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Topic ClosedPorcupine Tree...Heavy Prog?

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Dean View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 07:25
I feel that sub-genre placement is a careful balance between the music and its association with other music within that sub. In this instance the perception of Porcupine Tree as a Psych band was unrepresentative of the perception that most PT fans have of them (ie most fans are post Deadwing fans, not Sky Moves fans). I would also add that this move was made with the agreement of both teams.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 07:27
Heavy Prog is certainly where the band are at now and I cant see the band changing that in the foreseeable future.


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:05
I heartily agree with D. Heath's views on multi-categorization of bands.
In the matter of Porcupine Tree: In my most humble opinion, focus has been removed from the by far most voluminous period of the band discography to a more recent period spanning over their latest two offerings, based on a purely subjective assessment. Even though I don't doubt that it was with the best of intentions, it was an unnecessary decision, and it makes it seem as though the band's genre is defined by a very narrow margin.
Generally - and this applies to all bands that might end up in the same situation - this could confuse newcomers who come to the archives looking for genre [x], stumble upon a band labelled as such, and then encounter a lot of genre [y].
I acknowledge the hard work put into the genre index by the collaborator's team, and since it seems that some people here get VERY touchy when a layman pokes his nose into collaborator's affairs, I shall only say that it's not my intention to undermine or offend your decisions Embarrassed I'm only giving my 2 cents here.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:07
Originally posted by Casartelli Casartelli wrote:

Heavy Prog is fine with me, although I think Eclectic Prog might have fitted best. However, I think the same about Rush, so perhaps I should re-read the definitions. LOL


Hey, don't think this idea was not presented  up the Collaborators Lounge at all. Quite the contrary, actually. Tongue But, despite technically eclectic, it was decided that Porcupine Tree's heaviness in music is a characteristic that always blended, whether with the psychedelic great music, with the pop-alternative new orientations, or with this new-metallic skins. (which brings me to one of T's posts: when was PT "ZERO Heavy"?!?!)


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:15
Originally posted by Ricochet Ricochet wrote:

Originally posted by Casartelli Casartelli wrote:

Heavy Prog is fine with me, although I think Eclectic Prog might have fitted best. However, I think the same about Rush, so perhaps I should re-read the definitions. LOL


Hey, don't think this idea was not presented  up the Collaborators Lounge at all. Quite the contrary, actually. Tongue But, despite technically eclectic, it was decided that Porcupine Tree's heaviness in music is a characteristic that always blended, whether with the psychedelic great music, with the pop-alternative new orientations, or with this new-metallic skins. (which brings me to one of T's posts: when was PT "ZERO Heavy"?!?!)
Thanks for your reaction, Ricochet. It was only after my post that I read the whole discussion about the importance of when a band was at its most influential over the importance of what a band actually performed. In that sense I'm not completely convinced yet: are The Pineapple Thief and the likes mostly resemblant of the heavy aspects in PT's music?
 
On the other side, if the relevant period of PT, in this meaning, is limited to the last three albums, shouldn't one of the metal categories be more appropriate? Or is Heavy Prog in the end more a kind of compromise between those different thinkings?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:23
Originally posted by Balthe Balthe wrote:

I heartily agree with D. Heath's views on multi-categorization of bands.
In the matter of Porcupine Tree: In my most humble opinion, focus has been removed from the by far most voluminous period of the band discography to a more recent period spanning over their latest two offerings, based on a purely subjective assessment. Even though I don't doubt that it was with the best of intentions, it was an unnecessary decision, and it makes it seem as though the band's genre is defined by a very narrow margin.
Generally - and this applies to all bands that might end up in the same situation - this could confuse newcomers who come to the archives looking for genre [x], stumble upon a band labelled as such, and then encounter a lot of genre [y].
I acknowledge the hard work put into the genre index by the collaborator's team, and since it seems that some people here get VERY touchy when a layman pokes his nose into collaborator's affairs, I shall only say that it's not my intention to undermine or offend your decisions Embarrassed I'm only giving my 2 cents here.
I agree with Tony in that it is highly likely that PT will remain as they have currently been with the last three albums and not return to the Psyche days of their first three (I cannot see the Stupid Dream or Lightbulb Sun phase as Psych or Heavy Prog albums - they are closer to Eclectic or Crossover IMO).
 
