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Prog Fans In Our 50’s |
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PaulG ![]() Forum Groupie ![]() Joined: December 15 2021 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 94 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: February 04 2022 at 11:48 |
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Did a search for this after reading through “Prog music fans in their 60’s. Couldn’t find same topic for us in our 50’s so here goes. I have loved music and progressive music as far back as I can remember. I grew up in a family/extended family who listened to primarily progressive and classic rock in relation to styles I like. My grandfather played the guitar, mandolin, piano, clarinet and accordion. While he played contemporary Italian music my love for R.P.I. or it’s roots came from my grandfather. The Italians and other Southern European countries have a real love of melody.
My father plays the guitar and piano. A lot of classical and some classic rock and light progressive rock was inspired from my dad. I remember him playing The Beatles St. Peppers and loving this as a child. Also proto-Prog Deep Purple Machine Head playing on reel to Reel. The first album I bought was Machine Head. My two Uncle Johns had a big influence on me. While my Uncle John Luisi listened to primarily classic rock/hard rock I would go through his vinyl and always gravitate to the prog/Prog related releases such as Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. My Uncle John Grace was listening to proto Prog metal such as Deep Purple and this had a big influence. Seems he listened to primarily Deep Purples Machine Head release an entire summer. We would go for a ride in his 71 Le Mans with Highway Star and Space Truckin etc. blasting. My Uncle Tom was listening to full blown progressive rock and classic rock. He introduced me formally to Jethro Tull, Genesis, and psychedelic bands such as Iron Butterfly, Grand Funk Railroad and Steppenwolf. Although my father and Uncles had a big influence I went my own way and my Grandfather Luisi had the biggest influence as I absolutely love RPI and other European progressive rock bands. Bands such as Banco, Le Orme, PFM. My father also had a big influence concerning how classical music contributes to the symphonic progressive rock genre and my love for this. Bands such as Yes and Renaissance. Even though they didn’t listen to these bands they influenced me with contemporary music. I don’t listen to the contemporary music as Prog is so much better. Now onto what I first bought and listened to through my already developing taste. The first two albums I bought are considered protoprog/Prog related. This would be Deep Purple Machine Head along with Purple Passages a compilation from the first three albums. I’m 55 years old. I was 12 years old and just out of 6th grade. I followed this up with King Crimson In The Court of the Crimson King and Pink Floyd Meddle/Atom Heart Mother. I also bought Jethro Tull Aqualung along with ELP’s first 3 releases. The classics continued from this point on. My collection grew quickly from here. I’ve continued with progressive rock. I listened to a lot of classic rock growing up too and a lot of the classic rock overlaps today with what is called progressive rock. I remember buying releases such as Lizard by King Crimson when others were buying Pink Floyd The Wall etc. Even though I was a Floyd fan I sold The Wall after buying it upon first release. I didn’t like the disco sound that I felt crept in. I like The Wall now. I was also into Rush. Everything up to Hemisphere’s. I remember not liking Permanent Waves or Moving Pictures that much as I felt they commercialized. I like these releases now. I ended up almost giving up on new music during the 80’s and early to mid 90’s. I couldn’t find anything that sounded half progressive except for a few releases here and there. Bands such as Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Porcupine Tree, and Tool were some of the Prog I found among the ashes of the post classic period. I gravitated to different heavy metal genres for a while as I had mined the extensive classic progressive rock period at least as far as I knew. I bought releases in these genres I would listen to only once or never have gone back to its so disappointing. Then I got a computer and rediscovered Prog. My troubles with music were over. There was a plethora of old and new Prog releases to buy and enjoy. I couldn’t believe the old and new Prog I had missed and was missing. Bands such as Banco, Camel, Ange, Morse Code, IQ, Anglagard, Renaissance, Hoelderlin, Anekdoten and Eloy to the heavier spectrum and bands such as Symphony X, Threshold, Riverside, and Pain of Salvation filled in the gaps. Also Gentle Giant, Atomic Rooster, Vander Graaf Generator, Caravan, Djam Karet, Anathema, I’ll Balleto Di Bronzo, Uriah Heep, Nektar, Radiohead, Tool, Haken, Opeth, Magma, and Focus. I currently listen to a broad range of progressive rock. Pretty much all of the subgenres listed here are included with a few exceptions. The subgenres of heavy Prog, eclectic, symphonic, RPI, progressive metal, post Prog metal, and psychedelic space rock are favorites. I also like Canterbury and Zheul along with Tech extreme Prog metal. There’s so many bands I could list yet will refrain as lising can get boring and monotonous. I bought about 50 releases the last couple of months and all of them within the Prog realm. I remember the late 80’s through the late 90’s and thinking I went through all good available music. I was in for a big and very pleasant surprise with all of the old Prog to be discovered alone and the new/newer Prog keeps coming in. Keep progin. Edited by PaulG - February 04 2022 at 11:53 |
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David_D ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: October 26 2010 Location: Copenhagen Status: Offline Points: 15810 |
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I'm a decade older than this thread is aimed to but I think, it'll be quite interesting to read some of what you guys come up with, and anyway, good luck with it.
