Howdy Howdy Howdy, Hello There, and Hi
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Site News, Newbies, Help and Improvements
Forum Name: Welcome newbies!
Forum Description: Introduce yourself and tell us what prog music you listen to
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=119936
Printed Date: June 08 2025 at 01:32
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Howdy Howdy Howdy, Hello There, and Hi
Posted By: Erenan
Subject: Howdy Howdy Howdy, Hello There, and Hi
Date Posted: April 16 2019 at 22:24
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My name is Luke Simpson. I got into prog when in 11th grade I was in Academic Decathlon and my friend's dad drove me to the big challenge match or whatever it was to compete academically, as we used to do in those days. See on the drive to the event, my friend's dad put on ELP's Brain Salad Surgery and upon hearing Toccatta for the first time my life had been irreparably shattered forever and for all time, since I'd wasted so much of my life listening to pleb music. It was like "oh wait, all I've known so far is garbage, this is the real music." I mean, not really, I'm not actually a snob and I still like a lot of non-prog music, but for some reason I felt like telling the story that way. For instance, I was a huge fan of the Meat Puppets, and the Meat Puppets got me into King Crimson (not ELP, as weird as that is). See, I'd read biographical info on the E and the L and the P in ELP, and so at this point I knew KC only as the band Greg Lake was in prior to ELP, but I'd never bothered to go listen to any KC. So when Meat Puppets fans started telling me that I'd really like King Crimson, I was like, "well, okay." And so I got my hands on Court and ConstruKction, and then I was like, "oh wow, so prog is, like, really varied and diverse and all that." And so on. Anyway, hi. ------------- https://lukesimpsonmusic.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: April 16 2019 at 23:30
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Welcome-- great story ! ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: TCat
Date Posted: April 22 2019 at 14:37
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Welcome to the Archives from a fellow King Crimson fan (and ELP for that matter). There are a lot of great bands and artists here. I hope you are able to discover a lot of music that you will enjoy. ------------- https://ibb.co/8x0xjR0" rel="nofollow">  |
Posted By: Chaser
Date Posted: April 22 2019 at 14:51
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Welcome Erenan! I love KC too (ELP not so much), but great to have yyou here. Are you into any other prog other than KC and ELP? ------------- Songs cast a light on you |
Posted By: Erenan
Date Posted: May 10 2019 at 10:45
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Thanks! Sorry for the delay. I've been busy trying to think of an excuse for why I couldn't respond and it prevented me from responding until now. I'm into KC extremely intensely, they're my favorite band and I got all their albums and know them by heart, I even buy the solo albums and other work of e.g. Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, etc., etc., etc. Same for Meat Puppets (not prog, of course). I'm "into" ELP mostly in the sense that they're important to me as being my entry to prog. I consider Brain Salad Surgery a masterpiece and it's one of my favorite albums. I am very familiar with their other work but don't revere it quite to the same extent. I'm not into any other prog bands in the same way that I'm into KC, but I do have an intense fondness for a few particular albums by some other groups: - Gentle Giant's Octopus - Wobbler's From Silence to Somewhere - Atrox's Contentum - Probably some others that I am blanking on right now (Historically, another early favorite of mine is Dream Theater from Images and Words through Metropolis Pt. 2, but tbqh I don't enjoy listening to DT any more at all. I think they are not an interesting band and whenever people gush about them my reaction is an intense visceral feeling in my gut that might best be describe as "ok if we were talking about our favorite comedy troupes I'd agree they're a great pick.") The big mainstays of prog are mostly a mystery to me: Yes, Rush, Genesis, etc., I don't know much about these groups and don't especially care. (Actually, Yes seems obviously like an amazing group and I should really explore them. What I've listened to of Rush kinda bores me, same with Genesis.) Part of the reason I'm here is because I want to find more bands that I can get into more fully in the way that I'm into King Crimson. I am thinking about starting a series of blog posts where I go through the "Eclectic Prog" category of the archives and listen to those artists and write about my reactions as a way of exploring artists I'm not familiar with. (recommendations vis a vis Eclectic Prog would be super appreciated btw) ------------- https://lukesimpsonmusic.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: May 10 2019 at 10:55
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Try the Mighty Graaf, mate. The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other H to He, Who Am the Only One Pawn Hearts ------------- |
Posted By: Erenan
Date Posted: May 10 2019 at 11:03
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Ok I did listen to part of one of their albums exactly one time and I don't remember which one. I think it might have been Godbluff? IIRC I was not exactly floored, but will try again. Can you recommend a specific album? I'm drawn to very outside the box music. Music with a lot of personality and character, or anything weird. EDIT: I see the recs, thank you!
