Are proghead nerds?

Saperlipopette! wrote: ^ I'm not wrong. Actually I know I'm right. My jazz collection and obsession is positive social cultural capital/currency, while in a normie context - Prog is the complete opposite. Selecting my Sunday at the Village Vanguard LP over... Aquiring the Taste is crucial to whether a woman stays or leaves. We obviously have different experiences, and I'm not talking about a 12 year old into jazz - which obviously made you a complete weirdo. -What I write about progheads is not an opinion, but an observation. I've already stated that I usually enjoy their company (up to a point), although I don't count myself as being one of them. You (and Sean) are the one that seemingly can't stand them. I hang out with nerds of all sorts "all the time" - until I tire of listening to whatever the one-or two things they go on about are. I personally listen to Progarchives-related music maybe 25% of music my listening time, and it's usually artists not normally associated with Prog Rock. I know who I am and I'm far form a "prog dork". But I bump into them every one in a while. As far as I'm concerned, the average progger is one track minded and doesn't really have eclectic tastes. I have. If I introduce them to say some rhytmically complex Avantgarde Jazz or Eastern European folk music - suddenly odd time signatures or whatever isn't all that interesting anymore. It's like it has to sound like Gentle Giant for them to count.

I want to apologize for my earlier comment. That wasn’t meant as a dig at the members of ProgArchives — in fact, I’ve always found this community to be refreshingly open-minded, which goes against the stereotype often associated with prog fans.

The reason I brought this up stems from stumbling upon a subreddit where nearly every post came from self-proclaimed “proud dorks” who spoke in a rigid, almost dogmatic way about what prog is — as if there’s one definitive version of it — and insisted that being into prog automatically makes you a massive nerd, no exceptions.

When I read your comment, I initially lumped you in with that crowd, and I reacted poorly because I really don’t like being reduced to a label. That said, I understand where you're coming from now. I’m not convinced a girl would literally run for the hills if she heard Gentle Giant, but I agree — it’s probably not the best idea to start a conversation about them with someone who isn’t already into prog.

Which is why I’ve made a point of keeping my musical taste diverse — from the funk and soul of Earth, Wind & Fire, to the Nordic psychedelia of Tusmørke, all the way to the experimental alt-rock of Radiohead.

Sean Trane wrote: Gnik/King, apparently, you're a late 30's "dude" , who barely knows what went on before you, including 70's prog bands and general public perception.

I am actually in my mid 20's.

You're absolutely right — I only got into prog a few years ago. My roots are actually in jazz, and I’ve also always had a soft spot for yacht rock. Back in high school, my playlist was dominated by bands like The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, and Byrne & Barnes. That sound — the smooth, polished vibe of the late ’70s and early ’80s — was surprisingly popular among my friends at the time, and it definitely helped me connect with people. Maybe it still holds up today?

Over time, my musical tastes have become increasingly eclectic. My library is a mix of progressive rock, fusion subgenres, and a solid foundation of classic jazz. I’ve come to see prog as a natural extension of blues and jazz — branching into classical, folk, electronic, and beyond. For me, it felt like the next logical step after diving deep into jazz and fusion. That progression is clearly reflected in my collection, much of which comes from albums listed on ProgArchives and JazzMusicArchives.

I don’t really identify as someone confined to a niche. I see myself more as a traveler exploring the vast and varied landscape of experimental music. That’s partly why I clash with gatekeepers or the kind of “nerds” who lock themselves into narrow definitions of what prog should be. Music — especially progressive music — should be about discovery, not limitation.

That said, I’ve got nothing against the users on PA. I know many of them have completely different tastes and approaches, and I respect that diversity.

Hrychu wrote: Gnik Nosmirc wrote: I am actually in my mid 20's. You're not alone. I'm 29 (born in 1996). 😎

Another young boy! I was born in 1999. I'm a bit younger.

Sean Trane wrote: Dorks are definitely a nasty form of nerds, precisely because they go out of their way to be dorks. Nerds are +/- their own victims and can't help themselves being losers.

I don't really care about them. I just get the sense that they label you that way because they want you to be like them—just because you might share some of the same tastes. Then they act like they own those tastes, as if they're the gatekeepers.

Likewise, they have this awful tendency to homogenize everything under the banner of geek consumerism. Being interested in mythology, history, and philosophy makes you, in their eyes, a fan of board games and a cringe-worthy collector of figurines (even though there's nothing fundamentally wrong with being into that). That's where I draw the line between what is essentially an intellectual and a nerd/dork.

Edited by Gnik Nosmirc - May 29 2025 at 18:00

Gnik Nosmirc wrote: I want to apologize for my earlier comment. That wasn’t meant as a dig at the members of ProgArchives — in fact, I’ve always found this community to be refreshingly open-minded, which goes against the stereotype often associated with prog fans.

No need to aplogize. I think I understand where you come from, and I never read it as you writing about the members of Progarchives - whom I also agree are refreshingly open-minded. I was just writing about my own experiences and the conlusions drawn from them.