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quality over quantity, and all kind of PopcoRn almost beyond
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AFlowerKingCrimson ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: October 02 2016 Location: Philly burbs Status: Offline Points: 19332 |
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I'm 51 almost 52. Anyone else on here my age? It means you either discovered prog at the worst possible time or maybe discovered it later. :P
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mathman0806 ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: June 06 2014 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 6853 |
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I'm 54. I discovered prog through a weekly radio program specializing in prog and jazz fusion foe a few hours while in high school. That was in the early to mid 80s. Mostly the big names. Very commercial in that the prog acts had the arena tours, so saw Pink Floyd, Roger Waters. Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Rush, and Yes with all the lights and stage effects in the mid to late 80s. By the 90s, I was more into alternative rock and got back into prog through Porcupine Tree and that style which bridged the alternative rock that I enjoyed back into prog
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Jared ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: May 06 2005 Location: Hereford, UK Status: Offline Points: 20764 |
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Yeah, I'm 53... prog to me as a teenager was literally Yes, Genesis, Rush and then Marillion. I struggled with Pink Floyd at the time, although have warmed to them since. The gaps were filled by Zep, Purple, Sabbath and some Maiden. The school I went to didn't have much of a Rock & Metal following, prog or otherwise; peers were very heavily influenced by the New Wave/ Romantic movement, which I found too synthetic. So yes, they were rather lean years....
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suitkees ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: July 19 2020 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 9050 |
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Are we now going to form the Young Old Farts Society? ![]()
I'm two years older than you, and I'm actually not considering our music discovering time (let's say early 80s) as "the worst possible" for prog... (well, I sense your irony...) Of course, I discovered a lot of music by radio at first (Pink Floyd - The Wall period, especially -, Supertramp, a bit of Genesis, and for me being Dutch: Focus, Kayak, Earth and Fire, Flairck (apparently they're considered prog here)... But my first vinyls were 90125, Script For a Jester's Tear, Tales From the Lush Attic, The Sentinel, Moving Waves, Fact and Fiction, Merlin. Actually, the neo-prog bands from these, I like them more than I have ever liked Genesis. So no, for me this is not necessarily the worst prog period, that might be the decade that followed...
![]() Edited by suitkees - February 06 2022 at 10:31 |
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The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
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AFlowerKingCrimson ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: October 02 2016 Location: Philly burbs Status: Offline Points: 19332 |
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I meant worse possible time to discover prog as in not many obvious ways to get into it as a genre. I suppose the 90's were even worse though as far as that goes.
Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - February 06 2022 at 10:35 |
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rushfan4 ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 22 2007 Location: Michigan, U.S. Status: Offline Points: 66800 |
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I'm also 51. My story is here if you are interested. My Road to Prog Enlightenment - Progressive Rock Music Forum - Page 1 (progarchives.com)
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suitkees ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: July 19 2020 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 9050 |
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^^ I see, but in the 80s, we could discover all that 70s prog! That's what we did, no? From 90125 I started to discover earlier Yes, got into ELP, Pink Floyd, Rush, Saga, Eloy, Grobschnitt... (King Crimson came a bit later for me). Once I discovered there was a label to stick on "this kind" of music I started to explore what had been done before in that "prog" domain...
Edited by suitkees - February 06 2022 at 10:48 |
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The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
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suitkees ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: July 19 2020 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 9050 |
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Interesting read, and very recognizable.
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The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
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lazland ![]() Prog Reviewer ![]() ![]() Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13883 |
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I was 57 in December. I have told the story about my cousin introducing me to prog via Yes GFTO many times, so will not repeat it here.
