Progressive Rock and the Middle Class

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   I recently finished reading Rocking the Classics: English Progressive Rock and the Counterculture, by Edward Macan. A very interesting book, but not completely accurate, IMHO. 
 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195098889/qid=111886 5210/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-7985138-2207825 
Macan outlines the birth of Prog from middle class nieghborhoods and colleges in England. I'd would have to agree that Progressive Rock is a form of music more inclined to have middle class musicians and fans. Bill Bruford, in a U.K. era interview had this to say about the difference between Punk rock and progressive:
At 29, Bruford is a 12-year rock veteran and becomes cynical when discussing the punk-rock upheaval in England and punk's disdain for the "old fart" bands he's played in. 'There seems to be a new group every 30 seconds: 'And now here's today's biggest punk band, X-Ray Specs'," he mocks. "Tomorrow it'll be someone else. "The way rock is being defined in England right now, I'm certainly not a rock drummer and never have been. Rock there is about protest, unemployment, the welfare state. I'm a nice middle-class boy, and I'm not a rock drummer if you define it like that."

Any thoughts? 

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Dan Bobrowski Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 02 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5243	Posted: June 15 2005 at 16:00
	I recently finished reading Rocking the Classics: English Progressive Rock and the Counterculture, by Edward Macan. A very interesting book, but not completely accurate, IMHO. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195098889/qid=111886 5210/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-7985138-2207825 Macan outlines the birth of Prog from middle class nieghborhoods and colleges in England. I'd would have to agree that Progressive Rock is a form of music more inclined to have middle class musicians and fans. Bill Bruford, in a U.K. era interview had this to say about the difference between Punk rock and progressive: At 29, Bruford is a 12-year rock veteran and becomes cynical when discussing the punk-rock upheaval in England and punk's disdain for the "old fart" bands he's played in. 'There seems to be a new group every 30 seconds: 'And now here's today's biggest punk band, X-Ray Specs'," he mocks. "Tomorrow it'll be someone else. "The way rock is being defined in England right now, I'm certainly not a rock drummer and never have been. Rock there is about protest, unemployment, the welfare state. I'm a nice middle-class boy, and I'm not a rock drummer if you define it like that." Any thoughts?