Celebs who like prog!!!!

I heard motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson say, in an interview, that he liked Focus. The young lady replied, 'That's bollocks Jeremy'.

Apparently 'comedian' Jim Davidson has the first five ELP albums in the CD player of his Roll Royce. My car doesn't even have a CD player!

Former NME jounalist Stuart Maconie claims to like progressive music.

Geck0 wrote: It's just a shame Rush aren't that prog!

Still good for a prime time, mainstream breakfast show, dont you think? Genesis, Yes and ELP did get a mention in a favourable light too!

Don't knock it, mate!

UnknownFlow wrote: Comedian Phil Jupitus is a Rush fan I assume (seeing as he has a "Signals" T-Shirt) and Cliff Burton from (early) Metallica always said Geddy Lee was one of his main influences.

Phil Jupitus even interviewed Geddy & Alex on his breakfast show while they were touring R30!! He played several Rush songs and even reffered to that day as 'Prog Monday'!

I wrote the VdGG book so I only know of people who are into VdGG (which doesn't neccesarily mean they're into prog in general!).

Musicians (non-prog) - Phil Oakey from the Human League said (in the Guardian I think) "We used to listen to Genesis, but the band we really loved was VdGG." Other fans of VdGG are Marc Almond (Soft Cell), John Frusciante (R H Chili Peppers), Bruce Dickensen (Iron Maiden), Johnny Rotten, Mark E. Smith (The Fall), Don Bolles (The Germs), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Simon Gallup (The Cure), Julian Cope, Jim Kerr (Simple Minds), Colin Newman (Wire), Nick Cave, Graham Coxon (Blur), Henry Rollins.

Others would include famous writers like Ian Rankin (the Detective John Rebus series) and Michel Faber; movie directors Jonathan Demme & Anthony Minghella; Record producers Hugh Padgham, Tchad Blake, and George Martin.

I find it extraordinary to see a band like VdGG gain such a large and electic mix of followers, much more so than someone like Yes or Genesis. Prog may be unfashionable, but those two bands still sold millions of records and can be heard on the radio so they're bound to be known and have celebrity followers. It's stranger (and more encouraging IMO) to see groups like VdGG, Magma, Can, etc be namechecked by other non-prog artists.

There is also Jeremy Clarkson off of "Top Gear" he had prog music playing on the car stereo when they were testing cars out on the track. Although he mentioned that VdGG weren't one of his favourites, so obviously he can't be that big a fan of prog.

...oh and Homer Simpson of course

Geck0 wrote: There is another thread like this... but on there, it says Steve Davis the Snooker player (yes yes, I know, he's an equivalent to a baseball pitcher, hehe) likes Magma and even has a website dedicate to them apparently.

Iv'e heard he likes Magma too!!!