------------- https://lukesimpsonmusic.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: May 10 2019 at 11:17
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Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: May 10 2019 at 13:14
I also most highly recommend Van der Graaf Generator. They changed the way I viewed music, and I was already familiar with Pink Floyd, ELP, Yes, Genesis, and King Crimson at the time. I find some of their albums take a few listens to appreciate, although Pawn Hearts was a love at first listen. H to He Who Am The Only One is an example of an album that I didn't appreciate on first listen, but is now an album that I love almost as much as Pawn Hearts. ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Erenan wrote:Posted By: Erenan
Date Posted: May 10 2019 at 22:20
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Listening to Pawn Hearts today. Sounds very very interesting. I think I'll need to absorb it more fully before I really pass judgement. The first listen is never really enough to decide properly. I feel like it's great but there's something about it that's stopping me from loving it and I'm seriously at a loss of what it is. I'll just listen more and see how I feel afterwards. Thanks again for the recs! ------------- https://lukesimpsonmusic.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: May 11 2019 at 00:29
How about http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=646" rel="nofollow - Magma ? Start with http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=3306" rel="nofollow - Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh to see if you like this type of music. How about http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=1770" rel="nofollow - The Residents ? I don't know the best place to start but perhaps http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=8254" rel="nofollow - Duck Stab / Buster & Glen will give some idea about what to expect. ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: May 11 2019 at 05:52
my favorite album by the Residents is "Eskimo": -------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: TCat
Date Posted: May 11 2019 at 18:38
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Yes for older material from The Residents, your best bets are what the last two members mentioned: "Duck Stab/Buster & Glen" or "Eskimo". If you want to hear a good album that is more recent from them, try "Coochie Brake". ------------- https://ibb.co/8x0xjR0" rel="nofollow"> |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: May 11 2019 at 19:20
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You like KC - you will like ANEKDOTEN (from Sweden). Welcome to a world that will send you broke 
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Posted By: Erenan
Date Posted: May 13 2019 at 11:31
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Thanks for all of the recommendations. I'll get to listening to all of these! Thank you thank you thank you ------------- https://lukesimpsonmusic.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: May 13 2019 at 14:14
Like my wife I love "Eskimo". One should definitely read the sleeve notes when first listening to the album; else it won't make much sense. -------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Erenan
Date Posted: May 14 2019 at 10:20
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That's definitely useful to know! I have found that some albums require looking at the booklet while listening in order to work. ------------- https://lukesimpsonmusic.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 16 2019 at 13:20
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If you haven't heard Bubu's Anabelas yet, I would recommend it. You might also find much in Zeuhl and in RIO/Avant to love. Eskton's 4 Visions, and Dun's Eros are a couple of good ones in Zeuhl to start with, then into the mighty Magma, and the classic rock In Opposition bands could prove very rewarding (Art Zoyd is a particular favourite of mine, but I think I got into Present first). And for weird Prog Folk, Comus' First Utterance is must listening. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Erenan
Date Posted: May 16 2019 at 13:22
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Okay, I will definitely explore Zeuhl. Been wondering what that is about. Thank you for the specific recs I listened to Anekdoten, Until All the Ghosts are Gone, found it very appealing. ------------- https://lukesimpsonmusic.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: May 16 2019 at 16:15
| ^ Vemod is most Crimson-like from them. They haven’t released a weak album at all. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 20 2019 at 10:25
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One I meant to mention, but forgot to, is Anglagard. I think that would appeal to many into both King Crimson and Anekdoten. And maybe try Morte Macabre, which is made up of Anekdoten and Landberk members (personally, I prefer it to Ankedoten, but that's my taste).. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Erenan
Date Posted: June 06 2019 at 10:03
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Yes, I heard one of the Anglagard works on ProgWatch, was excellent, loved it. I'll try out Morte Macabre, thanks! ------------- https://lukesimpsonmusic.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow">
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