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(Conversations) about music

Started by PH, Wed, 2013-07-03, 23:15:35

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PH

What do you tell 'them' when they ask you what kind of music you listen to?
'Them' referring to the unbelievers ;D, the ones whose eyes are yet to be opened for Progressive Rock. :P
Do you mention band names? Or will you try to explain the genre to 'them'?

My conversations are mostly something like this:

'Them': "Hey, what music do you like?"
Me: "I like a lot, but mostly I listen to music that's called Progressive Rock."
'Them': "What?"
Me: "Well, they used to call it Symphonic Rock. It was pretty popular in the 70's."
'Them': "Never heard of it."
Me: "Ever heard of Pink Floyd? Genesis?"
'Them': "Pink Floyd... I think so. Genesis? *hums chorus of Land Of Confusion* With Phil Collins right?"
Me: "Yeah..." :-\

Sometimes I try to explain that it's not only 'classic rock with keyboards', but that it covers all kinds of music, like metal, but also more ambient Vangelis kind of stuff.
But most of the time they are not even interested. :D
And when they are even just a little bit interested, I find it hard to explain it to them without playing something for them.

Do you evade these kind of conversations?
Do you feel it has an added value when you can share your music with other people? For example, do you play albums in front of other people (at home, or in the car) and what do you hope to achieve with it? Or do you crawl back and listen with headphones?
Do you ever wonder why music has such an important part in your life, while others don't seem to care?
Why?
Why not?
And in what colour?
Isn't it?

Nicky007

#1
Interesting, Paxi  8)

I think most people today know Pink Floyd and Queen, iac those over 30 y/o.

To me, progrock is everything from Lisa Gerrard to Zero Hour. "Progressive" means to me that the musicians are serious and really work with their music all the time.

I rarely talk with people about my prog. I may venture now and then, but if there is no genuine interest, then I change the subject.

In fact I rarely talk with Roomies about my music any longer, cuz my taste is so far from mainstream Room, and they show little interest  :-\

What's great is that I can share more music with Ms 007 now, even some Opeth-lite. And I meet with music friends at Copenhell and concerts as much as finances allow. That's what I've settled down to.

I don't feel any need to compete or fight with others about music any longer. Of course, if there's a Roomie who says something utterly dumb ....  ;)

- Nicky
So you've come of age
And so you want to meet God
Sure you can
He's right here next to me

Draco chimera

Interesting topic. Most of the time I describe it by saying it's hard to define, which is kind of confusing. But the truth is, what we call prog now encompasses so many different artists, I'm always wondering if it ought to be a genre in itself. Now obviously we can't make subgenres everytime a band makes something different, but it makes prog hard to define. I generally explain the basis of it - Genesis, Pink Floyd and everything, things they're likely to have heard of, and then introduce them to more rock/metal-oriented stuff, because it's mainly what I listened to when I was first introduced to prog (Arena, Pendragon and others).
Most of the job consists in teaching them (now that may be pretentious but I guess you'll get the idea) musical patience. I always feel like today people expect a certain format of songs, want the singer to start doing his thing in the first 30 seconds, otherwise they're like "is there a singer in that band?". They always expect things to happen right away, and it generally takes them some time to understand that this is not what prog is about. But once they're passed that, their interest for prog generally grows exponentially.
Let your conscience decide !

Teunis

Same 'problem' over here. When I've attended a prog gig, no one has ever heard of the bands (e.g. Arena, IQ, Gazpacho, Pendragon). Always say 'something like Marillion' (most of them know 'Kayleigh') or Genesis. When I playa track from the above mentioned groups, they even like it but that's it ;). Except for one colleague, who also likes prog, but bands I don't like that much (Rush, Jethro Tull). Well, he's got everything from Ayreon and that's cool 8).
'I will surrender my heart to the sky
Oh, our love doesn't end here, it lives forever on the wings of time'
-------------------------------------------------------
Toto - Wings of time (Kingdom of Desire)

Peter

Most of the time, I explain that what I listen to tends to be
a) all handmade
b) technically excellent
c) most vital: it leaves the common scheme of "verse, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, chorus, chorus...".

When they ask me what Bands there are, I answer that there are quite a lot, but it takes dedication to find the ones you really like, and that the fewest can be listened to while doing other stuff, but insted need to be listened to explicitly. If they're still interested I give them Porcupine Tree, Arena and Ayreon.
Arriving somewhere, but not here....

PH

Yes, I think Porcupine Tree might be the right band to introduce people to Prog. Accessible but heavy and proggy at times.

maddox

#6
Quote from: PH on Wed, 2013-07-03, 23:15:35
What do you tell 'them' when they ask you what kind of music you listen to?
'Them' referring to the unbelievers ;D, the ones whose eyes are yet to be opened for Progressive Rock. :P
Do you mention band names? Or will you try to explain the genre to 'them'?

