What's Progressive?

[Chris Bates]

Guido opined:

> Let's face it, musical categories suck. :-)

So do vacuum cleaners but where would we be without 'em? Progressive
is as useful a definition as any other, I mean what is *alternative*
an alternative to? Is all country music made amongst fields and
mountains? Is *house* really music?

Progressive, or prog, is just a label for music made or influenced
by a number of bands from the '70s. We all know it when we hear it
even though all of the bands sound different! Maybe that's the
problem - it's not as simple as identifying, say, heavy metal. If you
want a term to describe modern music that's different to anything that
went before but builds upon rock and roll history then invent one.
Frankly that's a more useful activity than rehashing the *what is prog*
debate.


Chris