Last Chance

someone_else wrote: All of these bands have some good albums. My favourite of these is Van der Graaf Generator nowadays. Peter Hammill's vocals are an acquired taste.

The.Crimson.King wrote: kenethlevine wrote: Tangerine Dream easily for me.  And "Cloudburst Flight" has to be one of my top 20 tracks of all time VDGG is just not my thing.  And I just don't think IQ are good at all I'm not a big TD fan, but Cloudburst Flight and all of Phaedra are amazing

socrates17 wrote: I second that emotion.  It's difficult to conceive of the Samlas (or spinoff Von Zamla) failing to cheer anyone up.  The humor is both in the lyrics and in the melodies/arrangements, as Larkstongue41 sez.  Also along those lines, although very hard to find these days, is Dr. Dopo Jam, a Danish band from the early '70s.  Both of their 1st 2 albums (Entrée & Fat Dogs and Danishmen) are outstanding.  Their 3rd (Cruisin' at Midnight) appears to have been recorded subsequent to a humorectomy. I voted for VdGG, but don't sweat it if you can't get into them.  Not everyone can like everything.  I've never really appreciated TD, for instance.  Peter's lyrics are certainly gloomy, but that doesn't bother me since I can be such an existential nihilist at times that I make Nietzsche look like Barney the Purple Dinosaur.  Peter's voice, as has been mentioned, can also be an acquired taste.  I acquired it about as fast as I acquired a taste for Dove ice cream bars, but he's been accused of sounding histrionic and that isn't entirely unjust.  I like that you're willing to keep trying, but if it doesn't work move on.  There's more stuff around to love than any of us will ever have time for.

Dopeydoc wrote: IQ, for the XXIst century

I've been listening to The Road of Bones all week and thinking that while most long career prog bands decline with age, IQ just keeps getting better and better

Dellinger wrote: YESESIS wrote: Peter wrote: TD are almost entirely instrumental, but not the other two (excellent) bands. Thus, TD make good background for loving, lying down, reading, etc. They have been the backdrop for much of my life, and that's special. You can also focus on TD as foreground music, but that's really ALL I do with IQ or VDGG. Thus, I have more "use" for TD, and I play them far more often than the other two. I can also play TD around non-Prog fans--less so IQ, and not at all VDGG. I pretty much have to be alone if Hammil is going to sing! 😬 This is actually helpful, thanks. I can totally go for music that is just music(no singing). If that's what most of their stuff is then oh yeah.. I like it.  And, ironically, I like that VDGG guy's voice. That definitely isn't my issue with them.  Hamill's aproach to singing is very unique indeed, and I do love what he does. He doesn't take the obvious easy path, but does all sorts of things to fit the songs. He can be a great singer indeed, and have a powerful voice, but he doesn't seem to be interested in that. And lyrics may not be the most positive ones that you could find, but they are intelligent and by no means, at least as I understand, evil ones.

