Treatment of Prog fans in 70s

I was a 1970s grammar school boy in the North of England in the 1970s, and from what I remember most of us who were into music listened to prog up until 1977/78. From what I remember and from conversations with friends this was the norm at the time - the racks of record stores were full of ELP, Yes, Tull, Genesis etc. By the time I reached University in 1980 hardly anybody would openly admit to liking prog, despite the fact that probably 75% of them had been ardent progheads a couple of years before. Personally I enjoyed quite a lot of punk/new wave and some disco, but I could never quite understand why it was seen as impossible to enjoy both that and prog. Punk and disco were about singles, and was great music for parties and nights out. Prog was about albums, and was perfect for nights in and getting stoned to. They weren't in competition for the same audience, the whole divide was fostered by the holier than thou attitudes of the music press and, by extension, the wider media. Only in the last couple of years, ages after the critical re-evaluation of some of the lamest 70s and 80s pop, have a few mainstream critics dared to admit that prog was innovative, adventurous and produced some superb music (along with some prize turkeys, of course, but what genre hasn't?).

Scrambled_Eggs wrote: Someone had posted a topic about an emo video not too long ago.  Here's the link to it: http://www.somethingdirectory.com/main_emo.htm It's freakin' hilarious!

yeah i watched that, it was quite good

Someone had posted a topic about an emo video not too long ago.  Here's the link to it:

http://www.somethingdirectory.com/main_emo.htm

It's freakin' hilarious!

MikeEnRegalia wrote: Which bands would you associate with emo? I guess Pearl Yam is very emo, at least Eddie Vedder might be an emo idol.

Pearl Yam?  Is that a Jamaican Reggae band?

GoldenSpiral wrote: From Wikipedia: "Cheer Up Emo Kid" "Emo kids" or "emos" are stereotypically seen as being suicidal, angst-ridden teenagers. When attacking "emo", its detractors often refer to wrist slitting. This is largely due to the lyrical themes of music that is contemporarily labelled "emo"; one of the most common issues addressed by bands such as Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, The Used and others are broken hearts. Other bands, such as Thursday, address other topics considered depressing. The criticisms levelled at "emo" because of reasons such as these are virtually identical to those levelled at other genres which have at one time or another been staple listening for angst-ridden teenagers, such as grunge, nu metal and goth. This viewpoint is also based on the widely accepted notion that the majority of "emo kids" are middle-class white kids. T-shirts, pin badges and other accessories are often worn by those who have a strong dislike for emo (and have also been known to be worn ironically by some who are considered by others or themselves to be "emo"). [end quote] I don't think this is how proggers were treated in the 70's, but I wasn't there.  all I know is that if they were as annoying as emo kids are, they deserved to be made fun of.

That was a pretty accurate description of an emo-kid.

Ugh. One more year of high school and emo is still as big as ever there.

Borealis wrote: Seriously, no one really answered the question. How were considered prog fans in the 70's; nerd, cool, weird?...

I think 3fates and I gave a few clues to that!

Most 70's progheads were accepted because they were not progheads. It did not exist. This musical segregation came around punk time when Disco Fiends and Punk Twits became adament to what they listened to and the rest sucked! Musical Sectarianism came about that era.

Progheads were simply normal persons who were relatively open and did not criticize too much other musics. Cool? I would not say...... Nerd? the term did not exist back then (I believe this came about the early 80's) but no we were certainly not nerds........... Weird? Not anymore than the rest of music fans.

No , I have no rememberance being riled at for my music tastes before Disco fiends (who judge anybody not accepting the lastest trends as uncool)  and Punkers (who wanted to be rock heroes without having to know how to play) appeared around the end of the 70's.

Then prog music lovers became associated to hippies and a thing of the past.

Edited by Sean Trane

"Misunderstood" lol.

From Wikipedia:

"Cheer Up Emo Kid"

"Emo kids" or "emos" are stereotypically seen as being suicidal, angst-ridden teenagers. When attacking "emo", its detractors often refer to wrist slitting. This is largely due to the lyrical themes of music that is contemporarily labelled "emo"; one of the most common issues addressed by bands such as Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, The Used and others are broken hearts. Other bands, such as Thursday, address other topics considered depressing. The criticisms levelled at "emo" because of reasons such as these are virtually identical to those levelled at other genres which have at one time or another been staple listening for angst-ridden teenagers, such as grunge, nu metal and goth. This viewpoint is also based on the widely accepted notion that the majority of "emo kids" are middle-class white kids.

T-shirts, pin badges and other accessories are often worn by those who have a strong dislike for emo (and have also been known to be worn ironically by some who are considered by others or themselves to be "emo").

[end quote]

I don't think this is how proggers were treated in the 70's, but I wasn't there.  all I know is that if they were as annoying as emo kids are, they deserved to be made fun of.

MikeEnRegalia wrote: Blacksword wrote: MikeEnRegalia wrote: What's an emo-kid? I'm thirty years old ... guess I'm too young to be a 70s prog kid and too old to be an emo-kid ... I think they listen to Coldplay and the like... I see ... Coldplay, Travis, Muse, Radiohead. I like some of their songs, but I think that such music is only 5% of what I listen to.

Whoa, there.... Coldplay, muse and radiohead are not in the least  bit emo.  If you want to know what an emo kid is, go to wikipedia and look up "emo".  you will understand.  They listen to bad, whiny punk-ish things like AFI, My Chemical Romance, Finch, etc.  Radiohead is mainly listened to by kids who appreciate music for music's sake, and not for the sake of being part of a "scene", as is generally the case with emo (but thats just my take on it).

Yeah , man!!!! Progheads ruled the world back then!

No , nothing special!!! In  those days, prog groups were all over the radio and a lot of people listened to them, even if they were no dedicated fans.

Then came 77 (well 78 in the North America) and from that day on , because mainly of the SMBWMP (stupid, mindless British (brutish?) weekly musical press) all those liking Yes , Elp and consorts were deemed uncool, outcast , not trendy etc.... and advocated or championed Punk band that managed to capture the (so-called) rebellious nature of rock.

 

Weekly rags such as NME or MM , started burning what they loved just to stay ahead of fashion. Even (and very sadly , because they were the best of the 3 weeklies)  Sounds followed suits. Then came in new wave , where you did not even have to know how to strum guitar strings.......

Virtuoso musicianship had to find refuge amongst metal bands, obscure jazz fusion and later in Funk-fusion bands such R H C Peppers.