I was amused to read today on Silhobbit:
What Else?
With Martin Hudson retiring from the fantastic lifetime of work he has put into Progressive Rock at the Classic Rock Society we pay tribute to his achievements.
Nobody (with the exception of myself) has done more for prog than Hudson. With the help of a few others he kick started the scene by introducing concerts, the Wondrous Stories fanzine, and events.
For the bands it was their only outlet, for the music lovers it was their only hope of seeing the music they love performed live.
Now that he has gone I claim the prog-crown as my own. Silhobbit.com has also been pivotal in rejuvenating the scene. We are proud to’ve “found” the likes of Mick Pointer and brought him back to music. We are proud to have discovered lots of bands ahead of the CRS.
But it is not about rivalry it is about the music that we love. It will be interesting to see how the Good Ship CRS sails without its experienced captain. Often mutiny rears its ugly head as power battles emerge and crew jostle for the position of top dog. A good boat can often sink in stormy waters without such experienced guidance.
There is a new King of Prog and it is me!
Sadly, I doubt the last bits of this are true. Mutiny, indeed? I think the CRS is strong enough to last without Martin at the helm… Miles is doing a great job and he has the rest of the old team, including myself, helping out. Martin has been dropping away for a while now and it was almost inevitable that this would happen, but when someone reckons they are the new “King of Prog” that is just a load of arse, if you pardon my French.
Prog is a much bigger scene than it was – mostly thanks to the CRS and it’s massive commitment – but also due to the likes of Lambsie et. al. at Summers End, and the various other people around the country who are willing to take a risk and put their money where their mouths are. Sorry but running a site and expecting everyone to run over there in droves does not the King of Prog make…
The CRS will be at the Cambridge Rock Festival, and the CRS WILL LIVE ON!
Meanwhile… Francis Dunnery’s New “It Bites”… coming soon to a living room near you?