From: Jahweh David Lynch <twgs@whatsthepoint.net>
Subject: Re: The Anti-Prog
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 98 09:55:00
Message-ID: <3543d24e.2308937@news.newsguy.com>
Newsgroups: rec.music.progressive
Organization: The Institute of Nasal Hygiene

Thus spake Henry Potts:

>Jahweh David Lynch <twgs@whatsthepoint.net> writes
>>Well, your withering criticisms- at least, those that don't qualify as
>>completely bizarre on a level that makes Fripp seem downright scrutable
>>(ITWOP a "sell-out"?)
>
>The suggestion that _ItWoP_ was a clone of _ItCotCK_ has been made many
>times before on this newsgroup. The most obvious motive to do that is so
>as to repeat the success -- commercial as well as critical -- of the
>former. I have merely gone one small step further than the usual in
>pointing out that this is exactly the sort of behaviour considered as
>"selling out" by many here.

And that's the small step I take exception with.  Does ITWOP repeat a lot
of the stuff on Court?  Surely it does.  But a lack of stylistic
development between any two given albums hardly counts as a blatant ploy
for commercial success.  If Yes' next album had been a blatant clone of
"Court" in a play for commercial success, well, first off, it would be a
pathetically misguided move, as there HAS to be an easier way to top the
charts than that, but more importantly, they could perhaps be criticized as
"selling out"- that is, compromising their artistic ideals for the Almighty
Dollar (all right, well, pound, then).  As anomalous as it might seem in
light of subsequent artistic developments by Fripp, developing a unique
musical sound and then sticking to it is considered a perfectly acceptable
aesthetic strategy for most rock bands.  If ITWOP is a "sell-out" album,
then so is "Keys to Ascension".

>>seem to boil down to Fripp's relentless eccentricism and refusal to be
>>pigeonholed into a musical category. [...]
>
>I think there was much more to what I said -- I refer you to my earlier
>post.

Possibly, but it was utterly nonsensical and seemed to indicate to me that
you've been smoking crack more than anything else.

:)

Oh, and by the way, I'd agree that calling Fripp the "prince of prog" is a
definite misnomer- but the question was to name someone who had played a
major role in the advancement and maintenance of progressive music over the
years, that is, I'd say that the title "prince of prog" is an airy-fairy
rubbish crown which doesn't really fit in with what the question asked.

--
"and directly in your fucked ass!
3 times idiot!!!
Suicide is your only way..."
(Dr. Mauro Moroni)