Sean Trane wrote: Saperlipopette! wrote: -What I write about progheads is not an opinion, but an observation. I've already stated that I usually enjoy their company (up to a point), although I don't count myself as being one of them. You (and Sean) are the one that seemingly can't stand them. Please don't include with Gnik (nothing against him, though) Outside the bracket you put me in, I agree with most of your post.

I'm sorry. But you certainly came across as someone who weren't too much of a fan of these types of nerdy progheads. I don't really see how it could have been interpreted in any other way.

Gnik Nosmirc wrote: Sean Trane wrote: Gnik Nosmirc wrote: Sean Trane wrote: Dorks are definitely a nasty form of nerds, precisely because they go out of their way to be dorks. Nerds are +/- their own victims and can't help themselves being losers. I don't really care about them. I just get the sense that they label you that way because they want you to be like them—just because you might share some of the same tastes. Then they act like they own those tastes, as if they're the gatekeepers. Likewise, they have this awful tendency to homogenize everything under the banner of geek consumerism. Being interested in mythology, history, and philosophy makes you, in their eyes, a fan of board games and a cringe-worthy collector of figurines (even though there's nothing fundamentally wrong with being into that). That's where I draw the line between what is essentially an intellectual and a nerd/dork. by boardgames, I supose you mean the Dungeons & Dragons stuff, as opposed to Cribbage or Monopoly. I actually like some of these latest generation of BG, but f**k these people are so geekish that there almost dorks (but harmless ones) https://boardgamegeek.com/ in some ways , they're scarier than the symph weenies of the 90's. I actually enjoy board games, just more in the vein of Monopoly than D&D though. What bands do symph weenies worship? I'm interested in what you call "symph weenies". I personally enjoy retro prog, much more than neo-prog. I just think it's not very innovative. But it sounds great. Is it as revolutionary as Kid A or Soundtracks for the Blind though? Absolutely not.

When I played in symphonies we would have called the oboe section the symph weenies...   but that's the viola section for you. The Portland of any orchestra.   

Yeah Im not so into neo-prog,,, you cant really recreate the conditions that created something that happened 40-50+ years ago.

What I appreciate about retro prog is that, unlike many modern throwback bands—particularly in the neo-prog or crossover scenes like Big Big Train or Phideaux—it doesn't come across as popish cheesy or too modern (except for The Flower Kings, who at times sound fantastic and at other times downright awful). These bands genuinely aim to capture the essence of '70s progressive rock. For example, Wobbler not only uses the same types of instruments but also employs authentic recording techniques from that era. While it may not be groundbreaking in terms of innovation, the sound is rich, immersive, and experimental enough to keep me thoroughly engaged. Lars Fredrik Frøislie, in particular, stands out in this regard.

I think this all comes down to the vocals. I despise The Flower Kings vocals. In general, vocals are hit or miss.

Edited by Gnik Nosmirc - Yesterday at 11:36

But is it really optimal for the experiencer of the arts to approach all works with a mindset like that?

Hell no.

Jacob Schoolcraft wrote: I started listening to Art Rock in 1970 and continued as such for years until people began referring to it as Progressive Rock. In the early 70s as a teenager...people were generally aware of ELP, Genesis and Yes. It was widely accepted...however as the years progressed ...the generation of teenagers began taking to mainstream Rock ...which wasn't necessarily commercially viable Rock.. Albums like Robin Trower Bridge Of Sighs and different bands playing a hard edge sounding Boogie started to attract a large audience of hard- core teenage rockers. Right around this time I crossed paths with people who disliked Progressive Rock and I was treated like a misfit or outcast...not necessarily a nerd though. Or perhaps in some people's vision the same. Several music teachers in high school admired ELP , Yes and Genesis

Absofùckinglutely.

I'd never heard in North Am (Central Canada) of progressive rock in the 70's , even if the qualificative was sometimes used) and even less of "prog" (or "PROG"). And yes, we had teachers that enjoyed Crimson, Floyd & ELP.
Certainly, back then, today's "PROG" pioneer-bands and their fans were not ostracized, especially if they enjoyed other type of rock.
Trouble arose when punk started happening in 77, but by that time, it was the birth of all these chapels: the different camp were mostly hard rock (and heavy metal), Funk/Soul, Country/soft Rock (Yacht rock didn't exist back then), disco, AOR (the latter two were where most of the girls to be found)

Upon return to western Europe in 91, when asked about my musical tastes in the Belgian-state owned TV/Radio where I found my first job (and where I made most of my friends & buddies, still today), most everyone understood "hard rock", when I spoke of "art rock", so when specifying the groups, some spoke of "progressive rock", but the term "PROG" wasn't coined yet. This IMHO came about in the mid-90's, when progheads/nerds/jerks/dorks started appearing and the scene was growing from non-existant to a secular & secretive gigs out in the boondocks. In some ways those nerds/dorks were very helpfull in creating that second (or third) golden age ( or wave), because it's mostly their devotion and labor that helped it grow.

Edited by Sean Trane - 13 hours 29 minutes ago at 01:01

omphaloskepsis wrote: All four men are alpha males. All four are married and still listen to prog.

That's what I'm talking about!