Epic Prog Topics?

[Hamlet7768]

Originally Posted by Definitely

I was thinking that at first, but it would end up too much like 2112

I think that's the joke.

[preside]

Hey try reading some Shakespear, change the time frame to the future and ...voila. He pretty much covered mans struggle in detail and the stories are timeless. You wouldn't be the first guy to "borrow" from him.

[tangentmusic]

OP... So far you've referenced The Fountian of Lamneth, By-Tor & the Snow Dog,
Cygnus X1 and 2112.

I think Rush may have already wrote your epic! Just kidding. It's nice to see the influence.
Many young musicians dont think along the lines of wanting to write an epic prog track.
Go for it!

[Definitely]

Originally Posted by tangentmusic

OP... So far you've referenced The Fountian of Lamneth, By-Tor & the Snow Dog,
Cygnus X1 and 2112.

I think Rush may have already wrote your epic! Just kidding. It's nice to see the influence.
Many young musicians dont think along the lines of wanting to write an epic prog track.
Go for it!

I know, it's very much a mash up of the styles of all my Rush favourites! :P But for my first shot I'd rather have a strict plan to follow so I can make sure it actually gets done!

[Oneirogenic]

Read the His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman and write an album about that. Stay away from the God awful movie adaptation of The Golden Compass though.

[Hamlet7768]

Another little tip for diversifying, if you will: Check out these two fantastic epics by Emerson Lake and Palmer:

Tarkus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJINce7l3P4

Karn Evil 9 (live, but I think it's just as good if not better than the studio version): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-QkRPmQeSU

[Definitely]

Thanks a lot everyone, and I will check those out when I get the chance, very busy lately.

[pocketgroove]

Originally Posted by NoiseNinja

This is not for a song but a concept album.
I'd choose 1 then 2... He almost drowns, but are saved by mermaids, who bring him to the shores of a magical island. He lives there for many years with all kind of mystical and magical things happening, then as an old man he returns home in a self made fleet. But every things have changed, everybody he knew died in "the great war", and where he used to live there's build a prison.

...the Odyssey meets Lord of the Rings? That's what that scenario sounds like. I would have him find paradise on the island and stay there permanently, having rediscovered civilization, but in an untainted form.

[Spectrum]

It's easy to think of fantasy and sci fi story ideas. It's a lot harder to write poetry about them and make it not sound cheesy. Some would argue that even Peart wasn't good at it (but they aren't Rush fans, so they lead empty, hollow lives. Wish them well...)

One of the things I like about how Rush does it is that they personalize it. Cygnus X1 was told in the first person, so is Clockwork Angels and Xanadu. Sometimes the fantasy elements are just a wild backdrop for telling a more personal story. That adds depth and removes some of the cheese factor, but you still have to make it poetic.

Originally Posted by 5StringBlues

Watergate

That does not bother me. DOes your conscience bother you?

[BBox Bass]

Two words: Ayn Rand.

My Randroid parents named me after a character in one of her novels. I think there's a song in there somewhere, but I've never attempted to write one in that vein.

[5StringBlues]

Originally Posted by Spectrum

That does not bother me. DOes your conscience bother you?

Bravo!!

[The Owl]

The Life and Times of Ted Baxter

Slacker's Progress (or How I Moved Out of My Parent's Basement and Got A Life)

[Definitely]

I'm not liking the direction the lyrics are going, because the more I write the more this song becomes The Fountain of Lamneth. I'm thinking of changing completely and basing it on, of all things, some kind of ancient poetry! I'm thinking a scene from the Iliad right now, but anyone know of any other good stories told in poetry? They usually have some epic battles so I'm hoping to make that a highlight. Thanks for all the responses so far, they've really gotten the wheels turning.

[hotrodjohn]

face-eating zombies

well-armed PhD students

Linsanity

[Drop-D]

Originally Posted by hotrodjohn

well-armed PhD students

Too soon.

[Definitely]

Originally Posted by Drop-D

Too soon.

I agree, although I'm starting to get annoyed because its the only thing the news stations will report. All day yesterday on every radio station and tv station and all day today on the news stations. We're in Canada too, it's horrible and all, but the story's the same as it was yesterday, and the same as it is on every other station.

