Keithie, I'm not such a good guy, really.
Well, I agree with Rick_W about the cost of a concert ticket. As far as I can remember the most expensive ticket I bought was a Peter Gabriel ticket for 50€, but the concert was in Germany. Marillion comes 2nd with 33€, and then Porcupine Tree, 23€. After that, Wishbone Ash 18€, Jethro Tull + Canned Heat + Manfred Mann 18€ (!!!!), and lots of other bands for very cheap tickets.
I agree about Madonna and Jon Anderson too (though I'm not sure for the Madonna part
, can she really be a star ?).
Indeed, there are lots of French prog rock bands, just as Nil or Ange, Clearlight, Maldoror, Magma, and the others, but indeed they aren't famous at all in their own country.
The most stunning example to explain my problem is Wishbone Ash. In France (I don't know if it's the same in other countries), June 21st is the music day, so people who play music, bands, set stages on the street and play their music. Only amateurs, of course no professional bands, people play for their pleasure, so there are no tickets, people walk in the streets and listen to what they want freely. I can remember discussing with Wishbone Ash and they said that they played at the music's day in France (I think that was in Lyon but I'm not quite sure).
Starting from this, I'm asking you: why does a band like W.A, who encountered such a success in the USA, have to play on the street for a free concert ? I know they play for their pleasure, because they played this day, they played the day I saw them live with less than 50 people in the audience, and they played again in Colmar when only 30 people came to see them, including Elric of course. But are they rewarded for their passion and their work ? Their music is 10 times worth a Madonna or a Green Day album, but still, they play for free in a feast because they just love music (I never saw a famous band play on the street for free, and I know that a Madonna ticket is around 100€), and that kindness, that love of music is rewarded with 30 poor 18€ tickets each time they play in France ... I would never play in France, but they still do ... I think this is a very sad story. The same for Mostly Autumn, whose members are to find work between the tours because they cannot afford to live normally only with their albums and tickets sold ... Lots of bands have the same problem, but I only heard about M.A so that's my example. Isn't it sad ?
And Jim, you understood what Colt said and translated the main idea perfectly, which proves your French is very good ! I happen to like some other music than progressive rock too, but music made with that concern you're talking about. Music made with the hearts and the minds of the musicians. One of the songs I like most is Camel's "Ice" (Never Let Go version, CD1), because on that version of the song, I can feel Latimer's emotion when he plays, I can feel passion in his playing. And when I play music myself, I want to express that too.