How have you introduced people to Prog?
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Topic: How have you introduced people to Prog?
Posted By: SteveG
Subject: How have you introduced people to Prog?
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 14:53
| It's not often that we get a chance to introduce prog to non prog music fans, but it does happen from time to time. How have you introduced people to prog? And if you've never had the opportunity, how would you do it? |
Replies:
Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 15:01
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Sledgehammer. ------------- 
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Posted By: LearsFool
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 15:05
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For the longest time I've always racked my best friend's ears and brains with all the music I discover, prog or not. He has enjoyed most of what I've given him from all corners. It all started when I mentioned offhand how crazy the Softs' "Facelift" was, and then I just walked him through whatever albums I happened to listen to. I specifically remember him saying of Hybris that the opening sounded horrifying, and then after that it became a kickin', Swedish Rush kind of sound.
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Posted By: bhikkhu
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 15:05
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I am sneaky about it. I slide it in amongst other more mainstream sounds. Other times a use a sure fire grabber like Diablo Swing Orchestra. ------------- a.k.a. H.T. http://riekels.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow - http://riekels.wordpress.com |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 15:11
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I don't think I was ever really successful at it, so I stopped trying. The hard sell approach is definitely out, because people don't like new types of music forced on them. Their instinct is to reject it. It has to happen more organically or not at all. Which means, don't try. I guess my 9 year old daughter is an easy target. She still thinks I'm the bees knees so I have a window of a few more years still where I can brainwash her. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 15:12
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For myself, I usually try to find a common denominator like metal and then bring up prog metal, or if it's someone that's got the unplugged acoustic bug, I bring up or play a band like POS unplugged. It's like fishing. So times you get a bite and sometimes you don't.
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 16:10
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Hi, I don't anymore. In the old days, I thought that I knew music better than anyone else, and once you suck it up and learn how assinine that is, specially in a place like this, you will not be a good person to share any "music" out there at all. In essense, not just for me, but for everyone else, the music has to "show up at your door" and "knock your sox' off" ... or you will forget it within a year! The best stuff will remain with you, good or bad, for many years ... and it shouldn't surprise you to see so much music last this long and be talked aoubt so well. I can tell you how all of us arrived at knowing that piece, or that piece, in completely different ways, and in my case, very few people can tell me to listen to something ... that's not to say they are right or wrong, they are right more often than not, but almost all music for me is about my feeling and reaction, not someone else's! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 16:49
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Where I work, there was a young dude driving the delivery van, Jerome. He's a clean-cut kid, doesn't smoke weed or anything, I happened to ask him what he listens too. He was nuts about Queen and especially Radiohead. He also mentioned Sigur Ros, and some other bands I didn't expect. I started bringing in some discs, like Ozrics, Spock's Beard, VDGG, Anglagard, Flower Kings, PT, Hawkwind, even a Jannik Top CD I have - he went bonkers over De Futura !! Some things he didn't take to, but he was impressed with most of what he heard. Shame he left (for a better job) - last time he came in to work he had a Pineapple Thief album on his iPod. I suppose he was already half-way there with Prog, but he realised just how much interesting music is out there. Job done !! I tried to do the same with Tristan, who took over from Jez, lent him Spock's Beard (Brief Nocturnes...) it baffled him. Tried Ozrics on him and he just made fun of it.......I gave up then and there. |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 17:34
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Hundreds. When you have hundreds of students in front of you, they are a captive audience and they can't walk out, unless they wish to face my wrath. When I needed some music for some reason, they got prog. Funnily enough. loads became fans. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: TradeMark0
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 18:40
| I've tried to introduce prog to family and people I know but it never works. They just end up thinking I have really weird taste in music. I remember one time I tried letting my friend listen to some and he acted as though there was something wrong with me for liking this type of music. Considering that he also once told me "the thing that sucks about classical music is that you can't bump it in a car" and "the Beatles suck because they're British", I knew not to take him seriously. |
Posted By: Walton Street
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 18:55
