Neo prog bands, is there a real problem?

Henry Plainview wrote: progmetalhead wrote: Henry Plainview wrote: progmetalhead wrote: You would miss out on some fabulous music and some classic albums over the years if your disregarded Neo IMHO.   Such as?    I guess that depends on whether your request is to broaden your musical horizons or to flame my choices! I'm curious what you will say, I haven't heard any full neo albums so there's no much I can criticize you on other than disliking what I've heard of the genre.

progmetalhead wrote:   OK bud, my apologies. There have been more than one or two unwarranted and negative comments in this thread IMO.

el böthy wrote: Well, that´s easy. Although not prog Funkadelic and to lesser extend Toto and Boston brought something new, even though not prog. New and Neo prog seem almost oxymorons to my ears

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - September 28 2008 at 14:57

There are some really good recommendations here I'm giving attention, and for that I really thank to E-Dub, fandango and Ivan, because their knowledge of the genre is helping some people to inform before judge an genre like Neo Prog (me among them ).

In terms of progression, I see a basic difference between Neo prog and RIO/Avant.

Neo prog tends to be more extensional, in the sense of expanding the progressive ideas keeping the (very fuzzily) defined frontiers of progressive rock. I see this idea very well explained by Ivan some posts before. We can't say neo prog is not progressive by definition, since the "progress" keeps inside de prog field.

RIO/Avant goes more on the experimental side, including out-of-the-box elements (elements derived from experimentation, other genres, regional styles, even other kinds of art, etc..). I this case the progression goes out of the prog field, and that's what I was talking about while saying "intentionally progressive", because these bands has the real intention to broke the "rules" and redefine completely from scratch the way music is created.

Well guys, personally I feel much more informed about the genre, I really appreciate all these comments from all of you.

Edited by AlexUC - September 28 2008 at 16:27

AlexUC wrote: Well guys, personally I feel much more informed about the genre, I really appreciate all these comments from all of you.

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Again, you are talking about taste

Isnt that what this whole thread is about? or any of these threads for that matter. Theres the fact that neo simply isnt as complex as Rio or Zeuhl or old-school symphonic. does that make it better or worse? Again, your talking about taste.

cacho wrote: Simplicity? Well maybe, compared to the GIANTS

This, I feel, is a good point. While most or all Neo-Prog may not be as complex as 70s Genesis or Yes, there are many many bands from the 70s that, in turn, aren't more complex than Marillion or Pendragon, perhaps less so. Just for one example, Novalis are listed as Symphonic Prog here, and as far as I'm familiar with them, they really aren't very complex at all. But I still agree with putting them in the Sympho category.

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: keiser willhelm wrote: Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Again, you are talking about taste Isnt that what this whole thread is about? or any of these threads for that matter. Theres the fact that neo simply isnt as complex as Rio or Zeuhl or old-school symphonic. does that make it better or worse? Again, your talking about taste.   No it isn't, if it was I would had said nothing or repled a correct opinion like Bald Friedre's, she clearly stated that it was her taste.   But this thread started as a "Lets bash Neo Prog", but when it comes to talk about a barely Prog Related band (Despite it's the same person or not), we find 10 pages and 100 replies.   If people talk about taste, I have nothing to say.   Iván

So far the only points the OP has raised about neo is that he doesnt like the simplicity, thinks its anti progressive, and the fact that it reminds him of the 70's giants bothers him. Most of the other posts reiterate this. It reminds logan of AOR, which he dislikes. Debrew guy mentioned the same thing. Its still about taste. I don think his intention was malicious.
You have a right to be frustrated since this topic has been discussed ad nausium but i still think that his post could be edited down to something along the lines of Fried's and still get his point across without offending anyone, without bringing up the touchy "is it progressive? not really because..." issue. He seems new to the forum, i wouldnt expect him to get it all right the first go around.



Edited by keiser willhelm - September 28 2008 at 23:16

hang in there Ivan (and EDub), this is an archives and Neo must be properly represented, someone has to do it










Edited by Atavachron - September 29 2008 at 02:07

progrules wrote: But seriously I get the feeling that there is a huge gap between the RIO/eclectic/Zeuhl fans on one side and the neoproggers/progmetalists (like me) on the other. It's a gap so big that we may conclude we are talking about totally different genres instead of the assumed fact we are all proggers as one big happy family.