What makes this forum so unique is that we all enjoy a musical movement that is usually shunned by other folks. I have lived in this area for TWENTY years and I personally know two (2) people who know and enjoy progressive rock.

  Last night I was having a few games of 9 ball and swilling some Bass and Newcastle ales, whilst discussing this phenomenon with one of those two fellow proggers. He told me stories of being laughed at by friends when he tried to expose them to prog... He related that this experience occurred during prog's heyday (71-74) and got to the point where he became a closet progger.

I knew the feeling. I think Pink Floyd was the only prog band that most of my friends didn't deride me for listening to. I did what I assume many of you did. I dumped those friends and sought out other freaks like me.  

What about you? Any horrific/hilarious stories of prog isolationism?

Sadly i dont have any horrific/hilatious stories of prog isolation but most of my friends also have no interest in the progressive movement. Being 17 i think this is to be expected. Some of my friends are metal heads and they appreciate some of the more metal oriantated prog such as opeth (personally i am not sure wether to call them prog or not), Evergrey, dreamtheatre etc. I don't care what they think though because all us proggers know we are superior (joke, we are modest folk really)

Dont worry danbo i lke you.

My friends tell me the song never changes beat and cannot tell when it ends....that's usually because the song hasn't ended in the 20 minute drive to the bar. 

The changes of beat I do not get at all though. The reason I love prog so much is the song is constantly changing. Somehow they can see the diversity of rap but not prog

Christ I must be very lucky!!!

When I was in the Sixth Form (16-18yr old) about 1/3 of us were into prog rock:Genesis,Camel, Yes, Elp and Rush were always on the turntable in the common room.

Most of those lads I still see regularly still treasure their 70's Prog albums, but the miserable old git we have for a Pub Landlord won't let us put any prog on the Jukebox This is probably down to me playing "Child In Time" about 20 times one night a couple of years ago

I remember a priest at my college saying that A Farewell To Kings was one of the most Christian albums he'd ever heard (Obviously never played it backwards) He was intrigued enough to play A Lamb Lies Down On Broadway over and over for a few weeks but I don't know if he thought the album was an allegory of Christ's life.

I have a few friends who quite some of what I listern to. mY best mate is a gyitarist and we both grew up on Heavy Metal and Prog rock. He likes Rush and Genesis

My girlfriend, like me is a lifelong Rush fan, and also doesn't mind some Genesis (1975 - 1980) and some Marillion, but she is more of a metalhead really.

School was the worst for having the p!ss taken! I was frequently asked how life was down on the farm, after making the mistake of bringing in a Tull album on my Walkman! With regard to my liking of Heavy Metal there was one guy everyday who would shout across the common room, 'How's Satan' and 'Did you eat any bats over the weekend'

I once put 2112 on the stereo in the common room, and the room erupted in laughter as soon as Geddy Lee opened his mouth. Someone shouted 'Who is that woman singing. Is she possessed?'

When I first started loving Dark Side, I invited my friend over to listen, and he only liked one song (Money, of course). The rest he automatically said he didn't like even though he only heard the first few notes. He gave it no space, and from then on was absolutely opposed to any prog I played (except "Lightbulb Sun" by Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater stuff).

My Dad, who indirectly introduced me to prog, probably regrets it. His musical tastes stop around Pink Floyd, Led Zepellin, and the occaisional Yes. But after that, he doesn't really like anything. He likes most of "Close to the Edge" and "Fragile," but "Relayer" doesn't get to him. Neither does any Genesis and especially Gentle Giant and Godspeed You Black Emperor are beyond his range of his tastes.

My brother is a metalhead, who takes in only the occaisional Dream Theater (he actually introduced me to them) and Porcupine Tree. He even dislikes most of the Floyd, with only "Wish You Were Here" being within his range of taste.

Some situations I've been in involve playing "music that meant something to you" in a Youth thing. We heard mostly Avril Lavigne and one Simon & Garfunkel song, and I was going to play "Supper's Ready" originally, but decided against in and used the first part of "Close to the Edge" instead. Boy, did I hear it. When the "aaaa"'s came in, one of my friends said "do you like this for the music or the lyrics?" sarcastically. I decided to stop it right before the lyrics came, red-faced and worried that they would be even less open to Anderson's semi-rapping about experiencing change. One of the guys there had actually read "Siddharta", of which the song is based, so there may be hope for them yet... (oh, I also played "Wish you were here" title song, and of course, they liked it okay)

The only person I know who listens to prog is this one girl. She listens to Yes and the Floyd and Jethro Tull, but beyond that, nothing but Incubus and alt rock. (ugh!).

