Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: GUEST,Wayne
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 01:39 PM

Prog rock continues to be inventive and exciting. I'm currently listening to a fine Dutch band called Flambrough Head. Lovely, flowing melodies and fine guitar/flute/keyboard interplay!

Starcastle (formed by R.E.O. Speedwagon's original lead singer)have just released their first album in nearly thirty years and it's outstanding. "Yes-like" is what most reviews will say, but I don't find it derivative at all.

The two "Icon" albums released by John Wetton and Geoffrey Downes are at the more commercial end of prog but they're wonderful for all that.

Chimpan A formed by members of Magenta and The Storys is unclassifiable! It's complex, melodic and just different from anything else I've ever heard!

There are many good prog sites. Check 'em out. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to smooth down the fur on my anorack!

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 12:50 PM

At 38, Ranger1, it's more like sawdust. :-) The Clash were more than angry. That's an oversimplification of their music, as you know.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: ranger1
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 12:35 PM

So, does being a Clash fan make me a 38 year old with a chip on my shoulder?

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 04:28 PM

Mental shurdown. Joe Strummer was such a familiar name, but I often like groups without knowing the names of the members. Obviously, you couldn't miss Curt Cobain or Mick Jagger. Funny thing is, I have London Calling, by the Clash, and it is certainly one of the greatest rock albums ever released. The name connection took a little longer to make. When you get older, your synapses take napses.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: GUEST,Nicholas Waller
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 12:11 PM

I am 49 and always figured myself a smidgeon old for punk... At school there was a lot of prog rock sloshing about and some of it stuck. I liked Yes, the Moody Blues, Gentle Giant, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd and ELP, but at first I didn't care much for Genesis (esp Gabriel's overwrought vocals - the music seemed fine); in fact I turned down the chance to see them when they were on in York for 60p or so, around the time of Foxtrot.

Later I came to like Genesis for a few years but ELP I never listen to now, except for curiosity once every ten years (never liked Brain Salad Surgery, though). Pink Floyd and some Yes - Close to the Edge for instance - I still listen to. And King Crimson, sometimes thought to be the progenitors of prog-rock, have had a very varied journey and are still going periodically and sometimes produce an infuriating noise but are often very exciting.

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: Folk Form # 1
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 10:57 AM

I'm 48 and I was 18 when punk hit the scene in 1976. By that time I was already into music but had given the prog-rockers a miss. I was into Clapton, and through him I was discovering the blues; Van the Man and Rod the Mod; soul music and reggae; and through reading the melody maker and watching the Cheiftains on tv and listening to Steeleye Span on radio, a love for folk music in all it's forms developed.

Then punk came along and re-energised rock music. However, unless your name was John Peel or Karl Dallas, it was a young persons thing. I loved it and it produced loads of great music.

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 10:37 AM

One of the reasons - a big one - why the rock/pop press turned on prog music is that they found it hard work to write anything about it! It's easy to write about punk. It's even pretty straightforward to write about Bob Dylan - just discuss his lyrics. But how many critics have discussed Dylan's actual music content. Interestingly, I would bet that most punk fans - from the 70s, were quite a bit younger than the bands producing the music. If I'm correct, you won't find many die hard punk music fans who would be know over 60.

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 09:34 AM

I at least have heard the name, countess... never claimed to embrace punk. I also have enjoyed some of punk-ska. But, as my young nephew agreed when I was kidding him that in a punk ska band, they drew straws and whoever drew the shortest one had to sing the vocals. I think that was true in some revival old-timey bands, too, by the way... :-) He had friends in two or three punk and punk ska bands and he admitted that none of the lead singers were very good singers. Not that vocal chops are the point in punk.

I ain't no expert, by any means. But, my mind isn't closed, either.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 09:24 AM

Punk was for 15 year olds with a chip on their shoulders

Have you ever listened to Joe Strummer? I don't think so.

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 09:22 AM

The Shaker tune The Gift To Be Simple (words Joseph Brackett) became a very nice Aaron Copland score for Appalachian Spring and then the Sydney Carter hymn Lord Of The Dance. So far, so good, then Michael Flatley got hold of it and it became a massive (and it has to be said) popular extravaganza. Pity poor Sydney never got credited for the lyrics.

Still, it's entered popular culture in a kind of way. But is it prog rock?
Erm . . . (struggling) . . . what about Another Brick In The Wall?

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 09:20 AM

Punk was for 15 year olds with a chip on their shoulders. Prog rock was for an older audience who wanted something with a more interesting musical structure that challenged the senses.

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 09:09 AM

Punk was simple by choice, not necessarily because of musical incompetence. Rockabilly, doo wop and folk music aren't all that musically sophisticated either. Were the Carter Family as good a musicians as Green Day? I love the Carter Family, but my answer would have to be No Way!

Simplicity can be a virtue, by choice.

Ahhh, The Gift To Be Simple.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 08:52 AM

It was the thing back in the 70s to knock prog rock as self indulgent nonsense. But what came after it: Punk! Now, those prog rockers were serious musicians, who could really play their instruments, and were producing stuff that was a million miles away from the usual 3min pop/rock drivel.

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 08:35 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8A0rhVG91U

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 08:17 AM

Walk This Way is a fantastic tune for doing a rant step to and dance bands everywhere should be (indeed are) starting to play it.

For this is the point of popular music, is it not, that the best is taken up by a variety of musicians and incorporated into popular culture, while the dross is not? While typing this I was desperately trying to dredge up an example from prog rock but also cannot so I'm not answering the question.

But someone might. Maybe.

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 08:10 AM

I liked a lot of Emerson, Lake and Palmer's stuff in my youth, when I was still in my 60's. Even the stuff that I found pretentious was at least interesting, most of the time. I have a CD of The Nice, and think their interweaving of Beethoven and Dylan is astounding. I still get a big kick out of the song.

But then, I liked a fair amount of Green Day... anethema to tru punk fans. My God! Their songs even have melodies!!!!!!!!!!

I try not to dismiss any music completely, despite the feeling of superiority that gives.

I generally don't like rap either, but can't resist Walk This Way by Run D.M.C., and have a Black Eyed Peas CD.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 08:03 AM

Oh what a can of worms you have just opened!!!!!!

Subject: Review: Any Prog-rock fans out there?
From: Folk Form # 1
Date: 29 Apr 07 - 07:58 AM

Recently, I bought a vinyl copy of Brain Salad Surgery because I wanted the gate-fold cover art of HR Giger. He, incidentally, is the designer for the sets on Alien. The cover art is a classic; easily the best album cover that I have ever come across. The music, however, I have always dismissed as being pretentious over-blown bombast with not a shred of credibility to it whatsoever. Maybe I should explain that I am an ex-punk who shares the utter disdain of most punks to prog-rock. Out of curiosity, I played the lp on my record player; and the damndest thing.... some parts of it I thoroughly enjoyed. Greg Lake has a good voice and writes some intriguing lyrics. I like Carl Palmer's drumming - he sounds like he has twelve arms. Keith Emerson's keyboard playing, while lacking warmth, is not without interest. It was a Damascus conversion to a previously despised band and form of music.

I am not completely hostile some aspects of prog-rock -some of Floyd's work, Van der Graff Generator, and Hawkwind - but most of it, such as Yes, Genesis, and ELP, I dismissed out of hand.

What do other Mudcatters think of Prog-rock?