Prog Rock Pick of the Day

How the Internet Saved Prog, Part II

2005-08-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

How did we prog fans find out about things before say, 1995? Word of mouth, newsletters... the usual. And this worked. Word of mouth is powerful, but it's even more so when the word can be spread far and wide, and quickly at that.

It was sometime in 1994 that I first became aware of the World Wide Web, but by '95 it was catching on, or so it seemed. As more and more web sites propagated, and search engines appeared on the scene, it wasn't long before I began seeking out progressive rock info.

And I found it--lots of it. Especially email lists. Now here in Rochester, NY, there are a fair number of Marillion fans, but seeing so many more fans online was very heartening. There's a great power in a tool which allows many like-minded people to communicate quickly and efficiently, bridging global distances.

And so it was that in 1997, one fan had an idea to "take up a collection" to enable Marillion to come to North America. The result was known as "The Tour Fund" and was a wonderful success. They even played right here in Rochester, the show of which was used for "The Tour Fund CD" which was given to those of us who'd donated money to the effort. You can read all about that here.

The mid-90's, with the rise of the web, really helped reinvigorate prog in my opinion. I knew what was happening as quickly as the information could be put out.

I clued into another little internet revolution in late 1997: file sharing. The scene as I first encountered it involved trading of bootlegs, almost exclusively. And this is my thought about bootlegs: bands should allow the free trading of them, and not get upset about it. Why? Well, the people who tend to want bootlegs in the first place are we, the rabid fans. If we're rabid fans, then we have already purchased every legitimate product the artist has put out there. So how exactly is this taking money away from them? I'd still love to hear a rational, logical explanation of this if anyone cares to enlighten me.

And so I began collecting MP3's of my favorite bands bootlegs via FTP servers and later, by IRC, which was cumbersome to use. And then we come to 1999, and a little program called Napster.

I wasn't an early Napster user. But once I got on board, the world of prog transformed for me. But before I explain how, I need to clarify my tastes a bit.

As I had stated in earlier posts, I got into the "Big 6" prog bands. And I did not stray a whole lot from that. Sure, I liked Marillion and other bands that were lesser-known, but the one thing that was common to this all was that they were English language bands. Pretty much from the UK. Nice and safe.

Back to the Napster thing. One of the aspects of the program was the instant messaging feature. This was the breakthrough for me. I was sharing a small collection of prog bootlegs, and over time, strangers would pop up on my screen, asking what bands I liked, or complimenting my taste. I met many interesting people from all over the world who urged me to open my eyes and ears to non-English prog. How could I not know about Le Orme and PFM? Because they sung in Italian, that's why.

I can be pretty resistant to change, especially if somebody is trying to force something on me. But left to my own, I can also be open-minded. And here were a bunch of people sharing studio albums, in MP3 format, easily downloaded over several days (with a 56K modem, of course).

I sampled. And once I liked something, inevitably I would have to seek out that album on CD. I won't claim to have purchased every CD for the MP3's that I had, especially since much of it was not under the RIAA, and some was out of print. I was not looking to break laws here, just to easily hear music that otherwise would be difficult to find.

Point is, this opened the floodgates for me. And more and more resources became available, such as the Gibraltar Encylopedia of Progressive Rock. A friend of mine from college days also was experiencing the same awakening, perhaps in small part to my influence (or so I'd like to think!)

Why did it take me so long to come around to all of this wonderful music? Mostly it was my closed mind. But also, I didn't know people back in the late 80's who were saying, "Hey, check out this band from Brazil, you'll love it!" Just didn't happen.

So where are we today? We have a handful of yearly prog festivals with bands from all over the world getting to play for appreciative crowds. Bands able to keep going because they have a direct line to the fanbase. Bands that lay dormant for decades reforming, because they now know the interest is there for them.

But still we get made fun of for loving this music. Gotta love the internet!

How the Internet Saved Prog, Part I

2005-07-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

For me, music tends towards being a solitary pursuit. Let me explain. When I listen to music, it's typically by myself, at home or in the car. If I'm around others, often I'm listening to music with headphones, so as not to disturb anyone, particularly with my prog. So, while music can be a wonderful, communal, bonding experience--most of the time it isn't.