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i haven't - until tonight Played Misplaced Childhood beginning to end in the car for my son on our drive home he liked it .. he plays guitar and he's just started to pick up keyboards ... hopefully he'll be inspired. ------------- "I know one thing: that I know nothing" - SpongeBob Socrates |
Posted By: Meltdowner
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 19:05
Never had that chance. A few months ago I gave a friend a lift and I was playing Birds and Buildings loud and proud... I think he almost threw up.  I met some who are into Metal, but unfortunately I can't recommend any Progressive Metal. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 19:52
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^ Yeah-- you don't "introduce people to prog", it doesn't work. They have to come to it themselves. Gateway bands as Floyd and Tull help but ultimately no one gets it until they do. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Svetonio
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 20:17
| I listen to the contemporary prog much more than any other music, and when my friends come to my home, they have to listen to the same music that I listen to. Sometimes they like something of that; e.g. iamthemornig have received the most positive comments in the last two years, actually far more than all the other bands. |
Posted By: Argonaught
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 21:01
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^ OK, ye men of music obscure and abstruse, let me introduce you all to the finest Appalachian No-nonsense Grassroots Blue Prog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEs4Um6ANys Perfect for decontaminating your head after binging on Raven Is Refuse That Stinks and such. I must mention that since this video Della Mae have upgraded their bassist to a tallernext door beauty:)
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Posted By: bloodnarfer
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 21:14
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I don't. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ramza1316" rel="nofollow - www.last.fm/user/ramza1316 https://open.spotify.com/user/1211221845" rel="nofollow - https://open.spotify.com/user/1211221845 |
Posted By: Svetonio
Date Posted: December 05 2014 at 22:19
LOL! I think you did not understand me. I do not force my friends to listen to what I'm listening to (usually while preparing a nice dinner for them, and I know how to cook very well) but if they do not like the music, they can only leave my home; however, it's never happen.
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Argonaught wrote:Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 03:04
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Camel - Mirage and something good to smoke ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 03:28
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Very carefully. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 03:31
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Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 03:39
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With certain types of chicks, I'd definitely go for some bouncy and melodic fusion type of thang. I'm thinking Demon Fuzz' Afreaka! or Cymande. With other dudettes, I'd reach for something by Pure Reason Revolution, probably Amor Vincit Omnia. Guys? depends again. Oddly enough, I've been the most successful in turning punks and metal heads into pork (at least a wee bit anyway) with KCs Red. I guess it's the riffing.
------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 03:48
Never. Impossible. Though many of my friends listen to prog without knowing this is prog. I tried to tell them, but they don't want to know. Prog is a scary name in France. 
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Posted By: Argonaught
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 05:42
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Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 07:28
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I normally play a nice short song to them, what prog fans call "Fillers"; songs that people can relate to, or some of the popular ones from the old times, like "Living in the Past", or "From The Beginning". That gets them interested and sometimes willing to liosten to the whole album. |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 07:45
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I never tried much and whenever I did, I always failed so it's very long ago that I stopped trying. The only persons I have had any real interest in getting them introduced to Prog have been my girlfriends because they had to share my life more closely, also when we were alone at home, so I considered it important that they understand my hobbies a bit better. But I failed with all of them, I would even dare to say that Prog may have contributed to my repeated failures at keeping stable relationships (not the only reason for sure). I guess that once you are grown up it's difficult to come to like music which is quite different from what you liked as a kid or teenager, that's when your basic musical tastes develop. But you can certainly introduce Prog to young kids and teenagers, the children of some of my friends (I don't have any of my own) can appreciate some Prog due to the early exposure from hearing their father's albums at home, even if none of them have really developed into what we can call a Prog fan. |
Posted By: 'PiphanyRambler
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 07:54
