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Me? Rant? Never!What am I talking about? Well, if you heard last Saturday’s show then you will know that I was at odds, which is me being polite, with a certain rock magazine called Kerrang. Don’t get me wrong, I like the magazine and believe that they normally produce good work and we, my wife and I, buy it quite often. However, they produced a one page article in the last issue all about understanding a particular musical genre. As you have probably already worked out knowing me, this was about progressive rock. Now, my beef is with that article only. In particular, it was about the author’s exiguous knowledge on the subject, yet still having the cheek to write about it as if they knew something. Well, I don’t want to get into a fight over this, oh no. The last I want is to have his mum knocking at my door and complaining to my wife how he’s fair gone off his puddings and can’t concentrate during his English class at school. I’m not a bully, so I’ll go easy. The article was nescient, completely missing the point that progressive rock is a renascent genre and is currently being explored by people who don’t all have beards, long hair, glittery spandex jump suites and as many years beneath their belts as they have belly above them. In fact, progressive rock is being listened too by many young people who have found that the diploblastic offerings of the current rock, pop and metal scenes fall short of their musical needs and look to something else to take them that one step further. In short, progressive rock is that step. Telling your mostly young myrmidons that prog isn’t for them means that they will take this to heart and will never give the genre a fair chance. And not to forget the fact that a load of great music is being produced that will wipe the floor with the suggested 5 must have albums the article espoused is doubly insulting. Was this a deliberate ploy to put people off? Get the albums mentioned, have a listen, come away thinking hmmmm … maybe they were right? I mean, it started well with Dream Theatre but just seemed to … well, sort of went … erm … It makes me wonder if there is a degree of fear in people like that. Do they worry that they will loose people if they wander off to the prog side? Maybe they’re concerned that it will be a one way trip. Once you hear your first mind stretching bit of prog you’re never the right mental shape to go back to My Chemical Romance? Maybe, I don’t know. But what I do know is that writing without understanding means being open to criticism from those that do understand. So all I will say, Kerrang, is ask me before you do any other articles on prog. Okay? And I promise I won’t throw in any big words just to bulk it out with tarradiddle, flipping dichotomy indeed! Anyway, I’ve got to go. There’s a 12 minute keyboard solo coming up and my right hand’s twitching … So, what did I play on the night of the big rant? Okay, here’s the playlist for Saturday the 1st of December: Artist : Album : Track Rush : Permanent Waves : Jacobs Ladder Camel : Moonmadness : Lunar Sea Beardfish : Sleeping in Traffic Pt1 : The Ungodly Slob PRR : The Dark Third : Voices in Winter Kino : Picture : Losers Day Parade Big Big Train : The Difference Machine : Saltwater Falling on Uneven Ground Alan Morse : 4o'clock and Hysteria : Major Buzz Jadis : Fanatic : What Kind of Reason Porcupine Tree : Sky Moves Sideways : Sky Moves Sideways Now, come on! Look at that list of tracks and tell me that it isn’t a wonderful, eclectic and rich mix of music to warm the cockles of anyone’s soul? When did you last hear Camel being played on British radio? Yet they are a good band with more melodies in one song then your average pop band’s lifetime repertoire. So why don’t we hear them on the radio? Well, other then on my show? Beats me, but I can probably guess. And take Porcupine Tree? How versatile is this band? Their material today is a dark and brooding metal, while their material of yesterday is a light psychedelic. How they have progressed! Can you imaging this happening to your average metal bands of today? No way! They are single tracked and play one style of music only. Is this good or bad? I’ll let you decide. What I will say is that if you have any opinions on anything I have written here today then please feel free to contact me on daveoprogshow@aol.com. Am I being fair to Kerrang, or did they get what they deserve? Let me know. But don’t stop buying their magazine because of anything I’ve said here. I’ll continue to buy it and no doubt I’ll rant again in the future. Anyway, time to lie down and cool off. See you next Saturday, DaveO. Making Saturday night worth staying in for! Article by Dave O'Neill, 7 Dec 2007 |
 
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