Were you into prog in 1999?

I've been listening to prog since Genesis Live came out but I didn't really discover the more obscure prog bands until I got proper web access and joined PA. Before then if they weren't in Melody Maker, they didn't really exist.

Edited by chopper - June 21 2019 at 08:44

for me there is a lot of bad prog---but the best bands--that I listened to endlessly produced amazing interesting timeless music---also liked Gang of 4 , XTC--also tended to listen to jazz instrumental and vocal, for classic groups CSNY, David Crosby solo, Joni Mitchell , Steely Dan, Laura Nyro---Lumineers and some other current bands--and keep following Hackett and Wilson.

Edited by twosteves - June 21 2019 at 16:17

Yes, but it was pretty much just Dream Theater, King Crimson, and ELP back in the olden days

^ I've heard Henry Cow and The Residents on local radio (the university radio station). I've never heard them play stuff like Flower Kings, though.

EDIT: They did favour eccentric and experimental music over Neo-Prog type bands. Being an eccentric myself, I loved to listen to their late night programs (they would also play composers such as Stockhausen and Xenakis). I've also heard Cardiacs on the radio, and I'm quite sure Art Zoyd long ago.   Groups like Henry Cow, Cardiacs and The Residents would have more caché with the more eccentric university kids than ones like IQ and Glass Hammer.

On another radio station, not that long ago, they were playing Robert Wyatt's "Sea Song" (as part of a radio programme), and I;ve heard his and Costello's sung versions of "Shipbuilding" on the radio, but those are quite the classics and shouldn't be compared to the likes of IQ, Glass Hammer and The Flower Kings.

Edited by Logan - June 21 2019 at 12:24

AFlowerKingCrimson wrote: Mormegil wrote: Yes, including the so-called "underground" (really a misnomer). I'm glad to hear the local radio station near you plays Djam Karet, IQ, Glass Hammer, echolyn, Flower Kings etc.

*sigh*

Take it easy, man. This is not a competition and there's no need to argue endlessly for insignificant, futile details.

and yes, your use of the word 'underground' in the context of the 90's prog revival is a misnomer.

Edited by Barbu - June 21 2019 at 12:56

I was 4 or 5 in the early 70's when I heard my first Zappa. So yes, it was very ingrained by 1999.

Edited by Tapfret - June 21 2019 at 13:02

I don't know about bad prog. Sometimes great composition is difficult to produce well because of budgets or time constraints. Some beautifully produced music has pretty run-of-the-mill composition, sometimes people write great music but it might be just outside their technical ability. Some people have amazing skill but their compositions seem disjointed or lacking something in terms of dynamics. Anyone who puts out music should be patted on the back first for attempting it. Then, constructive criticism can go a long way. I always try to find something I like about the music before I start being overly critical. It's a learning process!

Started with prog in late 60's with many proto prog bands...but what really first made an impact was Court when I heard it in spring of 1970.

verslibre wrote: BaldFriede wrote: I don't think I would call Echolyn, Spock's Beard or IQ "the underground". The Red Masque on the other hand are what I would call "underground", but they came into existence 2 years later.   I agree. Spock's, Echolyn and The Flower Kings were Third Wave.

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - June 21 2019 at 14:52