
    Hi Rob

    Welcome to Edinburgh! I live just down the road in East Lothian, but work in the city.

    I'm afraid Edinburgh is a bit of a prog wasteland at the moment, but perhaps you can put that to rights with some gigs once family life permits?

    Anyway, hope you're all settling in.

    Cheers

    John
    Thanks John! I also work in the city and live in East Lothian (Musselburgh area) and am familiar with East Linton - had my first UK car mishap there (took out someone's wing mirror on a very narrow road - left a note and the fellow was nice about it)!

    I would like to get out a bit and play, even if just informally like some open mics at first - family life with a 15 month old boy and this major relocation have all but killed any spare time for music but there is a lot to enjoy about living here. Actually I did have one little gig - I was invited to play at a local Burns Supper in January! I played an original and hastily worked up a simple arrangement of John Highlandman. It was a fun evening and I enjoyed my (vegetarian version of) haggis, neeps and tatties.
    http://robmartino.com
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  12. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by per anporth View Post
    "as my oldest kid is enrolled at the University of Edinburgh."

    Haha - I just picked up my middle 'un, who'd finished her first year at Edinburgh.

    What's yours studying, Scrot?
    I believe he's venturing into comparative politics and the history of ideas department. He's an A+ high school major and I'm exceedingly proud of the fella, but truth be told I often imagine that he picked the first hit (UoE contacted him quite early on initial application, and he even turned down an invitation from LSE after that) just to get away from his dictator mum (with whom he's been living these past 12 years) and oddball dad (who usually brings him along for weirdo activities such as flee markets, book fairs and beer festivals)...

    Growing up with staunchly pedantic academics for parents isn't easy, I suppose. Now he'll get to be one himself, though.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  13. #38
    He may have bumped into my daughter - who is also studying politics (she is resolutely finding ways not to conform to either of her academic parents' ways, even though I also studied at Edinburgh, & now lecture in political theory!).

    It's a brilliant city in which to be a student.

  14. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by per anporth View Post
    It's a brilliant city in which to be a student.
    I'll tell him you said that!
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  15. #40
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    Looks like Sid Smith is going to be there.
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  16. #41
    ^I suppose there'll be a feature in that Magazine, then... About whatever is deemed relevant for their readership. As such I guess lectures by Georgie Born and Franco Fabbri will have special exposure and priority over Steve Nilsen, like.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  17. #42
    Quote Originally Posted by Baribrotzer View Post
    There is also, within punk, a "clean", intentional, post-modern intellectual current: It was born as a stripping-down, a casting-off of excess, a Marxist return of Art to the People; its background, formation, and artistic aims were fairly clear and well-documented; and it had the published manifestoes and sense of making history required for a proper "movement". Within punk, there were always people who knew exactly what they were doing on a cultural and political level, and could hold forth at length and in depth about the hows, whens, and whys of said movement. They may have lived it, but they editorialized upon it at the same time, and they were knowing in a few rock musicians were or are. All of which made punk quite well-suited to academic study.
    Relevant: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/29/ma...-remember.html

    Henry
    Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
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  18. #43
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    Sid Smith was indeed present. Not sure about the amount of coverage he will be able to press into his wordcount, but it will probably be for the web, not the print magazine. Good conference, all in all.

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