YESESIS wrote: Logan wrote: "Ramble chat, let's have a ramble chat. We'll focus first on this, and then on that" (Adam Buxton's podcast song). No one has to like anything, nor can everyone like everything. I take that as a given. It is hyperbole to say "having something for everybody." I would posit that there's pretty much something for most every taste in these acts at least when it comes to the kinds of people who would join this site and wish to explore diverse music. In the case of John (aka YESESIS), he is interested enough to do this poll and has enjoyed music that has been mentioned in this thread. I've done much the same before. While I'm not everybody of course, in every case someone has taken the time has found something that appealed to me in acts that I didn't like. One might say that perhaps I am not the most discerning of individuals, but I like that people try to keep an open mind and open ears and are willing to change opinions. I sometimes find that music that does not appeal to me at one time will appeal at another time. I love Zeit, but I didn't immediately like all of it, and at another time in my life it would not have appealed. It helps when you find another act in the category that you like. Edgar Froese's Epsilon in Malaysian Pale was one of the albums that first did it for me and opened my ears up to more music (incidentally, I far prefer the original LP when it comes to that album).. My tastes have expanded as I've been exposed to more types of music (new neural pathways are created as we are exposed to new things -- we can't help but change through experience). I think most who have reasonably diverse tastes in music represented at PA would find music to like by all three acts -- even if it just one piece of music, or even just one phrase, or even a note played in a certain way that can resonate with you. That can lead to liking more -- sometimes it just takes a musical moment to latch onto before new avenues open up. "I was totally hating this song until that G# which totally blew my mind." If one doesn't like Hammill's vocals, well perhaps a VdGG instrumental such as Theme One (which was actually written by George Martin and is not really representative of VdGG) might appeal. If Godbluff doesn't appeal to one, that doesn't mean that there is no chance that the Aerosol grey machine doesn't appeal. I could imagine VdGG songs like "Out of My Book" , "Refugees" and much of "House With No Door" appealing to people who don't like, say, "Lenmmings". VdGG is quite diverse. John mentioned not liking the negativity in the lyrics of VdGG, and that helps for recommendations since then we should be focusing on things that are more upbeat, less morose and more fun. If the problem for someone who has heard Tangerine Dream is that it seems to lack excitement, well, maybe something like "Cloudburst Flight" off Force Majeure will appeal. In the case of people who are dismissive of musical acts, often it's because they didn't hear the right music for them or they didn't hear it at the right time. It helps to be in the right mindset and for the music to resonate with whatever kinds of music you are into at the time. I love Tangerine Dream and VdGG, but I don't want to listen to them every day. Some days I just want Ennio Morricone, at other times it's Beethoven, at other times it might be Cream, and at other times I want jazz or I want folk or electronic music. I like music that fits a mood and different things excite me at different times. I'm a bit obsessive. Recently I was just wanting to listen to Matt Berry and the Wicker Man soundtrack (for the original film). It's true that there is so much music out there that I don't feel the need to try to like something, but I do like to be exposed to diverse music, and the more music I appreciate the more I might be able to find in common with other people at the site. I like having a fairly informed opinion about a wide range of music and topics, and I like connecting with as much of this community as possible, so I like to find things in common. I am interested in getting to know better what other people like and finding that I can have some appreciation for that. There is a social element to it. I've been negative about music in the past based on a not full enough understanding of the musical expression, or ignorance through not knowing enough of the discography, and then I've explored more deeply because I regretted being critical and have found that there is music that I like in that category or by that artist. That helps to become more open-minded and tolerant, and in the case of a fairly cynical person like me, its helped me to be more respectful and less sure of my opinions. It can be humbling. It can he really cool when your mind is changed about something and when you discover something you like that you held in low regard, or just didn't like. But I digress. I do like to ramble on sometimes. "Leaves are falling all around It's time I was on my way Thanks to you I'm much obliged For such a pleasant stay But now it's time for me to go The autumn moon lights my way" (Led Zeppelin - "Ramble on"). Thank you for this post. It was a really good read. The part I bolded is very Buddhist. Thich Nhat Hanh talks a lot about questioning your beliefs and opinions, and constantly asking yourself, "am I sure?"  I'm very open to all different kinds of music but, as a Christian,... I understand that "King Crimson" means... And stuff like Opeth, I just can't. Call me a "prude" or whatever you want. So far I'm liking Tangerine Dream, largely thanks to you. Think I'll listen to some good ole Uncle Frank now, he makes me laugh.

I'm not... well, I do am Catholic... but mostly in name. I have become distanced from practicing and all, and many things that the church proclaims rather bother me. However, I do try to stay away from music with satanic references... or in general evil ones. In the case of King Crimson, I don't think they were satanic... but there may be a few awkward things going on. In the case of Opeth, I think Akerfeldt does have an interest to such themes... but the one that really takes things to another level is Therion (even their name is greek for "Beast"), since the guy that writes their lyrics is leader to an occultist magical order (Dragon Rouge)... and it's a pity, since their music is rather great. For such bands, I try to find the songs that don't get into such themes, though.

TD are almost entirely instrumental, but not the other two (excellent) bands. Thus, TD make good background for loving, lying down, reading, etc. They have been the backdrop for much of my life, and that's special. You can also focus on TD as foreground music, but that's really ALL I do with IQ or VDGG.

Thus, I have more "use" for TD, and I play them far more often than the other two.
I can also play TD around non-Prog fans--less so IQ, and not at all VDGG. I pretty much have to be alone if Hammil is going to sing! 😬

Edited by YESESIS - December 13 2017 at 17:02

Lewian wrote: Progosopher wrote:   Each of these bands deserve some attention but that does not mean you have to like them.  This nails it. I like all of them but I'd hardly describe any of them as "having something for everybody". Rather all three have a rather idiosyncratic approach and style with strong love-or-hate elements, despite the variety of things they produced. I can only say that it took me some time to get into VDGG's music and Peter Hammill's voice and I'm not alone in that - so it's definitely recommended to give them another chance and then maybe even more. Similar things hold for TD's early work, particularly Zeit (once I liked this least now most). The first TD album I heard was Rubycon, and this is probably one of my top 3 influential albums of all time; it opened a whole new world of music appreciation to me. On the other hand there is quite some variation in quality in TD's work; there is definitely a number of things (particularly from later than 1985) that would've made me wonder what all the fuss is about, had I come across them first. I can't really assess your taste but I can imagine that Edgar Froese's two best solo efforts, Epsilon in Malaysian Pale and Stuntman, could be up with TD's best for you.

