{"id":2960,"date":"2010-09-23T16:03:54","date_gmt":"2010-09-23T20:03:54","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2010-10-10T18:52:30","modified_gmt":"2010-10-10T22:52:30","slug":"making-the-case-for-the-sexiest-man-in-prog-rock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/making-the-case-for-the-sexiest-man-in-prog-rock\/","title":{"rendered":"Making the Case for the Sexiest Man in Prog-Rock: Will it Be John Wetton, Chris Squire, Carl Palmer, or David Gilmour?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"image_block\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/media\/blogs\/rth\/gabrielarquette.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/media\/blogs\/rth\/gabrielarquette.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"625\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"image_legend\">Chicks dig odd time signatures!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Our ongoing poll to determine the <em>Sexiest Man in Prog-Rock<\/em> has garnered interest across the globe. Out of the gates it looked to be a showdown between the the <a href=\"http:\/\/cdn.mos.totalfilm.com\/images\/z\/zelig-800-75.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Zelig<\/a> of the Prog\/Art Rock world, stylishly tressed bassist <a href=\"http:\/\/gutocapucho.zip.net\/images\/johnwetton.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">John Wetton<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/userserve-ak.last.fm\/serve\/_\/12545825\/David+Gilmour+gilmour.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">former model<\/a> and Pink Floyd hunk <a href=\"http:\/\/www.resourceactionprograms.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/david_gilmour.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">David Gilmour<\/a>. Then, without warning, cape-wearing Yes bassist <a href=\"http:\/\/cdn.mos.musicradar.com\/images\/features\/rickenbacker-gallery\/chris-squire-corbis-530-85.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Chris Squire<\/a> and ELP&#8217;s boyishly macho drummer <a href=\"http:\/\/images.wolfgangsvault.com\/images\/catalog\/detail\/ZZZ008310-PP.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Carl Palmer<\/a> jumped ahead of Gilmour and put some heat on Wetton. With a record number of votes pouring in, Wetton and Squire are neck and neck! Before more votes are posted, let&#8217;s consider the leaders in this heretofore-inconceivable showdown.<\/p>\n<p>I know this discussion will make some of you manly men uncomfortable, but these prog-rock legends aren&#8217;t <a href=\"http:\/\/healthhabits.files.wordpress.com\/2008\/12\/ken-doll-naked.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">as smooth as Ken dolls<\/a> <em>down there<\/em>, nor are their fans a collection of plastic Ken and Barbie dolls. For the rock &#8216;n roll record, I suggest you man up and give these gents the once-over they deserve. It&#8217;s clear that only Rock Town Hall is fit to determine, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/index.php?tag=once+and+for+all\" target=\"_blank\">once and for all<\/a>, the Sexiest Man in Prog-Rock. <em>In-depth analyses of our leading vote-getters appear on page 2!<\/em><!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<big><strong>John Wetton<\/strong><\/big><br \/><iframe class='youtube-player youtuber' type='text\/html' width='425' height='355' src='http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XHgqHrQBNCI?rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;ap=%252526fmt%253D18' webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen frameborder='0'><\/iframe><br \/>\nLet&#8217;s start with my personal favorite in this contest, John Wetton. As some of you know, I&#8217;m a hair guy. A good head of hair on a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wishboneash.co.uk\/history\/personnel\/images\/johnwetton\/JohnWettoncasual.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">man&#8217;s man<\/a> is a gift that should be treated with care and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dm.net\/~sharan\/wetton\/jwnsvautographed.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">respect<\/a> &#8211; and no fear of adding a <a href=\"http:\/\/park2.wakwak.com\/~zep\/lovely\/handsome02\/02_06john_wetton_79.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">little flair<\/a>. Wetton&#8217;s long known how to treat his <a href=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/e\/e9\/UK_Polydor_1978.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">wavy<\/a> head of hair, keeping it properly <a href=\"http:\/\/userserve-ak.last.fm\/serve\/_\/157004\/John+Wetton.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">conditioned<\/a> and utilizing <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rentrock.nl\/fotoboek\/Vintage%20Uriah%20Heep%20photos%20-%20many%20thanks%20to%20David%20Slowey\/album\/uriahheepukslowey_6.