They all mock.Who cares?

What made you think that Close To The Edge would would go down well at pre-school Pingu?

Most of my friends are gay men... lets just say I only have one who is actually interested in Prog... and thats probably cause he grew up in Spain and loves King Crimson.  He did go with me to see the 21st Century Schizoid Band.. and he had a great time... but I don't think we're convincing any of the others to listen...

But I do have a lot of new friends in the last few years I have met from the GregLake.com website that I see quite often... and its been really good for me to have people around who can be obsessed with me....  And some of them are just like family now.... right, Richard, Steven....

Most of my friends are gay men... lets just say I only have one who is actually interested in Prog... and thats probably cause he grew up in Spain and loves King Crimson.  He did go with me to see the 21st Century Schizoid Band.. and he had a great time... but I don't think we're convincing any of the others to listen...

What are you babbling about Old Girl?

Have you fallen out of your rocking chair?

Reed Lover wrote: Most of my friends are gay men... lets just say I only have one who is actually interested in Prog... and thats probably cause he grew up in Spain and loves King Crimson.  He did go with me to see the 21st Century Schizoid Band.. and he had a great time... but I don't think we're convincing any of the others to listen... What are you babbling about Old Girl? Have you fallen out of your rocking chair?

If you couldn't understand that, you must be the senile one... but then again you would have had to have had some sense in the beginning to lose it...

Reed Lover wrote: They all mock.Who cares? What made you think that Close To The Edge would would go down well at pre-school Pingu?

I laughed so hard when I saw that pic I spit up my drink all over my lap

Reed Lover wrote: Most of my friends are gay men... lets just say I only have one who is actually interested in Prog... and thats probably cause he grew up in Spain and loves King Crimson.  He did go with me to see the 21st Century Schizoid Band.. and he had a great time... but I don't think we're convincing any of the others to listen... What are you babbling about Old Girl? Have you fallen out of your rocking chair?

Threefates is so old she farts dust

I love ya TF

gdub411 wrote: Reed Lover wrote: Most of my friends are gay men... lets just say I only have one who is actually interested in Prog... and thats probably cause he grew up in Spain and loves King Crimson.  He did go with me to see the 21st Century Schizoid Band.. and he had a great time... but I don't think we're convincing any of the others to listen... What are you babbling about Old Girl? Have you fallen out of your rocking chair? Threefates is so old she farts dust   I love ya TF

Atleast my butts not clogged....to bad you can't say the same....

Being a younster (18) aboslutely none of my peers are into prog. I've tried to convert some of my friends, but with little success. I've heard them write off prog in some shocking ways - I often wonder if they've been listening to it at all. Some quotes from my friends:

On Close To The Edge:

"God, this is boring."

On Prog in general:

"It all sounds the same to me"

On Hatfield & The North:

"Reminds me of elevator music"

On Ozric Tentacles:

"I thought you said this was rock?"

To be quite honest I've given up trying these days. I met a bloke at college who started saying that the best music should be pushing the boundaries and cited Bowie and Radiohead as examples. I made him a disc with some Yes, GG, VDGG, Maxophone, and much more on and he said to me a couple of days later "I know I said I liked music that pushed the boundaries but that's just f***ing weird". So there we have it. My generation's minds are a closed as the high street at midnight.

threefates wrote: Thats only a bandaid.... not a cure!

Are we getting close to the edge.........................................  (can't of any other prog lyrics to continue -- any suggestions please?)

No worries Three Fates (H) you are not as old as I am. The mere young boys here should go back in their separate  corners and recommense twanging their wires.

When your a teenager most of your peers are more concerned about what trainers they're wearing than whats in their CD player (or on their turntable as it was in my day) Prog fans are usually people who are quite in touch with their emotions (sorry if that sounds sickly and pretentious) and prog can be very emotional music as we all know! Many proggers seem to have an interest in Jazz and or classical music, which leads them to be impressed by good musicianship and complicated arrangements. In short the music matters!! The accessories dont!! The artists have taken the time to learn their instrument to a highly profficient level. They have thought about the songs they are writing.

In contrast, most people see music as a vehicle for fashion, style and attitiude rather than a form of art, in itself, desinged to entertain and convey feeling. Tragic, but thats the way it is. Prog can never have mass appeal.

Yes you are all right, but i persist to think that our time is worst than before cause people are more conditioned than ever before...

Thanks TV (among others)

Thanks for the compliment...

I feel very isolated

Velvetclown wrote: Yes it´s harder today, than it was in the 70s, but it was difficult to make people  listen to quality music even back then. That´s why it´s great to see  that a few "Youngsters" here, really have good taste and use their brains.

I would never have believed that anyone under 30 would even know what prog is, before discovering this site. It is indeed a great thing that some 'youngsters' are tuned into this music.

Blacksword wrote: Velvetclown wrote: Yes it´s harder today, than it was in the 70s, but it was difficult to make people  listen to quality music even back then. That´s why it´s great to see  that a few "Youngsters" here, really have good taste and use their brains.  I would never have believed that anyone under 30 would even know what prog is, before discovering this site. It is indeed a great thing that some 'youngsters' are tuned into this music.

Despite my young age, i'm found of prog since nearly 15 years!

Some 50 years old people who have known the golden age are amazed that i know 60's/70's music much more than them!

oliverstoned wrote: Blacksword wrote: Velvetclown wrote: Yes it´s harder today, than it was in the 70s, but it was difficult to make people  listen to quality music even back then. That´s why it´s great to see  that a few "Youngsters" here, really have good taste and use their brains.  I would never have believed that anyone under 30 would even know what prog is, before discovering this site. It is indeed a great thing that some 'youngsters' are tuned into this music. Despite my young age, i'm found of prog since nearly 15 years! Some 50 years old people who have known the golden age are amazed that i know 60's/70's music much more than them!

Much respect to you oliver  Those 50 year olds probably listerned to crap throughout the 'golden age' and never understood prog either  It was lampooned by many even in them days. Thankfully there was also huge armies of open minded music fans that kept prog safely afloat for a long time.

The problem that the current generation of teenagers, and the one before that too, have had is that they've been getting into music at a time when the mainstream press have urinated on prog from a great height. For a while, any writers into the bands we all know and love were afraid to admit it in the UK music press for fear of being treated with contempt by their cooler-than-thou peers.

 As Robert Fripp pointed out, that has changed somewhat over the last decade or so, and prog gets a bit of a fairer hearing from the more adult mags. No, not porn ones! Mojo, Uncut, Word etc.

 Personally I've always like the idea that most - though by no means all - of "the horde" weren't into the same kind of music as me anyway.

 In the last year my wife and I have seen both Yes and Rush play to packed arenas - in fact the recent Rush shows at Glasgow were treated like the Second Coming by fans after such a long absence and both bands received good reviews from the main Scottish broadsheets.

 When I got into prog aged 12/13 in 1979/80, I was regarded as a young upstart who had missed the boat by the older heads out there, so nothing changes! As now, though, there were kindly elders around willing to point me in the right direction.

 So much love and encouragement to all those younger folk getting into this music, and cheers to the old 'uns who are keeping the fire burning. Thank god for the internet and sites like this!

Dick Heath wrote: No worries Three Fates (H) you are not as old as I am. The mere young boys here should go back in their separate  corners and recommense twanging their wires.

Thanks Dick... actually those boys don't bother me.  I've got a feeling they are both only younger in mind than they are body anyway....

In regard to youngsters into prog.  Seems to me that Pink Floyd has a huge younger following.  If you go thru all of the Pink Floyd sites on their webring, you'll find that most of the membership of their forums are under the age of 30.  Heck the official PF site, I'd say half of them are under the age of 25.  Pink Floyd has always appealed to the minds of teens... and evidently that still holds true. They evidently relate to Roger's tormented lyrics... and David's wailing guitar...

Trying to find the young ones into Yes and ELP.. now thats a bit harder.  For one, most are not into the Hammond or keyboard sound as being the lead instrument.  Another reason for PF's popularity... Rick's keyboards were very underlying.. while David's guitar was very prevalent.  If you play for your friends, prog songs that are heavy on guitar.... I bet they'd like it more.

threefates wrote: Dick Heath wrote: No worries Three Fates (H) you are not as old as I am. The mere young boys here should go back in their separate  corners and recommense twanging their wires. Thanks Dick... actually those boys don't bother me.  I've got a feeling they are both only younger in mind than they are body anyway.... In regard to youngsters into prog.  Seems to me that Pink Floyd has a huge younger following.  If you go thru all of the Pink Floyd sites on their webring, you'll find that most of the membership of their forums are under the age of 30.  Heck the official PF site, I'd say half of them are under the age of 25.  Pink Floyd has always appealed to the minds of teens... and evidently that still holds true. They evidently relate to Roger's tormented lyrics... and David's wailing guitar... Trying to find the young ones into Yes and ELP.. now thats a bit harder.  For one, most are not into the Hammond or keyboard sound as being the lead instrument.  Another reason for PF's popularity... Rick's keyboards were very underlying.. while David's guitar was very prevalent.  If you play for your friends, prog songs that are heavy on guitar.... I bet they'd like it more.

