[bavinck]

The Mantle is a masterpiece.

I think so too, but it won't be every prog rocker's cup of tea.

Side note: Enjoying Drifting Sun's new one, Soul Asylum.

 

[spook76]

On a Thanksgiving evening I have a question for the progressive community. In my 50 years on the planet I have never been able to convert a soul to the love of progressive music. Sure someone might like a song or album or two but my entire music library is progressive as is my musical mentor who at 52 admonished me to give up trying to convert anyone as he also has never been able convince anyone outside of already prog lovers of the beauty of the music.

My older sister and I would listen to Genesis, Yes, ELP, Rush etc. in our youth and loved it all and still do. Progressive is not popular it is more like a cult based on sales. What is it that draws us to the genre when most reject it? Is it genetic thing or early exposure?

 

[ArronZacx]

On a Thanksgiving evening I have a question for the progressive community. In my 50 years on the planet I have never been able to convert a soul to the love of progressive music. Sure someone might like a song or album or two but my entire music library is progressive as is my musical mentor who at 52 admonished me to give up trying to convert anyone as he also has never been able convince anyone outside of already prog lovers of the beauty of the music.

My older sister and I would listen to Genesis, Yes, ELP, Rush etc. in our youth and loved it all and still do. Progressive is not popular it is more like a cult based on sales. What is it that draws us to the genre when most reject it? Is it genetic thing or early exposure?

I think the fact that you've tried to convert someone to a certain genre contradicts the nature of music. You've made the assumption that progressive music is 'good' when there's technically no such thing. It's all preference, whether you like a music or you don't. You can help people discover music outside of what they listen to but to make them like a music because you do, for me that kind of defeats the nature of music itself.
 
I mean I'm sure there's some less popular genres out there that has a cult following of sorts and no matter what these people do, you can never be 'converted' to that music. I can actually flip the question back at you. Why do you only listen to prog? There's millions of music outside of prog that I deem just as 'good'. So why are you still just listening to prog? I'm more than happy to have people sharing music but to simply expect anyone to just like something is a step too far.
 
Hope I didn't come off too strong. But I think progressive isn't that unpopular compared to certain other genres and still actually has a strong following. I mean, hey, just look at this thread! And the fact that there's so many prog music out there means there must be enough people out there liking it.

 

[bavinck]

On a Thanksgiving evening I have a question for the progressive community. In my 50 years on the planet I have never been able to convert a soul to the love of progressive music. Sure someone might like a song or album or two but my entire music library is progressive as is my musical mentor who at 52 admonished me to give up trying to convert anyone as he also has never been able convince anyone outside of already prog lovers of the beauty of the music.

My older sister and I would listen to Genesis, Yes, ELP, Rush etc. in our youth and loved it all and still do. Progressive is not popular it is more like a cult based on sales. What is it that draws us to the genre when most reject it? Is it genetic thing or early exposure?

Going to sound arrogant, but I think it is the love of complexity, layering and technical abilities (in writing and playing) and the dislike of all this banal. My wife likes country, and I just hate it. So simple and boring.
 
I think I love prog for the same reasons as I love jazz, fusion and some forms of metal. 

 

[spook76]

I think the fact that you've tried to convert someone to a certain genre contradicts the nature of music. You've made the assumption that progressive music is 'good' when there's technically no such thing. It's all preference, whether you like a music or you don't. You can help people discover music outside of what they listen to but to make them like a music because you do, for me that kind of defeats the nature of music itself.

I mean I'm sure there's some less popular genres out there that has a cult following of sorts and no matter what these people do, you can never be 'converted' to that music. I can actually flip the question back at you. Why do you only listen to prog? There's millions of music outside of prog that I deem just as 'good'. So why are you still just listening to prog? I'm more than happy to have people sharing music but to simply expect anyone to just like something is a step too far.

Hope I didn't come off too strong. But I think progressive isn't that unpopular compared to certain other genres and still actually has a strong following. I mean, hey, just look at this thread! And the fact that there's so many prog music out there means there must be enough people out there liking it.

I am not trying to make anyone like anything. I just stated something based upon my 50 years of observation.

I have listened to many genres but only progressive really impacts me. In my youth I loved everything from rock to blues classical to jazz.

You obviously are not a prog fan because a good deal of the albums I buy I fund the final production costs. I bought Kyros' EP in August to fund their new album and last year I prepurchased echolyn's 'I Heard You Listning' to fund the production. Hell, when I wanted Vulkan's first album I had to email the lead guitarist in Sweden and bought the album in Kroners directly from him. For every Dream Theater there are hundreds of bands toiling in obscurity in the progressive world.