| Each time I tried to introduce someone to prog I've failed, the reason being that some people tend to stay away from things which are "imposed" onto them. It feels better when you discover music on your own, because you're not influenced by other people's opinions and you don't feel "forced" to listen to something. And since I don't like being introduced to other types of music (but also movies, sports, games, etc.) as well, I just stopped doing that. |
Posted By: Flight123
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 07:59
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Yes, it should never be imposed. My aversion to Rush is a result of that as a 15 year old. I tried to fight back by telling my mates that Rush lifted parts of the middle instrumental section of 'Living in the Heart of the Beast' by Henry Cow for 2112 (recorded in 1975 before Rush fans start jumping up and down). |
Posted By: bhikkhu
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 08:03
 ------------- a.k.a. H.T. http://riekels.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow - http://riekels.wordpress.com |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 09:10
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I tend not to bother thse days, but in the past juxtaposing Radiohead, Muse, Elbow et al alongside some Porcupine Tree, Genesis & Floyd in an ITunes playlist used to get a fairly positive response. I wouldn't refer to te prog stuff as 'prog rock' It seems to be an automatic turn off label. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Michael678
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 09:24
i only talk about prog music when it's the right time to do so. i'm mainly speaking of this while at the school i am going to when music tastes and history, etc. etc. are being discussed on. I feel like i'm the most "weird" of this bunch because, well, here i am on this site talking about PROG, which no one at my school even knows of....exactly. HOWEVER, just recently i found one of the faculty in the school that found me wearing the Yes t-shirt i got from the concert i went to back in July and told me they're one of his favorite bands ever. THANK GOD I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS SCHOOL ANYMORE!!!!! well, then there's King Crimson and early Genesis and what not (f**k!!) *grunts*, one of these days.... ------------- Progrockdude |
Posted By: bloodnarfer
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 09:53
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for the older folks, even those that enjoy some yes and Kansas (like my dad) it is difficult to introduce them to anything else. By that age they have mostly decided on what kind of music they like and won't stray too far out of that vein. I have had a bit of success with my dad though. He seems to dig Red and In the Court now, even a bit of beardfish. But then again I owe my musical taste to my parents. :) For the younguns, most of of prog is too far removed from what they have been told to like. Even those who don't rely on the charts are too concerned with the indie hits of this year to open an ear to a good song from 10 (let alone 40) years ago. Not much luck on this front, I've only been able to get my bro and gf into the Dear Hunter and that's about it. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ramza1316" rel="nofollow - www.last.fm/user/ramza1316 https://open.spotify.com/user/1211221845" rel="nofollow - https://open.spotify.com/user/1211221845 |
Posted By: floflo79
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 09:56
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I went to the school last year while singing Close To The Edge. My friend asked me "What are you singing ?" and I replied "Close To The Edge by Yes. Awesome progressive rock !" "What is progressive rock ?" And so, I explain the style and make him discover Yes, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Pink Floyd and Genesis. It was a good shock for him. Yesterday, he bought the Live At Bicentennial of Gentle Giant. He became a prog addict like me. ------------- 
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Posted By: Argonaught
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 10:28
Isn't this how they get people hooked on unlicensed pharmaceuticals?
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Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 11:19
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I introduced progressive rock quite a while ago to my best friend of almost 25 years. He finds my Italian prog especiallly appealing and likes Le Orme and Banco very much. It has to be real prog to satisfy him, no Prog related will do it for him. I basically told him a bit about it, and then we would listen to it together, and I mean really listen, without dialogue. We have done this over and over for many years. He is a bit of a special case, as he did not grow up with any popular culture-no television in the home, and had not any exposure to any rock music of any sort before I met him. His musical tastes were towards classical music and traditional Celtic. Some of my prog he finds "bizarre" and unaccessible, like Terje Rypdal or some Nektar. I am now a Facilitator, and with my first class, brought some prog in at the last session. (Wallenstein's No More Love) One student grew up on 70s prog, but doesn't listen anymore. He had never heard of Wallenstein. Another younger student asked me if Rush were prog, and I said yes. My fellow co-facilitator found the Wallenstein interesting. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 11:25
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^Interesting post PD. Thanks for sharing that. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 11:32
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Posted By: Gully Foyle