And that's OK. It doesn't particularly bother me that I'm not listening to some classic or brand new prog with others. It's not especially the kind of music that lends itself to that very often. And when I do need the social, mass enjoyment, there are now prog festivals, such as the one I'm off to see in just a couple of days (Nearfest 2005).

Funny thing is, as I started my exposure to prog, a lot of it was in the presence of friends, as I was in college at the time. Much of this classic prog, if you will, was being played on the "regular" rock stations of the day. It was in this way that I gradually heard the "Big Six" prog bands (Genesis, Yes, ELP, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Jethro Tull). Mind you, what I heard was not always the best sampling from each band, but it was a start!

As I mentioned in my first post, Genesis started it all for me. I'd like to say that it was "Foxtrot," "Selling England," or even "The Lamb" that first hooked me...But that would be a lie. No, in fact I first came to like 1983's eponymous Genesis album, you know the one with the Fisher Price baby shapes on it, or the "Mama" album if you prefer.

Looking back on that album through my 2005 eyes, I wince a little that I was so enamored of the album, as it now seems bland in comparison to prog I've heard since. But I had to start somewhere!

Also, I actually heard some prog in high school, at least by osmosis. You see, I lived in two worlds at school. My primary world was that of the computer geeks, who tend to like prog in the first place. Secondly, I was a track and cross country runner, and in that circle, too, were some prog fans (especially fond of Rush, they were).

One friend in particular listened to lots of Genesis, and I must credit him for it rubbing off on me a bit. That would be Jim Dose. He and I spent much time debating the merits and shortcomings of the Apple ][, Commodore 64, and Atari 800, when we weren't hacking the VAX PDP-11 and Data General systems. I thought that Jim might one day be in a prog band, but instead now programs computer games for a company called id Software. He worked on an obscure titled called "Doom 3" or something, which maybe a couple of you have heard of...

Would I still have discovered prog without Jim's help? Probably. But the point is that back in 1985, friends or word-of-mouth was an important means of spreading the prog word. A mere ten years after, things would change radically!

Thoughts on NEARfest 2005

2005-07-12T21:13:00.002-07:00

WARNING: Very lengthy post ahead!

I've returned from two full days and one evening filled with live prog, and wow am I tired!

So, whether you went to Nearfest '05 or not, here are my thoughts. I fully expect those that were there to disagree with things I say!

Along with my prog friend Ted, this was our second festival after attending RoSfest. This made up for not going to anything in 2004. And we were both happy to be returning to Bethlehem, PA, instead of Trenton, NJ (a location I didn't like at all).

After an almost six hour drive from Rochester, we checked into the hotel and made our way to the Zoellner Arts Center, anxiously anticipating Proto-Kaw and PFM. This Friday night pre-show was a main draw for me at this particular Nearfest. Part of skipping last year was that the lineup simply wasn't appealing enough to me. (That, and 2004 was a rough year for me personally, so it was just as well.)

It had been four years since Nearfest 2001 (my first), and it felt good to be back. So, let's get into it, shall we?

Proto-Kaw. I have their latest CD "Before Became After" and I like it well enough. I am a fan of Kansas, particularly of the early period from the first album up through "Monolith." I had seen them live, but of course without Kerry Livgren, whose work I do enjoy. I was eager to hear this "alternate" Kansas.

They did suffer a bit of the "first band syndrome." The sound seemed a bit off, at least from my vantage point, which was dead center, row Q (almost all the way in the back of the main level). This problem didn't last long, and things began to get better and better. I enjoyed the show quite a bit, and from what I could determine, so did much of the crowd.

After the show, I heard many mixed reviews, however, including some people that were just downright mean. I guess it's like they say about opinions... everybody's got one! I liked them a lot, but it didn't blow me away. Overall, a good start! Perceived crowd reaction: mixed.

PFM. Now this was a biggie for me. If memory serves, PFM was supposed to headline the 2001 show, and had to cancel due to someone's broken finger or something. But they were here now, and that's all that mattered.

The amount of energy these guys put out was amazing! And thankfully, they stuck to the good old stuff we all wanted to hear. Better still, we didn't get the inferior English versions of some songs (well, for the most part, anyway... E Festa vs. Celebration, for example.)

