Prog guilty pleasures and true confessions

[Teddy Vengeance]

...so there I was forcing myself to sit through another RIO album that I feel obliged to wax eloquent about on PE when I got the sudden urge to change musical gears completely. Off went Stormy Six and on went my son's copy of Shaka Ponk: Euro-disco-electronica-metalish juvenilia about how the singer is 'gonna fall like a sex ball.' Lots of pulsating funk riffs about banging.

I thoroughly enjoyed it - thought it was so great that I went whole hog and found Shirley & Co's 'Shame, Shame On You' on YouTube. It was my musical highlight of the week. I did the funky chicken to it -- In a 60-year old white guy sort of way. I thought to myself, hey, the Cow could never do that -- especially the male lead singer's near sexual panic attack when he sings, 'Put on your shaky wig woman; If you don't I ain't comin' back'.

I have to say I'm damn sorry to the PE cognoscenti and it won't happen again.

Your guilty pleasures and true confessions? Abba? Sure. Dave Matthews? Why not?

[Frankh]

Yeah, still a Yesfreak lol

[Scrotum Scissor]

I was forcing myself to sit through another RIO album that I feel obliged to wax eloquent about on PE when I got the sudden urge to change musical gears completely. Off went Stormy Six and on went my son's copy of Shaka Ponk: Euro-disco-electronica-metalish juvenilia about how the singer is 'gonna fall like a sex ball.' Lots of pulsating funk riffs about banging.

I did the funky chicken to it -- In a 60-year old white guy sort of way. I thought to myself, hey, the Cow could never do that -

Actually there are somewhat RIO-affiliated acts that indeed would make those kinds of statements, like The Stick Men (on This Is the Master Brew from '82), Kalahari Surfers, Dull Schicksal or Chrome Hoof.

Hell, even Tim Hodgkinson yelled out rabid texts about infidelities, snot and others on The Work's Slow Crimes and Rubber Cage. But I agree that it didn't quite fit the HCow aesthetic, no.


Guilty pleasures? Too many to mention - far too many. Within and without the world of "prog". I used to like Leo Sayer's 80s hits, and I'm still a kinda fan of Barry White's. I made an attempt to dig Salt'n'Pepa but it didn't really stick.

[malgeo]

I recently came across Paul Hardcastle's name (he of the iconic '80s hit "19"). Turns out he now produces "smooth jazz" albums. I added The History of Paul Hardcastle to my Spotify playlist and I have to admit that I am enjoying it immensely. Even my wife thinks it's corny.

[Mascodagama]

I like Electric Six's “Gay Bar” more than the complete works of Jethro Tull

[JJ88]

Not remotely 'guilty' about any of it but on a 'prog' or even rock site, these things don't come up that much, more's the pity:

ABBA
Bee Gees (not just the 60s stuff)
Carpenters
Early 60s 'Brill Building' pop
Doo-wop
Barry Manilow (totally changed my view of him after hearing 'Could It Be Magic'...the full 7 minute version is a brilliantly arranged masterpiece, IMHO)
Certain easy listening vocalists (Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams etc.- I'm not sure Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett etc. are 'easy listening' in the same way)

[Zappathustra]

Motley Crue and Cinderella. Early Madonna.

[chalkpie]

On occasion, I like the Love Boat Theme when I'm drunk.

[battema]

Progressive rock IS my guilty pleasure. At least, what portions of it I still listen to regularly.

[walt]

I always feel profound guilt and shame when i listen to John Battema's music.I usually hit myself in the head with a hammer then take a steaming hot shower to try to soak the guilt out.

It never works.

[battema]

I always feel profound guilt and shame when i listen to John Battema's music.I usually hit myself in the head with a hammer then take a steaming hot shower to try to soak the guilt out.

It never works.

Man, I am SO right with you on that

[Lopez]

Schmaltzy country music, a la "I Fall to Pieces."
Bluegrass send-ups of classic rock, a la Hayseed Dixie
Jan & Dean, although I must say Jan Berry was a master in the studio, taught Brian Wilson all he knew.

[Scrotum Scissor]

You know, we're often rather ignorant towards American culture here in Europe. So we don't always catch on while it's happening.

Thus I hadn't actually heard the original Glen Campbell version of "Wichita Lineman" until the ending credits in that episode in season 2 of Ozark, and I thought - Wow! This is like hearing "God Only Knows" for the first time all over again!

