Music awards tend to be often stupid. Artists who sell well and are "politically correct" are usually awarded rather than those who have made the most significant musical contributions.
All in all, I was happy with this. The full sentiments are written about this event on the "Prog Archives" Forums.
The lesser of the two evils, is ... the music is still here ... and remembered very fondly, and some of its artists are met and discussed with a lot of words and aplomb. That's a lot more than most artists that get an award by their record company because they made a ploopy-load of folks millionaires off those sales of even more commercial sounding music.
That said, it's nice to see Peter Hammill acknowledged ... and I think that is a good thing. I'm not sure I would have given Rush any more props, as they did not need it.
There are some ncie words here and there, and even Rick Wakeman had some nice ones about the time and place and the "freedom" to experiment and do different work. However, I am still not convinced that he means what he says ... the most original of creative of all his work is in the album that he does not like, and will not perform, or have the guts to do it again ... and be proud of one of the greatest rock symphonies ever written in 4 movements!
The last comment on that thing, is its continued disregard for foreign music and artists, and in keeping everything at home ... which is a very commercial concept in and of itself for 2 countries in the western world, and it's like saying that the rest of the world has no music or soul!
I'm kinda tired of that attitude, to be honest with you, and that imperialistic feeling that the English and Americans own and invented the world!
