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Crossover & JR/F/Canterbury Teams
Joined: October 22 2005
Location: The Idiocracy
Status: Offline
Points: 5482
Posted: May 29 2009 at 22:40
Most likely the reason you don't hear about prog musicians' sexual preferences is because to most of us it doesn't matter, as long as they make good music.
Joined: March 08 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2755
Posted: May 30 2009 at 05:45
Easy Money wrote:
Regarding people who want an admins to close this thread, or think that it is disrespectful. Please read all the pages, this thread is suprisingly thoughtful, sensitive and downright intelligent.
I was watching this thread from the beginning and at first I thought, oh no a bunch of pointless gratuitous speculation on musicians who may or may not seem a bit 'swishy'.
Instead what has happened is a very nice and suprisingly mature (for PA, ha ha) discussion and some heart-warming frankness that makes this thread one of the coolest I have seen on PA ... ever.
If I were speaking from the standpoint of my religion I'd point out that homosexuality is a sin that requires repentance and the acceptance of Jesus Christ for salvation (same for all of you adulterers and fornicators out there, so don't judge me as homophobic.)
But my understanding was that this thread was about music.
I personally don't see the connection between one's sexual preferences and prog music at all, but if this topic stimulates some interesting connections for some of you, by all means, carry on.
And I will be an interested reader.
Oh, and if anyone cares to make a connection between sexual identity and interest in prog I will be VERY interested in hearing your theorems, although I doubt that I will reply.
Joined: March 02 2006
Location: Norway
Status: Offline
Points: 4202
Posted: May 30 2009 at 06:00
ghost_of_morphy wrote:
kenethlevine wrote:
I didn't like ABBA at the time, but confess I enjoy them now. And for prog quotient, has anyone heard their song "Eagles"?
I'll second this.... ABBA isn't as bad as their rep.
It's so hard to back off my endorsement of ABBA as a funny gay stereotype though.....
I love ABBA and have all their albums (Its called Eagle). Their last album Visitors from is one of the most progressive albums of 1981. My girlfriend and I have actually decided on Arrival as our "wedding march":
If you ever been to gayclubs they sure live up to their stereotype, musically speaking. ABBA, eurovision, 80's synthpop and old divas like Streisand... all the way. Not to bad, really.
Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Joined: May 03 2009
Location: I donīt know
Status: Offline
Points: 453
Posted: May 30 2009 at 07:11
catfood03 wrote:
SergiUriah wrote:
I should go further in this amazing question: Any who practices zoophilic with blue elefants and a green hat put on his head in ProgRock?
You're obviously into "Camel", nominate yourself.
I donīt understand the sense of your phrase yet...
Iīd like to know really about some ProgMusician interested in zoophilic practices with blue elephants (and with a hat in his head, of course). Iīve the same worry as you have with gays in ProgRock. A essential cuestion too...
The cartoon in your avatar who is? picachu, pokemon...?
Listening to China Crisis - At Paul MCartney Auditorium
If I were speaking from the standpoint of my religion I'd point out that homosexuality is a sin that requires repentance and the acceptance of Jesus Christ for salvation (same for all of you adulterers and fornicators out there, so don't judge me as homophobic.)
But my understanding was that this thread was about music.
I personally don't see the connection between one's sexual preferences and prog music at all, but if this topic stimulates some interesting connections for some of you, by all means, carry on.
And I will be an interested reader.
Oh, and if anyone cares to make a connection between sexual identity and interest in prog I will be VERY interested in hearing your theorems, although I doubt that I will reply.
Can you imagine if there wasn't a single Christian voice in prog rock? As a music lover you probably couldn't care less, but as follower of Christ wouldn't you be thrilled to know there are people just like you in progressive music where the playing field is largely secular, even paganistic at times? Wouldn't you feel a bit of comfort in finding such a musician, someone you could look up to perhaps and feel a bit less alone? That is what it's like for me as a gay person.
If this site was about pastry chefs, or architects, or whatever profession I might have started a similar thread there. But this is a site about music, and with music people can express themselves in ways that other professions don't allow. It's no secret that gays are drawn heavily to the arts, not all, but many are. Some who are gay find solace in the creativity that music can offer as a medium of "coming out", if not explictly in life then in finding like-minded individuals.
Then to answer your question posted by you and others. The answer is ultimately NO, in the end it does not matter to me the sexual orientation of the performer whose music I enjoy. I won't stop enjoying my Yes albums because I found out Jon Anderson is straight, besides he looks too cute in that "Love Will FInd a Way" video.
Joined: November 22 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 4079
Posted: May 30 2009 at 09:55
Slartibartfast wrote:
Well, the sexuality of a musician really doesn't matter to me. And frankly I don't care if you're gay, bi, or straight. It's the music that counts.