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 11:50
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i like to drop the craziest thing on hand on them totally unsuspecting.... the other day, after learning our town planner was a guitarist of some kind (my initial guess is jimmy buffet superfan, i still don't really know), i gave him Magma Live in London 1974, with no info at all, just to see his reaction. it seemed to run as follows: confusion, persistence, acceptance, awe, but no idea if he like it or not i like people to come on things unaware...like i would want to experience them
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Posted By: TheRollingOrange
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 12:28
| I don't. I mostly talk about it and they may ask me to play some songs, but i won't say to them "listen to this or that". I mostly talk about Genesis though, and most of them have liked it when I've shown them some songs. |
Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 12:45
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The sole person I've ever introduced some music to is one of my little sisters: I've given her a CD-R of the Cardiacs (a compilation of the mp3 availables on their website) and a compilation of Uz Jsme Doma. Then, when she asked me for some music to listen at work, I've provided her the links to the websites of bands close to the progressive music genre. But, otherwise, I don't even try to talk of music - even with musicians: jazz musicians or pop musicians, avant-garde musicians or punk musicians... All of them stick to what they already know. |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 12:55
Through the speakers in my penis ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 12:59
Great post Doug. I have an old friend that I too got lured into prog by way of RPI. I remember playing Capitolo 6's Frutti per Kagua to him, and after that he was absolutely sold  Great track! Since then he's ventured into all the classic bands and has developed a similar taste for Krautrock as myself, although not quite as strange yet (he'll get there though, if I get to have my way!). ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: TheGazzardian
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 13:00
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When I first got into prog I tried to 'introduce' people to it, but of course my goal was not to enhance their listening pleasure, but to show them how much better what I listened to was so that they would realise how flawed their music taste was and listen to prog instead and we could talk about Genesis and Yes and Beardfish and Moon Safari and all the other bands. Just joking. But I think it's a common thing to try and get someone into progressive rock instead of just thinking they'll like something. Like if I show a friend a band, I then have to go into the history of that band, point them down the road of a dozen other they might like, list the bands they should listen to and their historical context, spend a few hundred hours getting to know them and understand why they are just so much better than everything else out there. That's crazy. I show people songs or bands sometimes if I think they'll like it, and the fact that it's prog doesn't have to come into the mix, nor does them liking it having to lead to me overriding their musical taste. I showed a friend Secret Chiefs 3, he liked them so I told him my favorite album, he listened to it, liked it. We ended up seeing them live together and he enjoyed it, he's done some further digging. But he hasn't listened to any other avant bands or prog bands because of it, hasn't even dug into Mr. Bungle, and that's fine. If you just show people music and they can like it for what it is or not, rather than their being some ego of "this is what is right to listen to and better than the crap you've been brainwashed to like, and if you like this let me introduce you to two hundred other things that are also better than everything you listen to", people are more receptive.
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 16:42
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Hi, There is another funny way to do it. In our house, my dad was a music fanatic and on any given day, you come home, and something is playing blasting in the living room ... and of course, some things end up sticking with you ... I mean, when you hear Renata Tebaldi show up Birgit Nilsson and then have it out with Mario del Monaco, or when you hear Maria Callas belt her way through Carmen, and then you turn around and hear Boris Christoff do Boris Godunov ... and then I heard Gigli's Tosca ... what a treat ... a lot of rock music sounds really vain and stupid all of a sudden, not to mention sophomoric and childish, and with very little talent to be able to play it. By the time I heard a lot of rock music, it did not exactly inspire me, except the folks that had the emotion to shake your knees and your heart, and they were Jimi, Janis and Jim, for example ... you would never forget that strength and those feelings. So, your kid might hear it and one day go ... who was that dad? ... and you know you got their ear. Today, is different. 40 years ago, we did not have the conglomeration of music that all kids had today ... you did not even have a little radio that burned up a battery in one evening, to hear a station far away ... that sounded horrible playing "Whole Lotta Love" and "Light My Fire" ... you could barely make out "Me and Bobby McGee". Kids today are so ingrained in the pop music and top ten, that hearing something different is going to be harder, I think ... I'm not sure that these youngsters, playing rap full blast in their ears from the iPod's will develop any appreciation for classical music, or any other kind of music in their lifetimes ... they are a product of their "generation" and this is all they know and learn, and there might not be enough time in their life to realize how much else they missed! I just hope/try to help people see there is more ... regardless of what it is. There is a world out there ... go see it and visit it!!!!! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 16:52
