Defining Prog- The Eternal Question

I can't figure out how to reply properly because I'M COMPUTER ILLITERATE AND ASLEEP WITH MY EYES OPEN.Maybe we can't define what prog rock is,but we can begin by saying what it is not to a degree.It's not about the clothes,fashion ,or lifestyle.It has always been about the music foremost.And the definition is so obscure that what used to be called a prog rock band in the 70's like The Mahavishnu Orchestra is now classified as simply jazz today.The key word to try to interpret is progressive.What music from the rock genre exhibit the qualities of being progressive-advocating progress concernig creative and experimentally new,improved and advanced modern sounds which usually means adding jazz and classical musical elements to the basic rock music format.So I agree,there really is no clear cut definition,as long as the music shows elements of progressing to a more intricate or complecated form than it's prior musical state,it can be deemed progressive.The word progressive invokes an evolving,improving,changing style of music so pinning it down to an exact starting point is not a perfectly precise thing to be able to do.24 hours from now I'll probably have a completely different answer or outlook and I hope someone could please walk me through the steps on how to respond properly when I'm more mentally prepared to try and grasp it.Thank You.

rematpac wrote:

Dean wrote: rematpac wrote: What is your definition of the music I've been playing for the last 36 years? I have no idea. What have you been playing for the last 36 years?   I have listened to a broad spectrum of music my entire life (53.9863 years and counting) and played a narrower but still relatively wide range of styles for slightly less than that. Most of that I would call good music, music that was created for the sake of music or art or just to be lisened to and appreciated for what it is and not what it represesents or how it was presented - some of it would be called Prog, but even then not all Prog would fit into such a description.   If we are to talk about Prog Rock and universally understand what we mean by that then some assume that a concrete immutable definition is required, just as it is with any other form of music. We can define Blues by its scales, structure, style and chord progressions that will suffice for most Blues with minor variances and modifications. However, when you are discussing a form of music that deliberately sets out to break convention then any attempt at definition becomes an excercise in futility and what you are left with is a discussion about the simularities between various forms of Prog rather than what sets it apart. Your posts are of the latter form, characterising Prog by effect rather than cause.

What is your definition of the music I've been playing for the last 36 years?

I give up!

Am I getting it any closer yet?

Prog rock will be around for many decades yet.It will eventually travel all around the world just like English and American prog rock from the 70's is very popular in different countries in the world today.

Dean wrote: you still have to type something when you quote...

you still have to type something when you quote...

rematpac wrote: There is no confusion about the definition of prog at all! Nothing could be easier to understand! It's very simple,why people try to make something confusing about it is beyond me?Prog rock is music that is about the music only.That's it.It's not about what's cool or in or out or what the people wear or what they look like or about the stage show or the lyrics or politics or ratings or sales or ANYTHING,except the music.The music is composed and played with one thing in mind-the music itself ,nothing else.The idea is to make music that is musically good and that is the ONLY consideration.The reason why it seems confusing is because music for music's sake is rare in the world of rock music.For most of rock music the more important things are what you look like,how old you are,what kind of clothes you wear,what your politics are,do masses of idiots like you for some reason,how many records do you sell,what are your politics,what do your lyrics say,who are they talking to,or what about,how do you act on stage or off,what do you say,how do you move on stage or off,are you something new,are you more of the same thing are you the "latest thing" and a 100 other things that aren't prog rock.Once again,prog rock is music for music's sake only,that's it.If there's any arguement then you're talking about something else.