Wish They Weren't Here

KarmaMan wrote: You know, many of the so called 'prog related' Artists. It can be galling to read clueless reviews and ratings by some Italian prog fanof Albums  that have little or no 'prog' content yet you'd rather listen to them then 90+ % of the generic stuff on this site, make that 99.9% of Italian prog.   I know it goes with the territory of having them included in the first place but people like Bowie and Kate Bush I'd love to see removed for starters, they deserve better. I'd rather see a listing of recommended 'proggish' albums by non 'progressive' artists.

The site should consist of only Yes and Genesis. And they should be limited Close to the Edge and Foxtrot.

Seriously though: Radiohead, Bjork, Metallica, Journey, 90% of electronic-prog.

Metallica is the one that is the real sour grapes for me. Not because of the addition per se, but because of the spurious literary slight-of-hand used by certain people who will go nameless to make them out to be a prog-metal while simultaneously writing reviews of landmark prog-metal innovators decrying them as non-prog.  Opinions are opinions, and we are all entitled/subject to them. But propaganda is just obnoxious. And there was a 950 page thread about it, so please stop before you start with the arguments about why they should be here.

At the risk of stating the bleedin obvious....not even say, Crimson, Yes or ELP during the so-called early 70's 'golden years' were 100% Prog, 100% of the time

Sean Trane wrote: I think no genre can claimto be 100% free of borderline inclusions.

Pretty much the bottom line right here.

My interpretation of what he was saying - and I must admit it took me a while as I think it might have been expressed a little more clearly - is that a lot of stuff that is good gets downgraded simply because it is not really prog. He is using the example of a fan of Italian prog who reviews one of these 'non-prog' albums and gives it a bad review simply because it doesn't conform with his idea of prog. I think he is saying that it would be better if such albums weren't here or if they were placed in some category that makes it obvious that they should not be reviewed as prog albums.  ( In my opinion, Prog-related already serves that need. )

Anyway that's just my interpretation and maybe I have completely misunderstood the point.

Henry Plainview wrote: Blacksword wrote: What's the beef with Italian prog in the OP?? I don't know/care much about RPI, unless it's to start a fight with people about it being a real subgenre ;-), but I saw someone post here (it may have been Raff? I'm too lazy to try to find it with the search because it was a long time ago and she's not here to object to my misattribution anyway) that bands known in Italy primarily as pure AOR are included in RPI, but people on PA don't object like we do to some of the controversial additions because we've never heard of them. I guess he's referring to people giving good reviews to those AOR albums.

 

Blacksword wrote: What's the beef with Italian prog in the OP??

I don't know/care much about RPI, unless it's to start a fight with people about it being a real subgenre ;-), but I saw someone post here (it may have been Raff? I'm too lazy to try to find it with the search because it was a long time ago and she's not here to object to my misattribution anyway) that bands known in Italy primarily as pure AOR are included in RPI, but people on PA don't object like we do to some of the controversial additions because we've never heard of them. I guess he's referring to people giving good reviews to those AOR albums. 

Edited by Henry Plainview - July 06 2011 at 05:17

In my own collection I've categorised albums very similarly to what they are here on PA but also a little differently. I love Black Sabbath and Deep Purple but to no extent would I put them under my prog folder. They sleep very happily under my Hard Rock category. Metallica exists (although I don't know why I still have any of their work) in my Metal section as does Iron Maiden.

Queen and Led Zeppelin

While there are a large number or artists I am surprised to see here, most of them are listed under categories like prog related and proto prog.  As part of the purpose of this site is to represent artists who have produced prog and related music, I understand the rationale for including complete discographies.  And yes, it does get weird with some of those mentioned above.  The important thing, of course, is to make your own judgments and conclusions on individual albums and artists.  I have those I favor and those I dislike.  I will not name them now, but when the spirit moves me to write a review, my views will be my own and they will be expressed, positive or negative, or as is usually the case, some mixture between the two.  This is a mighty diverse community, and even though I may disagree with some views and tastes, I am glad to see them expressed - it helps me clarify and understand why I like something or not.  We are united in our appreciation for Prog (To all who ask what is it, remember that this site explains its criteria and perspectives.) as we are diverse in what aspects of it we appreciate the most.