January 23, 2005

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  Music that feeds the Mind and Soul

  
  

   

  
  

  Someone posted a link on the message board of a prog-rock fangroup I belong to, which, although it comes from an unlikely source, has some interesting stuff to say about rock music in gneral, progressive rock in particular, and its spiritual and intellectual over(and under)tones. In it was part of an interview with Kerry Livgren of Kansas, one of the more commercially successful prog rock bands of the late 70's (but not one of my favorites, by the way):

  
  

  link to the article

  
  

  What stood out from that article to me, is the very end -- a quite succint description of the spirit of prog and of its ultimate decline in (general) popularity:
  
  "Livgren discussed progressive music's decline with UMC.org: "part of it is a natural cycle - tastes and styles just change over time. More significant, though, is the changing climate of our culture. Kansas portrayed themes in our lyrics and music that were spiritual in nature and intellectually challenging," Livgren says. "Kansas was trying to reach upward while our culture was sliding downward. Those two lines have met and passed."
  
  ...my take on this:
  
  It just stopped being cool to think.
  
  Such a shame, but true. Prog is music that appeals to the thinking man (and woman) -- unfortunately that doesn't describe the current general population that would rather be spoon-fed pap, rap and crap by the mass market music money machine that is today's industry.
  
  I prefer to think. And listen to music that doesn't insult my intelligence.
  

  
  

  

  
  

   

  
  

  and on a different (non-musical) note:

  
  

  brief update on what is going on in adifrentdrumrland:

  
  

  
  
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    we had a bona-fide blizzard. virtually no snow this winter, until now, when we are digging out from under about 2 feet of the stuff
    
    
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    it was the first week of the discovery.com national body challenge. it started out a little shaky, because they changed online diet programs, but I went back to the one that I was on last year and paid for a three month membership. followed the plan really well all week. lost FIVE ponds!
    
    
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    I have a ton of paperwork to tackle -- year end business stuff, sales tax and income tax stuff, eBay stuff...and I am really procrastinating about this.
    
    
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    I spent over a week playing Neoquest II on Neopets, it is an old-style D&D type computer RPG, with 5 chapters and lots of levels, and I finally got through to the end. it was one of the most enjoyable mindless wastes of time I have had on the computer in a long time. 
    
    
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    I have a new passion -- showdog.com -- the online dog show game. in two weeks I have built my kennel up to 7 dogs and have one well on his way to becoming a champion!
    
    
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    and last but not least...GO EAGLES!!!

  
  

  

  
  

   

  • 3:11 pm
  • 8 Comments