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Hi (Funny note about the above!) I wrote this before, since my dad knew his classical music really well. So I brought him for his birthday Tomita ... Snowflakes are Dancing ... and he heard two pieces and said "... how very cute ... " and walked back to his office. So I went up to him, with my mom there and called him a snob! i said you sit here and think Wendy Carlos is good, and then you hear something different and similar and you don't think it's good. It's a very faithful rendition of Debussy, for the record. ... and I left. A week later, my mom said he listened to the album twice that night, and that he finally admitted to mom that it was very pretty and very nice. That it added to Debussy a touch of fantasy, that otherwise, most classical music tends to hide! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: CPicard
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 17:14
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So, if I understand you, to make people like some genre of music: 1) breed them; 2) indoctrinate them; 3) yell at young people only listening to rap and pop, like any old geezer would do, just like parents did in the 50's when Rock'n'Roll appeared; 4) SUCCESS! |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 17:29
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I don't....Prog is a music genre that you progress to from psych rock or classic rock, where bands like PF and Yes can be considered. You have to want to explore new music and the general public is not interested in looking for new on their own. Plus you would have to introduce them to such old music from the 70's which is very difficult since these bands are now old codgers with long stringy hair and never smile, and new prog does not sound like prog. -------------   
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Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 23:32
And the Pied Piper of Hamelin led children from the village playing Kenny G tunes. |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: December 06 2014 at 23:35
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Have not and will not. ------------- |
Posted By: Kati
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 00:20
Oh yes one band alone among others has been my triumph card, Pain of Salvation, female friends who have no idea what is prog nor particularly listen to great instrumentals, I blow them away with
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Posted By: Kati
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 00:23
Prog fans who have snobbed Daniel Gildenlow even if he was in TFK and Transatlantic, listen to this  
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Posted By: Kati
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 00:24
[QUOTE=Kati]
Prog fans who have snobbed Daniel Gildenlow even if he was in TFK and Transatlantic, listen to this
or this 
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Posted By: Kati
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 00:27
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Ok this odd out track might not make sense to some but damn hahahaha bounce, bounce, bounce aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it's brilliant!!! |
Posted By: Kati
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 00:35
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disco queen wheeeahhh whoohuu aaahhh bounce, bounce, bounce happy bounce
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Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 02:37
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I think you should not start by just letting someone listen to some Prog music. The world of Prog is much more than the music as such, it is a universe in itself, like a giant maze full of amazing things waiting to be discovered by those who dare to venture into it. We serious Prog fans care about much more than the simple pleasure of listening to a nice piece of music. Once we have got deep enough into the maze's entrance we start appreciating many other wonders beyond the music itself: the lyrics, the artworks, the individual musicians with their character and their skills, the often tumultuous stories of the bands and the relationships between their members, the relationships between bands and sub-genres, the chronological-historical aspects, the instruments... And places like PA where all those things can be discovered and discussed with other nice people. And when you are deep enough such as a frequent PA visitor, you know with certainty that the maze is so big that you can never possibly discover all of its hidden wonders, the source of Prog nectar is inexhaustible. So what you need to get someone possibly interested into Prog is not playing them a few songs but somehow let them feel that aspect of Prog, let them see that there exists some obscure endless world, a hidden sub-culture, where someone who dares to have a peek and stay for long enough to start appreciating what lies in there has big chances of getting sucked and be revealed an endless source of wonders, an endless trip of exploration and discovery going far beyond enjoying listening to some music. If they understand this they may get intrigued into starting exploring the maze's entrance by themselves.
