More significant to Prog, Magma or Kansas?

Saperlipopette! wrote: Seriously? Long before I bought my first jazz-album or had developed an interest for jazz - it took a few seconds of hearing Kenny G. to know that wasn’t real deal. Even Kenny G. fans will know that Miles Davis is more respected, a legend and an innovator. My dad knows that, although he's never listened to a jazz album in his life.

David_D wrote: And I can't imagine that most of Kansas' fans have been proggers.

David,

Back in the late 70s early 80s, no one thought of themselves as Proggers. The term did not exist. But, based on the people I knew in high school and later college, If you were a Kansas fan they also liked at a minimum 70s Pink Floyd, at least some Yes (Yes Album and Fragile, in particular), A good bit of Jethro Tull as well as Styx, ELO, Alan Parsons Project, Boston and Supertramp.

My brother and I and group of 12-15 friends went to quite a few concerts in Charlotte, Fayetteville, Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Greensboro during that period. Who did we see? Rush, Yes, Genesis, Kansas, as well as bands such as Thin Lizzy, Blue Oyster Cult, Heart, Def Leppard, Krokus, Gary Moore, Pat Benatar, Crosby Stills and Nash, Styx, 38 Special, etc, etc because, most of that group of friends at least somewhat liked those groups. Plus, it was a good time and was something to do.

richardh wrote: Boojieboy wrote: If one listens to tracks like "Magnum Opus", "Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel", "The Pinnacle", and "Song For America", as just a few examples, it's impossible not confirm Kansas as being prog. But too many want to get political, and reject them because they come from the US. And/or, only stop with one or two popular songs, and look no further, and say "They're definitely a pop group". I would like to reject this idea of bias against bands from USA. For me the seventies was mainly about UK and European Bands and they set the agenda and filled the rosters at all the big US festivals (Cal Jam was headlined by ELP, Purple and Sabbath). Growing up the only US band I liked at all was Boston and that was because of More Than A Feeling. Nothing else seemed to resonate at the time coming from across the pond aside from Fleetwood Mac who were a bit of a yawn to a 15 year old but sold shedloads and filled the airways. That's always been the issue with US music that a lot of it is just too commercial and uninteresting. That's on the bands themselves not on people who were interested in progressive rock music. In the 90's when prog was in full on revival mode I noticed that US bands such as Spock's Beard and Dream Theater were leading the 'new prog' charge. Annoyingly it took me a while to cotton onto Echolyn but they were also there. I would never disrespect US bands. A lot of them technically are brilliant. I especially enjoy Glass Hammer, Presto Ballet, Far Corner, Bent Knee, Shadow Circus and IZZ. Also Kansas have made some great recent albums and let us also recognise the fantastic talent of Rachel Flowers.

Richard,

Of the American Artists, I never thought that Steely Dan, Little Feat, Allman Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power, Paul Simon and Each Wind and Fire, to name a few, as being to commercial. Jazz pianist Aimee Nolte has discussed how sophisticated Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder and Earth Wind and Fire music was and the musicians in those bands ( most of them studio musicians) were top shelf. Same with Little Feat who developed a great reputation as a live band.

I know Chicago has been discussed and during the Terry Kath era was putting out great music. There is a real talent in making music that is sophisticated, yet accessible. Number of artists who are quite good at that.

As for interesting, that's subjective and dependent on your taste in music.

Big Sky wrote: richardh wrote: Boojieboy wrote: If one listens to tracks like "Magnum Opus", "Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel", "The Pinnacle", and "Song For America", as just a few examples, it's impossible not confirm Kansas as being prog. But too many want to get political, and reject them because they come from the US. And/or, only stop with one or two popular songs, and look no further, and say "They're definitely a pop group". I would like to reject this idea of bias against bands from USA. For me the seventies was mainly about UK and European Bands and they set the agenda and filled the rosters at all the big US festivals (Cal Jam was headlined by ELP, Purple and Sabbath). Growing up the only US band I liked at all was Boston and that was because of More Than A Feeling. Nothing else seemed to resonate at the time coming from across the pond aside from Fleetwood Mac who were a bit of a yawn to a 15 year old but sold shedloads and filled the airways. That's always been the issue with US music that a lot of it is just too commercial and uninteresting. That's on the bands themselves not on people who were interested in progressive rock music. In the 90's when prog was in full on revival mode I noticed that US bands such as Spock's Beard and Dream Theater were leading the 'new prog' charge. Annoyingly it took me a while to cotton onto Echolyn but they were also there. I would never disrespect US bands. A lot of them technically are brilliant. I especially enjoy Glass Hammer, Presto Ballet, Far Corner, Bent Knee, Shadow Circus and IZZ. Also Kansas have made some great recent albums and let us also recognise the fantastic talent of Rachel Flowers. Richard, Of the American Artists, I never thought that Steely Dan, Little Feat, Allman Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power, Paul Simon and Each Wind and Fire, to name a few, as being to commercial. Jazz pianist Aimee Nolte has discussed how sophisticated Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder and Earth Wind and Fire music was and the musicians in those bands ( most of them studio musicians) were top shelf. Same with Little Feat who developed a great reputation as a live band. I know Chicago has been discussed and during the Terry Kath era was putting out great music. There is a real talent in making music that is sophisticated, yet accessible. Number of artists who are quite good at that. As for interesting, that's subjective and dependent on your taste in music.