Something to share now.
I was happily naive for two years with Queen after discovering them. Then one day, someone told me that Freddie Mercury was gay. This was back in 1980 and I was about 17. Well, didn't I go home and toss every bit of my collection. My fear of being accused as being gay by association needed to be snuffed.
What a mistake. How cowardly of me. What a bigot I was.
I have since grown and accepted Queen again about 15 years back. Liking music created by a gay person should have no bearing on whether or not I like it. Strangely, I have also asked Freddie to forgive me (as if he could hear me.)
Joined: December 06 2006
Location: New England
Status: Offline
Points: 9080
Posted: May 30 2009 at 10:38
StyLaZyn wrote:
Slartibartfast wrote:
Well, the sexuality of a musician really doesn't matter to me. And frankly I don't care if you're gay, bi, or straight. It's the music that counts.
Something to share now.
I was happily naive for two years with Queen after discovering them. Then one day, someone told me that Freddie Mercury was gay. This was back in 1980 and I was about 17. Well, didn't I go home and toss every bit of my collection. My fear of being accused as being gay by association needed to be snuffed.
What a mistake. How cowardly of me. What a bigot I was.
I have since grown and accepted Queen again about 15 years back. Liking music created by a gay person should have no bearing on whether or not I like it. Strangely, I have also asked Freddie to forgive me (as if he could hear me.)
Thanks for letting me share.
And thanks for sharing. I remember a few years back I read a great short story called "Betrayed by David Bowie" in which the central gay character was totally into Bowie and his bi image. Years later in interviews Bowie apparently mentioned in an interview that all it was was image, and that he was never really bi. The protagonist felt betrayed, but he didn't mention whether he threw out all his Bowie collection or not.
Joined: March 08 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2755
Posted: May 30 2009 at 17:02
catfood03 wrote:
Can you imagine if there wasn't a single Christian voice in prog rock? As a music lover you probably couldn't care less, but as follower of Christ wouldn't you be thrilled to know there are people just like you in progressive music where the playing field is largely secular, even paganistic at times?
LOL. I read your first two sentences and I thought you were a Christian declaiming against the fact that there weren't more Christians in prog rock. I suppose that I was influenced by another thread that I read and recently responded to. Anyhow, after reading the part that I have quoted, I skipped the rest of your post and thought about my answer, and then only returned to learn that I was completely mistaken!
So here is the answer to what I have quoted. I was quite happy to learn that Rick Wakeman was Christian, but I was a Wakeman fan long before I learned that. Freddy Mercury is a fantastic vocal talent and I listened to him no less after learning that he was gay. Neither did I listen to him and think "He's pretty good, but, oh yuck, he's a gay."
I guess my point is that music satisfies a part of us that is on another level than what our moral judgements are founded on. I realized that lyrics cause a problem here, but I listen for the music. The angels in Heaven will be singing Frank Zappa's Bobby Brown, possibly, but because the lyrics are funny, not to make people gay. Shock value is a part of aesthetics and Uncle Frank totally got that.
But yes, if I were gay, I'd be proud to learn that somebody else who was gay was making a major impact on the music scene. That wouldn't be why I'd listen to them, however. Gayness or the lack thereof has no influence at all upon the quality of the product.
Joined: May 03 2009
Location: I donīt know
Status: Offline
Points: 453
Posted: May 30 2009 at 18:08
ghost_of_morphy wrote:
But yes, if I were gay, I'd be proud to learn that somebody else who was gay was making a major impact on the music scene. That wouldn't be why I'd listen to them, however. Gayness or the lack thereof has no influence at all upon the quality of the product.
I havenīt got the same opinion as you. I canīt understand why someone who declares himself as gay wants to know if another gay has made a major impact in musical scene or even in other sides: politic, medicine, botanic...Really if I was a gay I wouldnīt waste my time searching for silly estadistics like those, and how the gay power is capable of doing things in world. I believe sexual orientation isnīt a relevant matter for describe anyone and less to differenciate ones up on others. Are persons in essence who made things. I have never worried about my prefered musician or soccer player is hetero or homosexua. Itīs a stupid thing I believe. Everyone has the right to worry about wharever wants, but sincerely I find this question a little stupid.
For example, when I was a teenager and noticed that Rob Halford from Judas Priest had declarated himself gay, I only felt happy for him for having the courageous to telling it. I followed listening his powerful voice with the same admiration. I donīt mind if heīs gay, heterosexual, transexual or whatever he wants to be.
But well, I respect everyone who only wanted to hear gayīs music just to confirm people with his same kind of sexuality can make big things, even being gays...(sic)
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SergiUriah wrote:
