Did Punk Rock really kill Prog Music?

Edited by Guldbamsen - September 30 2014 at 10:44

Prog_Traveller wrote: TODDLER wrote: I remember getting off a bus, walking into the club with my gear...and the owner approaching me with a look of fear on his face. He said that The A's had played the night before and that it had taken him the entire day to clean the place up. It felt like a shock then, but today with the accountable violence in the media it equals zero value. It was strange to face Punk. I was in and out of cities every week and when I did run across a Punk band or the violence involved, I tried to remain discreet. Punk (and probably with no intentions whatsoever), killed the idea of being a good musician ..during the years 1977-1981..iN 77' it was a subtle attitude...by 1980 it was cemented into the music scene and "New Wave" ..although having some melodic Rock substances, accepted the attitude to be carried on further. I am only making reference to the United States East coast during these years. It was when the record companies/industry decided that by NOT playing your instrument so perfectly or decently, it could influence people/buyers, in a good way. And it did! The industry invested in "New Wave" which was a subdivision marketing aspect to Punk and in that sense...and only for that brief period in time, Punk was responsible for killing Prog by non-intentionally pushing away it's media promotion/backing. No more..did you see ELP and Genesis advertised on Channel 6 Action News. Films of the tractor trailers traveling cross country with huge letters printed on the side..ELP..or news media discussing at 6:pm, how Genesis was a Progressive Rock band and they were coming to your town. Punk destroyed the possibilities of that ever happening again. Maybe it wasn't intentional. Maybe it was a guy with a long white beard hiding behind the big white puffy clouds in the sky and he tossed a quarter... and Prog lost.  Good post but I would substitute Genesis with Yes. Genesis were not super huge as a prog band and would not have made it to action news until they were a pop band. Maybe Genesis were mentioned on the news in the seventies like you say but if that's the case I can bet you dollars to donuts that YES were also. ;)

Yes I agree with you. Genesis were pretty big even in their Gabriel era days on the east coast(especially Philly). They even played at the Tower theater for the Foxtrot tour and I believe sold it out(not super huge but 2500 seats was not bad for them at that time). I was just disappointed that you didn't mention YES who were also big in Philly. By the way not to be nitpicky but I seriously doubt Genesis sold out the spectrum when they played there for W&W. Of course Genesis would soon enough surpass YES and ELP in popularity but only after they became a pop band. :P The bottom line is Philly has always been a big prog town(mainstream prog anyway).

Edited by Prog_Traveller - October 02 2014 at 15:48

I'm gonna take another listen to Nadir's Big Chance. And afterwards, I'll put some Singularity on. If you know what I mean.

ewalcacer wrote: I think we are in such amazing prog rock era... It was born in the 70s but it has progressed and it's very much alive.

You're all wrong.

Prog is dead, Punk is dead, Metal reigns supreme.

The discussion is over.
















But the trolling just begins.

cstack3 wrote: ewalcacer wrote: I think we are in such amazing prog rock era... It was born in the 70s but it has progressed and it's very much alive. I agree!  I saw King Crimson's show in Chicago on Sept. 26, and they were better than the first time I saw the band (LTIA tour, 1973!).   Where's punk rock been?  Not many mohawk haircuts last time I looked.   I think Prog won the contest, quite honestly.  Punk was revolutionary for its day, but Prog is revolutionary by its nature.

I agree as well. I think that Prog is a fine state. There is still a huge market for it, and records are still being bought to a fair degree. Inside out records turned 20 last year. They are a label that mainly carries and distributes Prog rock artists.
Nice to see. :)

CPicard wrote: You're all wrong.Prog is dead, Punk is dead, Metal reigns supreme.The discussion is over.But the trolling just begins.

I'm afraid now you are mistaken. Unfortunatley, as far as I undestand, right now Hip Hop reigns supreme