Do prog bands owe anything to their fans?

topographicbroadways wrote: ^ I thought the ELP show was great as a farewell, they certainly weren't as good but the amazing atmosphere of the show alone made it worth it, and the Pictures at an Exhibition finale was a moment that will certainly stay with me

The trouble is, no amount of strong feelings on the part of fans can help an artist make good music.

I've struggled for years trying to understand why none of the music being produced in the present can measure up to those magical moments of discovery in the 70's.  When I was growing up, I found that the best music had been made a decade before I started listening.

But I think I have to accept that that time was special -  a confluence of culture, technology, and history that allowed for some very special music to be made.  You can't force something like that, or repeat it.  I think Bill Bruford makes an important insight in his autobiography when he says there is just too much music being made right now, and our Ipods are full.  It's a burgeoning industry churning out huge volumes of product with nothing to say.

I will continue to revere the progressive rock masterpieces, and even enjoy the continued efforts of progressive musicians.  But I think that the next great wave of artistic innovation may not even be in the field of music.  We must keep our eyes and ears open for that which is true.

freyacat wrote: The trouble is, no amount of strong feelings on the part of fans can help an artist make good music. I've struggled for years trying to understand why none of the music being produced in the present can measure up to those magical moments of discovery in the 70's.  When I was growing up, I found that the best music had been made a decade before I started listening. But I think I have to accept that that time was special -  a confluence of culture, technology, and history that allowed for some very special music to be made.  You can't force something like that, or repeat it.  I think Bill Bruford makes an important insight in his autobiography when he says there is just too much music being made right now, and our Ipods are full.  It's a burgeoning industry churning out huge volumes of product with nothing to say. I will continue to revere the progressive rock masterpieces, and even enjoy the continued efforts of progressive musicians.  But I think that the next great wave of artistic innovation may not even be in the field of music.  We must keep our eyes and ears open for that which is true.

moshkito wrote: and that trying to get the finances audited on the Moody Blues at the time is impossible ... which means that you know where the music business really screwed a lot of people and bands! And in England, no one audits the upper classes! On anything!

richardh wrote: AtomicCrimsonRush wrote: Actually ELP owes me $30 for such a shambolic album as 'In The Hot Seat'... had to post that. The depression it caused me when I first heard it and the crashing horrible realisation that my heroes had nothing left in the artistic bank greatly overshadowed any actual monetary loss as far as I was concerned

VDGG?

Well a lot of bands owe me train fare. I lived in the country and had to take the train into the big city where all the record shops were when I was a kid. So they owe me train fare.

ExittheLemming wrote: Be careful what you wish for.... Pensioners in Short(s)

Emo is clad in bling, Lake is obese and...... is that fake tan Carl?!!!!

"Emerson, Cake and Farmer" seems more apt now.

Dean wrote: ...and we don't owe them anything either. They got paid, we got the goods, transaction complete.

Exactly!
It's like buying a pair of shoes. Nothing more, nothing less. The manufacturer doesn't owe me anything.

Gerinski wrote: Not for real live, but at least in video it should be possible, in the near future if not already, to recreate digitally a concert of Yes with Moraz, or the tour of The Lamb, not seeing them as they are now old farts but as it actually was back then, and showing every detail of their virtuoso playing. Some of the recent digital animation movies or games are already very close to looking convincingly realistic.   Too bad that prog will probably never have a big enough public to justify the investment in such a production.   I just hope that some of these young digital animation wonderboys turns out to be a prog fan and he does it for his hobby not for the money.   Think of what we could enjoy in full current video quality...   It's gonna be a few more years but it's not unconceivable to render a real live concert by holograms instead of the real musicians.

You can digitally create the visual but what about the sound? The music?