Well...unless you have parents (like my children do - I'm 52) who were deeply into prog at the time it was THE music of its time, it is understandable that teens are no longer even aware of the existence of progressive music.

What do you hear on the radio? what do you see on music TV channels? What CD's are on display in record shops? prog?

If you are a prog fan and in your teens, you'll have to do the job: teaching your generation that there is something different to listen to than RnB, rap, techno, house or alternative rock. (Though alternative rock is far to be the worst place to start to explore more complex things).

Listening to prog is like reading classical authors: it is not obvious and demands some time and concentration. I would suggest all the young prog lovers to teach their friends.

And teaching is not something easy: you will have to build a teaching program. For example, do not introduce prog with "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" or the most strange Gentle Giant or Soft Machine songs. Select a choice of midsize (5 to 10 minutes), not too complex songs from the masters of the genre (from symphonic, art rock, psyche, prog metal...), make one or two CDs with them and convince your friends to listen to them more than once. Then ask them what they liked and what they didn't and why. From there, enrich your selection.

I cannot guarantee that you'll get all of your friends addicted to prog but you'll surely gain some.

All hope is not lost IMHO,

I actually think that future progheads will come to prog via heavy metal and in the same line of conduct , progmetal. The majority of the forum members here are teenagers (see the stats)

The problem is, like rockandrail already said, that young people aren't introduced to prog. There is no prog TV channel, magazine (I would love to see an international prog glossy!), or just TV programme.

Bands that operate on the border of prog and mainstream music are the key to the acceptance of prog. I, for example, got into prog thanks to Metallica (S&M concert) and Nightwish a few years (when i was 16 or so) ago. And i'm sure The Mars Volta recently introduced some people to prog.

The question is, should we want prog to become mainstream? Isn't that impossible by the definition of prog? I like the situation as it is. The prog labels are labels that go for quality not quantity, unlike the big commercial labels. Ik like prog being 'underground', as it ensures that only people who really like the music are into it. The only things i miss are a high quality full color international prog magazine, and perhaps a TV programme (weekly concert registrations anyone?).

Of course it it is important to keep enough people interested in prog!

Timen

this'll sort the yoof out..

yes i like yes wrote: is it just me, or is it incredibly difficult to meet a teenager who is into prog? or even know what prog is? i know around 100 or so 14 year olds, and only 2 of them know and like prog. Myself and a friend.

you study hard;

and everything will be allright

okay

dont worry < =text/>

goose wrote: Roots of what?

Exactly...

Rosescar wrote: I noticed that the people who do not know prog either are girls, unintelligent, or just don't listen to music at all.

I'm a girl. I like prog. I understand prog. And I'm very intelligent and listen to a lot of music!
Yes, I'm breaking the gender barrier!

Honestly though, there doesn't seem to be any more 15 year old girls on this site, does there?
That must mean something about the way the popularity of music has intensified its crappiness and made mainstream artists sell out, and my generation (or any other generation, for that matter) become more obsessed with popularity and less concerned with actual music. As you can tell, I hate society.

I don't know anyone my age that's into prog (I'm in high school still) and never have even though 80-85% of what I listen to is prog-related. Only semi-prog bands like The Who and Pink Floyd for example, are mentioned among people my age on the topic of prog-rock. Maybe even Deep Purple, but none of the classics on the top 100. Not even Dream Theater, even though some kids know about DT, they are not enough.  These kids are behind me, I listened to Dream Theater for the first time probably at age 9 or earlier, and experienced the progressive scene at about 13-14.

I guess I am rare in the sense that in my family I am the first to buy (or even hear) a progressive album. Though my grandfather, oldest brother, father, and mother all enjoy(ed) Yes on the radio, they all managed to avoid the genre itself?! I am the pioneer for prog, nobody pressed the genre on me, especially not my parents. Some people just realize Eminem and Mariah Carey aren't worthwhile and look for something better. For me, it's Yes, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, and co.

Rosescar wrote: I noticed that the people who do not know prog either are girls, unintelligent, or just don't listen to music at all. People who appreciate prog (or atleast weren't satisfied by today's music) usually are either quite intelligent, or had musical education. There's one exception, but the guy's all pretentious - he thinks he's really cool listening to rebellious, underground music like Greenday. The one thing that might be bad about prog being underground is that people will think you're pretentious and an attention-seeker. The people I'd expect to say this usually are acting all cool when singing along to their bullsh*t music. But yeah, it does seem that prog is getting quite popular with the current generation, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if a prog band would become mainstream.

Like Mars Volta, Radiohead. <-These two are huge. "Muse" and "Tool" (Prog? Yeah... whatever kids) It already happened is my point..

 I hardly find people around me who know what is progressive rock.

 They only know Another Brick in the Wall.

  Some people think that I listen to some kind of brutal music, when I mention progressive rock!

 Dream Theater is relatively well known, but usually among readers of metal  magazines.

Thinking about it, although I am now an old fart, I consider myself lucky to have grown up through the prog/glam and latterly the punk years.

My kids today listen to M&M (oops eminem), Dizzy Rascal, Green Day, & other easily accessible artists.

When I was their age you could hear a clip of ELP KE9 as opening music for BBC radio 4 science program, Allan Freeman was on Radio 1 Sat afternoon playing prog, John Peel was on each evening playing decent stuff (although he changed...), The Old grey whistle test had some superb sessions. An ELP film was played one xmas showing them on their BSS world tour on BBC1. None of this happens today.

I've said it on this forum before but I have a lot of respect for the younger members who have managed to navigate their way through all the dross that's out there and find prog.

THE MARS VOLTA IS NOT MAKING MAINSTREAM MUSIC!

Geck0 wrote: But I'm 25... oh well.

... and I'm already 26.

I disagree. I think people who SHOULD know about prog will know in due time.  There is no hurry. Though, I hate when people are using prog definitions to describe their music, when actually they know next to nothing about the genre itself, but using its name because of its coolness. If you thought 'Prog' is not cool, then think again. I've got a friend who plays in a band and is the main composer (main and only, actually), he is influenced by Dream Theater and Marillion and Symphony X (well.. I gotta admit, SymX was my doing.. :) ) . Anyways, so he's composing songs with 5 'variations' or something like that and tells everyone its a prog song and that currently he plays progressive, which is driving me crazy. So you see, I can barely define prog myself, as I'm quite amateur (1 year) and he knows next to nothing about musical properties of the genre, yet he seems himself as a Progressive composer. He is quite obssed, because composing something complex is cool. So you can also see the danger of prog becoming mainstream..

ranger wrote:  to paulieg          ; ;              Do you know that the U.S. has over 20 million Iraqis here.      maybe one of them will take your job  or better yet, murder someone in your family; lets se   how you feel about forieghs then.   By the way  im an italian american also...

so, you are a foreigner too

Call it Art Rock, better description and people will probably know what you mean.