I’ve just sent a complaint to the BBC, via their ‘Have A Say‘ feature, about their recent season of programmes on Prog Rock. Here is the message I sent:
I was pleased to see that progressive rock was finally getting some air time, but disappointed that it was limited to the usual, sneering look back, implying that Prog died out in 1977 and hadn’t been heard of since.
There was no mention of the early/mid ’80s ‘Neo-Prog’ revival, which gave us bands like Marillion, IQ etc. and no mention of the current ‘Third Wave’ of Prog, which has been going on since the mid ’90s, with such bands as The Tangent, The Flower Kings, Spock’s Beard, Riverside and Porcupine Tree.
The current revival is a vibrant, exciting thing and it didn’t even get a mention. I was very disappointed that the BBC fumbled the ball so badly on this occasion.
Why was there no program on these current bands? It would have been an ideal opportunity for the BBC to give some publicity to what is still seen as an underground musical genre. Think of all the original fans of Prog who may have watched these programs, yet haven’t heard any modern Prog – this would have been an ideal opportunity to let people know that Prog isn’t dead.
Gone are the excesses of the mid ’70s – the focus now is virtuoso musicianship and making good music. Some of the bands listed above have charted in the album charts in many European countries (Holland and Germany aren’t as elitist as the UK – Prog is quite popular in these countries) – Porcupine Tree even charted in the UK album charts last year, yet still no coverage.
I would like to request a follow-up program on modern Prog, but I doubt you’ll take much notice of this comment as it’s much more entertaining to point a the dinosaurs and snigger.
I don’t expect anything back from them, but I feel better having let that rant out.
So you’re ‘Angry of Tunbridge Wells’. I agree the recent developments in prog have been ignored. Quite often in Punk related programmes/documentories on 70’s bands, reference is made to the influence of todays bands e.g. Green Day. Although the term is also used to desribe anyone who has spikey hair and a guitar and not the music. I think the problem is down to word association by the music media. Prog is not about wearing capes but about progression in music which include the bands mentioned above by Cliff but also popular bands such as Radiohead who admit to prog influences. Here’s to the follow up programme (f they make it).
Keith
January 26th, 2009