How many members actually read about Prog?

I'm not a prog novice, I'm 44 and I have listened to prog since before I knew what it was, my elder family members listened to prog while I was doing my addition and substraction and multiplication homework. My lifetime mates are also prog fans, we grew together listening to prog (and other music as well), we have had years of discussions, we have read magazines... you know what I mean.

I think I have a pretty good idea of how did Genesis fans react to the release of The Lamb. And if I want to learn more about it, sure, I can search the net and read stuff for 2 full days.

 

That's not the point. Reading is one very important thing, but it is something completely different from an internet forum. Reading is a 1-way exercise and the purpose is purely to inform and educate yourself.

 

Forums are an interactive amusement. I think many of us here use the forum as a sort of tool for chatting with other people who like similar music as we do, to engage in (hopefully) entertaining discussions, even if in many occasions we will hear again and again what we already know or what has been already said 100 times before.

 

I'm not expecting a single reply by an authoritative music history scholar telling me the objective truth of how did Genesis fans react to The Lamb. I'm simply expecting to hear other PA members' opinions and have some fun. 

 

I understand what you mean and surely all of us can and should educate ourselves, but I think you miss the point of what a forum is for.

   

 

That and the start of FM radio which gave you the music in Stereo and sounded way better.

 

 

In the heyday of progressive rock (late 60's and early 70's) , it was said the music found a home with middle class teens and 20's , and especially those who were doing some form of higher education. Hence a suggestion: prog was more popular with those who might be thought to be 'intelligent' and enquirying - indeed the perahps the more argumentative part of the youth population? So whilst the following might reflect an old man's arrogance: what happened to self enquiry,

what was the first prog album,

was Lamb Lies Down first neo-prog album,

is jazz  prog?

 

etc. ad nausem, that suggest the authors have not bothered to read the copious amounts of (non-thread) information carefully written and available here, let alone attempted to read any of the books postered here and reviewed. What is worse the reponses usually don't direct the originator to points of references. So is there a tendency here  to argue rather than educate??? The numbers of strikes wrt to the collection of threads largely on books here, would part support my thought that there is only limited interest in reading books that at least have some half decend research done in their preparations. It is clear with some that they have come to expand their knowledge wrt prog especially our younger members, but too often many of the responses to "recommend me...." suggest that a novice should be dropped in at the deep end amongst artists/albums, rather thinking that a novice should "walk before he/she can run" - which for instance happens too often wrt jazz recommendations. (Perhaps such requests need an initial question in response,to be answered by the originator: 'what music do you like?"... and from that provide recommendationsof music of a new genre that  has at least loose connections. You'll note to a recent request on jazz albums, I suggested the discographies found in a couple of books, which tend to be fairly neutral and constructed in their reviews, than those produced by keen PA fan promoting their favourites here).

 

In the heyday of progressive rock (late 60's and early 70's) , it was said the music found a home with middle class teens and 20's , and especially those who were doing some form of higher education. Hence a suggestion: prog was more popular with those who might be thought to be 'intelligent' and enquirying - indeed the perahps the more argumentative part of the youth population? So whilst the following might reflect an old man's arrogance: what happened to self enquiry, and so do others find a malaise, a naivity? Further, do you treat  some threads with contempt and so avoid them like the plague although otherwise believe the subject matter is up your street?