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Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 05:03
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Um... I only have introduced someone to Van der Graaf Generator. He didn't like it first, but now he's the biggest of fans. Funnily enough, the guy that introduced me to Van der Graaf, was not a prog fan. He liked Roxy Music and the thought "Sleepwalkers" was not unlike Roxy. I tried to introduce people to prog, but they 'extraduced' themselves as soon as possible
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Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 05:18
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I have far more success getting people into new music when I don't brand it beforehand. I may use such aural terms as 'old school' and 'weird', but will most often resort to more hands-on explanations: 'Y'know can I play you some music that feels like you're jumping on a whale's tummy in the Indian ocean?' I think a lot of this internet business creeps up on you - certainly the different boxes and names you assign to music, but I think it's important to know when to leave them behind - as fx you should when you actually listen to the music, and perhaps more specifically in regards to this thread: when talking with potentially new proggers, but still people who aren't in the know. No sense in showing off your nerd glasses on the first date if you know what I mean? Let the music speak for a change. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: Meltdowner
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 05:44
^ Yeah, I noticed other people look me with that "who's this freak"
look when I say that I listen to Progressive Rock and playing the music
doesn't help either  From my experience, I'm glad I got there on my own (and now with the help of this fine community). I wanted to find challenging music that did not bore me. I found it 
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Posted By: Argonaught
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 06:57
Here is how they introduced people to the phenomenon, called "radio" back in the 1930s: |
Posted By: Meltdowner
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 07:29
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^ Always nice to see your history lessons Argo. What are those two doing to the poor lady? |
Posted By: Argonaught
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 08:04
| ^ Making a Radiohead out of her? That could be construed as introduction to prog, couldn't it? |
Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 08:26
| I should be introducing more people to prog at my gigs..since they show appreciation for me. I usually don't go beyond grabbing a plastic cup of diet Coke, saying hello...and running out to my car and spending my break time listening to Univers Zero. I recently introduced my sound tech to the music of Happy The Man on our break and he was blown away. It sounds like I'm being selfish and I'm not. People are not really all that interested in Prog...so I head for the door , turn on the heat in the car and listen to what I like. Some people will follow me out to the car, shake my hand while I'm sitting IN the car and they will over-hear some underground Prog from my car stereo and look at me as if bombs are dropping on the earth's surface. You wouldn't believe the looks on their faces as they kneel down to my driver's seat and say..."What the hell is that" Just like Steve Martin did on "Saturday Night Live". "What the hell is that?" I will softly respond by saying..."Oh that's Prog Rock" Then they are like..."OOOOO-KAY?" It's very funny to witness and it's not such a bad thing when you think about it. People can't help themselves. They want to jump in my car and listen to AC/DC because they want me to relate to them and respect the Rock music they like...which isn't going to happen in my car, but I feel sorry for them and so I walk with them and listen to how they praise KISS, AC/DC, and whatever else and if that makes them feel good then it's worth the distance making a person happy. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 12:36
 ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 14:56
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The only people I have introduced have been older than 45 .....a few got into some of the more classic prog bands. I did try to get my son in law into prog a few years ago and while he did like a few tracks here and there by Tull, ELP, and Yes....he has never really dug any deeper into it. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: TheRollingOrange
Date Posted: December 07 2014 at 18:41
| I actually got a friend of mine interested in Genesis because she was genuinely interested in hearing the music that I like, I showed her a few songs and she really fell for PG's voice, so I recommended her some Genesis songs. We'll see where it goes. I really don't like pushing people into things but I'm glad when they appreciate the things I like. She also asked if I could play some Yes songs but I honestly couldn't think of any in that moment, since I had some trouble liking Yes when I started getting into prog. (I love them now, though) But I'll find something. |
Posted By: AllHellosInTheWorld
Date Posted: December 08 2014 at 00:53
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Sometimes it's a matter of people asking about my musical tastes, and I'll oftentimes recommend them something based off of what they listen to (Led Zeppelin fans may like Rush, Deep Purple fans may like Uriah Heep or Quatermass, post-hardcore fans to Mars Volta). But most of the time it's just me sending someone a message saying "Hey! Check this out!" I got a friend hooked on Van der Graaf after showing him Jackson plays two saxes at once.
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Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: December 08 2014 at 11:38
FASCIST!
  ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: December 08 2014 at 15:52
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Now that I recall, I turned on a friend who is a Styx and Journey AOR fan to Spock's Beard's X album. He later bought the new SB Brief Nocturnes album. So again, I think it can be done if your targeted audience is at least into some form of Rock. I don't think this can ever be done with a hip hop fan as I remember one making fun of the genre to his girlfriend in a specialty record shop. However, the girlfriend still seemed fascinated by the very name 'Progressive rock', so as long as there's an interest, there's hope.
------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Metalmarsh89
Date Posted: December 08 2014 at 16:14
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I've tried. It really doesn't work unless they already have a foot in the door. But careful selection is important. Some young people just don't like old music. I've got a friend who enjoys American folk music. I played Jethro Tull while we were in the car one time. Though he liked it, he said he couldn't stand the fact that it didn't sound modern. It's funny though, because he calls himself a Zeppelin fan. But yes they are very different.And another friend of mine is a huge electronic music fan. But again, he didn't really dig Tangerine Dream because it was a bit aged for him. So I don't really try anymore to expose other people to prog, depending on the person. But when someone turns the radio on and asks what station I'd like to hear, I am emphatic that 90% of the music is crap (yes I know that's a bit broad) and there's a 100% chance it won't play what I'd like to hear. But then I'll explain the music I listen to doesn't belong on FM radio; it's not made for that format. But at that point, people assume that because it's not on radio, it must be weird or garbage. The connections folks make are interesting. ------------- Want to play mafia? Visit http://www.mafiathesyndicate.com" rel="nofollow - here . |
Posted By: Glimpse
Date Posted: December 08 2014 at 16:16
| One of my friends asked my about the kind of music that I listen to after became curious in the Genesis shirt I was wearing. The next day she told me that she had looked them up and listened to most of their albums online, and that she had really enjoyed them. Since then I've been sharing some of my other prog CDs with her, most of which she has also liked. |
Posted By: Metalmarsh89
Date Posted: December 08 2014 at 16:18
That reminds me of a friend who's big into hip-hop, but that's not all. He likes The Dixie Chicks, Rush, Zappa, Animals as Leaders, Drake, be-bop, anything under the sun. And he used to be a singer in a death metal band. People are indeed hard to comprehend.------------- Want to play mafia? Visit http://www.mafiathesyndicate.com" rel="nofollow - here . |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: December 08 2014 at 16:21
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^I stand corrected MM, but that's why I brought up the young man's girlfriend who seemed more open minded. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: TradeMark0
Date Posted: December 08 2014 at 19:19
I was and still am a hip hop fan. It's definitely possible to get one into prog but it depends on their tastes. someone who is into RATM might be able to get into Tool. Someone who is into A Tribe Called Quest might be able to get into jazz and then get into jazz rock. Someone who is into Beastie boys might be able to get into classic rock and then get into prog rock. But if they listen to 50 Cent there probably isn't any hope for them. |
Posted By: AreYouHuman
Date Posted: March 28 2015 at 22:08
With me it’s been sporadic at
best.
My biggest “success story” was
with a guy I had a correspondence with in the 1980s, originally out of mutual
interests in comics and animation. We were
already around the same age, and when we started discussing music, we found out
our interests already overlapped in some areas.
His tastes were already pretty varied; he was already a fan of Tull,
Yes, ELP, but oddly was unfamiliar with Genesis prior to their more commercial
period. So through mix tapes I sent him
I turned him on to Genesis, Steve Hackett, Ant Phillips, Happy the Man, Kit
Watkins and much much more.
Other than that, the reactions
I’ve gotten might best be described as a raucous burst of indifference. When I was staying in a Navy barracks between
1981-83, I would leave the door to my room ajar so that anyone who wanted to
could stick his head in and inquire about whatever I had playing. But I got very few if any takers.
