20th anniversary here...

Bit of an anniversary today... 20 years ago, I was one of the last people left in a company which was closing down; not much left to do and I was bored, so went online and searched 'progressive rock '. One of the first hits was an online forum on a site called progarchives. Must have been a fairly new addition to the site, as when I signed up, I was the 27th member.

All of a sudden, I had access to a growing community where I could go on about long songs, mellotrons, Hammond organs, moogs, unfeasibly large drumkits, double necked guitars, serious looking musicians, obscure albums based around 'concepts'... and nobody got bored! They agreed with me! Not only that, but they introduced me to more - happy days 😁

I stuck around, even serving as an Admin for a few years.

Over the next several years, the site grew, as did my online friendships with a select few members, including some who later joined this new site called Facebook - yes, Alan, Andrew, Dean, Ivan, Rachel, Maxime, Mikah, Simon, Teodoro, Tony, among others, I'm talking about you!

The online friendships resulted in occasional face to face get-togethers, usually involving beer, curry, more beer and much silliness - apart from Rachel, we've not actually seen most of you for several years, but the friendships remain.

One person I didn't mention above is a chap where beer and a curry was not possible as he lived in a northern Ontario town called Timmins, where he taught in the local college. We hit it off immediately online and developed a true friendship... to the extent that in 2007 Vicky and I travelled out to meet him and his family for a 2 week holiday on Newfoundland. This has become a regular occurrence, and we value them all as true, firm and close friends... Peter, Kathy, Sam, Kayleigh, Paul, luv ya guys.

So you see, social media, for all its faults, can be pretty cool 😁😁

Edited by Jim Garten - February 04 2024 at 04:06

Jim I remember you from my Hammond organ thread on the Forum, around 2004-2006 (as Erik Neuteboom, my real name). 

Edited by TenYearsAfter - February 04 2024 at 14:25

Nice to hear from someone I well remember from the 'old days'.

Jim Garten wrote: Ah, but does anyone remember 'The Shed'??

Jim Garten wrote: Ah, but does anyone remember 'The Shed'??

Jim Garten wrote: Bit of an anniversary today... 20 years ago, I was one of the last people left in a company which was closing down; not much left to do and I was bored, so went online and searched 'progressive rock '. One of the first hits was an online forum on a site called progarchives. Must have been a fairly new addition to the site, as when I signed up, I was the 27th member. All of a sudden, I had access to a growing community where I could go on about long songs, mellotrons, Hammond organs, moogs, unfeasibly large drumkits, double necked guitars, serious looking musicians, obscure albums based around 'concepts'... and nobody got bored! They agreed with me! Not only that, but they introduced me to more - happy days 😁 I stuck around, even serving as an Admin for a few years. Over the next several years, the site grew, as did my online friendships with a select few members, including some who later joined this new site called Facebook - yes, Alan, Andrew, Dean, Ivan, Rachel, Maxime, Mikah, Simon, Teodoro, Tony, among others, I'm talking about you! The online friendships resulted in occasional face to face get-togethers, usually involving beer, curry, more beer and much silliness - apart from Rachel, we've not actually seen most of you for several years, but the friendships remain. One person I didn't mention above is a chap where beer and a curry was not possible as he lived in a northern Ontario town called Timmins, where he taught in the local college. We hit it off immediately online and developed a true friendship... to the extent that in 2007 Vicky and I travelled out to meet him and his family for a 2 week holiday on Newfoundland. This has become a regular occurrence, and we value them all as true, firm and close friends... Peter, Kathy, Sam, Kayleigh, Paul, luv ya guys. So you see, social media, for all its faults, can be pretty cool 😁😁

Micky and I were discussing PA's 20th anniversary just a few days ago. Next year it will be 20 years since I first joined. Little did I know that my life would change rather dramatically just a year after I joined. Even if I am not active on the site any longer, I check it almost every day, as PA will always have a special place in my heart. Happy anniversary to Jim, and all the best!

Around 2006 we had a wonderful Prog Archives meeting in my hometown The Hague, with PA collaborators from Holland, the UK, Belgium and France, pictures were posted on a special thread, is there anybody who can get these pictures from the Forum? Thanks in advance, Erik Neuteboom, aka TenYearsAfter.

Thanks Rushfan4, great job, now I remember, Glass House (Tony), Oliverstoned (Olivier), Joren, Sean Frane (Hughes), Alucard, Chris and Christophe, it was in Rootz, the beer special pub in the center, on the first floor, especially for us, they kept on bringing cascades of Dutch snack platters, beers, and whisky, for Hughes. Unforgettable Prog Archives Meeting!

Edited by TenYearsAfter - February 07 2024 at 11:14