OK I`m sitting down with some non prog friends and I put on a prog CD (probably not wise) Anyway halfway through the first song I notice them looking at each other then just like that one says "do you take this music seriously ?"  I respond "its got some great counterpoint and listened to that Hammond "  (I was playing niacin BTW)  then  without warning I get the lamest response ever , "it sounds like regressive rock honestly kids listen to this crap its such a wank"  I couldn`t believe my ears I mean how rude and ignorant is that ?  

So whats the worst thing a friend not into prog has ever said to you about your music ? 

You're a communist!

Although that's his way of telling me that he just doesn't like it

Im not very good at persuasiving people so I have, damn my soul, giving up on shareing my music to others who doesn't know better

In retrospect you could say that I've failed were christianity succeded

In my experience few people are open-minded enough to give progressive music a chance. I find that by it's very nature it is not music you can easily like the first listen - which is probably why I like it so much, even songs I have listened to a hundred times can sound fresh and surprising.

As far as friends go, my days of sitting with a friend and 'listening' to music have long passed. I was fortunate enough to be at that stage in my life during the golden age of prog (70's), and with lots of progressive music getting airplay on FM and especially university radio it seemed that people were more open to listening to something different.

Now-a-days music with friends consists of either background music while we are doing something else (in which case progressive is perfectly acceptable as we don't really 'listen' to it) or going to a concert (in which case you are only going with friends who like that particular musician). I listen to my music either by myself or with my young fellow (who is a musician and while he doesn't like all I play he listens with an open mind).

While I may not like the music someone else listens to I try never to say anything negative about it and I expect the same re comments about my music. Any comments they do make go in one ear and out the other. I just can't be bothered even acknowledging their remark let alone trying to change their opinion. Guess I'm a true Canadian!

This is a thread on the subject:

worst prog remarks from friends

White Feather wrote: OK I`m sitting down with some non prog friends and I put on a prog CD (probably not wise) Anyway halfway through the first song I notice them looking at each other then just like that one says "do you take this music seriously ?"  I respond "its got some great counterpoint and listened to that Hammond "  (I was playing niacin BTW)  then  without warning I get the lamest response ever , "it sounds like regressive rock honestly kids listen to this crap its such a wank"  I couldn`t believe my ears I mean how rude and ignorant is that ?     So whats the worst thing a friend not into prog has ever said to you about your music ?

seems you need to review your social circles!

honestly when i first got into prog in the early 70's my family thought i'd become a born again christian - organs on led zep/purple/genesis/yes/elp etc, though even after some friends making daft comments  i managed to explain it to them and interest them in prog and heavy rock, even got them to come along to a gig!  it seems most people these days like pop and dance stuff /musak and can't be bothered to put any effort into their listening, they like to "relax" or "chill out" instead.  prog, jazz and classical music can be the most rewarding but needs your full attention, it's not wallpaper music, it demands to be listened to.  i always give such music the same attention as watching a film. as for people referring to it as "regressive", is classical, soul and jazz regressive??? all these genres including prog are still being developed and will still be enjoyed for many many years to come, it could even become the classical music of the future!  

I get a lot of comments about my music when I play it to the uneducated ear. Just last night I had on "Octavarium," and when the track length was noted, I get "Is that necessary?" It was pretty funny, but she didn't even recognize this as a problem (or at all) until we were 19 minutes into it.

I also get a lot of "Do they sing?" Whether it's all intrumental, or if it's just a segment. I get complaints quite often (though I do have a handful of friends who do appreciate or enjoy it), but I stand my ground and shove them musical terms and theory at them that they don't understand at all In futile attempts to explain the brilliance in the music. I make it known that I understand why they wouldn't like it, but their statements are ignorant, and their musical opinions are basically void.

Still, I'd much rather have it where I am one of very few of the peers in my area that listen to prog. It makes the music more special.

I laid In a Glass House on a guitarist friend and he said "he was thinking too much". He asked me to burn it for him though so I guess he found it somewhat interesting. The key is to just lay the least accessible prog album out on someone and hope they'll realize that its not just music it's MUSIC. Baptism by fire.

Riddle me this.

Being older I have friends who are into the classic progressive music of the 70's (Camel, Genesis, King Crimson, Tull, Yes, etc.) but will not try to listen to 'modern' groups or even other lesser known groups from the 70's, groups that I have explored thanks to this web site.

I have learnt that it is easier to paint a moving car than it is to change an opinion.

No one I know has ever dismissed it as w&nk!

They wouldn't dare mess with the Blacksword

Rush has roused some laughter over the years, as have Yes, but the most common comment is that it's either 'boring' or 'not cool'

Revan wrote: Xanadu wrote: You're a communist! Although that's his way of telling me that he just doesn't like it I wouldn't go to that extreme but '70s prog idea is mostly socialist. Not the same surely.

It's a joke! Although there was a socialist musical movement in sweden in 70s that was called progg (not prog).

Communism in this case is just a symbol for something bad, not that it necceserily is. Though He might not know the exact content of the statement he is still refering to something, in his mind, bad.

its so ironic that this was posted.

i JUST finished reading this post, and didn't really have a comment (at least i thought i didnt), and i'm at work where we all leave our office doors open at all times, since we're all constantly bustling around. Anyways, i'm playing Gentle Giant, and I look up, and everybody's office doors are closed.

wtf?  

oh well

Ah the amount of times me and my friends try to put prog on in our 6th form common room. So far we have had some Jethro Tull: Aqualung, Hymn 43, Cross Eyed Mary, some of Thick As A Brick, all of Close To The Edge, some Supper's Ready and some other Genesis, some King Crimson, quite a bit of floyd and Mostly Autumn and some other Yes.  but usualy any song that lasts over 5 mins gets turned off.

The usual comments are:" This is boring..." "This is crap, it's too long." "I could make this on cuebase!" etc etc. basically there are about 7/8 of us who like prog and force it on!

Here in Argentina are some people called "rollingas" who like a kind of bands that are fashion and have a similar sound to the Rolling Stones (but toooooo worse) and they're bulls**t.

Some "rollingas" friends of mine, when I put some prog stuff they walk away or say "This is boring!!" or "It's a bulls**t" I can't really understand why.....

i tend to not play prog rock around my friends, although back in the day we always used to listen to music and share it with eachother

so i dont have any harsh comments

but i have had friends say it reminds them of video game music, which i can understand with some bands

someone told me that Magma's MDK reminded them of monkeys making music, which i thought was funny, even if only for the alliteration

i only have two people that i can share my music with now, sucks monkey balls

i dont ever expect prog rock to be popular, but i would like it if more people were passionate about it, so i could discuss it with people that aren't on the internet

Aaron

The Wizard wrote: One thing I like about prog is that no one knows about it so it's 'cooler' to like (at least for me).

Yes, it  has some charme to like something what other people don't even know.

The guy from my year after seeing photo of Yes from Relayer times called Patrick Moraz "hairy ape".

This is good that progarchives exist - a place where we could weep that people don't understand our music .

The Wizard wrote: One thing I like about prog is that no one knows about it so it's 'cooler' to like (at least for me).

I agree!

Its like listening to something you know most of the people cannot understand.You feel like an elect!

Cygnus X-1 wrote: Ah the amount of times me and my friends try to put prog on in our 6th form common room. So far we have had some Jethro Tull: Aqualung, Hymn 43, Cross Eyed Mary, some of Thick As A Brick, all of Close To The Edge, some Supper's Ready and some other Genesis, some King Crimson, quite a bit of floyd and Mostly Autumn and some other Yes.  but usualy any song that lasts over 5 mins gets turned off. The usual comments are:" This is boring..." "This is crap, it's too long." "I could make this on cuebase!" etc etc. basically there are about 7/8 of us who like prog and force it on!

Heheh... You posted "7/8" and you also have a Rush icon.

I haven't really tried to introduce people to prog, because their tastes in music are quite shallow and I do not expect anyone to understand the whole philosophy of prog without having similar views on music and art in general. Seriously, it goes for literature, films as well as music - people consider to check out only the accessible, popular things. I don't blame them actually.

You can't forget that proggers are ignorant to different things as well.

 -- Ivan

ivansfr0st wrote: I haven't really tried to introduce people to prog, because their tastes in music are quite shallow and I do not expect anyone to understand the whole philosophy of prog without having similar views on music and art in general. Seriously, it goes for literature, films as well as music - people consider to check out only the accessible, popular things. I don't blame them actually. You can't forget that proggers are ignorant to different things as well.  -- Ivan

Exactly what I was saying - don't waste your breath on trying to change people's tastes, it's not worth the effort. I can count on one hand the number of people over the past 30 years I have 'turned on' to prog. While you may not agree with them you can't blame someone for their tastes.

Might as well bang your head against the wall...

White Feather wrote: OK I`m sitting down with some non prog friends and I put on a prog CD (probably not wise) Anyway halfway through the first song I notice them looking at each other then just like that one says "do you take this music seriously ?"  I respond "its got some great counterpoint and listened to that Hammond "  (I was playing niacin BTW)  then  without warning I get the lamest response ever , "it sounds like regressive rock honestly kids listen to this crap its such a wank"  I couldn`t believe my ears I mean how rude and ignorant is that ?     So whats the worst thing a friend not into prog has ever said to you about your music ?

I brought Zep into a dance lesson about two years ago .. I think the other girls brought Green Day .. Lol, they HATED it .. called it a load of rubbish. Now it's fashionable to listen to Zeppelin. Hm. But yeah, I was laughed at too .. one girl said it was like UB40 but worse ...

Aww man when I was in free period during school i was showing one of my friends Pink Floyd with the glory of Echoes when a stupid freshman (you know how freshmen are for all those in high school) just says o my God that is the most annoying thing i have heard in my life turn that hippie crap off.......        &n bsp;         &n bsp;      He said that while turning on his Toby Keith

When I was driving home from Chicago 2112 was on and during the part after the Overture when it gets quiet my mom said this is my favourite part of the song because there is no noise. 

jesperz wrote: stan the man wrote: When I was driving home from Chicago 2112 was on and during the part after the Overture when it gets quiet my mom said this is my favourite part of the song because there is no noise.  That is a very nice one from ur mom... Well, my friends did say about Geddy Lee is a gay cos of his squeeky voice, James LaBrie's voices causing ear Fatique and stuff like that. When i am playing something like 2112 by Rush or Change Of seasons by Dream Theater, they will probably go like "HUH!? The song haven't end?" Worse, Discipline by King Crimson... I received feedback like "what is that man? It is so annoying!" Lol... That makes me never play my type of music in camps or whatever... They even could say that PROG ROCK IS AS BORING AS CLASSICAL MUSIC!!!! What they like to listen are Eminem, 50 Cents or Green day, Chemical Romance.. They really cause me ear Fatique and a bad migrane! But hey, i didn't critisize their music, only tell them to lower down the volume... Due to the fact that they love screaming music.. That is something I dun get it... Z'

 the funny thing is that my mom actually likes some prog.  She isn't keen on Pink Floyd but she likes some Yes and Genesis.  She says she respects Rush as musicians but just cant stand Geddy's voice.  Strange I love the voice.  Especially his 70s wailing