Their setlist was awesome, the musicianship perfect, and the energy that was put out to us we returned in kind. It was a wonderful thing to be a part of, and it will forever be a favorite show of mine. Perceived crowd reaction: extremely positive!

Day 1, Vendor Rooms. We made sure to be there the two hours before the first act to maximize shopping time in the vendor rooms. Everything I love and hate about them was much the same. When it's not too crowded, it's great. You can chat with the vendors, ask for recommendations, and generally commune with like-minded prog fans. But once it gets crowded, well... I'm not happy. Pushing, shoving, arms crossing over you impatiently--you know, the general rudeness stemming from deficient social skills that is so prevalent amongst us prog geeks. Not everybody, of course, just those few that make you nuts...

I made a nice first round of purchases, keeping to a budget, and found my way to the Glass Hammer table, who were promoting their new CD, "The Inconsolable Secret." With a new logo and cover by the one and only Roger Dean, I was excited to get this disc. Much to my delight, I was able to chat at length with GH's Steve Babb and the lovely Bethany Warren. Fred was elsewhere, so I had to catch up with him later.

It was wonderful to just talk music with artists I admire. As you'll hear me say again and again, this is one of the best perks of being a prog fan. I mean, go to a U2 show, and see how easy it is for you to chat up Bono or The Edge. Accessibility.

Band #1: Wobbler. I thought this band should have been from Australia, and not Norway as they are. Because then we could say in a thick accent, "Hey, let's go see Wobbla, mate!"

This band was very sufficiently hyped to us, and I must say, Wobbler lived up to it. It had that Anglagard-y, White Willow-esqe moody sound that I enjoy so much. Bits like Gentle Giant. Other bits like ELP. Great stuff! Perceived crowd reaction: very positive.

Band #2: Frogg Cafe. I have one of their CDs, and knew that they had a Frank Zappa style, so I figured it would be good fun, and to me it was. Not my all-time favorite prog style, but these guys are quite talented, had a great stage presence, and went over very well. Perceived crowd reaction: positive.

Artist #3: Steve Roach. Ahh, this is difficult. I don't want to bash on anybody. But I have to be honest to you the reader, as you're reading this to compare my opinions with your own (if you were there), or to get a vibe of what one prog fan thought. I don't like ambient electronic music. And that's what this was.

Mr. Roach was what I term a "polarizer." Didn't seem to be any middle ground, you either liked or you hated his performance. Since this was a short set (45 minutes), a lot of people just didn't show up for it. And during the show, small pockets of people got up and left. Those that stayed must have enjoyed it. To use a favorite prog cliche, it was not my cup of tea. Perceived crowd reaction: split.

Band #4: Present. Being that they're from Belgium, the name is pronounced "prez-ahnt." My friend Ted was anxious for this one, and predicted that I would not enjoy it. He was right. I very much did not like this show. Not my cup of tea. (There it is again!) I found the music to be a little TOO dark, and seemed to take a very long time to build up to something, accomplishing the build up through extremely repetitive themes. This being said, I regard them as talented musicians, and the drummer was especially compelling, drumming with Barbie dolls (!) and giant plastic scissors, amongst other things. And then at the end, we had "PIPE-MAN!" This is what I decided to call him--a bald, shirtless, body-painted figure appearing on the stage with a long metal pipe, which he beat into submission, literally! In steady time, he beat the pipe, eventually to the ground. Very very weird, but semi-entertaining. It at least distracted me for a bit, and gave me something else to focus my dislike upon. I now understand the principle of water torture (the slow dripping of water onto one's forehead).

During the show, noticeable chunks of the audience would get up and leave after a song's completion. This was very obvious from my vantage point. Fortunately, I don't think the band had any idea. Also, the majority (who stayed) seemed to really really enjoy the show. This is the beauty of NEARfest: there's something there for all of us. This band proved the point. Perceived crowd reaction: SPLIT, big time.

Dinner Break. We had decided we wanted to go to the Bethlehem Brew Works, a popular spot for hungry (and thirsty) prog fans. Parking: difficult. Wait time: lengthy. Food/drink: very good!
We waited a long time for our table, only to discover they conveniently forgot to put us on the list. Nice. And did nothing to compensate for it. Oh, well.