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Posted By: Siloportem
Date Posted: March 29 2015 at 04:09
This makes it sound really cool. Or really creepyweird like some kind of cult. ------------- Thanks !! Your topics always so good and informative. I like you talk. |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: March 29 2015 at 19:54
| With gusto (and no catchy Peter Gabriel in the vein of Sledgehammer!)! |
Posted By: Kati
Date Posted: March 29 2015 at 21:46
The little problem I found sometimes with introducing people to prog especially  |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: March 30 2015 at 01:13
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Introduction usually goes something like this: "It listens to Kohntarkosz or it gets the hose again" And if you are wondering, yes, that line is from Silence of the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: Kati
Date Posted: March 30 2015 at 02:21
Are you guys willing to do a little test survey with me? This could be interesting for PA site too. I'll make a new forum topic and post 3 completely different songs by one artist (certainly prog by anyone's view), with this band I have converted some women and men into liking "prog". 
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Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: April 02 2015 at 10:19
Are you serious? In what part of the world did you do this? I certainly hope not in the U.S...where we may very well have those certain famous Prog cities cultivated by sincere Prog heads, where upon outsiders gain interest through gossip circulation , but the majority of the country is split in sections where specific styles of commercially viable music take hold with a populated amount of spectators. America has always been a big fat commercial exploitation with the arts. For example, in the 70's.. many European Rock bands would gain the opportunity to have their album released in the U.S. with a domestic hard back cover and their first question was..."Well, why can't we use the original album cover?" The second question would be..."Why are you people changing the order of the tracks?" The third question would be..."Why have you omitted certain album tracks?" Have you tried this with Americans who have been living in the commercial dream world for years? This country used to have a appreciation for Prog and it's authenticity. Ironically, that had a lot to do with they way Prog was being presented through the media. Some Americans question why they should pay attention to a style of music ..such as Prog...when it literally fell by the wayside long ago, which leaves their poor little minds to wonder if the music wasn't lame in the first place in order for this whole disaster to occur. |
Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: April 04 2015 at 22:57
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Posted By: Kati
Date Posted: April 05 2015 at 00:57
SteveG hug and some more huggies (the lather not nappy brand btw) and some more Yes somehow this is true, SteveG. I relate charm to a positive outlook and speaking with conviction things that makes you happy while also having an altruistic sense/need/urge inside you to share the wonderful happy feeling inside you in the hopes that others might feel so happy as you too at the time such a wonderful feeling really. Again
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Posted By: Kati
Date Posted: April 05 2015 at 01:13
Toddler, Yes I have and succeeded at it too. One of them is a PA member called Kozmo, she is a self-professed metalhead. My cousin Tatiana too, both became almost obsessed with POS while at first not quite understand what progressive moozik was at first. I can name atleast 5 people who I introduced to POS and they became even bigger fans then me  We need to open up more and give people more credit, none prog listeners at times are more receptive especially to new prog bands compared to some current prog listeners. Their excitement is infectious
 big hug to you, |
Posted By: justin4950834-2
Date Posted: April 13 2015 at 22:25
| I have a bunch of friends that like weird unpredictable music, but when I introduce them to prog it just doesn't click for them. I thinks it because its to dated, I guess. |
Posted By: Upbeat Tango Monday
Date Posted: April 14 2015 at 08:03
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I'd give them records of modern bands such as Dream Theater, Angra and Symphony X. That said, there are thounsands of DT fans in Argentina, but most of them are into metal. So it's not an easy task to make people appreciate 70's prog even if they like those bands. Also...whatever you do, don't start your "prog 101 lessons" with "Pawn Hearts" or "TFTO"
We want people to like prog, not hate it. |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: April 14 2015 at 11:09
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I've found that with colleagues that are into mainstream pop music with dashes of AOR, sometimes the easiest steps are using those albums that the greats of the 1970s did in the 1980s. You know, like Yes' 90125 and other albums of that quality. Some people need "baby steps." Still, others are adventurous enough to take a leap off a cliff (e.g. Area's Maledetti). ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: justin4950834-2
Date Posted: April 14 2015 at 12:23
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I usually move towards avant garde when introducing people, its weirder sounding but it doesn't sound as old and corny to them (not that I think prog is corny except for newer bands like the flower kings, transatlantic, ect.) They usually dig it, Ive even had good comments from playing the Residents. |