What The Prog?!

Progressive music. What is it exactly? Ask a dozen people and you'll get a dozen definitions. Ask a hundred, get a hundred. Why is that? Well, I think that, in part, it's because the music is progressive. Recursive logic? Progressive music is music that is progressive? Well yes, but what I mean is that if the music isn't evolving, in some form, then everyone would sound like Yes. Or ELP. Or The Beatles, for that matter. Or like early man banging a bone on a rock and liking the result. Of course, once he tosses it into the air, it will become a spacecraft -- talk about progression! Oh wait, that was 2001: A Space Odyssey, not reality.

Anyway! So, as a band expands the definition, the definition is expanded. Does that mean anything one person deems is progressive is automatically progressive? Not necessarily. And it also depends which envelope you're pushing. A lyricist who is exploring a topic not covered in music before might be progressive in one sense, but musically may be using the same "standard" rock structure that has persisted since the birth of rock 'n' roll and even before then. But wait, doesn't that suggest that rock 'n' roll, which was built on the blues is progressive in nature? Pushing an envelope? I mean, Dylan going electric was a shock to Dylan fans and saw him exploring his music. Progressing, you might say. Miles Davis might also qualify, yes? But, isn't he jazz? Well, yes. I'm talking about progressive MUSIC not just progressive rock. But you knew that.

Hmm ... now that I think about it (what I said up there) that brings us dangerously close to the "everything's progressive" definition. But it's not. And, if a band on their first album is deemed "progressive," if they explore a similar style of music on their second album, are they no longer progressive? Sure, if they are recreating their debut with a new name, yeh. I'd call that stagnation. More common I suppose in the world of Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. I mean, why mess with a formula that's makin' bucks, right? I still hope the threat of BS recording a Yes track was just that, b.s. I don't know if I could cope with teenyboppers singing "I see all good people turn their head…" with a "clever" dance move and hip shake. The image that sentence brings to mind makes me want to frelling puke! [Farscape fan? Why yes I am.]

Where is all this leading to, aside from running in circles? If it ain't progressive, is it bad? No. Should we not comment upon it – what ever "it" is -- because it doesn't fit into the widely narrow definition of progressive music? Oh, I'm not leading into saying we'll review every single release by every single label. Nor I am saying that you'll soon find that ProgressiveWorld.net is including reviews of Justin Timberlake because we like him (we don't) – though I now have a great deal of glee knowing that this site will turn up in a search for his name and may lead at least one person astray and discover the much more substantial delights to be found here [you read that, oh wanderer?]; of course, that very same person will more than likely click away sooner than you can say Mellotron. And, admittedly and sadly, the latter seems the more likely scenario [goodbye, wanderer; you'll never know what you're missing].

No, what my rambles are leading to is this: Yes. Yes, I'm aware that are a few reviews here that don't really fit into the progressive music category. Though I've not heard any complaints about this from you readers, so perhaps you either a) haven't been reading them and don't care, or b) knew that we knew they weren't prog, but thought you might be interested or c) have no idea what I'm talking about because you are still waiting for me to say Justin Timberlake again (whoo-hoo, that'll move us higher on the results page – maybe ------------ wait, wait. Don't get me wrong. We do just fine with out fooling folks into finding this site, 'tis just a joke. That JT fan is loooooooooong gone anyway; recall I used the word Mellotron in the same sentence above).

And it is that – that being non-prog stuff you might see here -- that I'd like to comment on. We don't include these "off topic" reviews willy-nilly. While The Ventures venture the furthest from prog, it is interesting to note that in the very same issue the review first appeared, a news item on Alan White also appeared, concerning his playing on a cruise this month with, yes, (no, not Yes), The Ventures - an all-star jam on one of the evenings. The items' dovetailing was totally coincidental. And no, it doesn't make The Ventures prog. They play surf music. I like surf music. I like all music – though I shy away from rap and pap as much as possible. Ted Nugent isn't prog either. And I don't like Ted Nugent, certainly not his politics – but you readers who like progressive metal, might also like metal and hard rock and might like Nugent – politics aside or no. So, I set aside my reservations.

The point? While we will review 90-something percent progressive music – not just rock, but ambient, electronic and metal forms (for example), too – there might be, on occasion, something that is "off topic." Eventually, they'll be sectioned off so you'll know right away what is considered by us to be "off topic." It won't happen overnight, though it easily could, and I don't see the section growing by leaps and bounds. But it will free some of us to explore, say, trad jazz and classical, which I know appeals at least to some of you out there -- I read your posts on RMP and Eprog. Bands that fall into a fuzzy area – some AOR, example, or some of the metal we've reviewed -- will appear as the "on topic" reviews do – in the Masterlist and in the reviewer's section.

And with that, in this issue we have reviews of Cher, Mariah Carey --- ha ha, no. Just kiddin'. Make that Luca Turilli (Rhapsody), Kamelot, Camel, Anglagard, Al-Bird, Sinister Street and more. And a few that would be "off topic," one that would likely appeal to fans of California Guitar Trio, the late Michael Houser (Widespread Panic). Enjoy.

Actually... I found the The Ventures perhaps venturing too far off... so uh... it didn't make the move from there ("old site") to here "new site" (and that was a while ago) .. but Keith's review is out there anyway as he's syndicated, so... it's not gone from the world forever, just this progressive world... (by the way, I added the title today...) -SS Sep 2011]

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Published on: 2003-02-11 (1584 reads)