Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site reed.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!tektronix!reed!soren From: soren@reed.UUCP (Soren Petersen) Newsgroups: net.music Subject: Re: progressive rock mavens Message-ID: <2116@reed.UUCP> Date: Thu, 7-Nov-85 02:19:41 EST Article-I.D.: reed.2116 Posted: Thu Nov 7 02:19:41 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 8-Nov-85 02:04:21 EST References: <866@decwrl.UUCP> <527@scirtp.UUCP> <2000@pyuxd.UUCP> <1640@uwmacc.UUCP> Reply-To: soren@reed.UUCP (Soren Petersen) Distribution: na Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon Lines: 75 Keywords: Yes taste Summary: >In article <2000@pyuxd.UUCP> rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) writes: > > Used to listen to a lot, pre-college days (ca. 1976): > Yes, Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep. > > Listened to a lot in college (1977-1980): > Yes, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rush, Todd Rundgren, ELP, Johnny Winter, > Peter Gabriel, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Camel. > > Listen to a lot since college: > King Crimson, XTC, Brand X, Warren Zevon, Beatles, Todd Rundgren, > Johnny Winter, Peter Gabriel, various guitar albums like Fripp & > Summers' two LPs. > > Since I also am intrigued by musical taste and how it changes, I wouldn't >mind seeing more discussion on this topic. > - Joel Plutchak > {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!oyster >Can you say "opinion"? I *knew* you could! Here, anyway, is my list. The Stone Age Beatles, Rolling Stones, ELO, Doors, "San Francisco bands"(Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messanger Service, etc.), Monkees. . . The Iron Age Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, The Who, Steely Dan. . . Recent All the new stuff, currently Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Smiths, Lloyd Cole & the Commotions, Husker Du, "Paisley Underground (Three O'Clock, Rain Parade, Green On Red, Bangles, etc.)" R.E.M., X, New Order,[I could keep this up all night]. . . As for change of taste, I started out listening only to the Beatles, then to people mentioned in books about the Beatles, the rest, as they say, is history. For a couple years in high school I got really into listening to stuff with headphones in rooms with just enough light to ponder the lyric sheet, but that got old after a while (especially because, even then, I still couldn't figure what the hell they were talking about). The sudden big change, came about when New Muzik (remember the Human League, and Soft Cell, and "Sweet Dreams", and. . .) and MTV hit the cover of Time and Newsweek and I realized that music could be coming out in the present and still be good. As for what I used to like, I hardly ever listen to any of the Progressive stuff I used to listen to except maybe the occasional Yes Album. I don't play the Beatles or the Doors much, but that's because I know them so well. I don't listen to ELO at all (I only did in the first place because someone said they sound like the Beatles), however I do like the Monkees a lot, and one reason I like Paisley Underground groups is because they sound so much like what I used to listen to. . . It is interesting how tastes change. I appear to have gone full circle in a lot of ways, from listenning to nothing but pop, to being contemptuous of the very idea of commercialism, to my current respect for good pop well done which netpeople, as a rule, tend to dismiss overly quickly to their loss. I stopped being very interested in Progressive music largely because it didn't really mean much to me, personally. Vague obscurities about the human condition are all very well, but to me anyway, aren't as interesting as specific examples of human conditions which I can in some way relate to on a personal experience. "Girl Afraid"(the Smiths) a simple two-minute song about a failed pick-up packs more insight into humanity then all two records of *Tales Of Topographic Oceans.* There are, of course exceptions, *Aqualung* for example, but as a rule, most Progressive music is esoteric garbage, no matter how pure the motives of the people involve, while some of the most commercial stuff around (The Squeeze, for instance), is artistically and emotionally satisfying. In other words, don't knock them just because they want people to understand them. Have a Nice Day Soren Petersen