EDDIE KONCZAL: Nepenthe Farewell Statement

Progressive De W(h)ither?

Novermber 13, 1999

Expensive friends and fans,

We, members of the musical group Nepenthe, desire to inform it that we will be arresting our final performance in lounge of the cocktail of Budapest in New Brunswick, New-jersey December in 4, 1999. In this time, the remainder of the materials of Nepenthe such as the DS, t-shirts and the taste, will be distributed the participants. The event will be filmed and recorded; subsequently, an limited number of the DS will be available fact, for a modest tax, to that they desire to finish its collections of Nepenthe.

This locking of what it was, to some of us, a musical trip almost to ten-year comes in one hour when the public and economic interest in what it is consulted to the times as " the gradual music of the rock " dwindled to absolute a low point, particularly in the United States. Popular music was always a reflection of the popular culture. In an age of summarization of the bullet-point, the thirtieth second soundbite and of " the controlling a-minute, " all the popular form of the art or entertainment that it requires an extension of the attention in an excess of three minutes in the part of its patrons the end to appreciate its character entirely is being operated of a disadvantage. In consequence, the artists who had established genre " gradual " and all pierce its standard during 70s, 80s and 90s continue it play to same legions graying of " original " fans without adding many new listeners. For many of these fans, the word the " progressive " as used with respect its favourite music ceased to mean (as in vernacular of the dictionary of Webster) " new " or " innovative " Lode preferivelmente " defines " one genre of music for the common features of the work of its progenitors; that is long instrumental ground and speedy, poly- intricate and multirhythms, " to sampler extensively grav-cover-based " used for the Yesses and king Crimsons of 1970s), to nominate some.

In consequence of this luck to think about the part of the intelligentsia self-appointed of " prog ", (who apologies for stance in its does not make none more periodicals each time niche-introduzídos in the market) all the new artists whom they desire to make, to introduce in the market or to execute its music under " the gradual " flag must be satisfied necessarily to aesthetic above; if not, irrespective of the quality of the writing, the writing or the performances, condescension will be marked " sellouts commercial " One special popular found frequent in the walks through of the new musicians who if call " progressive " in the hopes to make examination genre of this inspired to play to them to a new and different place, goes something as this:

" it is good, but he is not prog. "

To fascinate. Not this indication, if true, does not imply its opposite? To the wit:

" it is not good, but he is prog. "

This rationale explains as a work deficiently written, perhaps one derivative of prog 70s to the point of being plagiaristic, can be accepted and lionized exactly for prog-sumers not to be satisfied " to the old traditions " nenhuns of that such would exist exactly had had artists as Peter Gabriel, counts Bruford, Ian Anderson, Robert Fripp, Zappa frank et al. always was satisfied to all the luck of the " tradition "

We, members of the Nepenthe group, grow above inhaled above for the work of the artists and its respective bands until the o point where we made examination above of the study of our respective musical comedy instruments; invested heavily of our money and time, frequent with great personal sacrifice; profollowed, together e and separate, to the register and executes us it music that we feel homage paid, and we expand it upon, legacy to the left for our musical heroes. It are of the respect for what we consider to be " gradual " music authentic, better that re-invent the sound of Nepenthe to be satisfied it the narrow taste of traditionalists of ëprogí that floundering as one desires to preserve one genre râ in formaldehyde, we we decide ourselves to call it one day. Some of us collaborating in new musical designs in the next future; they will be " good " (we wait), but will not be " prog. "

He thanks it for its time and attention. We look at onward to see it.

The members of Nepenthe