Is Prog Underrated?

The demarcation between fine arts and popular arts and entertainment is effectively a European 18th Century one (the distinction does not seem nearly as prevalent in oriental cultures or the americas for that matter) The former were deemed purely aesthetic in intent and design (e.g. literature, music, painting, sculpture, poetry etc) while the latter were practically applied 'crafts' (pottery, decorative arts, weaving, embroidery etc) I would guess that comprehensive education, democratization, globalization and mass media have effectively rendered the historical educated v uneducated division that existed in the 18th Century as meaningless. As someone pointed out earlier in the thread, on these forums, it all comes down to how your taste is perceived at the end of the day.
However, I still don't believe that Prog's 1st Gen masterpieces would stand up to the sort of scrutiny afforded to formal academic music e.g. what might be deemed the previous classical canon of music. That too might be subject to change, but for me we would have to lower the bar for Prog to gain entry.


Edited by ExittheLemming - March 31 2018 at 05:55

micky wrote: SteveG wrote: Is prog just the b*****d stepchild of rock or does it have a real musical pedigree in the outside world? I vote redheaded stepchild of rock...  the last thing most people want with music is to have to think.  Rock at its heart is playful.. about fun, youth, energy and passion. You know.. the kind of music you put on to get psyched up to go hit the bars, be it to get trashed and dance on pool tables,  get a bar fight and toss the spoiled frat boy who spiilled your beer out the front window, or simply bust a bar stool over his head, set yourself on the prowl for some action and get on the prowl for pussy... or if you are like Mick in his 20's... all 3 in the same evening.   Prog is often too serious and intellectual for its own good... books are made for the head.. rock is for the soul.  Prog occupies the meeting point and for some, perhaps many, that is a bit too much.  So no..  I wouldn't consider it underrated.. it is a niche form of music that really only appeals to certain type of listeners.

You can have fun, be youthful, energetic, soulful and passionate whilst still thinking. You must be an advertising executive's wet dream...Oblivious, the fragrance for south of the (red)neck. There is nothing more pitiful than a nostalgia for something that never happened in the first place. I don't know anyone whose opinions I respect who takes Prog seriously or think it remotely intellectual. They would however, kick your disingenuous ass in a bar brawl (no contest)


Edited by ExittheLemming - March 31 2018 at 07:52

ExittheLemming wrote: micky wrote: SteveG wrote: Is prog just the b*****d stepchild of rock or does it have a real musical pedigree in the outside world? I vote redheaded stepchild of rock...  the last thing most people want with music is to have to think.  Rock at its heart is playful.. about fun, youth, energy and passion. You know.. the kind of music you put on to get psyched up to go hit the bars, be it to get trashed and dance on pool tables,  get a bar fight and toss the spoiled frat boy who spiilled your beer out the front window, or simply bust a bar stool over his head, set yourself on the prowl for some action and get on the prowl for pussy... or if you are like Mick in his 20's... all 3 in the same evening.   Prog is often too serious and intellectual for its own good... books are made for the head.. rock is for the soul.  Prog occupies the meeting point and for some, perhaps many, that is a bit too much.  So no..  I wouldn't consider it underrated.. it is a niche form of music that really only appeals to certain type of listeners. You can have fun, be youthful, energetic, soulful and passionate whilst still thinking. *emoti and huh? snip*

funny Steve.. these days the prog that attracts me most is that which strays furthest from 'rock'. Then again I've fallen under the sway of Uncle and Auntie Rio-Avant.  I mean come on.. if one wants to rock...  you are likely best going with something that likely will NEVER find its way onto this site if not simply for pure music.. then definitely lyrically haha.

never understood loathing for AOR unless you were a completely out there space cadet living in mama's basement non sexed prog elitist.. sure we have some here.. but umm.. never thought you for the type Steve haha

SteveG wrote: And that's my exact perception of an AOR lover! A pimply adolescent who masturbates to Come Sail Away while fantasizing about the blonde who sits in front of him in homeroom!

with a fresh one....

Saperlipopette! wrote: I think having decided that prog can't be taken seriously because its just dumb rock is just as silly as taking academic music too seriously. Prog is fun, rock n' roll and all that but that doesn't mean i listen to ELO and Art Zoyd with the same mindset. Should I be embarrassed that Rock Bottom is just as profoundly moving, challenging and cathartic to me as Verklärte Nacht? That would be actual, insecure snobbery to me.

I don't recall saying Prog was 'dumb rock' but just that like yourself, I don't listen to it with the same aesthetic criteria as I would say, Bartok, Stravinsky or Ives etc. (You ever read a Yes or ELP lyric?) What I consider the finest popular music (Beatles, Beach Boys, Who, Kinks, Stones etc) is capable of moving me every bit as much as some of the classical masters both of us have mentioned

Edited by ExittheLemming - March 31 2018 at 14:57

yeah... that shoe fits doesn't it...  the textbook example of the HELL with the consequences not thinking or being politically coherent.