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Topic ClosedWhy Do you prefer Prog over other music genres?
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SteveG View Drop Down
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Points: 20503 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Why Do you prefer Prog over other music genres?
    Posted: July 10 2014 at 09:25
We are all into Prog  music and I would think it's first choice for many PA members over other genres with other members viewing Prog as viable alongside other rock  and music forms (I am one of those), but what is it about Prog music that you particularly like so much, be it the concepts, musicianship, deeper meanings behind music and lyrics or whatever that you may personally appreciate and perhaps feel that other music genres may lack. If you are into other genres equally and have no preference, then shout it out.


Edited by SteveG - July 10 2014 at 10:06
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Points: 11415 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 09:57
Nice idea for a thread certainly. For me I love the command of Prog musicians with their ability to assimilate disparate musical styles into a seamless whole with apparent ease. (though I'm sure it's far from easy) That said I can't say that Prog is my favourite music of all as I like other styles just as much, if maybe not more...
Problem is, the Prog genre is populated by long winded instrumentalists who can't string two words together. Maybe Dylan/Ridgway/Cole/Costello/Verlaine/Smith plus Prog would have been the perfect marriage of competing disciplines?

Edited by ExittheLemming - July 10 2014 at 22:56
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Points: 20503 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 10:03
Originally posted by ExittheLemming ExittheLemming wrote:

Nice idea for a thread certainly. For me I love the command of Prog musicians with their ability to assimilate disparate musical styles into a seamless whole with apparent ease. (though I'm sure it's far from easy)
Problem is, the genre is populated by long winded instrumentalists who can't string two words together. Maybe Dylan/Ridgway/Cole/Costello/Verlaine/Smith plus Prog would have been the perfect marriage of competing disciplines?
I agree whole heartily Iain, I love the complex music of Prog but I have to go elsewhere to to find satisfying lyrics.


Edited by SteveG - July 10 2014 at 10:04
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Points: 8543 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 10:17
I have never understood why prog lyrics get such a bad rap. Sure there are some prog lyrics out there that talk about dragons and fairies and elves dancing in the woods. Lyrics that sound like they could have been copied straight from the D&D Dungeon Master's Guide. But then there are also the Neil Pearts, the Roger Waters, the Peter Hammills and the Derek Dicks of the prog lyric community. Those who write intelligent, non-cheesy and relevant lyrics. In fact, being a lyric afficianado when I was a teen, lyrics is one of the things that got me into prog in the first place.

Now, there are some fine non-prog lyricists as well, Dylan, Simon and Stipe come to mind, but, a couple of modern pop songs reveal that bad lyrics are not the exclusive property of the prog world. They play this stuff on the radio here at work, which sometimes I'm exposed to when I don't have my own CD playing. "We're up all night to get some, we're up all night to get lucky." - Such hard-hitting, relevant stuff there. Or how about "How does it sound if we spend the night out?" repeated ad nauseam. I could find a two year old on the street who could write more insightful lyrics.
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Points: 20503 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 10:21



Originally posted by The Doctor The Doctor wrote:

I have never understood why prog lyrics get such a bad rap. Sure there are some prog lyrics out there that talk about dragons and fairies and elves dancing in the woods. Lyrics that sound like they could have been copied straight from the D&D Dungeon Master's Guide. But then there are also the Neil Pearts, the Roger Waters, the Peter Hammills and the Derek Dicks of the prog lyric community. Those who write intelligent, non-cheesy and relevant lyrics. In fact, being a lyric afficianado when I was a teen, lyrics is one of the things that got me into prog in the first place.

Now, there are some fine non-prog lyricists as well, Dylan, Simon and Stipe come to mind, but, a couple of modern pop songs reveal that bad lyrics are not the exclusive property of the prog world. They play this stuff on the radio here at work, which sometimes I'm exposed to when I don't have my own CD playing. "We're up all night to get some, we're up all night to get lucky." - Such hard-hitting, relevant stuff there. Or how about "How does it sound if we spend the night out?" repeated ad nauseam. I could find a two year old on the street who could write more insightful lyrics.
I'm a little long in the tooth Doc, but better lyrics exist in the works Dylan, Phil Ochs, Towns van Zandt, Guy Clark, Ry Cooder recently and good ol' Woodrow Wilson Guthrie, IMO. For me, Waters is one of the few exceptions in Prog.



