Social concerns of the major Prog acts in the 70s?

Edited by David_D - October 02 2024 at 17:35

^ I thought it was The Beatles but hey ho. I remember telling the class at school (about 1975) that The Beatles were my favourite band (it was one of those introduction things) and the other kids thought it was hilarious. Not that relevant but 'then kids' in my school at least were mainly clueless. Howwever there were still ELP and Yes fans knocking around it seemed when I started getting into those bands. Glam rock dominated my very early days and it was Sweet who were massive. I reckon even then (back in 1973) they were better than Led Zep and still do. After 1977 rock journalism went to sh*t anyway. You can't trust any of it imo.

David_D wrote: ... That is also well in line with the conception that Prog evolved much on basis of the hippie movement which was very critical towards the materialism of the modern society, and meant that better life could be achieved by going back to the earlier societies' closer relationship to nature.

cstack3 wrote: David_D wrote: My life is a good example too of how social engagement gives some kind of creativity.  Tell me more!  Send me a message.  My life as well!

Edited by David_D - August 22 2024 at 14:20

David_D wrote: cstack3 wrote: When Jon Anderson sang "Let them rape the forests!" in TFTO, I vowed NO!!   That is when I transitioned from pre-medical student to environmental biologist (University of Illinois). I told this story to Jon backstage after their 35th Anniversary Tour in Chicago, he gave me a VERY sweet smile!!   My life is a good example too of how social engagement gives some kind of creativity.

Hrychu wrote: ... I guess it boils down to generational gaps. I'm a '96 Zillennial. Even if I learn about the 70's social issues, they won't have as much direct relevance for me, than any "real" prog fan (typically an early gen Xer or a boomer).

Henry Cow, Robert Wyatt and a few others were communists, but I'm not sure that permeated much in their lyrics in terms of social concerns (Cow was mainly instrumental)

Jacob Schoolcraft wrote: ... Completely heard, felt, and recorded with inspiring conviction. That's why these particular artists write masterpieces and when asked how it evolved they usually answer like Ginger Baker and say..."Well..I wasn't thinking of anything at all" ...

moshkito wrote: David_D wrote: ... That is a very fine example of relationship between social engagement, musical creativity and stylistic characteristics!  Hi, Scary thought for me, for it implies that it all has to be connected, and in the end, it doesn't, and individual independence in terms of creativity was VERY CLEAR in the "krautrock" time period, which suggests that the only social engagement was really the kids sticking to their friends, and then the younger generation creating the communes to live and get away from the older folks. Stylistic characteristics, is a bit on the ... weird side ... since there was so much that was vastly different in Germany within the "Krautrock" folks themselves, and their inspiration was quite a story many times. The one thing that was clear was that the younger folks were not so interested in the characteristics of westernized arts/music as defined in America and England ... but I'm not sure that any of us are willing to accept that and find it offensive ... sometimes. It's the reason why I always joke the the English and Americans invented the world and everyone else is peanuts!

Interesting points! I recall hearing Guru Guru sometime in the 70s. I remember being struck by the Hendrix Electric Ladyland style on Kanguru and then later hearing their first 2 albums which produced the same influences of Jimi Hendrix. Kanguru utilized a phase shifter and on the piece "Another World" from Guru, Guru Mani und sum friends it's very obvious in the intro that the usage of echoplex and structure has similarities to Hendrix 1983, A MERMAN I SHALL TURN TO BE.. For a brief moment in time they developed a John McLaughlin style or Mahavishnu oriented on Dance Of The Flames.

Amon Duul II had serious reflections of the early Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett period ...particularly on Yeti. Sections of Popol Vuh which feature guitar improvisation over top of spiritual sounding piano and drums seem to come across with a San Francisco influence. It would be odd to make comparison and those were the times we were living in . The point is the Krautrock bands very much did things their own way. Perhaps they were influenced by American music to a small degree but they most certainly adapted their own cultural interpretation of it. Or many of these analogies can be summed up in the realization that things also happen naturally in art and it doesn't involve thinking but instead feelings or emotions driven to compose music without a cause in mind. Some of the most beautiful pieces of music were written that way. Completely by ear. Completely heard, felt, and recorded with inspiring conviction. That's why these particular artists write masterpieces and when asked how it evolved they usually answer like Ginger Baker and say..."Well..I wasn't thinking of anything at all"

"I don't think about what I'm going to play before I play it" "Music is all feel" "You must be one of the thinking division"

I recall Rick Wakeman said that the songs on Fragile all just happened with spontaneity and he further gives detail of himself creating the piano part for Heart Of The Sunrise followed by Chris Squire and Steve Howe instantaneously creating the riff for the song...and how it all came together so quickly and so naturally and that nothing was ever said. I know it's so disappointing and degrading to music analyst but truthfully there is no explanation for it because it happens naturally and the artist doesn't question why.