Modern music's success

[Wojtek]

First of all radios, television is the completely different world, land of big money. Good for masses is not something good itself but something that can be sold in a best way. Therefore:
1. prog tracks are too long (there is not mainstream radio stations that plays >5 min tracks
2. prog tracks have too complex moods for the radio that needs mostly cheerful things

In general I think that in recent years the situation has changed in a positive way. A few years ago without Internet we had to listen and like what we had been served. Now we can search and choose. There is big boom for alternative music (I think prog as well). It doesn't mean that we're going to have prog back on top charts..no.. such times will be never again. But the fact is that more and more people are fed up with mainstream pulp. Internet, online shops allow you to not give a shit about this pulp and listen to the good music.

As for France. Well... some countries are better in football, in some there is tradition of for example great wines. So actually hardly anything does encounter similar success in different countries.

[Rick and Roll]

I'm not so sure it's not just as simple as there are more choices now.

I agree wholeheartedly about commercialism, etc. But too much blame is placed there. It doesn't matter what the product is, if the money is there someone will promote it.

To me, progressive music is more than a hobby. It's intense. And the average person cannot invest the time in that. So they look for the simple, the easy. People are busy. I don't think it's any great mystery.

A band like IQ is not a going concern. They are not a band that stays together. Most of their later work is recorded separately. So to expect sustained success is unrealistic. Marillion does well enough on their own. So did (does) Yes, etc.

Most bands are not making tons of money, even the commercial ones. There are as many commercial bands struggling as prog bands. really, how many really popular bands are there?

One thing that bodes well, is that there is a return back to basics with prog. Prog changed as all music did with bands like REM, etc that completely did away with guitar leads and any long songs. So prog tried to incorporate whatever flavor of the month to compensate. Recently, I've heard a ton of bands that sound like the 70's greats, with an updated sound. It's refreshing.

Finally, I think prog is rid of it's "snob mentality" (rightly or wrongly). I don't think I've heard the word "eclectic" at all in the last two years...that means Prog is infiltrating the airwaves.

Radio will always be the popular, the short-term. I see no reason to worry about Prog not being there.

[Elric68]

I agree with your opinion Woj, about radios, MTV, commercialism and about the improved situation in the last few years. I guess the invention of the compact disc is a problem too: musicians want to fill their discs, so either they put lots of tracks, either they record very long songs, in order to have a 70 minutes disc. That's where the length of prog songs appears, because progressive rock decides to use longer songs, which would not fit on a radio airing. But I noticed that the music that radios are playing is more various than a few years ago, and even sometimes include prog elements, which most of the people I know like. Though, when I want them to listen to prog, they do not want to compare that with the music they can hear on radios. Some of them won't even try and listen to prog.

I believe it's a fashion phenomenon: people like some artists because it's fashion, and so new artists make that kind of music because it's fashion, and so on and so on ...

[progdirjim(Admin)]

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

To me, progressive music is more than a hobby. It's intense. And the average person cannot invest the time in that. So they look for the simple, the easy. People are busy. I don't think it's any great mystery.

whoa, Rick with an insight! seriously, this is a good point not to be taken lightly.

Originally Posted by Elric68

Why did France choose to ignore this music while other countries like UK, USA or even Poland have lots of progressive rock bands and organize much progressive rock festivals ?

Elric, France has a HUGE prog scene, more than most countries. It's possible that the UK, USA, and Italy have more, but I'm not convinced. Think of Magma, Clearlight, Ange, Shylock, Priam, Xang, Heldon, Pulsar, Jean-Luc Ponty, Taal, Saens, Fugu, Hecenia, Alan Loo, Jean-Michel Jarre, Christian Decamps, Dun, Patrick Forgas, Eclat, Jean Claude Boffo, Edhels, Halloween, Minimum Vital, Tiemko, XII Alfonso, etc. WHEW, that's some of the best prog in the world....

[Elric68]

I agree Jim, but what I was saying was that these bands were totally unknown here in France. Only Ange and Magma are names that a few people know, but Xang, Maldoror, Clearlight, Halloween, are totally forgotten.

I've only met one French person that knows Halloween and Clearlight and he happens to be my father

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by Elric68

I agree Jim, but what I was saying was that these bands were totally unknown here in France. Only Ange and Magma are names that a few people know, but Xang, Maldoror, Clearlight, Halloween, are totally forgotten.

I've only met one French person that knows Halloween and Clearlight and he happens to be my father

If he's like my dad, he probably thought you meant "beer light"

I was chatting with a moonie from Detroit and i asked him about Discipline. Said he hadn't heard of them. It's everywhere Elric....