Sting for Prog Related

NaturalScience wrote: The T wrote: Shouldn't he get the same chance as any other band? Added to a chart, voted upon by genre-team members, and rejected or approved??   But the suggestion was for prog-related - from what I understand, it doesn't work the same way as suggestions for the actual prog subs...micky explained this to me once, perhaps he can shed some light once again...

debrewguy wrote: Would Stink garner the same support if the Police had been a prog band ?

I believe that's pronounced Stin g.

Logan wrote: I'd appreciate it if links to his proggiest music were made available (may be ones on myspace and youtube).

http://www.myspace.com/theofficialsting

Listen to Mad About You, that sums it up pretty well. On the later albums in the 90s he added more Jazz/World influences, and in the 2000s he re-approached mainstream again.

http://www.last.fm/music/Sting

Some more really cool songs.

EDIT: Found a really cool video at last.fm:

http://www.last.fm/music/Sting/+videos/5487209

Seven Days, a really cool track because it reminds of the Police a lot, but it's 5/8 time signature shows that he was eager to experiment and try out new things ... plus you can see in the video that it was a really cool bunch of musicians!


Edited by MikeEnRegalia - August 04 2008 at 17:09

Thanks Mike.  Listening now.  I guess primarily it would be his fusion of music styles/ influences.  Even "Mad about You" (good song I vaguely remember) is not that Prog to my ear, though proggish in a way.  Good to hear "Fortress Around You" -- haven't heard it in years; used to love that song.  If he were considerably proggier, he'd be in an art rock category.  I guess one could somewhat relate him to bands in the archives such as Supertramp.  I think he has more to do with, I'll call it "progressive pop rock" than "progressive rock" so not that suitable.

Re Rushfan4's post -- of course metal fans often like non-metal music, but he brings up something that I've wondered about.  That when it comes to evaluation, whether one knows an artist or not, how much one's experience with evaluating music for a certian category (and subcategories) will affect one's perception as to what is related.  I was thinking about this recently in regards to Laurie Anderson.  Ivan remarked on the lack of complexity of her music, and seemed to intimate that that wa s reason for her not being included; whereas her minimalist approach is one reason why I associated her with prog (Ivan may be drawing on his experience with the symph team more; whereas, I'm thinking more of minimalist electronic, experimental, and krautrock compositions -- I wanted Glass in, though clearly short on rock).  It helps if one is familar with and likes music from all of the progressive catefories in some cases, as certian biases can creep in that don't take ino account the wider progressive music picture.

Since Sting is closest to the Crossover category (but not right for it), in a way it wouldn't be suprising if there was more sympathy for the addition to PR than in other quarters.  It's a reason why i wish we had multi-tagging for PR bands/ artists, to better clearly see the realtion to the Prog categories, but as I said, I think one needs to think of core prog categories (I don't mean having Xover as a tag, but, well I got into that in my last post).

NaturalScience wrote: The T wrote: Shouldn't he get the same chance as any other band? Added to a chart, voted upon by genre-team members, and rejected or approved??   But the suggestion was for prog-related - from what I understand, it doesn't work the same way as suggestions for the actual prog subs...micky explained this to me once, perhaps he can shed some light once again...

I've always thought of you admin guys as the Proto-Prog and Prog Related specialist team (then you have your other specialist teams), but of course both categories don't cover any one genre or subgenre, so of course you guys have very good knowledge of music from all the categories here, as well as a stronger understanding of the history of progressive music than most collabs.  I've also figured that you must do a lot more research than other teams, because it's often harder to let the music speak for itself, and must consider historical implications, and I know you people weigh up the opinions of posters.  Anyway, I believe the admin were chosen to head up those teams, which work more behind closed-doors than others, because it can be very controversial (and an easier place for Max to coordinate) and they also weigh up the appearance of an addition, as well as the merits of an addition.  Is it beneficial to the site?  Will it bring in more people, or turn more people off?  As what's let in, and what's not, can be controversial, it takes the most level-headed and thick-skinned of people.

Edited by Logan - August 04 2008 at 19:37

rushfan4 wrote: FWIW, I do find it interesting that Micky, who is on the Crossover prog team which is probably the closest in relation to where Sting might fit in, if he were to fit in, says that consideration is worth serious discussion, where as the two prog metal guys both weigh in and immediately dismiss him, given that that category may be the furthest away in sound to Sting.  That being said, I failed to mention in my previous post that although the thought of him being included on PA did cross my mind, I figured it was too much of a longshot to even mention.  Although some of his music might definitely apply, like the most controversial cases, he is too well known as a non-prog artist to ever get serious consideration (and probably for that matter, deserve serious consideration).

now that was a chore hahha... picking one post ..out of a thread of interesting ones to reply to.... yours though raises something interesting..so I'll pick on yours.

first off... let me clarify my thoughts to those who are thinking Satan himself has descended upon the archives....   Sting does merit consideration...   musically.. and as all of you know.. I don't give a rats-ass about tags and labels.. if all we care about are tags... we can fire all the collabs here since any ape can do the job genre team members can do.  We LISTEN to the music.. and THEN evaluate it. Sting's solo output has little to nothing in common with the Police... and in fact.. as some members have noted... it similar enough to artists who ARE included here to merit discussion.  When the Xover team makes a decision.. we listen first.. and not let prejudices or pre-concieved notions get in the way.  Maybe some day we will look at Sting.. as for myself...  and I suspect the other team members... we have other fish to fry. If we though he was a such glaring omission... he would have been brought up by now.


Now Scott... you touched upon something I found rather interesting but taking a different and impersonal angle on it...  see... for some here....  prog metal is oxymoron...   yet agree or not that what is prog metal is really prog or not... we trust and accept ... and support those team members who work hard for their sub.  On the other side of the spectrum... their exists a subgenre here in the same exact postion.  Crossover prog.. .or for those who need a more precise exaplanation of it...  prog pop.   Yes...  like prog metal.. we have people wandering around here who foam at the mouth saying the twain shall not meet.... ahhh... but they have.. they did back in the golden days with such groups as the Moodies.. who in fact the sub was created for since they were the odd man out and really could only be described in such terms accurately. However this isn't the place for the history lesson...  the fact is....  whether you agree with prog metal or not... it is here.. and I for one have always supported that team and it's decisions.. even if sometimes I must admit I have no clue as to what it is... or what they are doing.  On the other side of the prog spectrum we have Xover.. or prog pop... whatever you want to call it.  Whether you agree with it or not.. it is here... and there is a team.. not just me.. or even just  Dean and myself..  that take our jobs seriously and try to make additions with the site in mind.  PM and Xover share a common problem.. or difficulty if you will.. lots of people running around with their own ideas of what that sub... or is not...  some who think is doesn't even exist or make sense. 

Sting if... or when he is evaluated... will be evaluated on his musical output... not a f**king name that some of you know... some more than the music itself since he is 'famous'.  I expect that whatever decision that team comes to... be respected.  Trust me...  we are listening to music.. not voting for favorites.. or conversely.. rejecting artists for their 'tags and labels'

end of rant hahhha

Sting can't be prog because my wife likes him, and she hates all prog except "Follow You Follow Me".

Well it may have seemed like a silly comment but you only have to look at my wife's CD collection to know that anything in it cannot be classed as prog.

chopper wrote: Well it may have seemed like a silly comment but you only have to look at my wife's CD collection to know that anything in it cannot be classed as prog.

Didn't mean your comment was silly, just didn't want people making an obvious joke.

All of my wife's CDs are the same, miles away from prog.