mithrandir wrote: grandoleopry wrote: Elitist, populist. This doesn't sound to socialistic to me. In fact critics hate prog because it does not reflect the us against the man mentality, the haves against the have nots,the the proletariat against the bourgeoisie They felt that rock was first and foremost a political tool for Marxist Ideal isms and that prog led people away from all the inequality and the injustice. This is why punk was praised as reviving the spirit of rock. The early prog bands were observationalists for the most part and madingley apolitical. Sorry, but in my view the absents of socialism in music was the reason prog was scorned, not embraced. hmm, I guess you're not very familiar with Henry Cow, Faust and Area then are you?

Just a theory, why else then? The music is too complicated after downing a couple six packs of Bud?
I've really never understood the hatred amongst the rock critics for prog and this was about the most applicable explanation I've run into considering that most journalists get a very liberal education. It would seem naive to dismiss the great influence Marxism holds on young journalists. That's not to say that prog is conservative at all it's just may be perceived that way for the statements I quoted earlier. Remember, Marxist ideals permeate most universities and some political correct pundits would find a fascist under every toilet seat. If you got a better theory then lets hear it, I'm open...

i'm a secular free-market "conservative."  (I guess supporting free market capitalism  and rugged individualism is considered conservative now)  and I'm a huge prog fan myself, although I do support rational social policy which does NOT include welfare.  All of my liberal friends listen to crap, and I don't have any conservative or prog-listening friends whatsoever. (maybe that's because I live in Santa Cruz, CA aka time portal back to the 60s)  I met a Christian neo-conservative who loves prog so not all prog fans are socialists, but I think a strong correlation exists nonetheless.  I find that the music with the most socialists, communists, and liberal democrats would be hippy music jam bands, and trance music.  I honestly couldn't care less what political views are expressed in the music I listen to because I do not listen to music for political insight nor do I give any ideas expressed through lyrics any credibility whatsoever.  That would be like going to a concert with Bill Clinton playing saxophone and expecting a great musical performance.    

FragileDT wrote: You don't have many pro-war conservative republican prog bands and that's a fact.

And FragileDT, I'm not saying that you think this, I'm just using the quote as an example, I HATE when Americans place a false dichotomy on the republican and democratic party as the PRO-WAR and the ANTI-WAR party.  This view of the parties, what they stand for, and their underlying ideologies is narrowminded and considers only one moment in time, leaving out the entire history of the parties and what they really stand for.  It's a statement that 5 years olds make who have lived through the Iraq war and use that as the differentiating factor between the two parties.  

grandoleopry wrote: Elitist, populist. This doesn't sound to socialistic to me. In fact critics hate prog because it does not reflect the us against the man mentality, the haves against the have nots,the the proletariat against the bourgeoisie They felt that rock was first and foremost a political tool for Marxist Ideal isms and that prog led people away from all the inequality and the injustice. This is why punk was praised as reviving the spirit of rock. The early prog bands were observationalists for the most part and madingley apolitical. Sorry, but in my view the absents of socialism in music was the reason prog was scorned, not embraced.

hmm, I guess you're not very familiar with Henry Cow, Faust and Area then are you?

Dr Know wrote: Tony Fisher,What are Rush´s unpleasant right wing views? This has made me curious.

Well I don't know what whoever said about Rush having right wing views?
That's as big of a joke as it comes. Rush's lyrics are as left-wing as you can
get on about 99% of their songs. There's no argument there, they spell out
their socialist views for you.

I understand the topic of this thread. The perspectives and lyrics of the
majority of prog bands do tend to have socialistic view points. Whether or
not the average prog fans have the same view is a different story. The lyrics
to prog are very liberal in a general sense. You don't have many pro-war
conservative republican prog bands and that's a fact.

^^^^^

I think if he were elected the whole world would be in a better shape!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If we look at the political spectrum back in the 1950's and 1960's, we will find that most political parties which named themselves "progressive" were socialist/left-wing in nature. In a way, socialim provided the political spectrum with an alternative to the then-outdated nationalist/conservative movements, which ultimately resulted in two world wars. Bearing this in mind, I think we can say that "socialism" (as a new way of main-stream political thinking) paved the way for "progressive music" (as a new way of writing music).

Also, quite remarkable is the fact that "capitalism" (as a means to maximize profits) lead to the emergence of consumerism in all aspects of life, including arts (and particularly the music industry). How else can we explain the myriad of bands who emerge everyday, to sell one rubbish album to today's teenagers? In that sense, "progressive music" does not have "profit maximization" as a target, and therefore is far from being "capitalist" in nature. It is safe, therefore, to claim that Progressive Rock does have some conceptual similarities with "Socialism".

Am I making any sense at all?

Dr Know wrote: Tony Fisher,What are Rush´s unpleasant right wing views? This has made me curious.

Neil Peart's main lyrical influence is Ayn Rand.  It's pretty much common knowledge.

 

 

Tony Fisher,What are Rush´s unpleasant right wing views? This has made me curious.

As a socialist and prog lover I have to say that many prog fans who are known to me are right wing. Don't think there's a correlation.