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Why did prog rock never have mass popularity?

#381
The prog label got anchored in time. Music that was progressive in the 70s (when the term was first applied to certain rock music) became rather mainstream because we got accustomed to hearing it, therefore its novelty faded. The same applies to every era. If “everybody” is listening to something you can’t very well consider it to be progressive; i.e. on the leading edge of music.
 
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#382
Pop music is like candy - simple, sweet, easy to understand and appreciate. Prog rock is not as simple, not as "sweet" - it takes a more refined palette to appreciate it. It's adult food, musically speaking - not unlike Jazz or classical. Did it ever have mass popularity? Yes - maybe not as much as some pop artists, but a lot of Prog rock acts made very decent livings for decades with their music - indeed, they probably had longer careers on average than most pop artists.
 
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#383
ElectroVibe said:
I've Seen All Good People.
I feel like I've heard this song about 500 times on the radio and I don't understand what it's about.

Yes is a great band. This song though. Sorry but no, I just don't get it.
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I think it's one of their best songs.
The Yes Album is my favorite of their records.
IMO, adding Steve Howe really made the band.
I also thought Tony Kaye was great.
 
#384
Markmann said:
Percy Jones was badass and so was the band Brand X. I loved his fretless playing.
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I've seen Brand X a few times, twice in the mid '70s and the first of their reunion tours in 2016. Percy was a member of Tunnels, another band I've seen a bunch of times, and I even did a double bill with at a show in Baltimore in '04 with Rare Blend.

Jeff-1200_09.jpg
Percy-1200_39.jpg
 
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#388
Jeff Scott said:
Yes, it was (I don't remember if you've asked me this previously - GOF brain, and all). We played there a few times in the '00s.

Here is Tunnels.

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I played there three or four times with the prog-fusion group I was in back in the late 90's. Somewhere I think I still have a recording of one of those shows stashed away here. That was a fun room for this kind of stuff.

Edit: I found a couple of tracks. Here's one of them. Everyone reading should know I'm NOT playing bass. I am the lead singer and vocal arranger and main lyricist in this band. I only wish I could play like this guy.
 

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#389
LBS-bass said:
I played there three or four times with the prog-fusion group I was in back in the late 90's. Somewhere I think I still have a recording of one of those shows stashed away here. That was a fun room for this kind of stuff.

Edit: I found a couple of tracks. Here's one of them. Everyone reading should know I'm NOT playing bass. I am the lead singer and vocal arranger and main lyricist in this band. I only wish I could play like this guy.
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No GG influence at all there. ;) :thumbsup:

These (which I am sure you've heard) were recorded May 10, 2008 at Orion.

Improvised jam that started the show:


This one is not an improvised jam despite the title (well, my bass part was always on the move every time we played this :D):


Bass used for the first song (March '73 4001), among many others in the show (the FG July '73 4001 on the stand behind me was used on "Mystic Jam", as well as other songs).
Jeff-MG 4001-800_4498.jpg


Some friends with me outside Orion after the show.
RRF-Friends-1200_4767.jpg
 
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#397
brianrost said:
I appreciate Bandcamp for what it is, but it's nothing like Spotify, Apple Music, Amaxon Music, Deezer, Tidal etc.

I do buy albums from Bandcamp. I like being able to audition them first.
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It may not have all the streaming bells and whistles of those other sites, but it is a 1000 times more fair to musicians and supportive of music. For the win, IMO.
 
#399
LBS-bass said:
I played there three or four times with the prog-fusion group I was in back in the late 90's. Somewhere I think I still have a recording of one of those shows stashed away here. That was a fun room for this kind of stuff.

Edit: I found a couple of tracks. Here's one of them. Everyone reading should know I'm NOT playing bass. I am the lead singer and vocal arranger and main lyricist in this band. I only wish I could play like this guy.
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Nice, that's a cool track. I love Orion Studios. Finally went there last year for the first time and saw Ensemble Volcanic Ash and Desertation Trio there. Went this year in the spring to see Karmic Juggernaut and We Used to Cut the Grass. Such a great vibe at that venue.

Luckily I have some good friends in Baltimore and they put me up, so I can make a weekend out of it, since I'm coming down from Toronto! So yes, I like progressive music, haha.
 
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#400
Neil Folkard said:
It may not have all the streaming bells and whistles of those other sites, but it is a 1000 times more fair to musicians and supportive of music. For the win, IMO.
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That doesn't matter if it doesn't have the music I want to listen to. I can't listen to the Beatles, Johnny Cash, Miles Davis or Captain Beefheart at Bandcamp, now can I? ;)

I do go to Bandcamp to audition music and I'll buy it if I like it.
 

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