While waiting, we met a group of attendees who loved, loved, LOVED Present's set. When asked my opinion, I answered truthfully and was chastized for my ignorance. We prog fans sure can be snobby, no?

Amusing background activity while eating: the members of PFM dining next to us with famed Genesis artist Paul Whitehead, all of whom were laughing and carrying on.

Band #5: IQ. I was very much looking forward to this one, as IQ is one of the big UK so-called neo-prog bands. They were the first repeat band at NEARfest (yay!), and I hadn't gone to NEARfest 1, and was glad to see them. Performing lots of material from their latest CD "Dark Matter," it was a very entertaining set. The only odd thing was the performance of the song "Harvest of Souls." Singer Peter Nicholls made a point that it was not an anti-America song, as some claim. Well, having the CD, I'd heard the song twice, and hadn't made up my mind. But with the multimedia presentation behind this live performance of the song, I found myself saying "HOW is this NOT an anti-America song?" After all, it seemed we were being painted as warmongering, selfish, conspicuous consumers who are revered by all the rest of the world. Politics aside, it's a great song, and fits into the "epic" mold we prog fans love so much.

A great close to the first night, even though things ran a bit late. IQ lived up to my expectations nicely. Perceived crowd reaction: very positive.

DAY 2, Vendor Rooms again... Got there at about 10:00 AM, and it was already crowded. My patience wears thin quickly when competing for room at the tables. So I took the opportunity to quickly familiarize myself with Glass Hammer's new album, so that I could comment on it to Steve and Fred. I did get through the first CD, and a bit of the second, and it seemed like more fantastic stuff from the GH gang.

Band #6: Knight Area. A proclamation from this band's label said it would appeal to fans of "Camel, Pendragon, Genesis, and IQ." That's a lot to live up to!

Overall, I did very much enjoy this performance, having no knowledge of it beforehand. It was indeed the kind of prog I like, and I'm looking forward to hearing more from this band.

A number of fans obviously had a late night and didn't make it for this show, but those that did seemed to enjoy it. Perceived crowd reaction: positive.

Band #7: The Muffins. I just didn't like this one bit. And I wasn't alone. I thought I witnessed a big exodus for Present, but this topped it. Again, pockets of people bailed on this one, and quickly. After each song, it was another five here, another five or so there. I was determined to make it through, but it was difficult. And I generally like horn sections, but this band didn't do it for me. Perceived crowd reaction: split.

Artist #8: Matthew Parmenter. This had to be the first music/comedy act I'd ever seen at a NEARfest. Scheduled for a 30 minute set, I didn't know what to expect. Just as long as it wasn't ambient electronica. It wasn't. Mr. Parmenter showed up on stage in mime makeup, and played the keyboard and later the acoustic guitar. It was weird, eccentric, and funny. Was I entertained? Oddly, yes. The jokes went a long way with me, and the time flew. Perceived crowd reaction: amused and mostly positive.

Band #9: Kenso. One word: WOW! I had never heard these guys, and we were told it took four years to get them to NEARfest (that's one long flight!). But seriously, they took command of the crowd, and never let go. To me this was the surprise hit of the festival. There were lots of little inside jokes and references both spoken and musical: "I'm cry-ing," (from I Am the Walrus), "Saturday in the Park" piano intro, and the beginning of "We're an American Band" to name just a few... Half the fun was listening to the strained English of the guitarist, who was just so darned likable! This band had incredible energy, not unlike PFM, and it really felt like we were all along for a fun and wild ride that ended much too soon. Perceived crowd reaction: overwhelmingly positive!

Band #10/Headliner: Le Orme. THIS was the band I was here to see. Le Orme were to have played years ago, but it didn't work out. The details of that situation I won't go into here. I was just happy that all was well now.

Kicking off the show with much of their new album "L'Infinito," I was happy to now have seen all of the "Big Three" Italian Prog bands. But, I thought that it was a slow start, and didn't seem to grab those in the crowd who were unfamiliar with the material. Although it was the first time I'd seen a sitar being played live...

The second two-thirds of the show were much, much better. Singer Aldo Tagliapietra said he knew we were here "for the music of the 70's." and that's what we got! Performing much of "Uomo Di Pezza" and the classic "Felona e Serona," everyone seemed into the show.

Running well past midnight, things finally finished up with a rousing version of "Rondo," and yet another NEARfest came to a close.

