The intergenerational appeal of progressive music

Something I've pondered a bit, half as a result of having studied art history at university and as a result thinking about music in a very "cultural historian" manner, is which progressive rock/metal endures in historical influence and what fades. See also the thread I started about generation gaps in the progressive music community, and a more recent one about the slang term "dad rock" used sarcastically to refer to classic rock which isn't also popular with generations younger than its original audience.

The thing I started asking myself a while ago, I think it was in a discussion of music elsewhere, is how much the perception of which 1960s/1970s progressive rock has "aged the best" basically comes down to its inspiration to later music subcultures. It started when I thought that King Crimson's heavy mid-1970s triptych of Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and Red has aged way better than not just their other classic albums, but also most other canonical LPs from that scene... it certainly doesn't sound as "1970s". I then wondered if that might have something to do with how much the abstract approach to heavy guitar playing that Robert Fripp introduced would shape heavy metal history, an influence most obviously felt in Voivod but also modern black/death metal as heard in for example Morbid Angel. Then there's how the slow-burn tension-and-release composition style of much post-rock can be traced back to those three LPs through Slint's Spiderland.

I've also noticed a similar thing with the Krautrock movement, which seems to on average have way more intergenerational appeal with people my age than the "Anglo-prog" of its time. Maybe this could be a result of the Teutons thinking a bit further outside the box in terms of music experimentation, however I suspect this also has something to do with Krautrock's influence on not just modern electronic music by way of Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream but also post-punk, noise rock and so on. Notice the evolution that the Japanese noise rock band The Boredoms went through, starting as psychotic surrealist No Wave punks before turning into 21st century Kosmische Musik-revivalist space cadets.

What do you say? Would be interesting to hear some observations from people who have been around a bit longer for the rise of some of those movements. (I'm something of a novice within electronic music and noise rock, as much as I've come to love both in the last 3 years)


Edited by Toaster Mantis - March 05 2015 at 14:48

When I ask my 23-year-old daughter what music we should listen to while driving, her response is "Anything but Yes."  So classic symphonic prog is certainly the less likely subgenre to appeal to the younger generation in our household.  Admittedly a small and purely anecdotal sample.

Toaster Mantis wrote: It would be interesting to see the sales figures, by the way, to see if for example Can and Neu!'s sales spiked when The Fall and Sonic Youth mentioned them as inspiration sources. For that matter, it would not surprise me if they actually were more popular with younger generations than their own. (as was the case with 13th Floor Elevators, The Stooges and The Velvet Underground)

On a related note, I distinctly remember the Carpenters suddenly jumping from the status of "losers" to "hip" and even "visionary" within days after David Byrne publicly professed his love for their music.  I totally think namedropping of that sort has a huge effect on public opinion. Nobody seems to even remember that virtually everyone used to agree that the Carpenters sucked.  That's how thorough the brainwashing was. (edit: come to think of it, Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth beat Byrne to the punch with her song "Tunic (Song for Karen)" a couple of years prior.  But that seemed more of a sensitive portrait of the tragic character of Karen Carpenter than a de facto endorsement of her music).

Back to topic though - I've made 2 attempts so far to write a thoughtful response to your topic, but so far have not been able to piece together my ideas in quite the way I want to.  Plus, this pesky job of mine keeps interfering.  Maybe I'll be able to pull it all together later.  Good question though, interesting ideas.


Edited by HolyMoly - March 05 2015 at 14:47

At age 54, I am one of those older guys.  To me, those old classic Prog albums are what sounds normal - it is not so much what I grew up with although many of the artists received regular radio play.  No, after I learned a little bit about music, that style was just more interesting to me.  And it is still interesting even if I have heard the songs and albums a million times.  As to their longevity, I think it is because good music stands the test of time.  There was plenty of other music popular in the 70s that many people have forgotten about simply because the music was forgettable.  70s symphonic Prog transcends the times in which it was originally produced even as it remains a product of those times.  A classic is not just something that is old, but something that touches a deeper level of the experience whether it be music, literature, sculpture, architecture, painting.  This music offers something beyond the surface.  This is not to say that everybody is open to it or appreciates it.  The missus hates King Crimson because of all the atonalities but she can really get into Yes, Tull, ELP, etc.

Progosopher wrote: Emigre80 - Freddie Mercury is not lauded so much for songs like Radio GaGa, which most admit is ridiculous (I still like it but I don't take it seriously) but for songs like Bohemian Rhapsody.

the heavy complexity to most of the songs of prog i think can be contributed to why they have more staying power. Its also a certain personality type i believe of us "humans" that attracts us very much to prog rock. dont worry prog rock will fade thru time just like other music haha!

Edited by Eddy - March 05 2015 at 20:24

Raccoon wrote: emigre80 wrote: Progosopher wrote: Emigre80 - Freddie Mercury is not lauded so much for songs like Radio GaGa, which most admit is ridiculous (I still like it but I don't take it seriously) but for songs like Bohemian Rhapsody.   I do know that, my issue was that after he died it seemed as if everyone forgot the pop hits and the silly videos, and proclaimed everything he ever touched was genius. I just remember it differently. The media killed Michael Jackson, pushed him over the edge. And once he passed, his music was put in even higher fame than what it was. Then the media reminisces about the good he's done. A tragedy always sparks popularity—which is sad (no pun intended). I'm sure when Peter Gabriel passes on, perhaps early Genesis would get some radio-circulation.

My own experience was that I wasn't into the first wave of prog until it was supposedly killed by punk in the late '80's.  I embraced the classic prog artists for a while even when they succumbed to commecialitis, then I moved on to newer artists who, may or may not be considered officially prog.  The advent of the internet opened me up to artists who I didn't encounter through friends.  I don't have kids but have been pleasantly surprised to see another generation embracing newer prog and older prog.  I have no use for people who think the only good prog happened in the '70's.  The whole embrace of prog never was about being close minded...

^^^  I agree.  What happened is rock and metal went industrial in the 80s.  As you mentioned, an emphasis on minimalism also got wider acceptance in the 90s (which was already the norm in punk based genres).  Seen in this light, Wetton-KC appears to anticipate this trend and thus acquires the character of intergenerational appeal. But it is possible that rock may take a different direction in future that rejects this approach and thus makes Wetton-KC unappealing for that generation.  

micky wrote: Blacksword wrote: emigre80 wrote: When I ask my 23-year-old daughter what music we should listen to while driving, her response is "Anything but Yes."  So classic symphonic prog is certainly the less likely subgenre to appeal to the younger generation in our household.  Admittedly a small and purely anecdotal sample. She may just find their sound annoying. They're quite unique among symphonic bands. I can only listen to so much Yes before it starts irritating me. Does she like any other classic bands. She may prefer Genesis.. especially if she suffers from insomnia!!!