From: "Kent Williams" <cadsi.com!kent@elvis.cadsi.com>
"Re: IDM Progrock etc" (Oct 17, 11:41am)
The impulse behind Ambient/IDM whatever is similar in some respects to that
evidenced in Progressive Rock, to wit: extended musical explorations outside
the constraints of the standard Pop Song.
When it worked, ProgRock could be an engrossing listening experience. Records
to which I'd encourage listening (if not purchasing) might be Yes' "Close to
the Edge" and "Relayer", Wishbone Ash "Pilgramage", early Pink Floyd, Gentle
Giant, and King Crimson. Records to run screaming from: Steve Hillage's
mid-70's solo records, late Pink Floyd, and anything by Kansas.
What sank Prog Rock was pretension and endless guitar wanking. But there's not
a huge difference between Prog Rock's pseudo-mystical lyrical preoccupation,
and
pseudo-mystical trappings in Ambient techno. And endless synth wanking is a
lot
like endless guitar wanking, but without the technical facility.
Certain luminaries (or doddering old fools, depending on your POV) of ProgRock
like Steve Hillage and Robert Fripp have popped up in Ambient music. And, as
others have mentioned, the Grateful Dead were into ambient ten years before
Richard D. James took to solid food.
What soured me on the silly symphonies of Prog Rock was listening to real
symphonic works. I still think that the work of Ravel, Debussy, Satie and
Poulenc contain more musical intention and achievement than all but the very
best of Ambient. And listen to Mahler. Yow! That guy put more into a
symphony
than the whole lot of ambient artists.
The attraction of Ambient to young college educated sorts is the same as that
of Prog Rock 20 years ago: Music that took itself seriously, paid attention to
texture, and yet was at least on the edge of Pop Culture. And there's the
whole
question of attaching your persona to the music to which you listen: since
you're a serious, thinking person, you don't want to sully your ears with the
music for the hoi polloi. Ambient music now is a refuge for those who watched
'alternative' rock go mainstream.
When I think back to the early 70's when I was a pimple faced alienated geek
too young to vote, the music that filled the bill of 'alternative' was
progressive jazz; stuff like Larry Coryell, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea,
Weather Report, etc. That stuff started out fresh and exciting and turned into
pointless wanking over time as well.
I guess the point is, as always, trust your ears.
--
Kent Williams -- kent@gilligan.cadsi.com
Look in the mail header for all sorts of vital information about me.
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