http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19492677
I'm not entirely sure why I'm passing this along, but I suppose the biggest reason is to give my take on these so-called "Prog" Awards.
#1 At the end of the day, what are they? Awards, and for a pretty obscure magazine that frankly, caters almost universally to what is in the UK and Europe. Understandably to a point given most of the early history of "Prog" or "progressive rock" was based in England. But that only flys to a point.
These are basically the equivalent to Cable Ace, Saturn or any other obscure Awards that more or less nobody will remember (if they even ever hear about them to begin with).
But even for what they are worth, "Prog" magazine, if they really wanted to cover "progressive" music, music that is pushing boundaries or at least of value that does pay homage (and not pure tribute/3rd rate clone-music), they would open up the boundaries of the content of their magazine. Beyond UK and Europe, and beyond just "rock" in general. In other words, they'd cover ethnic music, extreme metal (and the bevy of it's sub/sub-subgenres when they are actually not derivative), power-pop, jazz, post-rock, soul, folk, bluegrass, and the plethora of other genres I'm not even thinking of at the moment.
They'd cover bands that are popular among progressive rock fans ONLINE.
for example, dredg. Have they ever mentioned them ONCE in their magazine? I doubt it.
Ne Obliviscaris? I'd love to be wrong, but I'd be shocked.
Pepe Deluxe?..uh, maybe in some dream that was in a parallel dimension.
Even The Dear Hunter or The River Empires, etc etc
I guess what I'm saying is "Prog" magazine and their Prog Awards =/= AllMediaReviews Approval.
I do find these kinds of awards a bit silly and pointless, but it does have me think, maybe I could briefly post in their categories, with my own nominations an equivalent. I.e. IF I WERE PICKING THE NOMINEES/WINNERS.
Not now, and I'll admit to being totally backed up on a lot of stuff in here like Early Ghost, Everything Everything, Between the Buried and Me, Muse and more. But maybe if time does come my way, I'll try and throw up my own version of the "Prog" awards, and maybe add in 1 or 2 of my own categories like best Vinyl issue/reissue or something.
