The Vast Pretense - I. Exposition & IIa. Whispering the Taboo

Blooby · December 20, 2010, 11:14:13 AM

A while ago, I posted some trippy pastiche and swore it would be the introduction to a future prog rock epic. I also have conversed with some of you about doing an epic with prog rock as the subject matter. I think this is funny. I think the lyrics are even funnier, but that's me. I can't tell you hard I was laughing as I attempted to do this.

Your input is needed to help me flesh this out. Don't know if I'll ever finish it, but the finished piece may look something like this (items in red haven't been done):

I. Exposition

II. The Prog Fan
   a. Whispering the taboo
   b. Some aggressive thing in 5/4 (lyrics about how Clash fans used to beat our protagonist)
   c. A (mostly) a Capella vocal section a la Gentle Giant/Neal Morse (lyrics?)

III. The Prog Song
   a. A classically-influenced section
   b. A floaty section akin to the The Grateful Dead's "Space" (perhaps some more spoken word)
   c. A world-music section
   d. Classical section reprised

IV. A Zappa-influenced section with lots of unison lines (perhaps with guitar and marimba)

V. Whispering the Taboo (reprise)

It's obviously not to be taken too seriously.

Blooby

I. Exposition

Slave to the absurd
Glorifying pretension
Simplistic ditties we do mock

To the fairies
To the elves
To impish creatures
To ourselves

We find another realm for us
For only us
Behold
Behold! This thing we call prog rock

II. The Prog Fan
a. Whispering the Taboo

Put away that D&D game.
Cruise the channels. It all looks the same.
Put away that heart full of jade.
The Prog fan wants to get laid.

Good friends with your CPU.
But longing for your real pas de deux.
For mother, the ball masquerade.
The Prog fan wants to get laid.

Interlude

Put away that D&D game.
Cruise the channels. It all looks the same.
For mother, the ball masquerade.
The Prog fan wants to get laid.
Oh, the Prog fan wants to get laid.

The two players below represent the two parts.

Ferryman · December 20, 2010, 12:27:00 PM

Hey careful, I resemble this pastiche......

I have to say it's brilliant, I love the evil lyrics and the vocal effects. The chords and melody on Exposition are actually rather lovely. When are we getting parts IV, IVV, VIV and XX?

Its true there were some genuinely awful prog moments in the 70s, this is probably as bad as its gets. Michael Moorcock reading some godawful "poetry" over a bunch of hippies hitting things:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmq97dfNVB8

Although things are very different these days. Eastern Europe has a different type of prog fan these days, check out about 24 seconds... Wish I was in a prog band in Poland....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=285K5iEpMIo

Cheers,

The Prog Fan, oops Nigel.

Bluesberry · December 20, 2010, 12:53:42 PM

Definately has some potential. Needs a lot of filling out, where are all the wild instrumental sections, solo's, time changes, keyboards/synth/organ lines...all coming in the unfinished sections you say, I need to be patient. I wouldn't call it Prog-rock just yet, lyrically maybe, it may in time become...I patiently await the Progification of this excellent, if only really tounge-in-cheek, prog rock masterpeice. Definately need lots more spashes of colour yet. Its coming...stay tuned he says...