Reply #57: won't flame you.... [View All]

... but I will disagree. They got the whole "prog rock" zeitgeist soaked in gas, hung around their necks and lit. Unfairly.

I can understand folks not liking that kind of music, but IMHO the critics constant trashing of them was always a kind of jealousy. "Rock" music is supposed to come from lower class kids with a guitar, and god forbid someone with actual musical talent (you can wish all you want but Emerson could have been a world class pianist in any mileau he chose, he chose money and women :)) should dare to play.

As for the "pretentious" claim, every single album of theirs contained a comedy novelty song, hardly the hallmark of "pompous".