"Prog is for nerds"

You're an interesting guy. 

I've met prog fans who were stylish and suit wearing - prog fans but also skaters - prog fans without glasses and the need for playstations - prog fans that looked remarkably like Robert Smith during the 80s - prog fans with the IQ of Forrest Gump - prog fans that dug Diana Ross, King Crimson and Coldplay equally - prog fans that didn't make lists...

The only thing I can think of that binds us all together is the fact that I've never met a prog fan who didn't love Stanley Kubrick.

P.S. Nerds are not what they used to be - hell even the term has taken on an altogether different meaning. Here in Denmark it has almost lost all of it's derogatory meaning. We have tv for kids and teenagers called Nørd (nerd), where the hosts are well versed in physics, maths, history and furthermore look nothing like the zit-infested, snot-snorting, cokebottlebespectacled, poor nourished, weak and unhip nerd of the 90s/80s/70s/60s. 

Now they're in shape with a fine woman slouching on their arm (next to their ruler).

 

floyd4 wrote: Is prog for nerds?

I really don't care who the aforementioned president thinks prog is for. Prog is for people who like prog. End of story. 

floyd4 wrote: Is that a bad thing?

As a 25-year-old to a 13-year-old I say this: these are silly questions. I'm not a closet  prog fan. I'd certainly wear a prog T-shirt in public, but I don't want people to think that I like advertising my music. (Can't help my cynicism, but that's a story for another day.)

This!

Back in the early 80's I never did get that nerd tag when I was young because I was too shaggy (borderline "Shaggy" actually) and along with being a big ELP nut I was also a serious Motorhead fan. Trying to bash my prog loves as snobby and boring usually backfired since I'd just diss their AC/DC and Billy Squier collections as "too wussy and weak" (even though I did actually enjoy it) and toss on some "Bomber" or "Ace of Spades". Worked wonders in the US since hardly anyone knew them.

Funny, I'm not sure if that sort of thing would even work anymore since metal has become increasingly embraced by the so-called nerd culture since the internet came about.

No, there's absolutely nothing wrong with liking prog, or being a nerd for that matter. But here's the takeaway: just because you don't listen to hip hop or bubble gum pop doesn't mean that you're allowed to be condescending about it. Some people just aren't super into music, especially not around that age. You aren't "enlightened" or an esteemed intellectual just because you're a fan of a particular genre of music, whether it's prog, classic rock, jazz, metal, classical, or avant-post-Zeuhl or whatever, all it means is that you're a fan of a particular genre of music. Nothing more, nothing less. If only someone had to me that when I was 13. Maybe I actually could have gotten dates that way! 

Having said that, some prog just is for nerds, plain and simple. And it's glorious. D&D prog... Uriah Heep, Rush's The Necromancer, anything and everything directly inspired by Lord of The Rings... good times, good times. 

So don't worry about what everyone else thinks about your tastes in music. Nobody understands you when you're 13, just live it up and rock on.