Most Overrated Prog Bands Of All Time Poll - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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Frenetic Zetetic View Drop Down

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Posted: March 01 2018 at 02:19

Saperlipopette! wrote:

dr wu23 wrote:

ELP are not under or overrated imho....and considering how talented all 3 members were...I was always a bit disappointed that they didn't write even better material and wrote some awful junk .

There's literally millions of talented musicians that has come and gone throughout the decades. If these gifted musicians recorded an awful lot of awful material and gets a lot of praise for it - that would fit my idea of overrated. Its exactly how I would use the term on the music and albums created by the extremely talented musicians in ELP, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Billy Cobham-solo...

This.

I personally LOVE Mahavishnu, but I would definitely still call them overrated for the reasons you've mentioned hear.

Virtuosity doesn't preclude the ability to be overrated.

They aren't mutually exclusive.

Dream Theater is overrated for the same exact reasons IMHO.

"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021

Saperlipopette! View Drop Down

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Posted: March 01 2018 at 00:24

ProgMetaller2112 View Drop Down

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Posted: February 28 2018 at 13:20

King Crimson of course LOL

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dr wu23

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Posted: February 28 2018 at 13:09

ELP are not under or overrated imho....and considering how talented all 3 members were...I was always a bit disappointed that they didn't write even better material and wrote some awful junk .

One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
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Saperlipopette! View Drop Down

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Posted: February 28 2018 at 11:56

^Sometimes the mainstream press accidentally gets it right I guess - but then again ELP is loathed by so many that it can be questioned if they are infact all that overrated.

Rednight

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Posted: February 28 2018 at 11:22

Chilltoss wrote:

Perhaps ELP. They do have their moments with songs like "Lucky Man" or "The Sheriff", however the rest of their work is filled with pretentious, self-indulgent, and bombastic noodling(half the bands on your list are probably similar in this regard, but I've yet to listen to them and don't plan to). Look no further than Karn Evil 9. ab-so-lute rub-bish

Congrats! Your comments just mirrored the mainstream press for most of their work (how ordinary). As for Lucky Man and The Sheriff being "moments," correct! They were moments of filler while the grander stuff came elsewhere on their respective albums.

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Saperlipopette! View Drop Down

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Posted: February 28 2018 at 05:50

I seem to be in a minority who considers overrated a useful term. Related to music I usually use it to describe two very different kinds of albums or bands:

1. The most easily accessible and easy to locate (or shoved down out throats) that according to me are overrated as "best ever" or "genius" because millions of listeners simply doesn't know about all the much better alternatives. Such as:

Dark Side of the Moon (although I kind of like most of it)

Kind of Blue (see above)

Dream Theater

Mahavishnu Orchestra (kind of like them a little as well)

2. Obscure cult albums or collectors items that (once again according to me) has built a reputation as an overlooked gem/the holy grail based on obscurity and inaccessibility alone.

And I consider all the bands in WITHACLOUD's list except Egg to be overrated (see first example why and in what way).

Edited by Saperlipopette! - February 28 2018 at 06:04

Flight123

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Posted: February 28 2018 at 03:27

ELP transcended the genre - they brought jazz into prog and probably were the most successful band to do so. They were actually exciting!! The ELP bashing reminds me of the time in the late 70s when us ELP fans had to put up with the high priests of punk telling us that they were crap. Yet, for example, 'Welcome Back My Friends' went to 4 on Billboard and 'Tarkus' was a number 1 UK album - not many prog bands can make similar claims...

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Posted: February 28 2018 at 02:14

I'd say ELP are one of those bands that enjoy about the correct amount of public esteem. Loved by some for their virtuosity, innovation, exuberance, showmanship and vast influence on subsequent prog. Despised by others for their lack of taste, shameless bombast, inclusion of horribly embarassing songs like Benny the Bouncer on almost every album, and tendency to put out overblown hogwash like Works Vol. 1.

And the thing is, both those groups are right

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Frenetic Zetetic View Drop Down

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Posted: February 28 2018 at 01:53

micky wrote:

they.. along with Yes.. were the face of prog and still are today like it or not...and did as much.. or more than anyone to create it, influence it, and popularize it. And pound for pound were probably its more talented group.

