Your Favorite Prog Personality!

Who is your favorite personality in Prog and why? If its split, you can name a few people.

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My favorite personality is actually in the proto-prog category; Pete Townshend (of the Who). I think, whatever the truth behind the controversy- the man is fascinating in his approach, ideas and behavior on the stage and off! His concepts are out of this world, almost at odds with it. He is deeply empathetic yet desperate and unstable in everything he does. He struggles and lays himself completely bare in song after song. He never settles for low-intensity- he puts everything into every song. His beautiful plaintive voice is one of the treasures of rock of roll and his guitar is consistently viscous. His lyrics are a cut above, much better and more serious than they had to be given the Who's genre but thank goodness! On stage the man is the focal point of the Who concert, not because he is the best musician but because he leaps and windmills and pours his heart out. He is vulnerable and eccentric and probably a raging (bi or homo)sexual (hopefully just that), but he always denies it.
He got himself into a horrible mess in the 2000s that seemed prophesied by his 1993 album Psychoderelict. I wouldn't think Townshend was that disturbed to really do such things, but I don't know. I don't think Who fans will ever know what really happened. In a perverse way, this possible criminality makes Townshend even more interesting. What a great rock personality!.

NecronCommander wrote: Devin Townsend.  'Nuff said.

You read my mind! 

Edited by Shevrzl - July 27 2010 at 00:48

Carl Palmer - Just seems like a nice man, one you could talk to and have a cup of tea with or (pint of ale for that matter). In interview he seems very calm, cool and possitive

Edited by aginor - July 26 2010 at 10:27

UndercoverBoy wrote: Peter Hammill.  Other than being a musical genius, the man seems very intellectual and literate.

This.

Jon Anderson - completely barking mad, yet lovely & endearing at the same time.

The Truth wrote: Probably Syd Barrett, although it's sad to read about his mental downfall, the guy was so special and shouldn't have gone like that.

Many of the little stunts Syd Barrett pulled off like,....the Fillmore East where he stood and stared into space and proceeding to strum an open tuned D major chord all night,  or painting the floorboards of his room and painting himself in so he would be trapped until it dried,  or his blank stare to Pat Boone during  a international broadcast,  were all play acting conceptsthat many kids indulged in during the 70's. My friends would role play someone else to authority figures all the time. Just like Jerry Shirley (x-Humble Pie drummer), has stated in the past how Syd would pretend to be crazy and many bought into it. So before he actually went into seclusion, he was playing games with people's heads. I'm not making reference to what happened later in his life. What I'm trying to say is that a huge part of the analogy in which people make of him is based off his early behaviour. He was an artistic person and role playing with your next door neighbour is something that most actors do. People thought he was insane anyway because of his artistic NATURE.  I think this aspect to his world is..., according to the publications industry the life of a madman, is quite misunderstood for it's true meaning. Whether he was crazy or not,....it has little to do with many artists who behave this way. Some artists will showboat bizzare acts because they need attention. Whether they recieve that attention or not, they will always be the same in with that  spirit. It doesn't truly make them candidates for psychiatric treatment.  Roger Waters, and the newspapers think quite the opposite. 

Frank Zappa. He was great musician,Animator,Philosopher,Composer,.... and specially he was BRAVE. He had unique character. I think he was a real Artist. He introduced many perfect musicians. He played guitar like god and I never heard Guitar playing like Zappa. His music had one special thing I cant explain. Zappa played most of genres and he did it perfect. Jazz rock/fusion, Blues, Hard Rock, Symphonic,.... but all of them had common point I call that " One special unexplainable thing". His voice was freaky and very impressive. He was genius. RIP

Richard Wright - Usually the silent one or the George Harrison of Pink Floyd.

Edited by Weirdamigo - July 28 2010 at 08:49