Bands you can't get into
 

There are some Prog bands I really think I would/should like, as they're not only big in the field but are reported to be the same sort of basic sound as some bands I AM into (Marillion, Pendragon, Genesis etc) but no matter how much I try I can't seem to like them.

I had a real problem with Spock's Beard, but perservered and now I'm coming to really enjoy their music.

But two I just can't get into are IQ, and to some smaller extent, Pallas.

Of the former I have "Tales from the lush attic" and "Dark matter", the latter just "Arrive alive" (which I DO like, but can't get into any of their other stuff).

Can anyone recommend me where to start, and while we're at it, does anyone else have this problem with (an)other band(s)?

As far as Genesis I've never met anyone who didn't like "Invisible Touch"

For me...

Flaming Lips...
I have Soft Bulletin and ...Pink Robot but just can never get into them. Something about the lead singers' voice annoys me. I feel like its a woman singing in a mans body. I can understand why people would like them, but they don't do it for me. Saw them at the Hangout Festival this weekend and could not even listen live.

I really should at least like Rush considering they're like a carbon-copy of Yes (just a half-decade later), but I can't bother myself with anything aside from their hits. I can't explain it to people-- I don't feel like I can point to Geddy's voice as a detractor since Jon has a comparable voice. Rush is a bunch of wankery, but so is Yes, if not moreso. So I don't know what the deal is.

Rush is a carbon copy of Yes? The two bands always sounded pretty different to me.

You're right, they're not THAT similar. But I've always equated them in my head, which probably has something to do with being unable to distinguish between them before I really got into music.

I suppose it has something to do with Yes being more symphonic and Rush being more operatic. I've always preferred folky artsy prog to King Crimson-ish hard rock prog.

So I guess now I know why I can't get into Rush. Thanks Jansz

The reason they're different is that Yes were basically a psychedelic band that became a prog one, Rush were a hard rock act that then became a prog one, it was clear both bands were better suited to prog than they were to their respective genres. but of course Rush did try to copy Yes to a degree. The hard rock link with Rush made them very appealing to hard rock and metal fans of the 1970s and 1980s whereas Yes didn't appeal to the same crowd.

I never got too into Fugazi, despite all of their hype amongst the indie and punk scene.

Dream Theater. My best mate bangs on about them and some of his descriptions are spot on and I should like some of it considering my tastes but I just can't get into them at all, the same for him regarding The Mars Volta though. I like them, he hates them!

Any Jack White side/solo project beside White Stripes. I don't really understand to be honest, because I know others can dig some of his other work, I just can't for some reason.

^this and Dream Theater.

Yeah, Jack White's and Ian McKaye's take on prog isn't very proggy.

I've always tried to follow my own motto, "To like the prog: you must learn to deal with the prog". Basically, I know it takes time to really enjoy a prog band. Case in point: HATED King Crimson the first time I heard them. A few accidental listenings later and finally having the stones to listen to all of 'In the Court', they were my favorite band within a year.

When it comes to Rush and ELP, I've given them plenty of time to grow on me, and I can't enjoy them beyond their bigger songs. With ELP, I think it's because there are so many times good ELP songs turn into Keith Emerson piano recitals and that really ruins it for me. I'm sure part of that has to do with me absolutely despising Karn Evil 9...

With Rush, it's the lyrics. Usually for me, the lyrics are secondary to the music. But so often I hear Rush's lyrics and they sound so awkward it really kills the feel of the whole song. Such as Red Barchetta, Limelight and the abomination that it the Trees.

Heh. I didn't realise this was in the prog section. I really should stop using tapatalk on here.

I'm the same with DT. To me, it just seems there's too much "showoffery", to invent a word, where everyone goes "Look at me! Look how long/complicated a keyboard solo I can do" or "Look how good I am on guitar!" without, it seems, taking enough care of and interest in the songs. More a showcase for how talented each is/think they are than a band trying to make proper music.

That's just me. And Jack. And probably thousands others....

Yep, totally agree. I always found his work with The Raconteurs and Dead Weather to be very dull and I've no real interest in his solo album.

Shame really, because Jack was amazing in The White Stripes

Dream Theater mostly appeal to people who were AOR and pomp rock fans of the 1970s and 1980s. They then added metal to the mix and hit the jackpot.

ELP were probably the most pretentious of all prog bands, they knew how good they were as musicians and made no secret about how good they were either. They're not a group I love but they do have some great albums and the tracks "Tarkus" and "Karn Evil 9" are two of their best.

Rush's lyrics can be pretty bad at times I agree,

I reckon this is one band I'll never get into. Their songs are just almost like too much work; can't enjoy them. Though that said, "Hollow years" off "Falling into infinity" is a great song. See? When they do it nice and simple...

I despise Tarkus, and consider ELP almost the forerunners to Dream Theater. Overly pretentious, preachy in a musical sense and just totally dead boring. IMO of course.
But then there's 2112. And "The necromancer". And what's wrong with "The trees" anyway? I love that track. That said, I'm not the biggest Rush fan, but I can certainly enjoy their music. Geddy's screeching can get on the nerves a little, all right.

