VIANAPROGHEAD

Jaime Silva

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PROG REVIEWER

Member since: 7/15/2015 • Forum posts: 1182 • Last visit: 11/19/2024 6:25:50 AM EST
Location: Portugal

Progressive Biography

My name is Jaime and I was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1958. My first contact with (what became known as Progressive Rock Music), was in 1974. But, to explain how it happened, I need to write something about the context.

In Portugal we lived since 1933 under the dictatorship regime of Salazar. Portugal was a closed country to the world where everything that came from outside was dangerous to the regime and were everything was controlled by the censorship. One of the main slogans of Salazar's regime was "orgulhosamente s�s", (proud to be alone). We had virtually no contact with what came from abroad, including music, which was generally considered a subversive thing. All this only changed in 25 April 1974 with what became known as "the carnation revolution". And this is the reason why I only became in contact with the progressive rock music in that year. Besides, I was a young teenager at the time.

My first contact was through my classmates. I remember to listen to albums of Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Van Der Graaf Generator, Camel, Gentle Giant, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Supertramp, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Santana, Caravan, Rick Wakeman and Tangerine Dream, only to mention some of them. As you can imagine, some of the best and most iconic prog albums made till 1974 passed through my hands, which are also some of the best prog works ever. It was also in those days that many prog bands began to give concerts in Portugal, mainly in Lisbon where I lived at the time. So, from what I can remember, here are some of the prog bands I saw live in those days: Genesis, Camel, Supertramp, Barclay James Harvest, Roxy Music, Peter Gabriel, Pulsar and Tantra.

Since that distant year, I never strayed away from the progressive rock music, despite I don't live anymore in Lisbon. In 1993 I moved to another city, a smaller city in the north of Portugal, not very far way from Porto. It's true that I'm a bit more isolated but due to the Internet the isolation is less felt. In the last years, I also saw some prog bands live, such as, Kraftwerk, Camel, Jethro Tull, Yes, Porcupine Tree, Riverside, Symphony X, Katatonia and Dream Theater, the last one by four times.

About my favourite bands, they're too much to put all them here. What I can say is that my favourite bands in the 70's are Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant, Emerson, lake & Palmer, Camel, Van Der Graaf Generator, King Crimson and Rush. These are also the best, most important and influential of all. In the beginning of the 80's I like of the neo-prog British bands mainly Marillion, IQ and Pendragon. They're responsible for the "resurrection" of prog. In the end of the 80's I like especially of Dream Theater and Fates Warning, two of the best and creators of the prog metal style. Since the 90's I like of many and I'm only to cite some of them: �nglag�rd, Porcupine Tree, Discipline, Opeth, Riverside, Pain Of Salvation, Ayreon, Transatlantic, Anekdoten, Spock's Beard, Anathema, Echolyn and Flower Kings.

As a conclusion, I must say that my musical interest doesn't just confine to the progressive rock music. I also like some rock, jazz and even some pop, if it's good. But my mainly interest goes to the classical music, especially the classical music from the Baroque period. Like Hackett, I also love especially the music of J. S. Bach.

P.S. - My progressive rock world changed when I discovered Progarchives some years ago. That changed completely my knowledge about the "new prog music" that is been doing by many great bands in our days. And when I was invited to be one of the prog reviewers of the site, I became truly happy. This is what I like to do, write and spread some of my knowledge and experience to other people. So, thanks. I'm very grateful to Progarchives.

Reviews distribution by sub-genre

	Sub-genre	Nb of reviews	Avg rating
1	Symphonic Prog	206	3.80
2	Prog Folk	95	3.76
3	Eclectic Prog	92	3.75
4	Neo-Prog	82	3.99
5	Crossover Prog	67	3.66
6	Prog Related	66	3.77
7	Rock Progressivo Italiano	41	4.12
8	Progressive Metal	36	4.33
9	Psychedelic/Space Rock	28	3.82
10	Heavy Prog	24	4.25
11	Proto-Prog	23	3.74
12	Progressive Electronic	22	4.09
13	Jazz Rock/Fusion	14	3.79
14	Tech/Extreme Prog Metal	13	4.38
15	Canterbury Scene	11	4.27
16	Zeuhl	7	4.86
17	Krautrock	4	4.25
18	Various Genres	4	3.25
19	RIO/Avant-Prog	3	4.33
20	Experimental/Post Metal	2	4.00

Reviews and Ratings of PROTO-PROG

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THE DOORS A Collection (6CD)