...ELP the face of prog AND its most talented group? Now I've heard everything Cool

I certainly wouldn't say ELP are underrated at all.

"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021

Kingsnake

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Posted: February 28 2018 at 01:27

Evryone deserves the attention it gets.

There was a period I really loathed Radiohead, Tool, Muse etc.

But that's because I was in a bad place and struggling with my inner demons.

I must say that bands like Iron Maiden and Metallica are musically speaking not my cup of tea, and I can't understand that people think they are great musicians, but I understand the appeal.
And on the other hands, big labels backing them up, with lots of merchandise.

I think that's the same with progrock. The bands with the big labels backing them up (Pink Floyd, Marillion, ELP, etc.) will always get more attention.
But hey, it's the day and age of the internet. So anyone can listen to anything they like anytime of the day.
I haven't heard a musical note I didn't choose myself for more than 2 decades.

Anything I listen to (even if it's drab) is of my own chosing.

That being said. I sometimes feel that Steven Wilson is a bit idolized too much.
I find nothing special about him, although I like Porcupine Tree and his remixes are kind of good.
It's just another human being, and not the first one remixing albums.

Mortte

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Posted: February 27 2018 at 22:49

No, ELP really haven´t been underrated at all. Of course they got lot of mocks after the middle seventies, but so did all the progbands, even Pink Floyd. And when these days here seem to be many who liked ELP, it´s one proof it has never been underrated. There are many really much greater progbands from the seventies really few still respect. I think the main problem to me in ELP is Emerson. He has always been the one, who wanted to show every album how skillfull he is. Also, he had a really bad taste of synth sounds, if he had just stayed in the organ and piano, ELP albums would have been much more better. Greg Lake is the main reason why I listen ELP albums. His voice is absolutely great, also love his playing, also he was the one who kept on doing shorter, melodic pieces in ELP albums.

Cristi

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Posted: February 27 2018 at 22:42

crispytreats wrote:

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/WithACloud/the-most-overrated-prog-bands-ever/

So what do you guys think Tongue

that list is BS, and this time BS is not short for Black Sabbath. :)

Edited by Cristi - February 28 2018 at 01:40

dr wu23

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Posted: February 27 2018 at 21:34

I certainly don't think ELP is 'underrated'...their first 4 albums are all rated over 4 stars........

as far as overrated prog bands....I don't feel any of them truly classify as overrated since a wide variety of people( at least here) have voted , though I do think some individual albums by some of the well known prog bands are overrated.

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Haquin

micky

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Posted: February 27 2018 at 19:36

love these threads... proof again that ELP is the most underrated prog band. Who cares if you don't like them.

Like greatest rock keyboardist ever.. and not even close.

One of the greatest of all rock drummers and by pure talent.. might have been the best.

Then there is Greg Lake.. horriblely underrated as a musician. I do recall Fripp saying Lake was more talented that he was.. and Squire saw Lake as an equal on the bass. Then there is his voice.. not just prog's single greatest vocalist.. but right with Justin Heyword in the minds of many of being considered ROCK's greatest vocalist. There is a reason Lake got pussy every where he went.. it sure as hell wasn't for his looks hahah

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BaldJean

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Posted: February 27 2018 at 18:19

there is in my opinion no such thing as "noodling". it is just a derogatory term used by people who can't appreciate certain musical passages

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Jzrk

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Posted: February 27 2018 at 17:39

seems like this thread has turned into an ELP bashing.
I find it astonishing on a prog fan website.ELP was always one of my favorite prog bands.Overrated,hardly
I still find their music more enjoyable than most other prog of any era.But to each his or her own.
There’s a lot of music here I try to give a fair shake to but get bored of shortly
Never get bored with Brain Salad Surgery or their early albums.
I’m not the worlds biggest prog head and by no means a prog elisitst but really ELP overrated!! ??

Edited by Jzrk - February 27 2018 at 17:40

Mortte

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Posted: February 27 2018 at 02:37

Probably ELP, because GG wasn´t as respected in the seventies as many others.

Frenetic Zetetic View Drop Down

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