Are proghead nerds?

Saperlipopette! wrote: ^ I'm not wrong. Actually I know I'm right. My jazz collection and obsession is positive social cultural capital/currency, while in a normie context - Prog is the complete opposite. Selecting my Sunday at the Village Vanguard LP over... Aquiring the Taste is crucial to whether a woman stays or leaves. We obviously have different experiences, and I'm not talking about a 12 year old into jazz - which obviously made you a complete weirdo. -What I write about progheads is not an opinion, but an observation. I've already stated that I usually enjoy their company (up to a point), although I don't count myself as being one of them. You (and Sean) are the one that seemingly can't stand them. I hang out with nerds of all sorts "all the time" - until I tire of listening to whatever the one-or two things they go on about are. I personally listen to Progarchives-related music maybe 25% of music my listening time, and it's usually artists not normally associated with Prog Rock. I know who I am and I'm far form a "prog dork". But I bump into them every one in a while. As far as I'm concerned, the average progger is one track minded and doesn't really have eclectic tastes. I have. If I introduce them to say some rhytmically complex Avantgarde Jazz or Eastern European folk music - suddenly odd time signatures or whatever isn't all that interesting anymore. It's like it has to sound like Gentle Giant for them to count.

I want to apologize for my earlier comment. That wasn’t meant as a dig at the members of ProgArchives — in fact, I’ve always found this community to be refreshingly open-minded, which goes against the stereotype often associated with prog fans.

The reason I brought this up stems from stumbling upon a subreddit where nearly every post came from self-proclaimed “proud dorks” who spoke in a rigid, almost dogmatic way about what prog is — as if there’s one definitive version of it — and insisted that being into prog automatically makes you a massive nerd, no exceptions.

When I read your comment, I initially lumped you in with that crowd, and I reacted poorly because I really don’t like being reduced to a label. That said, I understand where you're coming from now. I’m not convinced a girl would literally run for the hills if she heard Gentle Giant, but I agree — it’s probably not the best idea to start a conversation about them with someone who isn’t already into prog.

Which is why I’ve made a point of keeping my musical taste diverse — from the funk and soul of Earth, Wind & Fire, to the Nordic psychedelia of Tusmørke, all the way to the experimental alt-rock of Radiohead.

Sean Trane wrote: Gnik/King, apparently, you're a late 30's "dude" , who barely knows what went on before you, including 70's prog bands and general public perception.

I am actually in my mid 20's.

You're absolutely right — I only got into prog a few years ago. My roots are actually in jazz, and I’ve also always had a soft spot for yacht rock. Back in high school, my playlist was dominated by bands like The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, and Byrne & Barnes. That sound — the smooth, polished vibe of the late ’70s and early ’80s — was surprisingly popular among my friends at the time, and it definitely helped me connect with people. Maybe it still holds up today?

Over time, my musical tastes have become increasingly eclectic. My library is a mix of progressive rock, fusion subgenres, and a solid foundation of classic jazz. I’ve come to see prog as a natural extension of blues and jazz — branching into classical, folk, electronic, and beyond. For me, it felt like the next logical step after diving deep into jazz and fusion. That progression is clearly reflected in my collection, much of which comes from albums listed on ProgArchives and JazzMusicArchives.

I don’t really identify as someone confined to a niche. I see myself more as a traveler exploring the vast and varied landscape of experimental music. That’s partly why I clash with gatekeepers or the kind of “nerds” who lock themselves into narrow definitions of what prog should be. Music — especially progressive music — should be about discovery, not limitation.

That said, I’ve got nothing against the users on PA. I know many of them have completely different tastes and approaches, and I respect that diversity.

Hrychu wrote: Gnik Nosmirc wrote: I am actually in my mid 20's. You're not alone. I'm 29 (born in 1996). 😎

Another young boy! I was born in 1999. I'm a bit younger.

Sean Trane wrote: Dorks are definitely a nasty form of nerds, precisely because they go out of their way to be dorks. Nerds are +/- their own victims and can't help themselves being losers.

I don't really care about them. I just get the sense that they label you that way because they want you to be like them—just because you might share some of the same tastes. Then they act like they own those tastes, as if they're the gatekeepers.

Likewise, they have this awful tendency to homogenize everything under the banner of geek consumerism. Being interested in mythology, history, and philosophy makes you, in their eyes, a fan of board games and a cringe-worthy collector of figurines (even though there's nothing fundamentally wrong with being into that). That's where I draw the line between what is essentially an intellectual and a nerd/dork.

Edited by Gnik Nosmirc - 5 hours 13 minutes ago at 18:00