Some of us are 43 going on 16!

You'd be amazed at who likes prog.

Kurt Cobain claimed that KC's 'Red' was his favourite album of all time and Noel Gallagher has lauded Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' as a classic.

Reed Lover wrote: Some of us are 43 going on 16!

You and me both!

Pink Floyd?

They have maintained a mass appeal. Could it be that most of their tunes revolve around simple rhythm structures and strong melody lines? I'd say that's true of PF's radio friendly music. Put on ANIMALS for some of those same folks and you probably will get a different reaction. 

Jim Garten, how did you get so lucky? I do have friends who like to get together and fart and listen to music, but aside from PF, the giants of the genre don't hit the CD player. I've tried and gotten a few slight nods about one passage or riff.

The scary part, IMO, is when friends (?) are actually put off by the music we listen to and they begin to avoid you as though you've got "issues." I've seen it happen, to me and others. I have a friend who got heavily onto punk (just the music, not the fashion) and he went through the same abandonment. Guys you knew for 10 or 12 years, would just avoid you.

I am happy and hopeful to hear the younger guys understanding and appreciating something with substance.  

It is strange that the grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence.

I always cite the USA as being far less style-conscious when it comes to music.We have major problems over here with the media, especially ther press, marginalising anything that is not "current".

Interesting to see that you have the same problems across the pond!

Ha ha, I thought the same thing. You can't escape the trendy crap. Argh!

Ah, Jim... Another lyric to remember: "friends with hidden shallows." 

One of the reasons I fell in love with my wife when I first met her was because she knew who Marillion was, and owned Misplaced Childhood!  How was I to know that years later, her tastes would change to the point that we have Celine Dion CD's in our house.

My friends (and my wife) put up with my tastes, but thats about it. No one asks me to play IQ or Transatlantic, but they don't walk out either.

Personally, I prefer to be known as having wierd tastes.  I can hear pop music anywhere.  Its good to know I can go home to hear good music!

You have Celine Dion in your house...

Poor man...

Due to my age (40), most of my friends have knowledge of what Prog’ music is, and being my closer friends Classic Rock fans, they accept (with some troubles) my personal taste.

In school it was a problem, I graduated in 1979 and most of my classmates were in love with Saturday Night Fever and Grease, my prom party was full of guys with white suits, black shirts and no tie (very original), and except two or three guys that surfed with me (Surfers usually are on classic rock and accept prog’) everybody saw us like a bunch of weirdoes who liked that strange music.

I felt more comfortable with the metal heads because Proggers and Metal Heads had mutual respect for both genres, mostly because we both hated Disco Music with all our guts and found some songs in both genres that we all liked (Metal guys liked Musical Box, In the Court of the Crimson King and we all loved Uriah Heep, Deep Purple and even Grand Funk Railroad.)

In the University it was different, there was a small but active group of progheads and most students were willing to accept and investigate different genres of music, there I knew the two guys who were going to be my dearest friends (almost a brothers), one of them loved Prog’, we went to the concerts and exchanged albums (Well, I lend him my albums, because I was the only one that took prog’ so seriously to expend all my money in LP’s), sadly in 1994 he died in a car crash after a 40 days comma the other one (Still a good friend doesn't care for music, he listens everything, though he learned to like Rick Wakeman and Rush after years).

My oldest friend (from the neighborhood)  Percy, is an old time Proghead, he even started before me, but when he married he lost a bit of interest in new bands, he still listens the classics but has no interest in anything later than UK. He now lives in a small town working as a doctor for a mine and earning big bucks.

My girlfriends were another problem, all except one hated prog’ and another one pretended to like my music because she liked me. One girlfriends father (A shrink) asked me one day to take him to work because his car refused to start, and I was listening in my powerful Pioneer KP-500 Battle for the Epping Forest, the guy said nothing, but that night the girl told me he recommended her to be careful, because I had to be mentally ill to listen that weird music.

Today  I’m part of a group named La Lata (With Cesar Inca) where all the members are friends and all love Prog’ music, strange but found new friends at my 40’s who share my love for Prog’.

Iván

ivan_2068 wrote:  One girlfriends father (A shrink) asked me one day to take him to work because his car refused to start, and I was listening in my powerful Pioneer KP-500 Battle for the Epping Forest, the guy said nothing, but that night the girl told me he recommended her to be careful, because I had to be mentally ill to listen that weird music.

Exactly..... So funny, and so totally spot on. Bwhaaaaaaa.

