Does the average person know what prog is?

Had a guest (female of Japaneese origin, but that dosent actualy matter) so my wife was telling about the Wilson show we attended a week ago or so, the guest asks "what kind of music", I reply "its something called Prog. rock",

Sorry, wasn't trying to hijack the thread here, so I will respond to what seem to be the OP's intent.

Generally, people don't seem to know what it is unless I mention specific bands (usually I say Yes, Rush, early Genesis, ELP..........then they usually ask, "who's ELP?").  Even then I don't think they really know what I'm talking about.  However, people who are musicians or just "serious" music listeners, will at least be familiar with the term and the most well known bands of the genre, while not necessarily knowing exactly what it is.  But as I've said before, we prog heads are hard pressed to say EXACTLY what it is

Originally posted by OT Räihälä Originally posted by Nogbad_The_Bad I usually get blank looks when I respond to "what sort of music do you like?" and answer "progressive rock". Just last week I surprisingly got into a detailed discussion on the various merits of King Crimson and Genesis albums with a guy I'd just met. Bizarre but really enjoyable.   I've never been asked what kind of music I do like. Maybe I don't know any average persons, so I can't answer to this topic's questions.   I thought the "Italian town Prague" was a joke. I imagined any prog-fan (non-average person?) could tell you that Prague is in Czech Rep, as easily as he/she could spot major USA towns like Topeka or Toronto.

Originally posted by kingcrimsonfan Originally posted by OT Räihälä Originally posted by Nogbad_The_Bad I usually get blank looks when I respond to "what sort of music do you like?" and answer "progressive rock". Just last week I surprisingly got into a detailed discussion on the various merits of King Crimson and Genesis albums with a guy I'd just met. Bizarre but really enjoyable.   I've never been asked what kind of music I do like. Maybe I don't know any average persons, so I can't answer to this topic's questions.   I thought the "Italian town Prague" was a joke. I imagined any prog-fan (non-average person?) could tell you that Prague is in Czech Rep, as easily as he/she could spot major USA towns like Topeka or Toronto. toronto is in canada hahaha

Thank you for all the things learned from here and congratulations for the good work.

Originally posted by Dean Does anyone a) know an average person, b) know what an average person is?

I think the question b) is the most important.
Any average person may have knowledge about an "esoteric" subject: some plumbers can be week-end entomologists with a good knowledge about the said subject, while your local postman could go on and on about astrophysics because he's reading three or four scientifical magazines.

No.


All around.


I try to talk about music with the "normal people" purposely to gauge reactions (yeah I'm a bored loser I know), and I guess I can only vouch for my experience but: no.
The average person has no idea what prog is.
They also tend to be mortified when I explain it (or listen if they are willing).

I wish I was joking but mortified is pretty much accurate.

This applies to the "average music fan" as well.


Age...no idea, I'm probably too young to really say.
It may be an issue of semantics. My parents, and people their age, know Pink Floyd,  Rush, Frank Zappa, Genesis, a few others. But do they know what "prog is"?
Again in my experience, it seems the answer is no.

If you know what prog is, then you do. If you don't you dont. Age and anything else seems to have nothing to do with it.


Edited by JJLehto - May 10 2012 at 10:07

Originally posted by JJLehto Some young people I've encountered have not even heard of Pink Floyd. Heard of them :( Some who did were convinced I'm a drugged out hippie, or just laughed because that sh*t must be from like the 80s or something.... We can't remember past the latest hit after all! To some...rock is the devil. Seriously, you won't believe the comments I've gotten from some people my age about listening to rock music. Let alone prog. When I get into that I might as well sprout extra heads. Seriously, when we forget about PA and mingle with the masses it hurts how poor musical taste is

Edited by TODDLER - May 10 2012 at 10:55

Originally posted by Snow Dog ^At least we got each other.

And that's pretty much all we have