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Logan View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 13:08
Originally posted by Catcher10 Catcher10 wrote:

Really I would ask follow up questions like....."Are you ready to explore music, dig deeper and spend quality time listening?"....


I would never do that. I don't think its right to communicate such quality judgments on music, and that would put people off. Imagine telling someone who listens to classical/ academic music that.

To know what they like already is important.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 13:03
Really I would ask follow up questions like....."Are you ready to explore music, dig deeper and spend quality time listening?" If they waffle around with a response then don't bother, it's not worth the aggravation.

Clearly if they have interest then you need to first understand their current interests. Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis are all safe bets, I mean if they can't handle "You And I", "I Know What I Like..", Wish You Were Here"......then how will they handle King Crimson, ELP or Gentle Giant?

Most of the time I don't bother.....There is TONS of music out for people to listen to, no shortage for sure.


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 12:23
Question: "What is Prog?"
Answer: "Emerson, Lake & Palmer"

*cue "Tarkus"
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 12:18
Originally posted by Meltdowner Meltdowner wrote:

^ I'm sure the Faust suggestion was for fun Tongue
Well, we can't all like the same things. Springsteen and Dire Straits bore me to tears Ouch
 
DS was ok until "Love Over Gold" ... after that ... ciao baby! BS ... nice songs ... so what/
 
It was for fun, but sadly, anyone asking something like that, I imagine is looking for more songs that sound the same as what they already have, and that, is not progressive in own right. Thus, I tried to have some fun, hoping to open up the ideas a bit. Sometimes it works, and sometimes not.
 
But, for anyone to enjoy progressive, long or short has nothing to do with it ... the music does, so when one automatically separates the music by what it is ... instead of what you want ... the concept of "progressive" is now dead ... and I prefer not to make suggestions. Music is "never" what we want ... music, lke any art, is one person/one group's expression, and you either appreciate it or you don't ... so these kinds of thoughts are scary for me as a 50 year listener of music ... all kinds of music!
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 11:57
^ Awesome introduction Clap
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 11:45
Funny you should mention Faust. When I first discovered the album, only prog I had in my repertoire were PF and a little bit of late Genesis. But it completely changed everything I thought about in music (I was twelve at the time). I credit their first album as being my real introduction to music, despite being (still) one of the weirdest things I have ever heard.
There is no dark side in the moon, really... Matter of fact, it's all dark...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 10:55
^ I'm sure the Faust suggestion was for fun Tongue

Well, we can't all like the same things. Springsteen and Dire Straits bore me to tears Ouch
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 10:50
Thanks all, seem like great suggestions! A major minus however is that he doesn't really like long songs, especcially for example long intros and solos, sounds familiar doesn't it?

I guess krautrock bands like Faust wouldn't be very succesful though I think.

Once I played Firth of Fifth. Nice classical influences, no really boring parts and beautifully melodic. His reaction: not so harmonic (whaaaaat?!), and actually a bit boring though.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 09:54
^ I think Gabriel's first album would be a place to start then you could work backward.
Wink
 
My son in law likes a wide variety of music so I burned some Tull, Yes, Genesis, etc for him but he has never really responded to these bands. But he does like the one and only Blindfaith album as well as Cream and Traffic- Low Spark . He seems ok with classic rock that borders on prog.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 09:45
Originally posted by DDPascalDD DDPascalDD wrote:

What would you play for someone who likes the following artists:
The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Bach, Dire Straits, David Bowie. Likes melodic but not too slow (boring).
Any recommendations?

I'd probably start with Pink Floyd somewhere between DSOTM and Animals and also The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (the best moments). I'd assume this person could be lured by good melodic guitar and also by a charismatic voice and singer, although trying out Gabriel and other top prog vocalists could be hit and miss.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 09:43
Originally posted by DDPascalDD DDPascalDD wrote:

What would you play for someone who likes the following artists:
The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Bach, Dire Straits, David Bowie. Likes melodic but not too slow (boring).
Any recommendations?
 
... something I could think of ... melodic ... hmmmm .... challenging ... but since all music that is listed here, does not lack melody ... you request is tough ... everything is melodic here, otherwise it is not called "music" ... it's called "noise".
 