To paraphrase Mr Wilson - He's Moved On. Wink
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:29
Had the genre change been suggested prior to Deadwing, dare I say there would have been close to zero support for it, which leads me to believe that the enthusiasm and commercial craze surrounding the latest two releases have caused the shift to happen too hastily, overlooking the clear red line of space/psychedelia existent in PT's music throughout their discography, even throughout their "pop" years with "Stupid Dream" and "Lightbulb Sun".
Due to the progressive nature of Porcupine Tree, along with, unsurprisingly, a great part of the archives (where are they 5 years from now?), this could lead to periodic re-labeling of genres and attempts to pidgeonhole bands, instead of trying to find a better way of representing them in the grand scheme.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:36
Originally posted by Casartelli Casartelli wrote:

Originally posted by Ricochet Ricochet wrote:

Originally posted by Casartelli Casartelli wrote:

Heavy Prog is fine with me, although I think Eclectic Prog might have fitted best. However, I think the same about Rush, so perhaps I should re-read the definitions. LOL


Hey, don't think this idea was not presented  up the Collaborators Lounge at all. Quite the contrary, actually. Tongue But, despite technically eclectic, it was decided that Porcupine Tree's heaviness in music is a characteristic that always blended, whether with the psychedelic great music, with the pop-alternative new orientations, or with this new-metallic skins. (which brings me to one of T's posts: when was PT "ZERO Heavy"?!?!)
Thanks for your reaction, Ricochet. It was only after my post that I read the whole discussion about the importance of when a band was at its most influential over the importance of what a band actually performed. In that sense I'm not completely convinced yet: are The Pineapple Thief and the likes mostly resemblant of the heavy aspects in PT's music?
 
On the other side, if the relevant period of PT, in this meaning, is limited to the last three albums, shouldn't one of the metal categories be more appropriate? Or is Heavy Prog in the end more a kind of compromise between those different thinkings?


The last three albums haven't become the most relevant period of PT, but they've changed well enough PT's music and script, so a different definition than Psychedelic/Space Rock to be approached. Metal is a subject within their style, you can't say no, yet calling PT metal is a bit exaggerate.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:37
Multiple Tagging is a work-in-progress project if I remember well M@x' last message he sent to the people through his vicars, so let's be optimistic. Smile
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:39
It's not too unlikely that PT will change within the next (few) release(s): in the past there usually were two or three relatively similar albums and then a spin-off following the direction: On The Sunday Of Life and Up The Downstair were followed by the start of I.E.M.. Signify, Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun were followed by the start of Blackfield which kept more or less the same vein (and is also quite successful now). Now we have In Absentia, Deadwing and Fear Of A Blank Planet... high time for a new offspring and SW treating us on something completely new.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:45
Originally posted by Balthe Balthe wrote:

Had the genre change been suggested prior to Deadwing, dare I say there would have been close to zero support for it, which leads me to believe that the enthusiasm and commercial craze surrounding the latest two releases have caused the shift to happen too hastily, overlooking the clear red line of space/psychedelia existent in PT's music throughout their discography, even throughout their "pop" years with "Stupid Dream" and "Lightbulb Sun".
If you look at this purely from a timeline view, then the early Psyche period is arguably shorter than the current period. You must also consider their impact and relavence on the current nature pf prog over whatever they achieved as a Psyche band. This was not a hasty judgement based upon popularity.
 
Originally posted by Balthe Balthe wrote:

Due to the progressive nature of Porcupine Tree, along with, unsurprisingly, a great part of the archives (where are they 5 years from now?), this could lead to periodic re-labeling of genres and attempts to pidgeonhole bands, instead of trying to find a better way of representing them in the grand scheme.
Clap absolutely, and the Teams will address that when it happens. Hopefully multi-tagging will be around then.
 
