Why are prog fans such music snobs?

Not music snobs, the difference between us and most commercial genre fans is that we care for the music we like, we want to know everything, we investigate what we can and know exactly why we like prog' music.

We usually know or at least have an idea what is the main difference between the style of Steve Hackett and Steve Howe or Neil Peart and Bill Bruford, most music listeners like Britney or N'Sync and don't have the slightest idea who plays guitar or drums, but what is even worst, they don't care, they just see the performer and don't  even care for who composed the music.

And don't tell me it's because we listen bands and they only care for soloists, because most progheads know that David Rhodes and Manu Katche played with Peter Gabriel or that an obscure (but great) drummer like Tony Fernandez plays with Rick Wakeman and Ashley Holt sings with him.

The average music listener doesn't worry at all, most of them listen what's being played in the radio so they see someone who cares so much and knows about the genre as a snob who believes he/she knows everything.

Every music fan of every genre thinks that what he listens is the best, the difference is that we have arguments that are valid for us when most people simply like what they listen in the radio without any reason, argument or even the minimum knowledge.

Iván

Hopefully it’s obvious that the poll was made in jest. A bit of satirical commentary, if you will.

The other day I was playing King Crimson at my work, and received some odd looks and negative comments. A bit defensive, I began to bash the ordinary garbage that was played in the office. All of this was done light-heartedly on behalf of both parties, but when I went on to explain exactly why the coma-inducing dribble that spewed from the radio was totally invalid and creatively dead, I had to laugh at my self and respond to their raised eyebrow looks... "I know, I know, I’m a music snob."

Some people, in fact MOST people, only identify with vocals and only care to expose themselfs to what mainstream media offers. I do know people who can explain exactly why they prefer Whitney Houston over Madonna... I think these people care about music, perhaps even as much as I do... but maybe they just don’t feel the need to listen to technical sophistication or layered melodies and complex compositions. I can jive with that, but personally I need to be able to listen to a song 5 times and notice something new each turn.

I do know people who can explain exactly why they prefer Whitney Houston over Madonna...

Of course there are, but from my experience only a minority.

Even if they do, ask them who plays the guitar for their albums or who composes the music and lyrics for them and all you'll get is a loud "Who cares?".

And it's not wrong, because they only care for the main artist (Vocalist in 99% of he cases), but when one of us can tell the formation of each and every Yes album, they say we're snobs.

Iván

we are music snobs...........but rightfully so! 

We are even snobby to each other about various prog bands!!!

I must seem like a horrible snob to my work colleagues, when it comes to music. I cant/wont listern to daytime radio. My colleagues listern to the worst possible daytime radio. LOCAL RADIO!! So there is a playlist of about 20 tracks which are seemingly just repeated in a loop, punctuated by news bulletins about village fetes, cats stuck up trees, and depressing travel information hi-lighting how awful our roads are.

Luckilly I am able to play my CD's quietly in a side room, and its never attracted many comments, although strangely enough I was playing Jethro Tull once and one of my team said 'That sounds quite good. Its a bit different' I told her it was JT and she pulled a face and said 'Oh God they were terrible'

Generally I dont think prog fans are snobs. I understand why they may seem that way to 'outsiders' but it is, as ivan says, because they care about the music and regard it to be more than just frivellous entertainment. To be honest I have friends who are DJ's and are experts on Chicago House, and Detroit Techno. Believe me, in terms of snobbery they could give any of us a run for our money. Listerning to that lot harping on about rare vinyl, and intense beats is like being at a convention of trainspotters on speed!!

I can see by the responses this thread generated, that it is a valid topic. Perhaps it hits a little too close to home? Again, I hope my humor wasn’t lost (if anyone noticed, I made all possible responses to be snobish replies), but I do see the points expressed, and can agree with ivan when he says its because "we care for the music we like".

With that said, I would like to present my definitive thesis on the topic at hand.

Why prog fans are superior to all other music fans.

By Jeremy Spade

1. Superior Intellect.

It is apparent from the articulate and educated posts circulating on this site, that we admirers of progressive rock are in every way more endowed intellectually. Rap and RnB artists alike have atrocious grammar skills, and inspire the same traits in their fans. Just consider some of these embarrassing errors:

50 cent - The plurality of the number "50" demands cent to be cents, BAFOON!

NSYNC - This is apparently an attempt to spell "In Sync" Sync being an abbreviation for "synchronization" which they so clearly do not have, with the exception of their sheer stupidity.

OutKast - need I say more???

2. Superior Skill.

As noted earlier on this thread, a strong majority of progressive rock fans are musicians themselves. This would give listeners of the prog genre an obvious advantage in determining what music is "good" and what music is fit for ridiculing. Imagine regular laymen trying to dictate the engineering science behind NASA! This would result in terrible disaster! Leave the rocket science to the rocket scientists fools! Conclusion: Prog fans are the "Rocket Scientists" of music fans.

3. Superior Hygiene.

While I have not accumulated enough evidence to argue this point sufficiently, it should be taken as fact nonetheless.

4. Superior Senses.

Prog fans are able to pick up on every small detail in the music we listen to. When was the last time you heard a discussion on the subtle nuances of Green Day? Regular music fans have neither the finely tuned hearing, nor the receptive instinct that comes innate with prog fans.

Final Conclusion:

Just as man rules over animal, so the prog fan should rightfully rule over the inferior breed. The overwhelming evidence presented in this thesis is irrefutable. All disagreements of this thesis will be disregarded.

Jeremy Spade wrote:   3. Superior Hygiene. While I have not accumulated enough evidence to argue this point sufficiently, it should be taken as fact nonetheless.

It's a longshot, but it might gives us a clue to why we are here...