The Dichotomy of Prog Mainstream

Sure, there are variations of classical music, just like prog. There a big difference between King Crimson and Marillion for instance.

What's so positive about classical music is that the effort and skill needed to compose, especially for orchestras, and perform the music, has filtered out much of the crap over the years. The complexity and symbolism in the music is often overwhelming compared to pop, and often prog too, where compositions are more often jammed together, rahter than composed with great care. There is definetly room for many shapes and forms of music, but classical often has that intellectual edge that makes it so rewarding to study, perform and listen to.

Yes, Pengie, I'm inclined to agree that generation plays a major role here.

I'm not on some holy (or unholy!) crusade to erradicate "prog metal" from the site, or nail down a hard and fast exclusivist definition of prog -- even if we could manage to eventually agree on said definition, we'd never all agree on how diverse artists, from different eras, fit that definition. The entire propect is so very subjective....

I don't condemn new "prog metal" as "artless" or non-music. I recognize its place in the spectrum of art (on the darker, greyer end), but my old head just doesn't care for it much. I used to be a bigger metal fan (Sabbath, Cooper) in my youth, but I moved on from there in many directions. I still like classic Heep, Zep, and Purple, but I just can't "tap into" the mindset of most modern metal anymore. I feel no great depths of directionless anger and angst, thus can't relate to the lyrics (one of my major issues with the genre, and lyrics/words are very important to me). Raw, naked agression or self-loathing, in lyrics (and reflected in harsh, militaristic, machine-gun-fast music) weary and sometimes repel me. (For example, when I read in a Tool review here, words to the effect that "no one can use, or portray, pain and anger better," I see that as a warning to steer well clear of something that I just won't like. I have no interest in dwelling on some much younger man's pain and anger, here in the middle of my life.) I think of modern metal (perhaps unjustifiably) as mostly a young man's music -- and often that of an angry young man.

I was an angry young man once, but I'm not anymore. Now I'm a middle-aged father. Now I crave beauty and uplifting emotions more in music-- though I'll still read the odd book on the holocaust, or watch the news, with fascinated revulsion.

I don't often read the sorts of books that I read in my teens and early 20s, and my tastes in music, food, alcohol, film, and leisure activities have evolved too. I think that this is a natural consequence of aging and personal growth (I won't dare say the acquisition of wisdom), and I wonder how many teenaged and twenty-something metal fans will listen to the music as often, or as LOUDLY, when they are middle-aged, and (hopefully) completed their education, settled in their careers, and raising children?

So enjoy your metal -- progressive, or otherwise -- young men (and all those young at heart)! When you blast it in your car, remember to keep a window rolled down!

"Nobody gonna take my car...."

(Also enjoy your ability to "do it" five times a day -- that too comes with a "best before" date. And yes, I know that some females listen to metal, but I think we can agree that it is a very "masculine," testosterone-dripping genre.) 

 

Edited by Peter Rideout

when someone asks me what prog rock is, I usually say "popular bands would be like, Yes, old Genesis, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd, although pink floyd is a terrible example of prog" 

which they are, great band, bad example

Aaron

I suppose I'm selective with my Classical music as well as Modern rock, All symphonies and concertos were not meant for dancing, but for listening to, besides which, what did the average man in the street listen to in the pre-industrial age - I'm not a historian, thus I don't know !

Classical music, like progressive rock, is structured, often develops a theme , and needs to be LISTENED to properly, giving the music 100% of your brain and taking in the nuances.....

Pop music is for dancing, eating, living to.......That is the ultimate difference.

Pallas, - VERY good live outfit - In fact - My favorite gig ever was Pallas at the Gallery in Manchester circa 1984 - The 40 minute version of March on Atlantis with loads of heavy riffing and Mellotron chords - Literally blew my mind, but in an effort to try and make money - Pallas actually denied that they performed such an overblown EPIC....Shame on you, Mr Murry and Mathiewson......

Edited by Swinton MCR

I have to agree with Eddy in as much as I detest both Genesis and the majority of Floyd. I've given both a fair appraisal and I don't doubt either of their influence on the prog scene, but they simply don't do it for me. So Hangedman, my question to you is this - do you think that just because I dislike both of these groups that I don't belong on this forum as well?

hehe its nice to know that some one is actually taking note on what people say in these forums.... now, i know i might be being a hypocrite but i think this is a better seperation elp, or yes. elp is more technico,ridgide and spacy while yes is more dreamy and curvy. and so on and so on. thats a better sepereation then pink floyd and genesus...pfft im bored.

Eddy wrote: hey i like neither floyd or genesus. i hate both of them. i dont think you can catorgize peoples music like that. i happen to enjoy ska, im guessing alot of you dont like it. catorgizeing people just doesnt work.

Just out of curiosity why are you on a progrock forum then?

 I love ska, Genesis and Floyd!

Edited by Peter Rideout