I think it's an absolutely fantastic tune, and with a mutha lyric to boot; there are Keith Reid'ian assets to the levels of thought in it. Completely gorgeous!

[progholio]

I like Electric Six's “Gay Bar” more than the complete works of Jethro Tull

They sure pack a lot in those 2 minutes and 38 seconds and it's one of the best videos ever

[Lopez]

That was quite good, Scrotie. I never really listened (that is, paid attention) to "Wichita Lineman" before, even though I've heard it countless times. It is quite elegant.

Another non-prog guilty pleasure of mine is ballads of awful behavior (don't know any other way of putting it). Examples would be "Matty Groves" and "Knoxville Girl". Many I believe have roots in English folk ballads and have become staples of American Appalachian and Ozark folk lore.

[mozo-pg]

I absolutely adore this song.

[Steve F.]

You know, we're often rather ignorant towards American culture here in Europe. So we don't always catch on while it's happening.

Thus I hadn't actually heard the original Glen Campbell version of "Wichita Lineman" until the ending credits in that episode in season 2 of Ozark, and I thought - Wow! This is like hearing "God Only Knows" for the first time all over again!

I think it's an absolutely fantastic tune, and with a mutha lyric to boot; there are Keith Reid'ian assets to the levels of thought in it. Completely gorgeous!

It's a great song. ONE of Jimmy Webb's best, but Jimmy Webb is a fine, fine writer. Check out his other works.

[miamiscot]

PROG is my bitch but AMERICAN HARDCORE is my guilty pleasure:

Black Flag
Minutemen
Circle Jerks
Dead Kennedys
Minor Threat
Bad Brains
Big Boys
Husker Du
Scream
Marginal Man
Fear
X
Social Distortion
DI
JFA
Second Wind
Naked Raygun
7 Seconds
MDC
The Meat Men
Angry Samoans
Flipper
Descendents
Jerry's Kids
Gang Green
TSOL
SNFU
Adolescents
Agent Orange

etc.

[Steve F.]

PROG is my bitch but AMERICAN HARDCORE is my guilty pleasure:

Minor Threat

I saw Minor Threat's final show at the Punk Funk Throwdown at the September 23, 1983, at the Lansburgh Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., sharing the bill with go-go band Trouble Funk, and Big Boys.

LansburghCulturalCenter_showposter_092383.jpg

[rcarlberg]

I have a small pile of CDs on my CD player, stuff to listen to before I file them in the racks. I HATE filing something away without having heard it at least once.

Included in the pile is Thinking Plague's "Hoping Against Hope." I've started it a half dozen times and each time realize I'm not in the mood for it.

Finally, a couple days ago, I just filed it. I may NEVER listen to it.



But then again, I have fire extinguishers I've never used either.

[Dave (in MA)]

Not remotely 'guilty' about any of it but on a 'prog' or even rock site, these things don't come up that much, more's the pity:
Barry Manilow (totally changed my view of him after hearing 'Could It Be Magic'...the full 7 minute version is a brilliantly arranged masterpiece, IMHO)

My wife is a big Fanilow, but I can't stand that sort of thing. But even so, I've taken her to a few of his shows. Hell, I even picked her up when they were over.

[Dave (in MA)]

Drummer/pianist Gary Husband's tribute to Glen Campbell,
https://soundcloud.com/aryusband/wichita-lineman

[Scrotum Scissor]

It's a great song. ONE of Jimmy Webb's best, but Jimmy Webb is a fine, fine writer. Check out his other works.

Steve, you're dealing with a bonafide panegyrian of "MacArthur Park" here - even Donna Summer's!

Yet I hadn't heard his "Wichita".

One of my fave songs of all time:

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

You know, we're often rather ignorant towards American culture here in Europe. So we don't always catch on while it's happening.

Thus I hadn't actually heard the original Glen Campbell version of "Wichita Lineman" until the ending credits in that episode in season 2 of Ozark, and I thought - Wow! This is like hearing "God Only Knows" for the first time all over again!

I think it's an absolutely fantastic tune, and with a mutha lyric to boot; there are Keith Reid'ian assets to the levels of thought in it. Completely gorgeous!

You realize that's a creepy stalker song, about a guy listening in on some chick's conversations, yes?

[rcarlberg]

Although I'm not in love with her material, Adele is at least a quite competent singer, not an auto-tune queen. Sorta like Amy Winehouse was: