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Any American Prog Experts?
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Dog 3000
Dog 3000
4611 posts

Edited Dec 04, 2008, 18:14
Re: Prog, Marx and Elitism
Dec 04, 2008, 18:13
There's a churchy quality in more than a few UK prog singers too (Gabriel & Hammill & Anderson in "angelic" mode.) I've heard the "boy scouts" (or whatever local equivalent in the 40's-50's) was also a big childhood influence on drummers (marching around beating a snare.)

On this side of the Atlantic, a "churchy" musical feel is more like the opposite of middle class -- probably means you grew up poor (black or white.)

ELP was a conundrum, which is why they facinate me. I don't have an answer to the "taste/class" questions here, but Lester Bangs did a great interview/feature with them, "Blood Feast of Reddy Killowatt" which is in the second anthology of his writing (actually Emerson refused to be interviewed, so it's just Lake & Palmer discoursing on whether they are out to enlighten the masses or just have fabulous careers.)

Here's Lester's review of "Pictures at an Exhibition" -- which is pretty much my reaction (my favorite bits are the ones that leave me howling with laughter -- Lake plays some incredible "wah-wah bass farts" at one point.)

http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/emersonlakepalmer/albums/album/191801/review/5944649/pictures_at_an_exhibition

"If poor old Mussorgsky and Ravel can hear what Emerson, Lake & Palmer have done to their music, they are probably getting dry heaves in the Void; speaking strictly as a fan of M & R and heretofore certified disdainer of EL&P, however, I can say that I listened to it twice tonight, beating my fists on the floor and laughing, and I got my kicks."

. . . but I doubt ELP ever expected "laughter" to be the reaction to their "serious" works . . . hence it makes sense Emerson ("the serious one") would sit out the later interview with Bangs. (Cuz proles -- particularly classless Americans -- just don't get it?)
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Re: Prog, Marx and Elitism (IanB)
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