The Mars Volta shouldn't be on the cover of Rolling Stone. Thats a magazine for everyones embarssing uncle who wears cowboy boots and thinks everythings been sh!t since Roy Orbison died. They should be on the front of trendy music papers. They should be scaring the sh!t out of people on Saturday morning kids TV. Kids should be fascinated by and drawn to strange, challenging and progressive music.
I believe left to their own devices, and allowed to use their own judgement, many would be. But here is the point; opinions are spoonfed to the young. It's an Orwellian thing: 'Sh!t is good and good is sh!t' if the mantra is repeated enough it sinks in and becomes truth.
I keep hearing that prog is coming back, in the name of Radiohead, Muse, Mars Volta etc etc, but they are all to gutless to admit their influences in case it results in career suicide. All we can hope is that it slides in the back door without waking the fashion guard dogs.
Perhaps IQ should market themselves as 'Alt Emo Jazz Rock' Re-badging the entire genre may be the key..