Yes. I often do.
Actually...most of the time.  ::)

QuoteMy conversations are mostly something like this:

'Them': "Hey, what music do you like?"
Me: "I like a lot, but mostly I listen to music that's called Progressive Rock."
'Them': "What?"
Me: "Well, they used to call it Symphonic Rock. It was pretty popular in the 70's."
'Them': "Never heard of it."
Me: "Ever heard of Pink Floyd? Genesis?"
'Them': "Pink Floyd... I think so. Genesis? *hums chorus of Land Of Confusion* With Phil Collins right?"
Me: "Yeah..." :-\

Could be my reaction as well. ;)
I sometimes wear band-shirts at work, and a while back I wore on of ... tata Arena (with the six album covers on it) and one colleague asked me who they are, what kind of music etc etc.
Like you stated above, I tried to explain that it was somewhat related to Genesis, and encouraged him to take a listen on youtube, with words like Lion's Cage and The visitor as a referential.
The morning after he said to me; man, what were you saying? It has nothing to do with Genesis whatsoever!!!

I replied with ... that's only because you're an infidel. ;)

Explained him that it was neo-prog, which started in the late seventies, early eighties in answer to bands like Genesis but with a more song-based style of music, a bit easier to manage.
That didn't really convinced him.

I'm always amazed, and not in a funny way, how people start to stereotype this kind of music. Or metal.
They only see guitars, and hear the sound and think that they know it all.
Quite shortsighted and although I try my best, not everybody can be convinced otherwise.
Unfortunately.

QuoteSometimes I try to explain that it's not only 'classic rock with keyboards', but that it covers all kinds of music, like metal, but also more ambient Vangelis kind of stuff.
But most of the time they are not even interested. :D

Because of the stereotype. ;)
They can't let go of their prejudice towards some kind of music that they don't understand.

QuoteAnd when they are even just a little bit interested, I find it hard to explain it to them without playing something for them.

That's why I never say to them that it's 'like Genesis, Pink Floyd and such' alone.
I encourage them to listen to the music and afterwards explain what's it all about.
True, that works better with people who actually listen to heavy metal or metal than the 'infidel'. ;)

QuoteDo you evade these kind of conversations?

Absolutely!
But not only because of discussion.
It's also because I have a vocal thingy that's isn't in my advantage, so to say. ;)

QuoteDo you feel it has an added value when you can share your music with other people? For example, do you play albums in front of other people (at home, or in the car) and what do you hope to achieve with it? Or do you crawl back and listen with headphones?

Yes I really do.
Though it wasn't successful thus far.
Usually it only works with people who listen to (classic) rock, heavy metal etc in the first place and are open-minded to broaden their horizon.

QuoteDo you ever wonder why music has such an important part in your life, while others don't seem to care?

Almost constantly.
Ever since I was a kid, music became a refuge so to say, to escape some issues my family had in the past.
To be honest, my youth wasn't sadly enough a pleasant one, and although my parents did their best and even gave my brother and me almost everything they, literally (due to certain circumstances my parents were quite poor), could pay for, problems were a part of our life.
It's because of the music, I kept my mind straight, and it helped me to deal with things in later life.
Without music, I think I would probably loose it.

QuoteWhy?

See above. ;)
QuoteWhy not?

Ehm...


Hope it helped a bit. ;)
Cause of Injury: Lack of Adhesive Ducks.

Nicky007

#7
Quote from: maddox on Sat, 2013-07-06, 22:02:52
Ever since I was a kid, music became a refuge so to say, to escape some issues my family had in the past.
To be honest, my youth wasn't sadly enough a pleasant one ....

Nice, Mad, Thanx for sharing. I can recognise a lotta that  :)

Quote
Hope it helped a bit. ;)

Yes, my back is a little less stiff  ;)

In human encounters, I really have to get some clear positive response on my openings on music before I go on. There's hardly any other field where pride and prejudice set up up such strong barriers as in music.

