Making Change is Making Progress...I Think...

I started this blog back in February of this year mainly as way to  post in the black hole of space what I believe and feel about music.  Now that the seasons have changed (twice), the nest is emptier by one, Detroit has gone bankrupt, and the government is probably reading this as I type, I feel like it is time to change direction with my "hobby."  My wife, who for some reason has stuck by me for almost 25 years and counting, has encouraged me to continue this blog every time I sit in front of my laptop...and my kids have also been an inspiration as I realize the influence (positive I stubbornly believe) I have had on their musical tastes and choices.  So today I take my writing in a different direction...

Anyone who has been following this blog can (or should be able to) tell that while I have a fairly wide range of likes in the music world my preference is for the progressive genre.  So moving forward I will attempt to review different bands, albums, and shows by progressive artists.  King Crimson will always be the gold standard for me; they still put out music that is light years ahead of what others are doing.  Robert Fripp seems to have an amazing ability to approach music the way  Bobby Fischer used to approach a chess match--six moves ahead of the competition.  However; old and new progressive artists other than King Crimson are out there and I believe it is time I broadened my horizons.  So if you, kind reader/listener will indulge me, I will begin a new journey that will enlighten, educate, and entertain us both.  Here we go...

Progressive music seems to fall into several subcategories; rock, metal, art, jazz, and bluegrass among them. The "progressive" label  has also been attached to any band releasing a song that lasts more than seven minutes...and like most things subjective and heavily laden with opinion, there are many bands listed in the annals of music as progressive that I do not necessarily agree with...and others that are not and I cannot understand why.

Talking to some people recently about music in general, I have discovered that what is considered progressive rock, or more specifically progressive metal, was called heavy metal or acid rock when I was a kid.  To clarify; I like Tony Iommi and Ritchie Blackmore, but I do not consider them progressive artists. They are what I would consider heavy metal rockers--and there is nothing wrong with that.  They are good at their craft but I would never put them in a class with Fripp, Belew, Hackett, Wilson, Satriani, or Petrucci.

There are many new and exciting bands that travel in the progressive lane and many mainstays that have been around awhile...some with large loyal followings and others with a fiercely loyal yet (relatively) small fan base.
This is the circle I want to cross into with this blog; re-visiting older and perhaps less "popular" bands and discovering new ones.  I think I have spent too much time in my comfort zone and now is the time to venture into the new world a bit.  I am hoping to awaken my senses and broaden my horizons, as well as grow a new appreciation for a style of music that for the most part has been ignored by corporate radio--which may not be  a bad thing.

So please keep tuning in...my goal is at least one post per week...more if I get the itch and the time.  In the meantime, enjoy the clip below.  I found a slew of these "Hitler Gets Angry" parodies on YouTube and they and they are extremely hilarious and well done.  But rest assured music is not dead...it just lies dormant waiting for the tranquilizers to run their course. I am hopeful that eventually the beauty that is progressive music will be appreciated by a better educated listener.  

Thanks for staying tuned and I hope you enjoy the ride.