Early British Prog vs American. Discuss.

Sometimes I think prog rock started in the US, which is to say rock 'n roll's progression from blues-based dance music to something more:  Beach Boys, Zappa, the Dead, CSN, Hendrix, were all doing their own kind of progressive rock that, despite the influences that were passing between America and England, was independent and wholly domestic.   If one looks at the rock timeline and the music being made and recorded, it's clear that the US had it's own brand of Prog before, or perhaps separate from, the British article.

I only know the song from The Simpsons. I'd listen to that bit from the Songs in the Key Of Springfield CD.

I think like this all the time; it's a fun thought experiment. 

Think of all the amazing technology that doesn't exist yet that you're living absolutely fine without, because of that fact, lol.

I've always loved the song. And yes, the length of the song is predicated on being stoned -- the lengthier the song the better. Back when being stoned was fun, and not some socially abhorrent enormity.

Ummmm....

What were we talking about again?

I heavily disagree with any implication that the United States has no history of great art in all mediums.  The names may not be as well known as the European greats, but where there is civilization there is art, and where there is enough art some of it always turns out to be great (just as some of it turns out not to be). That said, there is a definite failing of so many schools in this country, enough that you could call the problem systematic, to recognize the vitality and necessity of a decent artistic education, instead focusing nearly all their efforts on the material which shows up in standardized tests.  Since art is inherently subjective, tests cannot be standardized, and without any art on those big exams school's don't see the value for money in teaching those subjects. Anymore in the US, if a child wants to be an artist, they will have to put in a lot of extra-curricular work to practice while they go through high school and take the necessary tests to get into college. Only at the university level can a student put all their efforts into what they really want to do, and even then only certain universities have decent arts programs.  Unless they're lucky enough to go to a good high school that values the pursuit of art as a career or at least has a helpful teacher or two in that area, it's fully up to the child to learn enough to find the college that suits them best by about the time they turn 18.  The system does not teach art as widely or as well as it should, and it never will as it's designed.