Not sure how to answer this one, other than just naming similar bands, which I imagine will bore you silly! Probably give you PF, which was suggested just below.


Edited by moshkito - February 02 2016 at 09:54
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 09:36
What would you play for someone who likes the following artists:
The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Bach, Dire Straits, David Bowie. Likes melodic but not too slow (boring).
Any recommendations?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 09:30
I simply don't bother recommending  prog to anyone these days.
When I go to the local used vinyl shop the owner and two other guys who hang there call me 'Dr Prog' and we usually end up teasing each other about musical tastes and bands .  Some times they'll bring over an old piece of vinyl from someone who's definitely not prog (and they know this..) and ask me if this is prog. We have a laugh and then move on to other discussions.
It's all in good fun.
 
Smile
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 09:13
Hi,
 
"Nahhhh ... not for you ... you're better off with baroque music! When you're tired of that let me know and I will get you some Purcell and Vivaldi!"
 
(400 to 500 years behind the times sounds good, NO?)


Edited by moshkito - February 02 2016 at 09:16
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 08:18
Originally posted by Magnum Vaeltaja Magnum Vaeltaja wrote:

^ Someone asks to you. What do you tell them or what song/album do you play for them to give them an answer?


Probably one of these:

- Genesis: Dance on a Volcano
- Yes: Siberian Khatru
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Tarkus (song)
- King Crimson: 21st Century Schizoid Man
- Gentle Giant: Proclamation
"4/4 - That's 5/4 minus one." - Don Ellis (1934-1978)
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 08:05

I've found that describing it as "next-level rock and roll" has provoked a number of both friends and family to dig deeper into prog/listen to suggestions I had for their unique interests.

Originally posted by Pastmaster Pastmaster wrote:

As a definition in purest form, I'd say Gentle Giant. They are simply one of the most innovative bands I've ever heard. However, I'd probably introduce someone to it through Rush, Pink Floyd, Yes, Dream Theater, or a band like that.

Funnily enough, I was just thinking to myself a moment ago how Gentle Giant just might be the peak of 70's progressive rock for me. They are difficult to just throw at a lot of music listeners; there's definitely an intuitive graspability of their playful, almost poetic use of meter and beat. Couple this with some great rock hooks, and there's quite certainly a lot to be gleaned from this more or less genre-transcending act.

Originally posted by Lewian Lewian wrote:

I'd first ask them what they like and what role music plays in their life. Roughly where they're coming from. Then I see whether I can recommend something that I think could connect (unless they're just happy to try out what I like most).

Certainly they need to know that prog isn't anything uniform and homogeneous that can be understood (and perhaps dismissed) by listening to a single example.

I agree with this. If there's one thing I've learned over the years as both a musician and collector/listener of prog; not everyone has the same tastes or "ears" for certain stuff. Getting an idea of what they may enjoy most (and what they may be most receptive to) has gone very far with both family and friends for me.

Originally posted by Nogbad_The_Bad Nogbad_The_Bad wrote:

Yes - CTTE

Finally, this just might be my personal choice as well. I keep a CD copy of CTTE within reach at nearly all times! LOL 

"A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?"
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 07:45
Originally posted by HackettFan HackettFan wrote:

I tried to convey the idea of Prog once by doing a YouTube search for Genesis' Musical Box, and then Playing it for them. It probably served as the best explanation I could give in a limited time span.
I think the best track to introduce someone to Prog is PFM's Generale: it shows both Symphonic and Folk influences and it has so many variations for a 4 minute track.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 07:02
IDK, I always show Esmectatons to anyone who never heard of prog or avantgarde and people get shocked forever.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 02 2016 at 06:58
I always point out that there's music to dance to, and music to listen to. Prog is something you listen to, and enjoy the experience of analyzing the composition, how the music is orchestrated, how the instruments are played, etc. Few people get into it, but that's ok with me. 
I always suggest they listen to the radio-friendly songs, like "Living in the Past", "From the Biggining", or other songs that were popular or that might fit the profile. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 31 2016 at 22:16
If you want to show someone what prog is without concern of whether they may like it or not, I would go with the album Close to the Edge. If you want to go carefully so the person won't dismiss prog at first listen, I would have to find out what music he already likes and go from there... though often enough Pink Floyd should end up being the first choice.
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