Philosophy of Music

Since the music portion of the forum seems basically dead it calls for a revamp. This being a forum where many people choose to see films as more than entertainment and try to discuss what makes them what they are, I would hope there are some people who have the same attention to detail in another equally provocative medium.

So the first thing to ask is how many of you actively look for bands or albums for you to learn about and listen to? Does anyone play any instruments? Does anyone have music in sight for their future? Who wants to boast their record collection? For those more involved or looking to get more involved, what stage are you at and where do you want to go?

This can take off in a million different ways, should be interesting, but for the "philosophy" notion I was curious as to whether anyone else has considered music as a philosophy, or rather a method of thinking without using your brain by letting the improvisation guide you willingly. There's philosophy in concept records, genre philosophy, why you prefer this record over this record, why the subtleties in this track make it or break it, the future, where you see things heading, etc.

Should've renamed this the general music thread, dammit

I don't play any instruments.. But my job involves music.

What do you do?

I monitor various media formats... Television & Radio mostly.
I research & monitor advertisements & music.

Sounds like the complete opposite of your prog interest, but do you have any say in what gets used?

Is this a government job? Like FCC type stuff?

__________________
"Loves them? They need them, like they need the air."

PN, what kind of "prog in general" do you listen to? What have you heard that you didn't like?

In the order from most listened to/most familiar with to least. It's your basic prog set, I would think. I've liked most of what I've heard outside of these bands. I can't name anything I detest in prog, since I respect the "genre/movement" as a whole.

1. The Mars Volta
2. King Crimson
3. Pink Floyd
4. Rush
5. Dream Theater

I just keep track/audit of what's playing.. We get daily unsorted data from tv/radio stations... I just have to research, title & sort them..

Mostly get to listen to hip-hop.. & it's one thing I can't stand....
Just hate everything about it...

It has to do with Media Rating Council...

Planet, have you heard of Camel or Comus or Goblins? Those are probably the only other main bands from that era, Goblins you would know from any of Dario Argento's movies, but on the soundtracks themselves they have a bunch of other songs besides the movie themes.

Progressive as a style and sound has almost completely changed since then. Now you have bands like Opeth, Thought Industry, (and I guess the mars volta even though I only liked their first two), but as it is now, a lot of new bands tend to defy genre, and I wonder if you could call those bands progressive in that sense, as if it's the new progressive.

Ah, sounds simple enough, but I'm sorry about having to listen to jingle after jingle...I'm surprised no one's released an EP of the jingle satire or something, it would be awesome

Is that like the MPAA censors? *shudder*

Nice ones.. I have heard one album of Mars Volta... can't remember which one though.

I absolutely love Pink Floyd!! & have high regard for King Crimson..
Rush, tried couple of their tracks.. but 2012 is a personal fave album.

I don't have much knowledge of all that.. I am just a desktop jockey..

Thanks for the recs, WT. I can honestly say I have no idea what those proper nouns were in your last post.

As for prog, I would compare it to the avant-guard or the concept of progressivism in politics. It's time/era sensitive and always refers to the unknown.

Frances The Mute was the most commercially successful, maybe it was that one

You should listen to more Rush if 2112 is your favorite, specifically Hemispheres

That's a good way of putting it. Avant-garde is becoming increasingly hard to label as well, because with bands like Unexpect and Sigh, you can see classical metal coming into play, when those bands were once considered avant-garde. I've always thought avant-garde was anything that consisted of the weirdness of Scott Walker or Diamanda Galas...or anyone who uses raw meat as percussion

Thanks for the suggetsion.. will try Hemispheres.
It wasn't Frances The Mute for sure.

I also like Hawkwind..

Honestly, this sounds like an awesome job to me. Is it?

It's fun...

...