Come on guys... Progressive rock should be a positive thing, and not something for uberknobs and dungeon masters to lord over those with little knowledge.
As far as progressive rock being associated with d-bags, I would have to say the genre of music with the highest d-bag to cool ratio would have to be shoe gaze. Those guys spend all of their time on their looks and muck about with their delay pedal and play the same sort of thing. Us Yes-men were never arrogant, but these guys are so full of themselves for what? Strumming some d-bag not-even-a-chord guitar part over and over and wearing some shopping mall clothes and the same hair cut with the long bangs?
As far as punk destroying progressive rock, punk did a pretty good job of co-opting itself. Exhibit A:
Yes, Avril... That is one sinister jeep.
It was actually MTV that did us in. I know John Lydon would say how irrelevant we were back in 77 or so. What is he up to now?
No, MTV did us in. Even though Yes got the Buggles guy (Trevor Horn) to fill in when I left, it was of no use. We either had to change (90125, Big Generator) or look into other ways of making a living. Thanks to all of our fans for putting up with us when we played the MTV game for a few records. I still think some of those songs are quite decent.
Quite ironic that we had the singer for the very first video played on MTV, yet MTV did us in... eventually... we also had a good run.
Now we are back into making progressive rock, and we couldn't get on MTV if we paid them. They completely ignored the ladder, keys to ascension, and magnification. We could care less. We did fine without MTV and we are doing fine without them.
Progressive rock is nothing to get upset about. It's not fair to say progressive rock fans or performers are d-bags. Punk rock, indie rock, and alternative (particularly shoe gaze) have many more pricks involved. I have never made fun of John Lydon or punk rock. If you read Yes lyrics, they are all very positive. We are (except for Rick) vegetarians and anti-drug (though Rick and I did leave Yes after drinking way too much Calvados, and boy was that a mistake!). We are all about positive power and thought.
Awaken wrote:Master of Images
Songs cast a light on you
Hark thru dark ties
That tunnel us out of sane existence
In challenge as direct
As eyes see young stars assemble
Master of Light
All pure chance
As exists cross divided
In all encircling mode
Oh closely guided plan
Awaken in our heart
Master of Soul
Set to touch
All impenetrable youth
Ask away
That thought be contact
With all that's clear
Be honest with yourself
There's no doubt no doubt
Master of Time
Setting sail
Over all our lands
And as we look
Forever closer
Shall we now bid
Farewell farewell...