Is the third wave of prog dying?

"all things must pass"

Originally posted by Old_Wise_Owl Third wave is far from dying, very far. In fact 2011 has been the best year in a long time IMHO. Dream Theater, Opeth, Neal Morse, Pendragon, Steven Wilson to name just a few have all done strong releases this year.

I know I keep talking about this but it just amazes me that nobody else is. Edison's Children has the strongest new prog album i've heard in years and I can't believe that nobody else is talking about it! 

Originally posted by The Shrubbery I know I keep talking about this but it just amazes me that nobody else is. Edison's Children has the strongest new prog album i've heard in years and I can't believe that nobody else is talking about it!  It is like... the next step of Marillion...  Like... take "Is It Really Happening?" by Transatlantic and make an entire album based around that song.  Is it because everybody thinks that Transatlantic is going in the wrong direction and people are holding it against Edison's Children? I don't get it.  This is the best Pete Trewavas album in decades.

After the third wave, there will be a fourth wave. Prog will never die.

This year we had so many good albums: i don't like the last DT, the last Opeth and I think Grace for Drowning is overrated. I really enjoy Haken, Discipline, Anubis, Leprous, Neal Morse, White Willow. And this year also VDGG came out.

Honestly, I didn't know there was a third wave, but I listen to mostly pre-'85 stuff.

I am so much looking forward to the year ahead, and the last half dozen years for me have improved year on year.

Edited by treebeard - January 04 2012 at 03:21

What do you think are the chances of a new band succeding with prog? And i don't mean the new prog sound like mars volta or porcupine tree etc. 

Thanks for your reply, cstack3. And i agree with you that audiences now are attracted to dancable tunes more than technical compositions. Really, the only reason i want our band to be well known is so we can influence people and maybe even other bands to stray away from this de-evolution of music that is happening now. Like you said, i wish for people to sit and enjoy the music and not mindlessly dance around (except on some of our more funky tunes, you can't not dance to funk :)).
Of course, i also could use some money, but really only to buy me some analogue synths and a hammond, otherwise i don't care much for a life of luxury.

I understand these ideas may be quite out of reach for a band who just barely started playing, and it's very easy for a band from an obscure country to get lost among the overpopulated music scene today.

Originally posted by cstack3 Originally posted by Lighthouse Keeper What do you think are the chances of a new band succeding with prog? And i don't mean the new prog sound like mars volta or porcupine tree etc.  Welcome to the party, LHK!  Good question, one that is not asked nearly enough on PA.  I'm a semi-pro musician who's played in a variety of bands, ranging from original prog to cover tunes & even a Spinal Tap trib band!  I've had a few good offers to tour, but I never cared for the situations so I took a pass.   If you never heard of the Chicago band "The Marquis," well, then, you can get my drift!  In my hometown of Chicago, I'm seeing a decent surge of interest in prog, usually at the expense of musical forms which are being eclipsed including indie rock, speed metal, house music/rap etc.  We have some real jazz-rock fusion talent in town, and that seems to be doing very well (Chicago has a long & proud jazz history).   In terms of "succeeding," we need to look at what IS successful!  Of the popular music going on, there is quite a bit of "spectacle" stagecraft, and the reigning queen is Lady Gaga.   If she ever wanted to do a live version of "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway," I'd be first in line for tickets!!   We see that nearly all popular/financially prosperous acts these days market danceable music with lots of dance visuals onstage.  Well...."danceable" is NOT an adjective that is usually applied to prog!    Back in the 1970's, entire stadiums of fans were content to sedately sit in stoned bliss and watch "Relayer," "Dark Side," etc.  (guilty as charged!   )  Times have changed, the kids seem to want to boogie, so to be successful, prog needs to at least tap into some of that energy.  Yes did that with their single "Owner of a Lonely Heart," etc.  To summarize, I think an emergent prog band that had really exciting visuals, a nod towards a more contemporary sound and outstanding musicianship and stagecraft could indeed be very successful!   However, for bands that keep recycling old prog formulas, I think there is limited chance for commercial success, unless they reduce their goals & are content to be small-scale acts with limited appeal.  Thoughts, oh Wise Ones of PA?

Aww, geeze, where to start?  Lots of good observations. 

If you're regurgitating old prog formulas I'm not going to be apt to like it unless just I happen to.  I don't go out of my way to expect that prog artists do something completely different.  I can be quite content with a fresh approach having elements of the good stuff that came before.  If you're making long songs or using complex times signatures just for the sake of doing so, you will likely be making inferior product.  This doesn't mean that you can't do so these days and still make worthwhile music.  Commercial success for prog as it occurred in the '70's is never going to happen again.  An artist is best venturing forward boldly and letting it fall where it may.