"Ramble chat, let's have a ramble chat.
We'll focus first on this, and then on that" (Adam Buxton's podcast song).

No one has to like anything, nor can everyone like everything. I take that as a given. It is hyperbole to say "having something for everybody."

I would posit that there's pretty much something for most every taste in these acts at least when it comes to the kinds of people who would join this site and wish to explore diverse music. In the case of John (aka YESESIS), he is interested enough to do this poll and has enjoyed music that has been mentioned in this thread. I've done much the same before. While I'm not everybody of course, in every case someone has taken the time has found something that appealed to me in acts that I didn't like. One might say that perhaps I am not the most discerning of individuals, but I like that people try to keep an open mind and open ears and are willing to change opinions.

I sometimes find that music that does not appeal to me at one time will appeal at another time. I love Zeit, but I didn't immediately like all of it, and at another time in my life it would not have appealed. It helps when you find another act in the category that you like. Edgar Froese's Epsilon in Malaysian Pale was one of the albums that first did it for me and opened my ears up to more music (incidentally, I far prefer the original LP when it comes to that album).. My tastes have expanded as I've been exposed to more types of music (new neural pathways are created as we are exposed to new things -- we can't help but change through experience).

I think most who have reasonably diverse tastes in music represented at PA would find music to like by all three acts -- even if it just one piece of music, or even just one phrase, or even a note played in a certain way that can resonate with you. That can lead to liking more -- sometimes it just takes a musical moment to latch onto before new avenues open up. "I was totally hating this song until that G# which totally blew my mind."

If one doesn't like Hammill's vocals, well perhaps a VdGG instrumental such as Theme One (which was actually written by George Martin and is not really representative of VdGG) might appeal. If Godbluff doesn't appeal to one, that doesn't mean that there is no chance that the Aerosol grey machine doesn't appeal. I could imagine VdGG songs like "Out of My Book" , "Refugees" and much of "House With No Door" appealing to people who don't like, say, "Lenmmings". VdGG is quite diverse. John mentioned not liking the negativity in the lyrics of VdGG, and that helps for recommendations since then we should be focusing on things that are more upbeat, less morose and more fun. If the problem for someone who has heard Tangerine Dream is that it seems to lack excitement, well, maybe something like "Cloudburst Flight" off Force Majeure will appeal.

In the case of people who are dismissive of musical acts, often it's because they didn't hear the right music for them or they didn't hear it at the right time. It helps to be in the right mindset and for the music to resonate with whatever kinds of music you are into at the time. I love Tangerine Dream and VdGG, but I don't want to listen to them every day. Some days I just want Ennio Morricone, at other times it's Beethoven, at other times it might be Cream, and at other times I want jazz or I want folk or electronic music. I like music that fits a mood and different things excite me at different times. I'm a bit obsessive. Recently I was just wanting to listen to Matt Berry and the Wicker Man soundtrack (for the original film).

It's true that there is so much music out there that I don't feel the need to try to like something, but I do like to be exposed to diverse music, and the more music I appreciate the more I might be able to find in common with other people at the site. I like having a fairly informed opinion about a wide range of music and topics, and I like connecting with as much of this community as possible, so I like to find things in common. I am interested in getting to know better what other people like and finding that I can have some appreciation for that. There is a social element to it. I've been negative about music in the past based on a not full enough understanding of the musical expression, or ignorance through not knowing enough of the discography, and then I've explored more deeply because I regretted being critical and have found that there is music that I like in that category or by that artist. That helps to become more open-minded and tolerant, and in the case of a fairly cynical person like me, its helped me to be more respectful and less sure of my opinions. It can be humbling. It can he really cool when your mind is changed about something and when you discover something you like that you held in low regard, or just didn't like. But I digress. I do like to ramble on sometimes.

"Leaves are falling all around
It's time I was on my way
Thanks to you I'm much obliged
For such a pleasant stay
But now it's time for me to go
The autumn moon lights my way" (Led Zeppelin - "Ramble on").