 

[spook76]

Going to sound arrogant, but I think it is the love of complexity, layering and technical abilities (in writing and playing) and the dislike of all this banal. My wife likes country, and I just hate it. So simple and boring.

I think I love prog for the same reasons as I love jazz, fusion and some forms of metal. 

I completely agree but the question is why do we love the complexity and avoid the banal?

 

[bavinck]

I completely agree but the question is why do we love the complexity and avoid the banal?

It's a good question. I will think on it.

 

[chrismini]

What about Yes who epitomize prog?

 

[bavinck]

What about Yes who epitomize prog?

Yes is great, but I don't think they epitomize prog in 2016.

 

[spook76]

Yes is great, but I don't think they epitomize prog in 2016.

While I love Yes, today's progressive music is more varied than the classic era to name one group.

If I was to say who epitomizes today's era my vote would be Steven Wilson. From Porcupine Tree to his solo work in addition to his work as a recording engineer on remixes and most of Opeth's albums my choice would be Wilson.

 

[bavinck]

While I love Yes, today's progressive music is more varied than the classic era to name one group.

If I was to say who epitomizes today's era my vote would be Steven Wilson. From Porcupine Tree to his solo work in addition to his work as a recording engineer on remixes and most of Opeth's albums my choice would be Wilson.

I agree. I was thinking Wilson and opeth too. However, it is very expansive and varied as you write.

 

[waynes world]

New to this thread. Old guy that loves older genesis, yes, crimson, gentle giant, marillion, radiohead, pink floyd etc. Last few years discovered PT/steven wilson, and that's my favorite music off all time now. But, judging by this thread, I have plenty of good prog yet to discover! Happy to be here

 

[bavinck]

New to this thread. Old guy that loves older genesis, yes, crimson, gentle giant, marillion, radiohead, pink floyd etc. Last few years discovered PT/steven wilson, and that's my favorite music off all time now. But, judging by this thread, I have plenty of good prog yet to discover! Happy to be here

Welcome aboard! You do have a lot to catch up on lol. Just reading several pages back and there should be lots of good recommends. Check out big big train folklore, you would probably like that a fair bit.

 

[swspiers]

On a Thanksgiving evening I have a question for the progressive community. In my 50 years on the planet I have never been able to convert a soul to the love of progressive music. Sure someone might like a song or album or two but my entire music library is progressive as is my musical mentor who at 52 admonished me to give up trying to convert anyone as he also has never been able convince anyone outside of already prog lovers of the beauty of the music.

My older sister and I would listen to Genesis, Yes, ELP, Rush etc. in our youth and loved it all and still do. Progressive is not popular it is more like a cult based on sales. What is it that draws us to the genre when most reject it? Is it genetic thing or early exposure?

Reading this post brought a smile to my face. I think I'm kind of lucky, in that over the years I have been able to turn quite a few people onto progressive music. Even when I was a kid, I shared my love of Emerson Lake and Palmer, King Crimson, and Yes with quite a few of my friends. Oh, nowhere near the level the people get turned onto Taylor Swift or even Mumford and Sons, but more than a handful of people I know got their perspective on music changed sitting with me in a room with a decent stereo.

But my most recent convert is the most unlikely of all. I set my girlfriend a link to "Ritual" from Tales from Topographic Oceans almost 2 years ago, and she was flipping hooked. Oh, and we are both well into our fifties. She was so mesmerized and blown away by it that she actually convinced me to buy the Stephen Wilson remix of album, which I just received today. She even asked me last week if I had gotten it yet, because she wants to hear it on my headphones



(Oh yeah, she even convinced me to buy the HD 800S's)

 

[spook76]

Reading this post brought a smile to my face. I think I'm kind of lucky, in that over the years I have been able to turn quite a few people onto progressive music. Even when I was a kid, I shared my love of Emerson Lake and Palmer, King Crimson, and Yes with quite a few of my friends. Oh, nowhere near the level the people get turned onto Taylor Swift or even Mumford and Sons, but more than a handful of people I know got their perspective on music changed sitting with me in a room with a decent stereo.

But my most recent convert is the most unlikely of all. I set my girlfriend a link to "Ritual" from Tales from Topographic Oceans almost 2 years ago, and she was flipping hooked. Oh, and we are both well into our fifties. She was so mesmerized and blown away by it that she actually convinced me to buy the Stephen Wilson remix of album, which I just received today. She even asked me last week if I had gotten it yet, because she wants to hear it on my headphones



(Oh yeah, she even convinced me to buy the HD 800S's)

That is impressive. My wife despises progressive and for your girlfriend to not only like it but "Ritual" from 'Tales from Typographic Oceans' one of the most difficult and divisive albums of all time is really amazing.

By the way, the Wilson remix is incredible.