Edited by SteveG - July 14 2014 at 16:00
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Points: 7024 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 10:43
I love a lot of folk/folk rock music (Celtic and English mainly), but Prog is my favourite.
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Points: 8856 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 11:12
Plenty of bad lyrics exist outside of prog, but they're not bad because they're not social commentary. Tongue

I don't hold prog in preference over other genres. I like the prog artists I like for the same reason I like the non-prog artists I like. They created art that succeeded in moving me. 
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Points: 17499 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 11:25
Originally posted by The Doctor The Doctor wrote:

I have never understood why prog lyrics get such a bad rap. Sure there are some prog lyrics out there that talk about dragons and fairies and elves dancing in the woods. Lyrics that sound like they could have been copied straight from the D&D Dungeon Master's Guide. But then there are also the Neil Pearts, the Roger Waters, the Peter Hammills and the Derek Dicks of the prog lyric community. Those who write intelligent, non-cheesy and relevant lyrics. In fact, being a lyric afficianado when I was a teen, lyrics is one of the things that got me into prog in the first place.

Now, there are some fine non-prog lyricists as well, Dylan, Simon and Stipe come to mind, but, a couple of modern pop songs reveal that bad lyrics are not the exclusive property of the prog world. They play this stuff on the radio here at work, which sometimes I'm exposed to when I don't have my own CD playing. "We're up all night to get some, we're up all night to get lucky." - Such hard-hitting, relevant stuff there. Or how about "How does it sound if we spend the night out?" repeated ad nauseam. I could find a two year old on the street who could write more insightful lyrics.


Ohh boy...spot on for sure! I also am not keen on the slamming prog lyrics get, I just think it is part of the whole progressive genre, prog lyrics. I am not a Dylan listener, never have been....Main reason is his voice is horrid IMO!!!! I can't deal with that twangy/country jawl he does. Maybe his lyrics are excellent, but the excecution and vocal delivery ughh. Same with Springsteen for me....

I listen to prog for musician qualities, the layering, transitions, rhythm changes and yes long songs. I have always been a fan of instrumentals too...I don't think today's pop/rock artists could record an instrumental.
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Points: 220 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 11:32
A lot of it lines up with general musical qualities that interest/excite me:

-Thought out composition
-Interesting/unexpected/dynamic harmony and rhythm
-Longer structures that allow for more music to unfold and build to something by the end

Much of classical/romantic music lines up with these too, and I go back in forth with which one I'm more obsessed with.

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Points: 26133 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 11:33
I remember a quote on the back of Soft Machine's "Volume Two" album that's stuck with me.  Something along the lines of "There is music for the mind and there is music for the body.. The Soft Machine play music for the mind....." etc.

I just think I like music for the mind.
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Points: 16952 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 11:50
Progressive music is made by people who like music. Tongue

I like progressive music because of that depth and effort that is heard in so many bands. Whether it's emotional depth, lyrical depth, or musical depth, i just like the idea of someone trying to make music that has the listener really experience something. 

I think in general i like music that appeals to all parts of us, mind, body and soul (whatever that is). 
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Points: 1281 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 12:49
Because it sounds good and is well written. Then again, the same could be said for a lot of artists outside the genre. LOL
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Points: 17499 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 13:00
Originally posted by Horizons Horizons wrote:

Progressive music is made by people who like music. Tongue
I like progressive music because of that depth and effort that is heard in so many bands. Whether it's emotional depth, lyrical depth, or musical depth, i just like the idea of someone trying to make music that has the listener really experience something. 
I think in general i like music that appeals to all parts of us, mind, body and soul (whatever that is). 


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Points: 7750 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 13:36
Omg where do I start? Is this a serious thread?
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Points: 27 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 13:38
I think it may hard to define where one genre ends and another begins. So there is music labeled as fusion, heavy metal, hard rock,  alternative rock  or whatever that I like as much as music labeled as "prog rock." 

 Like a lot of other people in this thread, I also prefer prog lyrics over most other genres outside of some really good alternative music songwriters.  I'll take any lyrics that seem that the writer actually cared to craft an idea or emotion. Although it is hard sometimes to listen to lyrics that seem that the writer is in over his/head on the topic they are trying to relate.

As I am a middle-aged musician who has been playing and writing music for many years, I like prog rock typically over most genres for the harmonic and rhythmic variety.  That's not to say I don't appreciate listening to AC/DC or Motorhead when I'm in the mood for it. 


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Points: 6797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 13:49
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Points: 23098 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 14:03
^Me neither.

I like jazz, electronica, funk, post-punk, rock and psych rock equally much. It's just down to the given day. Today I was in a 'pop' mood, although Animal Collective and Liars don't necessarily play the pop one gets to hear on the radio.
If the music s'got some fire in it's tummy, then I'll listen to it, prog included.
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Points: 20503 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 14:03
Originally posted by Catcher10 Catcher10 wrote:

Originally posted by The Doctor The Doctor wrote:

I have never understood why prog lyrics get such a bad rap. Sure there are some prog lyrics out there that talk about dragons and fairies and elves dancing in the woods. Lyrics that sound like they could have been copied straight from the D&D Dungeon Master's Guide. But then there are also the Neil Pearts, the Roger Waters, the Peter Hammills and the Derek Dicks of the prog lyric community. Those who write intelligent, non-cheesy and relevant lyrics. In fact, being a lyric afficianado when I was a teen, lyrics is one of the things that got me into prog in the first place.

Now, there are some fine non-prog lyricists as well, Dylan, Simon and Stipe come to mind, but, a couple of modern pop songs reveal that bad lyrics are not the exclusive property of the prog world. They play this stuff on the radio here at work, which sometimes I'm exposed to when I don't have my own CD playing. "We're up all night to get some, we're up all night to get lucky." - Such hard-hitting, relevant stuff there. Or how about "How does it sound if we spend the night out?" repeated ad nauseam. I could find a two year old on the street who could write more insightful lyrics.


Ohh boy...spot on for sure! I also am not keen on the slamming prog lyrics get, I just think it is part of the whole progressive genre, prog lyrics. I am not a Dylan listener, never have been....Main reason is his voice is horrid IMO!!!! I can't deal with that twangy/country jawl he does. Maybe his lyrics are excellent, but the excecution and vocal delivery ughh. Same with Springsteen for me....

I listen to prog for musician qualities, the layering, transitions, rhythm changes and yes long songs. I have always been a fan of instrumentals too...I don't think today's pop/rock artists could record an instrumental.
Just to clarify Jose, I'm enamored by the lyrics of Peart, Gabriel, Zappa and even Tony Banks, who I think gets overlooked. It's just that a lot of recent Prog groups like Spock's Beard have lyrics that do little for me. Just banal stuff. BTW, I can't listen to Dylan's voice either, just covers of his songs done by other people. And I not familiar with that Springsteen guy you mentioned.

Edited by SteveG - July 10 2014 at 14:07
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Points: 26171 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 14:05
No boundaries
Keyboards! 
Drummers who don't just 'keep time'
Abstract lyrics ( I don't see why lyrics have to be meaningful but anyway there is Peter Gabriel covering that base)
Great and varied atmospheres
Unpredictabilty ( ie The Mars Volta)
Light and dark contrast which you don't find much in any forms of music other than prog
ESCAPISM! (reality is overrated)
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Points: 1327 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2014 at 14:08

Progressive rock, especially from the 1970’s is my favorite genre simply because it moves me the most.    I would also include Magma as being progressive rock.

For me, some of the best lyrics out of any band or genre emerge from Yes.   Or maybe Magma- if I knew what the hell they were singing about.
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