How did prog rock become the laughing stock...

The punks hated prog (and arena rock) because of its excess and perceived elitism.

Captain Beefheart wrote: zravkapt wrote: Captain Beefheart wrote: in the late 70's? I know the singers from both Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys always talk about how they HATED ... Gong  ]Whoa, there. Some punks were big fans of Gong (and Beefheart fwiw). I know John Lydon of the Pistols was a fan of VDGG. The Kennedys' Jello Biafra was a big fan of both VDGG and Magma. Other 'prog' acts punks liked included Hawkwind and Can. Punks hated bands like Floyd and Yes for the same reason they hated the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac: they were very popular. Just another example of 'if everyone else likes it then I don't.'  I know Rotten said that bands like Uriah Heep and Gong were boring. Jello Biafra lists Yes in his top 5 WORST bands of all time and has also slammed Emerson Lake and Palmer. He is also a blow hard, but I just never understood how they could hate great musicianship so much. But with the other posters showed me it seems like the style and theatrics is what they hated. I never thought of that as I never saw any of those bands live.

Johnny Lydon was a big fan of Peter Hammill/ VdGG, Captain Beefheart, Can, Third Ear Band (various Krautrock) and many other bands often classifed as Prog. He did an interview listing his favourite albums in the 70s, and I posted it here ages ago, but can't find it now. You might be surprised how much stuff he liked. He mentioned in another old interview that he had about eight Beefheart albums (I reiterate Beefheart due to your user name).

He loved Kate Bush, and he liked Bowie a lot. He also liked Roxy Music a lot. Generally, I think he was attracted to the quirkier music we put in the prog universe, but then he didn't like Gong you say, so just a matter of taste.

EDIT to include last post as I did not see it when typing.

Lots of people slam ELP for being too show-offy and bombastic, and those qualities plus the noodling puts me off. I don't like ELP much, nor do I like Yes much. I could say that it's because I appreciate great music more than great instrumental skills, but great in this case is just personal taste. It can be hard to appreciate the skills when you don't appreciate the results (Dream Theater for me, for instance). But then I'm not sure that the musicianship is that amazing. And I have found ELP a ridiculous spectacle to watch.

Edited by Logan - June 01 2016 at 19:18

I recently watched an interview with Steven Wilson.  It was just an aside, but Steven mentioned that when punk fails, it's just kind of a crappy mess.  When prog fails, it fails with drama, excess and extreme obviousness.  It's a perspective that had never occurred to me.  In some ways, prog is an easier target and, if this site is any indicator, much more entertaining to criticise.

Captain Beefheart wrote: in the late 70's? I know the singers from both Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys always talk about how they HATED ... Gong