Oliver,

Celine Dion sits uncomfortably next to Dream Theater, Miriah Carey nearby Camel, Amy Grant just down the shelf from Genesis.

The things we do to please our spouses!

danbo wrote: Reed Lover wrote: Some of us are 43 going on 16! You and me both!

You Two are sooooooooo immature!?!

danbo wrote: Reed Lover wrote: Some of us are 43 going on 16! You and me both!

ME THREE!!! yuk,yuk,yuk....yeah.,us three and perhaps throw in VelvetClown represent the geezer parade on immaturity

At least Penguin and Eddy have age as an excuse

Oh Hell.....FART!!!!

Ok... sorry Danbo... I left you out!

So Danny... you may be old, but atleast you're immature!

That's what my wife tells me...

I'm practicing the immaturity for my future employment as nursing home ass pincher.

Imagine this, if you will, Peter, Reed, Greg, Linda, Dick, Dude, Jimbo and I, all sharing the same floor at the Old Proggers Retirement Home.

lobster41 wrote: Oliver, Celine Dion sits uncomfortably next to Dream Theater, Miriah Carey nearby Camel, Amy Grant just down the shelf from Genesis. The things we do to please our spouses!

yes but that's hard...

Oliver,

We do what we have to, don't we?  Hughes plays his women King Crimson, I let my wife have her Celine and Mariah.

danbo wrote: That's what my wife tells me... I'm practicing the immaturity for my future employment as nursing home ass pincher. Imagine this, if you will, Peter, Reed, Greg, Linda, Dick, Dude, Jimbo and I, all sharing the same floor at the Old Proggers Retirement Home.

Dick sleeps meanwhile...

Peter doesn't know which side he's on:

Whilst Grandma Linda's past has caught up with her:

And the other "Seniors" are having a "moment"

Looks like a case for Occifer Dan Bowlegs:

I don't so much have a problem with friends reaction to Prog music but with ANY musicl!. Especially girlfriends they are not interested in music at all . Even the ones that i used to hang around at school with and listen to Barclay James Harvest and Camel, nowdays they are just happy listening to the radio. But i do find I can have a pretty good conversation with their partners though about various bands.

I do have a couple of male friends that are pretty sympathetic to my recent prog addiction so all is well . (hopefully they are not sniggering behind my back).

Hey Petra,I'm really sympathetic to your prog addiction

Reed Lover wrote: Hey Petra,I'm really sympathetic to your prong addiction

For shame Reed, for shame!

Old folks home, indeed!

Where's my Viagritol?

Peter Rideout wrote: Reed Lover wrote: Hey Petra,I'm really sympathetic to your prog addiction For shame Reed, for shame! Old folks home, endeed! Where's my Viagritol?

I see nothing wrong with Reed Lover's post! It says "prog". Your post, however, says "endeed". Who's laughing now?

You probably have edited your post to say "indeed" by now, for shame!

penguindf12 wrote: Peter Rideout wrote: Reed Lover wrote: Hey Petra,I'm really sympathetic to your prong addiction For shame Reed, for shame! Old folks home, endeed! Where's my Viagritol? I see nothing wrong with Reed Lover's prod! It says "Probe me, Pingu." Your post, however, is brilliant.

 Such shameless deviance!

Peter Rideout wrote: penguindf12 wrote: Peter Rideout wrote: Reed Lover wrote: Hey Petra,I'm really sympathetic to your prong addiction For shame Reed, for shame! Old folks home, endeed! Where's my Viagritol? I see nothing wrong with Reed Lover's prod! It says "Probe me, Pingu." Your post, however, is brilliant.  I like chickens!!! Duhh!!!! Durrr!!!!

You should learn to be more eloquent in you speaking, Peter!

Tsk, tsk, tsk.... and I expected a legitimate response from one as grammatically concerned as you...

Okay, truce, truce, I'll stop if you'll stop. Heh heh...

??? Don't know about THE OLD MAN (Rideout), but I'm 15...

Though by my posts you can't guess it...

Cheer Up !!!

I'm all alone here

Last time I said to my wife, You don't understand me.

Her reply, "What do you mean"

I've given up on converting my friends to "my music", but sometimes it's nice to be understood.

Jim Garten wrote: danbo wrote: Linda, Dick, Dude, Jimbo and I, all sharing the same floor at the Old Proggers Retirement Home. With well meaning christian do-gooders regaling us with acoustic guitar/tambourine versions of 'Suppers Ready' "Mr Rideout, it's time for your bed-bath........"

I guess that makes me recreation chairperson....