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">cascading layering<\/a> effects that even <a href=\"http:\/\/mitkadem2.homestead.com\/files\/john_wetton_uk.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">made the most<\/a> of the piss-poor hairstyles that became fashionable in the late 1970s and early 1980s.<\/p>\n<p><iframe class='youtube-player youtuber' type='text\/html' width='425' height='355' src='http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Nob52_oaTcI?rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;ap=%252526fmt%253D18' webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen frameborder='0'><\/iframe><br \/>\nOf course, the Sexiest Man in Prog-Rock needs to bring more than a thick mane of hair to the table. Everyone knows that <a href=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/e\/e9\/UK_Polydor_1978.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">quiet confidence among peers<\/a> is sexy. Should the Sexiest Man in Prog-Rock be able to rock a beard? It may not be a requirement, but <a href=\"http:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/T2IuV_onpps\/0.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Wetton&#8217;s got the goods<\/a>. And still photos only tell a small part of the story. That&#8217;s Wetton in the above clip pulling dual-doubleneck duty with his first prominent band, <strong>Family<\/strong>! Even wielding one of two doubleneck guitars in the band, you can&#8217;t take your eyes off the guy on the left, can you?<\/p>\n<p>Along with his best-known band, Asia, and his work in post-King Crimson prog-rock extension band <a href=\"http:\/\/rsindex.pictures-hosting.com\/2010-07-04\/00155d45_medium.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\">U.K.<\/a>, don&#8217;t forget that Wetton did time in the hyper-stylish <strong>Roxy Music<\/strong>, a band notorious (for Wetton) for not really including the bass player as a full-time member. John is not only in Roxy Music band photos from his time with them, he&#8217;s not coincidentally positioned in <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.limewire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/01\/roxy_music_2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">this group shot<\/a> as one of <strong>Bryan Ferry<\/strong>&#8216;s wingmen. Despite his rugged prog sex appeal, Wetton was never one to flaunt it when matched with homely bandmates, as <a href=\"http:\/\/heepfiles.info\/photo\/lineup7.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">seen here<\/a> in this band shot with <strong>Uriah Heep<\/strong>. He&#8217;s more of a complimentary prog-rock sex symbol, more <a href=\"http:\/\/30.media.tumblr.com\/tumblr_kz4odwe1Qk1qagnhuo1_400.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Colin Firth than Hugh Grant<\/a>, if you will.<\/p>\n<p><em>Next, warm, fun-loving Chris Squire&#8230;<\/em><br \/>\n<!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<big><strong>Chris Squire<\/strong><\/big><br \/><iframe class='youtube-player youtuber' type='text\/html' width='425' height='355' src='http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ep5_HL9A_PA?rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;ap=%252526fmt%253D18' webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen frameborder='0'><\/iframe><br \/>\nTo try to better understand the appeal of surprise vote-leader (as of this writing) Chris Squire I examined the early Yes performance in this clip&#8230; OK, Chris is tall and lean. I know some folks dig that Look. His hair is in good shape at this point. He plays a long-necked bass, which may tap into some virility rites along the lines of the fertility symbolism among women bassists, examined <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/index.php\/the-world-moves-on-a-woman-s-hips-hot-la\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. What this clip really gets me thinking about, though, is the shocking lack of support for prog-rock&#8217;s &#8220;cute&#8221; one, <strong>Jon Anderson<\/strong>. I figured he garner a ton of votes from female prog-rock fans who crossed over to the genre thanks to the band&#8217;s version of Simon &amp; Garfunkel&#8217;s &#8220;America.&#8221; Women always loved <strong>Paul Simon<\/strong>, didn&#8217;t they &#8211; or is it just my wife who thinks young Paul Simon is adorable?<\/p>\n<p>So what else might Squire (definitely <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailyidiocy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/bigbird.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">not my type<\/a>) possess? How about a <a href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/_WYh2DXgQ4Rg\/TDaBMTlO1eI\/AAAAAAAAAGA\/_iS0vRHr2n8\/s1600\/Chris%2BSquire.