Ever see the word "progressive" used incorrectly?

Rocktopus wrote: Paganinio seem to have misunderstood the term himself, but I've seen progressive used incorrectly many times about Flower Kings, Symphony X, Dream Theater etc.

As others have stated totally subjective term. One exception....when associated with polka :)

Well progressive alone may mean anything, from The Beach Boys to early REM, but I remember a phrase:

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - June 09 2009 at 19:44

Vibrationbaby wrote: We have the Progressive Conservative party in Canada. An oxyMORON if there ever was one. This word progressive has to be one of the most misused word in the English language. As for music genres I think the strangest label I`ve ever come across was someone describing the now defunct Norwegian band Haerskar`s music as progressive folk-metal.

eddz wrote: eddz wrote: Incorrectly in what way? In reference the comment on The Flower Kings, Dream Theater, and Symphony X. Isn't Dream Theater a huge contributor to progressive metal, a band which "progressed" both heavy metal and prog rock?  I can't say for Symphony X or The Flower Kings, they're just both good

^STFU n00b, etc is possibly the most progressive band ever.

90% of the bands here, are reinventing music idears from 68-79, thats 30-40 years ago, so maby we should just rename the hole thing to Conservarcives

Edited by tamijo - June 10 2009 at 04:16

Originally posted by King Crimson776 Originally posted by Rocktopus Paganinio seem to have misunderstood the term himself, but I've seen progressive used incorrectly many times about Flower Kings, Symphony X, Dream Theater etc. Yeah, also about Magma, some of that RIO crap, and MotW... I mean really, how has that music, along with the bands you mentioned, really progressed music at all? I mean name one f**king legitimate way...

Oh, no! In moshkito's post it kind of looks like I posted the stupid comment together with 776. How embarrassing.

moshkito wrote: Logan wrote: I say that I listen to Romantic and Baroque compositions.  Progressive is a meaningful term, though it can have different connotations.  Progressive music is music that moves music forward and expands on a genre.  It can move a genre forward (expand the frontiers) by looking backward through incorporating elements that are not typical of its genre -- by defying typical genre conventions.  I think that the Renaissance was pretty progressive ([renaissance]means rebirth), but an important way that culture, society, science etc. was moved forward was by looking back to the past (classical era). ...   Essentially, the very word would suggest something transitional and that would include intelligent enough musicians that would mix various concepts at hand ... something that the intelligentsia in this board has a hard time dealing with otherwise they would open up and clean up the list to reflect the very definition that you suggested.   To me, listening to Topographic Oceans, is no different than listening to a Mahler Symphony ... (I've heard Beethoven's too many times ... hehe) ... or something else ... and I find it weird when someone says that blah and blah is not progressive and a band that has considerably less musical talent and learned content gets 3 or 4 mentions ... it is a list for top of the (progressive) pops ... and has nothing to do with the real thing or music progression and experiments that you suggest ... and that is the only thing I reject.

I don't care much for top lists (I like what I like, and what I like best tends to differ from the more "mainstream" Prog crowd). Related comments: What bothers me somewhat is that cookie-cutter Prog (Prog by numbers) flourishes as much as it does these days.  Instead of looking at different hybridisations, and different approaches to progressive rock, too many bands have become too generic/ formulaic (they try to sound Prog rather than have a progressive mindset).  Also, the audience commonly is not as accepting of music that does not conform to their Prog expectations as I would like.  Of course it's easier to find a fit for a modern band that sounds like an older band, and is conventional.  I'd rather more be included that are unconventional in approach and expand our notions of what rock, and Prog, can be (partially through unusual fusions of styles).  Then others will build on that....  Building on fits prog; just copying other prog acts is less satisfying. 

Incidentally, you mention transition, and I like that.  Rock in transition.... As progressive rock advances, in some cases, farther away from its rock roots, one can expect more so-called progressive rock that hardly resembles rock at all.... Band/ artists that are building on lesser-rock artists, and the rock element becomes less and less, yet falls under prog by association.  Post-post rock etc. ;)

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Regarding Magma again, yes I'm a fanboy, while it incorporated its influences into its musical frameworks, I do think it was pretty groundbreaking in its compositions.  It's an often imitated band, and in this case, I haven't found any imitators that exceed it.  Art Zoyd is another favourite of mine that drew on Magma (though I wouldn't call it imitation so much as influenced by).  Art Zoyd is great on its own terms.