I'm surprised you don't like Images and Words and Awake, two DT albums I would've said would be right up your street.

AS I said, I never ever liked ELP but I do appreciate their discography and it is one of the essential prog bands to listen to.

I like ELP far more than Dream Theater's original stuff.

Take A Pebble; Still, You Turn me On; From the Beginning; I love them all. I am firmly in the LOVE Tarkus camp. But yeah, Emerson was the weakest link for sure.

I also LOVE Rush. Especially the early stuff through Signals. I always thought The Trees was sort of clever. Basically shines the light on the fact that many human conflicts are over stupid stuff we can't control. At least that's what I got out of it. I will concede the Geddy voice CAN grate on the nerves sometimes. But overall a fantastic band.

My contribution to the actual question would be:

Gentle Giant, although I don't DIS like them, they just seemed kind of blah to me. I did recently see an awesome video of a live performance of them, and it makes me think I need to revisit the band now.

Another might be Hawkwind? I like a few songs but most of the stuff I've heard didn't do much for me. I still respect the trail they were blazing, but I could take em or leave em.

Yeah, people have been licking on his balls so much you'd think Blunderbuss was the second coming of Jesus Christ.
I don't get the hype, **** I don't even get the hype for the White Stripes, they're pretty average.

I guess it's an acquired taste. They put on the greatest live shows known to man.

That's not anywhere near representative of the band though. "Invisible touch" sees Genesis awkwardly trying to jump over into pop territory while still retaining one foot very precariously in prog world. They tried total pop on "Abacab" and were generally lambasted for it (and rightly so), their previous album "Duke" managed that quite well I felt, then the self-titled (what was that all about?) pushed a little more back towards prog while "We can't dance" went more or less all-out pop/rock, and they sensibly called it a day with "Calling all stations".

For proper, classic Genesis, and to get the best flavour of what the band were about, what they stood for and the legacy they helped create, I would recommend

Foxtrot
Trespass
Nursery cryme
Selling England by the pound
The lamb lies down on Broadway
A trick of the tail
and
Wind and wuthering

with Duke thrown in and maybe
And then there were three.

This, and also Pain of Salvation, Symphony X...
And although I enjoy some songs, I never really paied much attention to Rush also...

Pain of Salvation one of my favourite bands, but I'll admit they're not easy to get into but keep at it and hopefully you'll get them.

Yeah I know, my brother and my ex-girlfriend love everything about them, they even like that rap thing... :crazy:

I don't know, someday maybe...

Genesis with Phil Collins on lead vocals.

Van der Graaf Generator.

Can were good live, but weird on album.

Strange with Van Der Graaf Generator, as nearly all their albums are really great quality wise. But maybe its just Pete Hammill's vocals you don't like, they are an acquired taste.

^ Yes, agreed, instrumentally they are very good, but I do not like Peter Hammill's voice.

Porcupine Tree

:shycouch:

Yeah, I think I'd agree; they're an acquired taste. I'm still acquiring it... but I'm starting to like them.

Steve Wilson has to be one of the most boring and predictable artists around these days. Everything he produces for other bands, seems to have that same old Steve Wilson sound attached to it. I'm sure there is probably stuff done by him recently that doesn't sound like this, but based on the material I've heard I'm disappointed for what is regarded as an acclaimed artist

Apart from Tarkus I'm not a fan of ELP at all. Nor am I keen on Jon Anderson's voice, so don't listen to Yes much.

And all Prog Metal is rubbish.

It took me a while to get into PT but started to really appreciate Deadwing and Fear of a Blank Planet. Also In Absentia and Signify. I really like their texture. The hardest part was Steven Wilson's voice at first.

I'll have to go with Pain of Salvation. I've tried numerous times but their sound is so bitterly grating or boringly melodic to my distaste.

Nice sweeping statement there, backed up by examples, discussions, rebuttals and ... oh wait... :rolleyes:

ELP are my favourite band and I like Jon Anderson's voice a lot. It doesn't mean I like everything by him (Yes Tor-mato, Open Your Eyes album, parts of Big Generator).

I don't care for prog-metal (whatever it is), but I do like Dream Theater, who seem to be labelled as such. Power-metal doesn't do much for me either.

I've always found John Martyn very difficult.

I love how people make statements like this and don't back it up with a reason.

Really? I've found most PT albums to have a wide range of style, almost to a fault in some albums (like In Absentia.) What have you heard from them?

One band that just do not get is King Crimson. In the Court has 21st Century Schizoid Man and Epitaph, which I really enjoy, but the rest of the album doesn't do it for me (in fact I think I mentioned once that I thought it should've been an EP; most people disagreed to say the least lol.) I find Lizard to be rather dull and tiresome and I can't stand Red. Seriously, why "Starless" receives the universal praise that it does it beyond my understanding.
Robert Fripp does have an awesome tone, though.

King Crimson are highly lauded by a lot of people mostly because they're fairly influential on a lot of experimental bands that got started in the late 70's and the 80's. That, and Discipline was an excellent prog. rock/New Wave hybrid record that has stood the test of time incredibly well.

Talking Heads.