What I will say is that, to me, I still get the same thrill from listening to NEW music now as I did all those years ago. The joy of hearing a fantastic work for the first time and then growing to really love an album is as real now as it ever was, and last year Illuminae, Mostly Autumn, and Three Colours Dark delivered that in spades, all delivering seminal works which will remain on my listening plan for years to come. It is an old trope that you are as young as you feel. As I have gotten older, I have become extremely disillusioned with politics, the organisation I work for, and the inherent imbecility of much of mankind, but the love for this fantastic music is only eclipsed by the love for a wonderful loving and understanding family around me. Last night I got back from the pub after watching the first round of the Six Nations rugby. I had had a few beers, and went about my usual Saturday night ironing chore whilst blasting out one of my Marillion playlists on the speaker. The walls were literally shaking, and I was left alone to enjoy myself. When the final few bars of Neverland played out to a whisper, I thought, bloody hell, how lucky am I to be alive with so much damned good music to enjoy?
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
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suitkees ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: July 19 2020 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 9050 |
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^ Now, somehow I question if Mrs. Laz is as happy with you ironing when the walls are shaking like that...?
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The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
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lazland ![]() Prog Reviewer ![]() ![]() Joined: October 28 2008 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 13883 |
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Her Indoors is VERY understanding
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
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octopus-4 ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() RIO/Avant/Zeuhl,Neo & Post/Math Teams Joined: October 31 2006 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 14907 |
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I'm 59. Too borderline for this question
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I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution
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Nogbad_The_Bad ![]() Forum & Site Admin Group ![]() ![]() RIO/Avant/Zeuhl & Eclectic Team Joined: March 16 2007 Location: Boston Status: Offline Points: 21624 |
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I'm 57, I discovered prog around 80, 81 when a friend at 6th Form introduced me to Genesis, The Knife and Giant Hogweed, and Yes - Close To The Edge. I'd already got into Pink Floyd, Supertramp and Jean Michel Jarre but those two got me into the broader range. It was then King Crimson - Larks Tongues in Aspic that really got me into the edgier, darker, noisier stuff.
I had another renaissance in the early 10's when discovering a lot of the Univers Zero, Present, Art Zoyd style stuff and started attending festivals (Nearfest, ProgDay, Rock In Opposition)
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Ian
Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
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Argo2112 ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: June 20 2017 Location: New Jersey Status: Offline Points: 4462 |
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I'm 56. Didn't really get big in to prog until the 80's so I had to go back a little to discover the classic prog of the 70's. This is why I think I have a little more tolerance for some of the 80's material of bands like Yes, Rush, Genesis.... With out Abacab I never would have discovered Foxtrot or SEBTP. With out 90125 I may have never found Close to the Edge or Going For The One. It has been a fun journey.
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altaeria ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: March 05 2004 Location: Philadelphia Status: Offline Points: 178 |
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I am 50, and kinda relate to that. As a little kid in the late 1970s, I mostly just listened to my older brother's Beatles (and sometimes Kiss) records ... and then started to closely follow Top 40 radio around 1981 while playing Atari games. ![]() I loved ASIA and most other early/mid-80s melodic rock acts, but wasn't aware of "Prog Rock" yet. Eventually I became very interested in Rabin-era YES, the related ABWH album, and then UNION. That all inspired me to get the YesYears box set. Included in that box set was a "family tree" flowchart with all the members' prior bands ........ and THAT is what truly kicked open my doorway to classic Prog Rock. I also never liked the Grunge genres of the 90s.... so my focus went completely towards Prog at that point. Edited by altaeria - February 07 2022 at 12:40 |
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AFlowerKingCrimson ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: October 02 2016 Location: Philly burbs Status: Offline Points: 19332 |
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^I'm a little bit different. We probably got into prog around the same time but in the '90s I embraced the current music scene and actually liked the grunge and alternative of the day. I still enjoy Pearl Jam, REM, AIC, Nirvana(to a lesser extent) etc. It was always interesting to listen to some of these bands to hear if I could spot prog influences or sounds in there. It was kind of like finding an easter egg or something. In the late 90's grunge and alternative started to get stale so I started to rediscover prog after taking a break from it for a few years. Although I wasn't aware of it at the time I now realize Tool was one of the few bands to embrace prog, metal and alternative. Probably Primus to some degree also(but without the metal so much).
Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - February 07 2022 at 19:27 |
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Jaketejas ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: March 27 2018 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 2266 |
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Soundgarden’s “Badmotorfinger” was an exciting album at that time. I always wondered if it might have influenced Rush’s Counterparts album a little bit.
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Sean Trane ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() Prog Folk Joined: April 29 2004 Location: Heart of Europe Status: Offline Points: 20636 |
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told my story too many times here.
![]() I had answered the 60's thread (I'm 58) not thinking this thread would be created afterwards Read my short answer over there (first page, I believe)
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
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