If Music Could Talk

Heston wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:17pm

Would Spirit of Radio by Rush be classified as Prog Rock? I love that one but hate Rush in general.

I would say they tried to transform themselves from prog to radio friendly rock and at some point to something even more awful.

revbob wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:30pm

BostonBeaneater wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:19pm

Heston wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:17pm

Would Spirit of Radio by Rush be classified as Prog Rock? I love that one but hate Rush in general.

Apropos of nothing, when I was going through a divorce I woke up next to a woman that looked like Geddy Lee and fled Quincy at top speed.

Yeah but could she play the bass?

Upright and recline.

BostonBeaneater wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:19pm

Heston wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:17pm

Would Spirit of Radio by Rush be classified as Prog Rock? I love that one but hate Rush in general.

Apropos of nothing, when I was going through a divorce I woke up next to a woman that looked like Geddy Lee and fled Quincy at top speed.

Whatever you were drinking the night before should be stricken off your list permanently. Like getting food poisoning and losing any interest in ever having that food again.

Also, I've told B that if we ever somehow adopt an ugly dog, I want to name him/her Geddy Lee. She has assured me that that will never ever happen.

Prog rankings:
1. Krautrock, really any and all
2. Discipline-era King Crimson
3. Italian stuff that sounds like a Dario Argento soundtrack
4. Other King Crimson
5. Pretty much any other music on earth that I don’t like more than Krautrock
6. Rush/Yes/Solo Rick Wakeman
7. ELP

I'm pretty confident (or should that be alarmed) that I could find plenty to like about ELP if I deigned to give them a proper chance. I only really know a couple including From The Beginning and a few more like it, I'd hvae no hesitation in calling myself a proper fan.

revbob wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:36pm

Heston wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:17pm

Would Spirit of Radio by Rush be classified as Prog Rock? I love that one but hate Rush in general.

I would say they tried to transform themselves from prog to radio friendly rock and at some point to something even more awful.

Um.. Spirit of Radio is not prog. Its also quite awesome. I'd say Rush were very easy to make fun of in the 70s, that they've definitely got 3 songs from 80-81 that are good or at least fun (Spirit of Radio, Tom Sawyer and Limelight) and that the "something even more awful" comment is a perfect description of them post-1982.

drowninghere wrote: ↑

18 May 2018, 10:49am

revbob wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:36pm

Heston wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 4:17pm

Would Spirit of Radio by Rush be classified as Prog Rock? I love that one but hate Rush in general.

I would say they tried to transform themselves from prog to radio friendly rock and at some point to something even more awful.

Um.. Spirit of Radio is not prog. Its also quite awesome. I'd say Rush were very easy to make fun of in the 70s, that they've definitely got 3 songs from 80-81 that are good or at least fun (Spirit of Radio, Tom Sawyer and Limelight) and that the "something even more awful" comment is a perfect description of them post-1982.

I really don't dislike Rush - but I'd say I'm a fan of their more "radio friendly" stuff. They were a long-winded prog band writing (in my opinion) boring songs revolving around science fiction - but they somewhere in the late 70's they learned to shorten the songs - make them more topical - tighten up the arrangements - and they learned to write some decent hooks. I still think Neil Peart can be a clunky lyricist - but he's seldom boring. I'm far from a Rush fanatic - but I don't mind certain portions of their career. A guilty pleasure all the way.

I wouldn't call ELO prog - Jeff Lynne was always too much of a pop geek to be truly prop (maybe their first LP with Roy Wood bordered on prog). Another guilty pleasure. Guy can write some catchy music.

I definitely need to up my Krautrock game, however - realizing I'm far from educated in that genre. Any recommendations of good places to start exploring?

WestwayKid wrote: ↑

18 May 2018, 10:57am

I definitely need to up my Krautrock game, however - realizing I'm far from educated in that genre. Any recommendations of good places to start exploring?

Hell yes! What have you heard?

If you like a solid groove, Neu!'s first album might be a good first listen (and great commute music). A lot of German progressive music (also called kosmische Musik or cosmic music) has more emphasis on (sometimes robotic) groove than the British stuff, and Neu! were pioneers of the so-called motorik groove. Can is a massive band for the genre and their albums Tago Mago and Ege Bamyasi are great. I assume you're familiar with Kraftwerk, but if you aren't, the Man-Machine is a good place to start, and follow that up with Trans-Europe Express. If you want a synthy drift through space, Tangerine Dream's Rubycon is a good one. If you like psychedelic jams, Amon Düül II will do the trick: if you want it wild and woolly, I'd go for Phallus Dei or Yeti. If you want a bit more structure, then Carnival of Babylon or Wolf City will do the trick. Popol Vuh's scores for Werner Herzog's films are some great mood music--I particularly like Nosferatu and Aguirre. From there, Brian Eno & Harmonia's stuff is pretty good, and C/Kluster is also worth a listen. La Düsseldorf is a sort of successor to Neu!.

Give me some input and I'll better tailor the recommendations. Also Wolter is a good source for recs.

eumaas wrote: ↑

18 May 2018, 11:26am

Give me some input and I'll better tailor the recommendations. Also Wolter is a good source for recs.

I'm actually very familiar with Kraftwerk. I like their entire catalog - but I have a fondness for their early recordings that still used a lot of "real" instruments. The crazy thing is that due to my compulsion to collect music - I have a few Can and Neu! albums - though I can't say I've ever really given them much of a chance...but I'm kind of psyched to start exploring!

It's a genre I haven't explored much. That being said, I like a handful of Rush songs and for a more modern example, I think there is a decent amount of great stuff from Mars Volta. Beyond that, the few Dream Theater songs I've heard have been terrible.

WestwayKid wrote: ↑

18 May 2018, 11:30am

eumaas wrote: ↑

18 May 2018, 11:26am

Give me some input and I'll better tailor the recommendations. Also Wolter is a good source for recs.

I'm actually very familiar with Kraftwerk. I like their entire catalog - but I have a fondness for their early recordings that still used a lot of "real" instruments. The crazy thing is that due to my compulsion to collect music - I have a few Can and Neu! albums - though I can't say I've ever really given them much of a chance...but I'm kind of psyched to start exploring!

Cool. Well, hit those Can and Neu! records and get back to me!

Wolter wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 7:44pm

Prog rankings:
1. Krautrock, really any and all
2. Discipline-era King Crimson
3. Italian stuff that sounds like a Dario Argento soundtrack
4. Other King Crimson
5. Pretty much any other music on earth that I don’t like more than Krautrock
6. Rush/Yes/Solo Rick Wakeman
7. ELP

This seems about right.

Flex wrote: ↑

18 May 2018, 12:29pm

Wolter wrote: ↑

17 May 2018, 7:44pm

Prog rankings:
1. Krautrock, really any and all
2. Discipline-era King Crimson
3. Italian stuff that sounds like a Dario Argento soundtrack
4. Other King Crimson
5. Pretty much any other music on earth that I don’t like more than Krautrock
6. Rush/Yes/Solo Rick Wakeman
7. ELP

This seems about right.

yeah I want to co-sign this