Parting Thoughts. Great to be back in Bethlehem again. Good to see friends made recently over the past few years. Had wonderful conversations with Glass Hammer and Echolyn, so the fanboy in me was happy. Fun being around Annie Haslam and witnessing obsessive Renaissance fan behavior. Paul Whitehead photographing my friend's Genesis shirt for being a copyright infringement, as it contained elements of his artwork... (I have the same shirt at home, purchased AT the show in Syracuse in 1992 from the official vendors! Gorgeous weather outside. A bizarre Don Quixote-thing going on in the streets (what WAS that?) Gentle Giant's Gary Green (four G's!) dashing our hopes for a reunion (reconsider, Gary!) And altogether too much money dropped on prog CDs... Whew!

And to all of you: if you read this far, thanks for hanging in there!

- Mark

It Was (Almost) 20 Years Ago Today...

2005-07-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Mark, and this is a Progressive Rock blog. As is customary, I'll tell you how I came to love prog rock, hopefully without boring you too much.

I arrived as a freshman at the Rochester Institute of Technology in September 1985. Almost autumn in Western New York. There was music in the air... lots of crappy music, that is. The #1 single of November '85? Starship's "We Built This City." It was a given to hear that song at least twice a day, mostly in the RIT dining hall "Gracie's." Remembering that now makes my ears bleed just a little.

I was not someone you'd identify as a music fan. In fact, I looked like (and was) a computer nerd. Rock was something of a taboo to me. Dad said rock was evil and filthy. At church, we were taught that listening to such "music" was spiritually risky. I vividly remember Wednesday night youth group meetings where the pastors would hold up vinyl(!) record sleeves, pointing out pentagrams, goat's heads, 666's, and other scary occultic images on the cover art. Ooh, look! There's Anton LaVey on the balcony of the Hotel California! AC/DC have devil horns growing out of their heads! Women with hardly any clothes on, provoking lustful thoughts! We HAD to be protected from this.

And they played for us recordings of backwards-masked satanic messages hidden in Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," Jefferson Starship's "A Child is Coming," ELO's "Eldorado" and others. It was suitably eerie, trust me.

So, anyhow, I'm at college, and free to do what I want. I enter my "rebellious" phase. Alcohol. Girls. Rock. Dorm pranks. Oh, and occasionally attending classes.

Finally I could listen to music without too much guilt! The music that I did have was mostly church-friendly; things like Steve Taylor's "Meltdown," Petra's "Beat the System," and DeGarmo & Key's "Commander Sozo and the Charge of the Light Brigade." How many of you have heard of any of THOSE?

I had very little "secular" music. I had: U2's "The Unforgettable Fire," The Miami Vice Soundtrack, and Mr. Mister's "Welcome to the Real World," which a friend had given me. Go ahead and laugh. And one non-music tape: George Carlin Live at Carnegie Hall, complete with that mammoth list of swear words. Was I conflicted much?

Now let me tell you about my roommates and dormmates... I was tripled in a small room with Chad and Frank. Chad liked AC/DC, Triumph, Iron Maiden, The Scorpions...you get the idea. Frank liked those too, but also liked Night Ranger and Bryan Adams. Then there was Will from down the hall, who insisted that UFO was the "sickest" band ever, and that Michael Schenker was the all-time best guitarist, period.

For me, my prog rock fascination began in those crazy days of late '85, notable for being a very un-proggy time in the music industry. Yes, I know about neo-prog, and I love much of it. But it wasn't really mainstream at the time, with the notable exception of Marillion's "Misplaced Childhood."

So, I keep getting asked what bands I like, and I just don't have an answer. I kept hearing Genesis being played on the local classic rock station 96.5 WCMF, and quickly decided that they were the band I liked. Never mind that I was unaware of their best work!

As I was exposed to more and more classic prog, I began to notice that there were some obvious differences between it and "regular" rock and pop. For example, rock and pop songs seemed to focus on concepts like:

Baby, you're really hot and I want you so bad
Baby, I'm so glad I've got you, and I'm really happy, but also scared you'll leave
Baby, you left me/broke my heart and now I'm whining about it in this song

Whereas prog songs were pretty much about anything else. And it wasn't long before I knew what I liked...