[ATK Geoph]

Hey Definitely. I have the same problem as you. I write a Buttload of Music, but have a very hard time being happy with lyrics. One thing that REALLY helps me, and I know it sounds Funny, is to listen to Music I would normally NEVER listen too. I have grown up on Classic Rock, Metal, 80's, and Blues. I got into the habit of wanting to write about the same sort of topics all the time.
One day, wanting to expand my musical usefullness, I FORCED myself to sit down and really LISTEN to some Classical, Jazz, COUNTRY, R&B, Etc. Stuff I would have Never listened to on Purpose.
Pretty soon I was hearing lines in the music I had never heard, thinking of things differently, and Ideas got Rollin'! Expand on your Base, new Ideas will Surface. ALL JUST MY OPINION!
Also, I had a one man band project (I am originally a Guitar Player, don't hate me) that I played Guitar, Bass, and Keys, and did all recording in. I have and Use VERY MINIMAL and BASIC recording gear. When I did my last project I didn't take the time to learn to use it to it's Full Potential. Make the most out of what you have. Learn to use it, you can get good results.
Here is a sample of my Older Prog/Metal stuff from my last project.

http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/song/3337543

I hadn't learned to use the recording gear I had, as I said. The stuff I am writing now is TOTALLY different and sounds 100% better. Amazing what Instruction Manuals can teach you.

[yodedude2]

rip off something from the public domain. anything before 1921 is fair game. how about jekyll and hyde? frankenstein? poe, i.e. fall of the house of usher?

through the looking glass and what alice found there? i recall a couple of epic battle scenes in that one.

[stratovani]

How about making it political? The story of a man who leads an uprising against the evil American Government, with a battle pitting the people against the Government in an epic saga of revolution, and in the end liberty and freedom winning the day. Kind of like a prog 1812 Overture!

[Definitely]

Originally Posted by ATK Geoph

Hey Definitely. I have the same problem as you. I write a Buttload of Music, but have a very hard time being happy with lyrics. One thing that REALLY helps me, and I know it sounds Funny, is to listen to Music I would normally NEVER listen too. I have grown up on Classic Rock, Metal, 80's, and Blues. I got into the habit of wanting to write about the same sort of topics all the time.
One day, wanting to expand my musical usefullness, I FORCED myself to sit down and really LISTEN to some Classical, Jazz, COUNTRY, R&B, Etc. Stuff I would have Never listened to on Purpose.
Pretty soon I was hearing lines in the music I had never heard, thinking of things differently, and Ideas got Rollin'! Expand on your Base, new Ideas will Surface. ALL JUST MY OPINION!
Also, I had a one man band project (I am originally a Guitar Player, don't hate me) that I played Guitar, Bass, and Keys, and did all recording in. I have and Use VERY MINIMAL and BASIC recording gear. When I did my last project I didn't take the time to learn to use it to it's Full Potential. Make the most out of what you have. Learn to use it, you can get good results.
Here is a sample of my Older Prog/Metal stuff from my last project.

http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/song/3337543

I hadn't learned to use the recording gear I had, as I said. The stuff I am writing now is TOTALLY different and sounds 100% better. Amazing what Instruction Manuals can teach you.

I like this idea, the Country isn't happening, but Classicsl and Jazz sound good. This is a one man band project, I'm doing drums, guitar, and bass and if I need to some minimalistic keyboard lines. When messing around on the drums I always find that swing kind of feel comes to me, and my grandpa has about 50 Jazz and Dixieland LP's he's giving me to listen to.

Originally Posted by yodedude2

rip off something from the public domain. anything before 1921 is fair game. how about jekyll and hyde? frankenstein? poe, i.e. fall of the house of usher?

through the looking glass and what alice found there? i recall a couple of epic battle scenes in that one.

I hvent kept up on my classic literature, but I may have to read something like this. I like the Alice idea especially.

Originally Posted by stratovani

How about making it political? The story of a man who leads an uprising against the evil American Government, with a battle pitting the people against the Government in an epic saga of revolution, and in the end liberty and freedom winning the day. Kind of like a prog 1812 Overture!

I'm not American and I especially don't follow politics, but revolutions are always good for battles.

So many good ideas in this thread I'm going to have to write 15 epics!!