Originally posted by Casartelli Casartelli wrote:

It's not too unlikely that PT will change within the next (few) release(s): in the past there usually were two or three relatively similar albums and then a spin-off following the direction: On The Sunday Of Life and Up The Downstair were followed by the start of I.E.M.. Signify, Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun were followed by the start of Blackfield which kept more or less the same vein (and is also quite successful now). Now we have In Absentia, Deadwing and Fear Of A Blank Planet... high time for a new offspring and SW treating us on something completely new.
As much as I hate to say this, (and no one can predict what SW will do next), I think commercial success will affect this - he may turn his back on this success and do something completely different. However, all of his side projects are still active (including No-man, who still reside in Psychedelic/Spacerock).
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:48
It looks like a good move to me, it reflects their change in direction over their last three albums.  I don't think it's too big of a deal though, they're still on this website.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 08:56
Originally posted by Balthe Balthe wrote:


I acknowledge the hard work put into the genre index by the collaborator's team, and since it seems that some people here get VERY touchy when a layman pokes his nose into collaborator's affairs, I shall only say that it's not my intention to undermine or offend your decisions Embarrassed I'm only giving my 2 cents here.


If you are referring to me by that remark, you could have said it clearly. I am sorry if you thought it was motivated by arrogance, which is a flaw I really don't possess (though of course I have many others). Personally, I don't see it as 'poking one's nose' in private affairs, not at all... I just tend to overreact when it is somehow implied that our decisions are not taken with due consideration, since in the past some people have reacted in much worse ways.

As I have already said, on occasion there have been polls put up in the main forum in order to sound the membership's opinion about a possible move of a big-name act. Unfortunately, such polls have always turned out to be useless, because no consensus was ever reached, and what happened was that the band in question stayed where it was. Jethro Tull, for instance, are still in Prog-Folk, even if only a small percentage of their vast output is classifiable as such, and their presence in that subgenre tends to damage other band's visibility.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 09:19

I have no issues with this change, and I look forward to the times of multi-tagging.  As it has been discussed ad nauseum elsewhere, the subgenres are an extremely useful tool but due to the nature of many prog rock bands it is very difficult to include them in a subgenre that covers all of a band's output. 

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 09:42
What about Genesis's output in the past 20 years...prog-related would be the most linient thing to say about it. Why not move them there then?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 10:05
Originally posted by ProgBagel ProgBagel wrote:

What about Genesis's output in the past 20 years...prog-related would be the most linient thing to say about it. Why not move them there then?


Had you read the whole thread, you wouldn't ask this...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 10:20
Originally posted by andu andu wrote:

Originally posted by ProgBagel ProgBagel wrote:

What about Genesis's output in the past 20 years...prog-related would be the most linient thing to say about it. Why not move them there then?


Had you read the whole thread, you wouldn't ask this...


Thumbs%20Down from me as well, what is this, another discussion by which the prog genre's definitions are badly understood? Unhappy
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 11:37
Originally posted by Atavachron Atavachron wrote:

outrageous decision... who's responsible for this?
 
This was discussed in our team thread. I was personally for the ecletic due their many style elements, and also highly absent from the discussions sweating with concrete walls and paints at my home, but I don't a see a reason for drama in this thing.


Edited by Eetu Pellonpää - November 16 2007 at 11:38
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 11:45
Originally posted by andu andu wrote:


Originally posted by ProgBagel ProgBagel wrote:

What about Genesis's output in the past 20 years...prog-related would be the most linient thing to say about it. Why not move them there then?
Had you read the whole thread, you wouldn't ask this...



Sorry, I didn't have the time to .
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 16 2007 at 11:53
Originally posted by Eetu Pellonpää Eetu Pellonpää wrote:

Originally posted by Atavachron Atavachron wrote:

outrageous decision... who's responsible for this?
 
This was discussed in our team thread. I was personally for the ecletic due their many style elements, and also highly absent from the discussions sweating with concrete walls and paints at my home, but I don't a see a reason for drama in this thing.


I think David was humoring and you missed his humorous idea...LOL

(or? ShockedShocked)



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