'I don't get it'

Atavachron wrote: But real authority, those who know music intimately and have made it a calling & profession since their youth, should most definitely be paid attention to and seriously considered.   Their 'argument' is not so much an argument as it is a statement of clear-headed reason, background and musical reality.   They are as much an authority on music as a doctor's authority on one's body & health.   To dismiss it makes no more sense than ignoring that qualified physician or dentist when they tell you that a high-carbohydrate diet will cause weight gain or a high-sugar one will induce cavities.   They aren't just expressing an opinion but telling you the truth of how the body works, and you can either ignore that information to your detriment or take the advice and improve your health.    Prog is not a nebulous label but rather a clearly-defined and established approach to making music, and therefore we can see & hear it for what it is: rock music in a progressed approach.

I wouldn't just dismiss a claim, but for me to really believe it, especially if it went against what I as merely an appreciator thought, I would want to understand the reasoning.  From doctors I have wanted second opinions and have got bad advice before. As I don't know the all around , or extent, of music expertise of Randy Jackson or Eddy Van Halen, I may understandably be less likely to put trust in them as authorities than you.  As for the Prog term, from all the discussions on what is Prog here, and so-called Prog musicians saying their music is not Prog, I'd think it's nebulous due to lack of overall consensus (at least at this forum it seems so, maybe Randy could nail the definition).  If you ask Paul, if you ask David D, if you ask Ivan, or Hrychu, Cristi,  Silly Puppy, Dean, Peter, Tony R, ManwithHat, Yam Yam, Steve Wyzard, Gordy, cstack, I doubt we will all get the same answer. I don't know that Eddie Van Halen and Randy Jackson, or Roger Waters, James LaBrie, Robert Fripp, Robert Wyatt, Ian Anderson, Frank Zappa, Peter Hammill, Peter Gabriel, Geddy Lee, Fish, Bjork (controversial addition, I love her music) etc. would have defined it quite the same either. 

I have more than one working definition.  It can be more of a codified style/genre, more of an approach to making music.... I tend to favour the approach assessment.  As some say, not all Prog (as a genre) music is truly progressive and not all progressive (adjective) music is Prog.  Debates often happen about what is an isn't Prog here.  Some take a narrower approach than others.  It can be a very big umbrella term or focus more narrowly on music (often people think Symphonic Prog like Yes, Genesis, Focus etc. particularly).

I do seem to be able to recognise prog in various forms, and often it comes to nuances when it seems right for the site or not.  For me Prog extends beyond boundaries we have seen some gatekeepers try to set for PA.  To me it is quite limitless.  I care more about progressive, experimental and art music than Prog as some codified genre with defined parameters.

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