Most overrated rock artists of all time?

[Aktivator]

I like all three of the bands Tray mentioned, but I agree they can be Pretentious at times, still that is what I love about Prog in general.

Yeah ELP and Yes (sorry don't see it in PF at all) can be a bit pompous at times. But I've never understood the pretentious label that is tagged on prog bands. I've never heard any prog musician state they are the best guitarist(insert instrument) in the world. And for the most part, at least the artist, I've followed and read about the prog musicians are having fun playing the music they play. Aren't they just playing more diffcult pieces because the simple 4 x 4 time bored them to tears and they wanted to explore new ground. I thought experimental is a good thing but it seems to me its only good experimental if the critics like it.

I don't see the pretentious tag throw on any other genre of rock and if you are going to throw it on prog.Then use it on all rock bands that have solos or play anything even remotely difficult. Heck I've seen enough concerts to tell you that I've seen pompous muscians in every genre including Punk.

 

[LG]

How about "Ostentatious' then Ak, as pertaining to an album like Tales of Topographic Oceans, where a double album consists of one song on each side about 20 minutes long. I like the album but I don't play it very often and it is one of the best examples of taking things to the limit at least in the 70's it surely did.

 

[Stout]

Self indulgent- Excessive appetites of one`s desire
Pretentious- having or making claims to excellence.
I never understood those tags when the media applied them to those bands.All Yes, ELP, and Floyd were doing were making the music that was natural to them and their audiences loved them for it. Isn`t the term self-indulgent for a musician oxymoronic?
I never heard any members of these bands claiming they were the best in the world, so that rules out the `pretentious' tag
All artists and musicians create the music they want to make and hope there is an audience for it. Those are just terms thrown out by the music media when punk came aboard and the readers of those horrid magazines swallowed those tag lines.
And Topographic Oceans , Lord? That is one of the greatest concept albums of all time, and although I was overwhelmed by the sheer scope and size of it, initially it has grown on me considerably. Never again will we see the like of these albums made again with full record company support. Bravo the late, great Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic records.

 

[Stout]

I do have a list of overrated, but right now I`m too happy for bashing.

 

[Aktivator]

Self indulgent- Excessive appetites of one`s desire
Pretentious- having or making claims to excellence.
I never understood those tags when the media applied them to those bands.All Yes, ELP, and Floyd were doing were making the music that was natural to them and their audiences loved them for it. Isn`t the term self-indulgent for a musician oxymoronic?
I never heard any members of these bands claiming they were the best in the world, so that rules out the `pretentious' tag
All artists and musicians create the music they want to make and hope there is an audience for it. Those are just terms thrown out by the music media when punk came aboard and the readers of those horrid magazines swallowed those tag lines.
And Topographic Oceans , Lord? That is one of the greatest concept albums of all time, and although I was overwhelmed by the sheer scope and size of it, initially it has grown on me considerably. Never again will we see the like of these albums made again with full record company support. Bravo the late, great Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic records.

nice to see someone agrees with me.

"Pretentious- having or making claims to excellence." this is the single point that drives me nuts. I've never seen or heard an interview where a rock musician stated this" I've asked this question on several meesage board and have never had someone comeback with a prog musician quoting anything near this claim. Funny how 30 years after the tag was labeled on prog, people continue to believe the original jackass that stated it and there has never been any proof."

Lord Grendel-what about Tales its a great album. Funny didn't think much of it back in the day but now I look back on it as very original and a shame that critics bashed it so much that noone after it released more stuff in this direction. Don't get me wrong I like lots of types of music including the Punk and New Wave. I just want more now people complain if a guitarist even tries to do a 1/2 minute solo.

 

[LG]

I did mention I liked Tales AK, but that is usually one of the first albums mentioned about the excesses of a progressive rock band, whether deserved or not. Yes fans will remember that when the support tour for Tales ended Rick Wakeman quit, because he thought they were going too far on that record.

I love classical music so as I said before monstrous sweeping songs of epic proportion don't bother me at all.

 

[Aktivator]

I did mention I liked Tales AK, but that is usually one of the first albums mentioned about the excesses of a progressive rock band, whether deserved or not. Yes fans will remember that when the support tour for Tales ended Rick Wakeman quit, because he thought they were going too far on that record.

I love classical music so as I said before monstrous sweeping songs of epic proportion don't bother me at all.

Once again what the F is wrong with excess? If you don't like excess don't listen to it, heck if you have a problem with it being rock then fine call it classical for all I care. Just don't stop telling musicians what they should and shouldn't play.

You don't hear anyone complaining about a punk rocker jumping around on stage so much that they can't even play the right cords during a concert making the song sound like crap. Isn't that excess show as much as Yes with their playing excess. Lets take it further. Today's pop bands are all show no action, just watch the grammys. Isn't today's all show no instruments and lousy vocal performances taking things too far? Honestly, if you are going to talk about excess in the 70's then lets talk excess show no musicial effort with today's pop.

The complaint in the 70's was about Emerson's bear rug on stage compared to the stuff you see today is that really excess?

Hey LG-not calling you out. I love classical too and know your tastes are awesome.

 

[Foxhound]

Aktivator:

You don't hear anyone complaining about a punk rocker jumping around on stage so much that they can't even play the right cords during a concert making the song sound like crap. Isn't that excess show as much as Yes with their playing excess. Lets take it further. Today's pop bands are all show no action, just watch the grammys. Isn't today's all show no instruments and lousy vocal performances taking things too far? Honestly, if you are going to talk about excess in the 70's then lets talk excess show no musicial effort with today's pop.

The complaint in the 70's was about Emerson's bear rug on stage compared to the stuff you see today is that really excess?

Excellent point.

Once again what the F is wrong with excess?

I'd have to read the thread over carefully, but I'm not sure anybody said that excess per se was a bad thing.

 

[METALPRIEST]

I did mention I liked Tales AK, but that is usually one of the first albums mentioned about the excesses of a progressive rock band, whether deserved or not. Yes fans will remember that when the support tour for Tales ended Rick Wakeman quit, because he thought they were going too far on that record.

I love classical music so as I said before monstrous sweeping songs of epic proportion don't bother me at all.

I like Tales also...

I have every YES release and this is my least played, but I put it on every so often.

I don't have one friend of mine that is a die hard YES fan that can sing me anything off it, on the spot, without the music being on.

 

[Sweaty]

ELP are absolute top draw, just listen man, can't praise them enough. People need to get there heads on reet because they know nothing at all. Variety is the spice of life and that's the name of the game Brucie bonus for me.