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">triple-neck bass<\/a> and a penchant for stage wear that says, <em>Sure, I know I&#8217;m large, but why shouldn&#8217;t I be larger than life?<\/em> Squire&#8217;s always been a flashy dresser and, along with on-and-off bandmate <a href=\"http:\/\/www.huxrecords.com\/rick_wakeman1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Rick Wakeman<\/a>, a proud wearer of capes, <a href=\"http:\/\/yesmuseum.org\/images\/ChrisCircus-Nov76.JPG\" target=\"_blank\">shawls<\/a>, and something resembling a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.philmages.com\/08%20Classic%20Rock%20Concerts\/Yes\/YES05%20Chris%20Squire%20-%20Monochrome.JPG\" target=\"_blank\">tattered shower curtain<\/a>. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/85848399\/Redferns\" target=\"_blank\">Here<\/a> he&#8217;s fashioned an outfit out of the upholstery from a Southwesten-style couch. And did the artist Christo begin some work on him in <a href=\"http:\/\/userserve-ak.last.fm\/serve\/_\/33791825\/Chris+Squire+C.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">this shot<\/a>?<\/p>\n<p>Squire was also known for some <a href=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2008\/08\/16\/article-1045969-02208A1500000578-711_468x357_popup.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">flashy footwear<\/a>, most likely making him the favorite of Carrie Bradshaw and friends.<\/p>\n<p>Although <a href=\"http:\/\/cache.gawker.com\/assets\/resources\/2006\/10\/menounous-big-bird.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">not my type<\/a>, I&#8217;ll credit Squire with projecting a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/85848402\/Redferns\" target=\"_blank\">warm, fun-loving image<\/a>. He&#8217;s got a <a href=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/0\/06\/Chris_Squire,_1973.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">&#8220;feminine&#8221; appeal<\/a> that&#8217;s far from the threatening image of some of his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.intuitivemusic.com\/images\/CV-deborah-anderson-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">bandmates<\/a> and prog-rock <a href=\"http:\/\/www.scoutnetworkblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/02\/genesis_peter_gabriel.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">peers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Next, mannish boy Carl Palmer.<\/em><br \/>\n<!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<big><strong>Carl Palmer<\/strong><\/big><br \/><iframe class='youtube-player youtuber' type='text\/html' width='425' height='355' src='http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qGAzECdeyh8?rel=0&amp;fs=1&amp;ap=%252526fmt%253D18' webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen frameborder='0'><\/iframe><br \/>\nTo be honest, until Carl Palmer crept up the standings in our <em>Sexiest Man in Prog-Rock<\/em> poll, I couldn&#8217;t have identified Palmer if he showed up at my front door carrying drum sticks. It took me into my sophomore year of college to begin making sense of the prog-rock I couldn&#8217;t stand as a young teen, but even after digging King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd (maybe more of an &#8220;Art Rock&#8221; band), and some more obscure bands, I left Emerson, Lake &amp; Palmer in the dustbin of my youth. Reviewing old live clips of the band, I still don&#8217;t like the music, but I&#8217;m seeing that ELP was the most brazenly sexual of prog-rock bands. There was a lot of bare, sweaty flesh being flashed at those old ELP shows. Palmer had the boyish-yet-hardy appeal of a star midfielder on the soccer (sorry, <em>football<\/em>) pitch. Maybe it&#8217;s the hair, but in this clip of Palmer&#8217;s drum solo I&#8217;m reminded of <em>To Die For<\/em>&#8216;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hotflick.net\/flicks\/1995_To_Die_For\/995TDF_Alison_Folland_008.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Alison Folland<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Looking back at still images of Palmer, he&#8217;s occasionally seen in a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rockul.info\/images\/photo\/elp\/elp-carl-palmer-photo2.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\">soft, hippified light<\/a>, but more often than not he&#8217;s in <a href=\"http:\/\/mitkadem.homestead.com\/files\/ELP\/Palmer_72.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">full-on jock mode<\/a>. It&#8217;s coming back to me now, the crowd in my high school that liked ELP. It was a party-hearty crowd, but these guys were also capable of excelling in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vintagerock.com\/img\/cp_1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">classroom<\/a> and on <a href=\"http:\/\/images.wolfgangsvault.com\/images\/catalog\/detail\/ZZZ008310-PP.