Just want to add a few cents in here. First, full disclosure... I am a musician... ok... I'm a drummer.
After decades of having unjustifiable bias towards a very small subset of music. I was, like a large population of the drumming community, a huge fan of Rush and Neal Peart in particular. I was the first one in any conversation to talk about how much better Peart was than anybody who ever lived. I was totally sure of my opinion... and anyone who differed from me back then... was... well.... stupid.
Since that time, I have matured musically. I have expanded my musical horizons. I have looked and listened in directions that I thought were filled with talentless bums.. Looking back... as a fan of music... it was ME that was the talentless bum.
Today... I still have great joy in listening to the latest drop by Rush... and I am still blown away by Neal's drumming. Its great. There is no doubt about that. But I have also expanded my horizons to better understand what Ringo did and how it worked... and Charlie Watts... and Mike Portnoy... and Dave Weckl, and Steve Smith (both Journey and Vital Information). I have since become a huge fan of both Buddy Rich, and Nick D Virgillio... and Chad Wackerman... and so on and so forth...
The bottom line is, that when you limit yourself to a single style or genre of music... You are stunting your growth as a musician. I look at drummers like Steve Smith, and Vinnie Colaiuta,, and have seen them jump from Rock to Jazz to ... gasp... even country... and do all incredibly well...
When I see posts like the ones that started this thread... I feel sad... People are closing off their minds to the incredible variety of music that exists...
To that end, I play with both a praise and worship team, and a local town band (check us out if you're ever in New Carlisle Indiana). I actually enjoy playing old standards... and sometimes... even giving them a new feel. I also like marches, and classical pieces adapted for "quasi" jazz bands like our town band.
I ask, no, I implore all of you who want to take sides on this one... to get out and listen to everything you can. As a fan of prog... I know you listen deeper than most... and can appreciate the subtle things the musicians lend to their work. Learn to appreciate all of it. Roine is awesome. Steven is awesome... But for different reasons. Just because the awesomeness originates from different places, doesn't mean it isn't there.... because as a real musician ... ok... as a drummer... I can see how both artists matter... now... and 10 years down the road...
Peace out everyone... Not everything in life has to be a contest... Sometimes we can just sit back and enjoy... And we should.
Tom