- Nicky
So you've come of age
And so you want to meet God
Sure you can
He's right here next to me

Draco chimera

#8
Quote from: PH on Wed, 2013-07-03, 23:15:35
Do you evade these kind of conversations?
Do you feel it has an added value when you can share your music with other people? For example, do you play albums in front of other people (at home, or in the car) and what do you hope to achieve with it? Or do you crawl back and listen with headphones?
Do you ever wonder why music has such an important part in your life, while others don't seem to care?
Why?
Why not?
And in what colour?
Isn't it?
As said above, many people have strong prejudice towards prog or other kinds of music. I always like to share music with people. My dad introduced me to prog, my friends to yet other things, and I as well introduce them to prog and stuff I listen to. Most of the time, I don't convince them with words, I just let the music play. When they ask 'what are we listening to right now?' then I start talking about it, because I know they're interested. If they're not, I won't try to convince them unless it's really a band that reaches out to me and I believe the feelings I get when listening to the artist have to be shared with the people next to me. Musical tastes are very personnal, so I don't always try to convince people to show interest for what I listen to. I don't enjoy doing that with very skeptical people, because it makes me feel like I'm saying "I'm right, you're wrong, I have good taste and you don't". Makes me sound arrogant, and I'm certainly not trying to prove anything. I just want to share with whoever is willing to.
Let your conscience decide !

Iggy

I am quite lucky I guess as my best mate at work is really open to new music and he is now my gig buddy.

We have seen Anathema, Transatlantic, Gazpacho, Steven Wilson, Blackfield, Arena, Ian Anderson and he has loved most of the gigs. Bizarrely enough I think Transatlantic have been his favourite.

Another Woman at work has been to see Arena with us as well.

It is mostly the usual though, as stated above though they ask you say and they say what is that?

keyboardistmatt

I usually say "rock and metal" because it generally covers everything. I don't see much point in dividing it into sub-genres unless I'm talking to somebody who knows and understands what is being said. So many people don't seem to understand the whole Progressive thing, and some never heard of it!
Most Prog bands seem to avoid the 'Prog' label wherever possible, so trying to explain a genre that some ~great~ bands seem to distance themselves from seems all but pointless.  :(

And it makes me sad, guys. It makes me very sad.
...Is this just a dream I'm in?

~~Drallion official Facebook page:~~
www.facebook.com/DrallionOfficial

<- Click the planet to go to Twitter @Keyboardistmatt

Nicky007

#11
It's probably always been like that, Matt: only few people work things out for themselves. And in our times, that's particularly the case with rock. So the flock follows straightforward stuff like Coldplay, at best something a bit prog like Muse. Few get to cutting-edge music.

As to "prog", it's a quality mark in our circles. Something that's prog is worth spending time on, even when it doesn't come entirely home with one.

Dream Theater call themselves a "progrock" group. All their fans know what it means.

And yes, one should be cautious about the many subgenre designations. However, if somebody says "melodic progmetal with intelligent lyrics", then I prick up my ears (not vice-versa :P ), while if they say "gothic" or "doom", then I'm likely to skim over it.

- Nicky
So you've come of age
And so you want to meet God
Sure you can
He's right here next to me

keyboardistmatt

So you prefer bit of a description of music than just a 'label' - is that right? I still respond to a sub-genre label, personally.
I like lots of music so for example, when some one said to me a couple years ago
"Hey Matt, have you heard Candlemass? They're a doom band..." I kind of knew what to expect.
Incidentally, Candlemass are quite good.

One of the first questions I ask people that I meet is what kind of music they like. Not for any judgemental reason, but to see what else I can listen to that I might like.

Music is an enormous part of my existence, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 8)
...Is this just a dream I'm in?

~~Drallion official Facebook page:~~
www.facebook.com/DrallionOfficial

<- Click the planet to go to Twitter @Keyboardistmatt

PH

Quote from: keyboardistmatt on Sun, 2014-04-06, 19:40:54
One of the first questions I ask people that I meet is what kind of music they like. Not for any judgemental reason, but to see what else I can listen to that I might like.

Music is an enormous part of my existence, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 8)

Same here!

Nicky007

#14
Quote from: keyboardistmatt on Sun, 2014-04-06, 19:40:54
Not for any judgemental reason

I think that's very important, Matt. It's something that all of us have to learn the hard way, cuz we can get so excited about our music. But in the last end, each human is a universe of their own, with their particular taste in music, and in everything else.

Quote
but to see what else I can listen to that I might like.

I have made very much use of recoms, by Roomies and many others, and thus I think I'v been around quite a lot. I think I have some 2000 groups that I'm more or less familiar with. Just check up my LP, the're over 1000 groups there :)

Quote
Music is an enormous part of my existence, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 8)

Same here, man *horns*

Quote
So you prefer bit of a description of music rather than just a 'label' ... I kind of knew what to expect.

You describe exactly my attitude, Matt :)

Quote
Incidentally, Candlemass are quite good.

Yeah, I like'm, but not to pantheon level. I like some doom, but not an entire album, then it gets a bit too monotonous.

E.g. Sagoth have some delicious doom, but they have everything else too.

Quote
One of the first questions I ask people that I meet is what kind of music they like.

Yeah, we're nerds, aint we 8)

- Nicky
So you've come of age
And so you want to meet God
Sure you can
He's right here next to me