Since when did Progressive become a trendy commercial outlet?

[AlphaMale]

Yes, I'm talking about the Mars Volta.

[hey]

wat?

[Benjamin Strange]

Progressive music is only cool if you're not very good at it.

[Atoz]

I thought this thread was going to be about those horrible insurance commercials. Never mind.

[Matt Till]

I think Mars Volta were more popular because they blended prog with indie. I initially couldn't get into them because of the vocals (I hear indie/emo vocals and my initial reaction is loathing), but I think they are doing something unique, and if unique music becomes mainstream, I am 100% down.


BTW: Pacman will be closing this thread in 5... 4... 3... 2...

(There have been a lot of bashing **** threads lately)

[AlphaMale]

I didn't say they were bad or bash them, I just said they were trendy.

[keb]

Originally Posted by Matt Till

I initially couldn't get into them because of the vocals (I hear indie/emo vocals and my initial reaction is loathing)

Yeah same here... at first I couldn't get into them because of the vocals. But I dig 'em now. And besides... I grew to like (though not prefer!) Geddy Lee's often-bashed banshee shrieking on the '70s Rush material (though his voice is so much better now.) so I guess anything is possible.

[baalroo]

Well, the guys in Mars Volta were already pretty famous and respected BEFORE Mars Volta, so the popularity just followed them over. They had a built in fan base. I just can't say I really care one way or the other about what's trendy or not. I listen to what I like, if 500 people like it or 5 million. In the same way that popularity doesn't make a "bad" band "good," it also doesn't make a "good" band "bad."

[projectMalamute]

Since Rush and Yes started putting out records on major labels, getting rotation on commercial rock stations, and selling out arenas.

1978 maybe?

[The Golden Boy]

Originally Posted by Atoz

I thought this thread was going to be about those horrible insurance commercials. Never mind.

So there's this medical laptop stand at work... it's made by a company called "FLO" and it came with this odd shaped mousepad with FLO on it.

So I taped it to my shirt and kept saying "big, tricked out nametag thingy."

[()smoke()]

Originally Posted by projectMalamute

Since Rush and Yes started putting out records on major labels, getting rotation on commercial rock stations, and selling out arenas.

1978 maybe?

[Oric]

Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

So there's this medical laptop stand at work... it's made by a company called "FLO" and it came with this odd shaped mousepad with FLO on it.

So I taped it to my shirt and kept saying "big, tricked out nametag thingy."

I cover my ears every time I hear that damned commercial. There are few things that fuel sudden rage in me (theme to Two and a Half Men is another), but that commercial is one.

[Matt Till]

Originally Posted by baalroo

Well, the guys in Mars Volta were already pretty famous and respected BEFORE Mars Volta, so the popularity just followed them over. They had a built in fan base. I just can't say I really care one way or the other about what's trendy or not. I listen to what I like, if 500 people like it or 5 million. In the same way that popularity doesn't make a "bad" band "good," it also doesn't make a "good" band "bad."

That's a good point about their previous endeavor, At the Drive in got pretty huge, and they had a rather commercial type of appeal. I'm sure lots of people would like lots of music if they were told they were suppose to like it.

I deal with it constantly at work (used CD store) people not wanting to check out what they don't already know, "Oh, this album doesn't have that one song I heard on the radio."

My reply will be, "Oh, well, we have a CD player here in the store where you can check out albums before you buy them, if you swant to give it a shot."

"No, I only want to hear the stuff I've heard on the radio." It drives me nuts, it's the same reason classic rock is a joke. Led Zeppelin has more than 4 songs. Anyways, if people hear, "Oh, the At the Drive in guys are starting a new band, check it out." They are more inclined to check that out than, "Oh, these guys make concept albums and play odd timed weird stuff and drawn out spacey parts."

There is so much music that has commercial appeal (or can at least appeal to a wide audience), but people just won't listen.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by AlphaMale

I didn't say they were bad or bash them, I just said they were trendy.

I dont really see the Mars Volta as trendy. Yes, they were for all of a year between their first and second albums, but most people fell off the wagon during the MV/Chili Peppers tour when they realized that they didnt play 'The Widow' unless it was in the form of a 30 minute free form jam.

Like said before, their earlier incarnation At the Drive-In had a big "hardcore" emo kid following, and their early success I think is due to that. I actually saw them perform at Coachella 2003 before I was even remotely interested to them. But after hearing Frances the Mute more than once I was hooked.

[Elrend]

They're not really that trendy any more. They've become way to avant-garde and rely to heavily on improvisation to draw the same crowd they used to.

I personally think this incarnation of the band is greater. I think it peaked at Frances. (Though both Amputechture and Bedlam are better than De-loused imo.)

[brianrost]

"Progressive" music comes and goes with each generation.

There's always musicians who want to fuse ideas from their main idiom with that of others that catch their ears. Let 'em hear some Debussy and Coltrane and there's no holding them back

[Pilgrim]

Isn't Mars Volta a candy bar made by General Motors?