What do the people you know think of prog?

kenethlevine wrote: Finnforest wrote: kenethlevine wrote: I just have one story to recount, probably from the early 1990s. A friend who had clearly rehearsed this and planned for just the right moment to say it, said the following, and I paraphrase as best as I can remember. "You think that the music you like is unknown to people, and they would like it if only they heard it, but they have heard it, and they have rejected it".   It was shared with the intention of stinging, and it did.  He was basically right.  I think it was a turning point for me.  Since then I have slowly but surely cared less and less about whether people like my music or not, but am really happy and appreciative when I have guests and I get some compliments on the mix I am playing (which is probably 70% prog) Not sure I agree that he was right.  I think most people have not "heard it" because I think most people just aren't paying attention to music the way we aficionados do.  They listen casually to music they come into contact with and they latch onto things they like and they stay in popular comfort zones.  I dont believe most people delve into more complex artforms and seriously explore everything, then reject it.  Same with film.  I don't think most people spend much time exploring deep cinema and then reject it, I think most simply absorb what's easy and don't spend the hours and years it takes to really watch all of the underground stuff enough to form serious opinion on it.  That said, your reaction to it was right on.  Listen to what you love and don't be concerned what others think about it.  well put Jim He obviously had an agenda and he did represent a segment of the population.  His statement that people have rejected my music does not comment on how much of a chance they gave it.  --wonder if he was talking more about the industry.  certainly record people would have been listening to a lot of stuff and rejecting stuff, more than the average Joe on the street.  It reminds me of my college roommate whose LP collection said NOTHING about personal taste, as there was nothing in it that wasn't on the charts, and it was all over the map.  He asked me why he should have to delve into obscure stuff when the radio hand picks the best stuff for him.  Seriously. But we have to be careful not to institute a prog version of the hit charts.  It should be ok not to like the BIG artists of prog like Floyd, Yes, etc, without being considered daft.  Music, like all art, is very personal, and sometimes a lesser artist speaks to one personally more than a better known one. --Right on.  I spend most of my prog time with lesser known artists and have been very fulfilled with the approach.

moshkito wrote: Hi, Over the years I have had a few boners, but in general, no one has ever really sat down and talked music with me.

kenethlevine wrote: well put Jim He obviously had an agenda and he did represent a segment of the population.  His statement that people have rejected my music does not comment on how much of a chance they gave it. It reminds me of my college roommate whose LP collection said NOTHING about personal taste, as there was nothing in it that wasn't on the charts, and it was all over the map.  He asked me why he should have to delve into obscure stuff when the radio hand picks the best stuff for him.  Seriously. But we have to be careful not to institute a prog version of the hit charts.  It should be ok not to like the BIG artists of prog like Floyd, Yes, etc, without being considered daft.  Music, like all art, is very personal, and sometimes a lesser artist speaks to one personally more than a better known one.

  This!  I had a kid living across the hall from me in college who said and did essentially the exact same thing.  Drove me mad.

Agreed that more listening is done in the industry than by casual listeners, but industry people don't have time to give due diligence to every artist either - they're picking and choosing what to give a shot to, as well.  I think it's harder to sell prog as a genre because by definition it's so free of rules (nothing concrete to sell people on - no shared image).  Hmm maybe we should start calling prog the music of freedom.

Every time the new issue of Prog magazine shows up here at the office I have at least one co-worker ask me "what is Prog?' So there's that.

One of my friend thought "prog rock" meant "programmed rock" 

Most of my friends think i'm crazy and they always ask me how i have the patience to listen to 20-40 minute songs. My dad likes prog. but not as much as I do.  

^Well, these three bands are rather obscure, don't you think?

Hrychu wrote: Most of my friends either have no idea what prog is... or they just don't like it. Or better yet... whenever I bring up bands such as Atmosphera, Ache or Tai Phong, they're like... "????????????"

I mentioned to a guy not too long ago that I hang out at House Of Prog and he thought Prog was Prague. heheheh

My Dad listened to a lot of PG-era/ early Collins era Genesis and Peter Gabriel's solo stuff, as well as some Rush, Zappa and Steve Hackett. So he's big fan of that music as are his brothers (and my uncles).My Mom and siblings aren't really into it, although my brother is really into Pink Floyd, Blind Guardian and Iced Earth.