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">sports<\/a> teams. If you were a prog-loving woman in search of a goal-oriented, dynamic guy, you couldn&#8217;t go wrong with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.furious.com\/Perfect\/graphics\/elp.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">any member of the band<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Next, the smouldering David Gilmour.<\/em><br \/>\n<!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<big><strong>David Gilmour<\/strong><\/big><br \/>\nFJsc7ZMcBpI]<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_4RCuHAbWhnY\/S5HmtpBzHZI\/AAAAAAAACfA\/YfmwmJrMoLw\/s400\/026_DavidGilmour1975.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Christ!<\/a> How the <a href=\"http:\/\/userserve-ak.last.fm\/serve\/_\/7850437\/David+Gilmour.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">sultry<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/rjdent.files.wordpress.com\/2010\/07\/david-gilmour-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">full-lipped<\/a> David Gilmour fell out of contention in this poll is a mystery to me. Maybe discerning prog-rock fans object to him being entered in this competition, when Pink Floyd never played enough triplets to qualify as a true progressive rock band. When it comes time to determine, once and for all, the <em>Sexiest Man in Prog-Rock<\/em>, we&#8217;ll have to consider Gilmour, regardless of the popular vote.<\/p>\n<p>Among the prog-rock musicians who have not struck a nerve with voters, I&#8217;m most suprised by the lack of support for <strong>Peter Gabriel<\/strong> and <strong>Phil Collins<\/strong>. Despite <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nashvillescene.com\/images\/blogimages\/2010\/08\/23\/1282571879-gabecollins.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">initial impressions<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.zoilus.com\/documents\/peter-gabriel.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">each<\/a> would <a href=\"http:\/\/mybuddieslive.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/phil-collins.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">clean up<\/a> well, but perhaps by then it was <a href=\"http:\/\/synergy-emusic.com\/petergabrielpix\/pg4\/peterphilcollins.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">too late<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you haven&#8217;t voted already &#8211; or if you have and would like to comment on your selection in this thread &#8211; I hope these analyses and images help you make the right choice. It&#8217;s important that prog-rockers finally have the opportunity to be objectified the way musicians working in other styles have long enjoyed. The prog world will surely thank us for the work we&#8217;re doing.<\/p>\n<p><em>See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/index.php\/they-don-t-make-em-like-that-anymore-king-crimson-1974\" target=\"_blank\">also<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<nav class=\"page-links\"><strong>Pages:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/making-the-case-for-the-sexiest-man-in-prog-rock\/\" class=\"post-page-numbers\"><span class=\"page-num\">1<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/making-the-case-for-the-sexiest-man-in-prog-rock\/2\/\" class=\"post-page-numbers\"><span class=\"page-num\">2<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/making-the-case-for-the-sexiest-man-in-prog-rock\/3\/\" class=\"post-page-numbers\"><span class=\"page-num\">3<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/making-the-case-for-the-sexiest-man-in-prog-rock\/4\/\" class=\"post-page-numbers\"><span class=\"page-num\">4<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/making-the-case-for-the-sexiest-man-in-prog-rock\/5\/\" class=\"post-page-numbers\"><span class=\"page-num\">5<\/span><\/a><\/nav>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chicks dig odd time signatures! Our ongoing poll to determine the Sexiest Man in Prog-Rock has garnered interest across the globe. Out of the gates it looked to be a showdown between the the Zelig of the Prog\/Art Rock world, stylishly tressed bassist John Wetton, and former model and Pink Floyd hunk David Gilmour. Then, <a href='https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/making-the-case-for-the-sexiest-man-in-prog-rock\/' class='excerpt-more'>[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[20],"tags":[106,319,320,307,76,96,1014,77],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2960"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2960"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2960\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rocktownhall.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}