Joined: December 14 2015
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 3
Posted: December 14 2015 at 06:02
There is nothing to hook them in and nothing sounds familiar so they can't relate it to anything. If more prog used a more common time signature then it might be easier to compare it to other genres.
I often toss in this video when a discussion of why prog isn't more listened to.
Joined: May 23 2013
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Points: 2839
Posted: December 14 2015 at 07:08
But it does. Most prog is in conventional time signatures.
Being in 15/8 doesn't make something "prog rock". It makes it in 15/8 time. Such as "Tubular Bells", which sold God knows how many copies in 1973. The opening is 15/8, anyway, the whole album has quite a few time sig changes.
"Take 5" by Dave Brubeck. 5/4 time. 123 12 123 12 etc. Most popular jazz record ever, over a million sales, still played.
Time sigs aren't really HEARD by Joe Public. Joe Public - watch a crowd - can't even clap in time let alone clap in 7/4 or 17/8. I find it difficult to listen to music in the same way that non musicians do.... I think most people, with prog rock, just hear something too complicated to be bothered with or devote time into understanding.
As they're lazy or just don't put any real value on music as something other than background noise or wallpaper.
It's not 1973, people have changed, tastes have changed, musical standards have changed.
Joined: December 24 2015
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 17
Posted: December 24 2015 at 07:48
I suppose the same thing happens with other topics:
Why people find great cars boring? Why people find great painting boring? Why people find great architecture boring?
Prog Rock is very complex and interesting for me, but I don't find Picasso or Dali paintings interesting, but they are supposed to be great... see the analogy here?
Most people care more about their local sport team than how their money is spent... It's pretty much the same phenomenon.
It's about who the market promote more than anything else, I can live with the fact that prog isn't popular but I don't really get how bands like One Direction (who rip off everybody else by the way) or artist like Justin Bieber are so popular, that's just ridiculous.
I know I am a musical snob, still human race is far from being rational, let alone smart. I'm pretty sure that if the average IQ was 130 instead of ~105, prog would be more popular (condescending but truth!)
^ I provided you an answer ''People'' doesn't mean smart nor rational... Not trying to be condescending but I am pretty the average prog fan is smarter (i.e. cognitive functions) than the average person.
In other words if a bunch of aliens two times smarter than us came here, prog, jazz, classical (add any genre that isn't mainstream) would be the only thing they would listen too. It's just a pragmatic observation, not popular doesn't mean not objectively good.
Joined: December 27 2015
Location: Hayling Island
Status: Offline
Points: 7
Posted: December 27 2015 at 09:13
There's a gulf of difference between what used to be termed "Prog" and "art rock" - For example: A friend took me to a concert ....and after listening to 5 minutes out of the total 45 mins of Journey to the Centre of the Earthby Rick Wakeman... I fell asleep and it took paramedics to get me out of the coma...However, just the opening 4 bars of Broadsword and the Beast by Tull makes me very much alive... To use my wife as a judge; she likes Division Bell by Floyd; but cannot stand The Wall...I guess it's all a bit subjective.
Joined: September 10 2010
Location: Earth
Status: Offline
Points: 6253
Posted: December 27 2015 at 23:58
Follix wrote:
^ I provided you an answer ''People'' doesn't mean smart nor rational... Not trying to be condescending but I am pretty the average prog fan is smarter (i.e. cognitive functions) than the average person.
In other words if a bunch of aliens two times smarter than us came here, prog, jazz, classical (add any genre that isn't mainstream) would be the only thing they would listen too. It's just a pragmatic observation, not popular doesn't mean not objectively good.
to be honest, what you said, it's all relative and a pompous point view, including myself here, I for one am fed-up with bands repeating, Wakeman whistling keys and mermaids singing
Joined: September 10 2010
Location: Earth
Status: Offline
Points: 6253
Posted: December 28 2015 at 01:01
I honestly think that any person saying that they are bored, this annoys me because why would one ever want to feel bored?! This I will never understand.
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
Status: Offline
Points: 15926
Posted: December 28 2015 at 01:14
Personal taste......it's all down to personal taste...... Everyone is different (thank.....well, whoever or whatever...) but I guarantee one thing - my sis is straight-laced, is really a lover of mainstream, commercial stuff, but loves select Yes, Genesis, most Floyd (incl. Barrett), and always digs various Eloy, Ashra's, TD,......well, lots of stuff I play (except the extreme Prog of Zeuhl bands, VDGG, Metal (though she loves Maiden) - always comments positively when I play Magenta, Pendragon, Eloy, IQ. Marillion, Porcupine Tree and lots of modern Prog I play. Selective for sure, but personal taste is the answer.
Joined: December 25 2008
Status: Offline
Points: 374
Posted: January 04 2018 at 02:38
Wanted to create same topic but found existing one.
What makes prog boring? Especially for people familiar with prog.
I wonder why there is a lot of one-star or two-star reviews on decent bands... isnt that because of "bored with prog" critics? or the opposite, some artists which are not prog at all, put on progarchives only because personal taste of reviewer?
in my opinion, prog cliches make prog boring.
For example, long and slow guitar intro over keyboard backdrop from 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond". It was cloned by numerous bands. Or 10-minute organ solo from Tarkus. I like all that stuff, but when music consists mostly of repeated prog cliches, it became boring
I listened prog stuff continiously 20 years or so, but recently I listen more jazz, blues, straight rock or some pop music, because prog is boring :-(
Sometimes it's good to make a pause and switch to different type of music. Then, get back to prog
Joined: December 09 2017
Location: Now
Status: Offline
Points: 9233
Posted: January 04 2018 at 02:48
Your average person/consumer has the attention span of a goldfish. Anything that isn't constant hooks is deemed impossible to pay attention to. People who don't understand music have essentially been spoiled by McRock and McPop, so when they get a real steak in front of them, they have no idea what they're dealing with.
"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021
Joined: January 31 2004
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 9669
Posted: January 04 2018 at 06:44
A lack of exposure to musical diversity, a different personality type that views music as mere background, plus (in many today) an inability to focus due to addiction to the instant-gratification, fast-paced online culture.
The latter also makes them unable to read books, sustain conversation, focus in school, be alone with their thoughts, achieve difficult things requiring sustained effort or complete tasks in a timely manner. They are sleep-deprived, depressed, anxious, and scattered.
Just look at modern movie trends: superheroes and comics dominate, the films are action and effects driven, there is little sustained dialogue, and explosions are needed every few seconds to get the audience to look up from their phones.
Edited by Peter - January 04 2018 at 07:01
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy.
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What makes people find Prog boring?
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Follix wrote:
