The Prog Ombudsman
@theprogombudsman.bsky.social
An independent, impartial* service that resolves disputes involving progressive rock bands.
Not a joke account*.
*ish
Cover image: Belwood Music. Avatar: Font Awesome
Not a joke account*.
*ish
Cover image: Belwood Music. Avatar: Font Awesome
TPO was heard cheering in his office earlier with the letters page of Prog Magazine before him. "Jerry [ @jerryewing.bsky.social ] is bang-on," he opined. "People who just want the 70's back can get on the sea. Smash the trolls."
We in the office, of course, remain fair, impartial and unbiased.
We in the office, of course, remain fair, impartial and unbiased.
August 8, 2025 at 1:29 PM
TPO was heard cheering in his office earlier with the letters page of Prog Magazine before him. "Jerry [ @jerryewing.bsky.social ] is bang-on," he opined. "People who just want the 70's back can get on the sea. Smash the trolls."
We in the office, of course, remain fair, impartial and unbiased.
We in the office, of course, remain fair, impartial and unbiased.
Reposted by The Prog Ombudsman
Of all the things I value most of all
I look inside myself
And see my world
And know that it is good…
I look inside myself
And see my world
And know that it is good…
July 22, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Of all the things I value most of all
I look inside myself
And see my world
And know that it is good…
I look inside myself
And see my world
And know that it is good…
TPO is devastated to learn of the passing of John Michael Osbourne. "Ozzy, onstage at least, was a frontman who drew attention to the astounding music being made around him rather than simply drawing attention to himself. we shall not see his like again."
July 22, 2025 at 10:05 PM
TPO is devastated to learn of the passing of John Michael Osbourne. "Ozzy, onstage at least, was a frontman who drew attention to the astounding music being made around him rather than simply drawing attention to himself. we shall not see his like again."
Reposted by The Prog Ombudsman
Peter Gabriel is named for someone who denied Jesus and someone who heralded him. Both of whom did their most notable work long after Genesis.
June 7, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Peter Gabriel is named for someone who denied Jesus and someone who heralded him. Both of whom did their most notable work long after Genesis.
This fascinating and important essay by Josephine Riesman highlights the incredible potential power of concept albums. "Even those," says TPO, "as deeply flawed as The Wall."
With thanks to @matthewhowesmusic.bsky.social for sharing the link with our offices.
With thanks to @matthewhowesmusic.bsky.social for sharing the link with our offices.
Thought control
Josephine Riesman on Pink Floyd and surrender
flaminghydra.com
March 15, 2025 at 3:25 PM
This fascinating and important essay by Josephine Riesman highlights the incredible potential power of concept albums. "Even those," says TPO, "as deeply flawed as The Wall."
With thanks to @matthewhowesmusic.bsky.social for sharing the link with our offices.
With thanks to @matthewhowesmusic.bsky.social for sharing the link with our offices.
While catching up on University Challenge at lunchtime, the Ombudsman was delighted to see Prog featured in the music round. Less pleasing was the contestants' failure to identify the works of one Robert Fripp. We will, of course, be calling on Government for improved arts education.
February 12, 2025 at 5:45 PM
While catching up on University Challenge at lunchtime, the Ombudsman was delighted to see Prog featured in the music round. Less pleasing was the contestants' failure to identify the works of one Robert Fripp. We will, of course, be calling on Government for improved arts education.
We endorse Ms. Hyde's position. AI may have a place as a tool in music production, but it must not come at the expense of the original artists. The PO acknowledges Mr. Altman's right to complain but was heard to mutter, "Whoever smelled it, dealt it."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Oh, I’m sorry, tech bros – did DeepSeek copy your work? I can hardly imagine your distress | Marina Hyde
If China has done to Sam Altman what his OpenAI has been accused of doing to creatives, it would take a heart of stone not to laugh, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com
January 31, 2025 at 3:07 PM
We endorse Ms. Hyde's position. AI may have a place as a tool in music production, but it must not come at the expense of the original artists. The PO acknowledges Mr. Altman's right to complain but was heard to mutter, "Whoever smelled it, dealt it."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
We were sad to hear that Marianne Faithfull has died at 78. Her music was perhaps not 'prog', but her re-imagination of songs and her fearless choices of collaborators definitely were. Also, as the PO says, setting music to readings of Byron, Keats and Shelley in 2021 is "wicked prog."
January 31, 2025 at 1:35 PM
We were sad to hear that Marianne Faithfull has died at 78. Her music was perhaps not 'prog', but her re-imagination of songs and her fearless choices of collaborators definitely were. Also, as the PO says, setting music to readings of Byron, Keats and Shelley in 2021 is "wicked prog."
We were sad to hear that David Lynch, a truly progressive artist, has died at 78. His works are a frequent topic of debate and disquiet here at ProgOmbsHQ. Here he is on the set of "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" with another dearly departed David, whom Mr. Lynch later re-cast as a giant kettle.
January 17, 2025 at 9:20 AM
We were sad to hear that David Lynch, a truly progressive artist, has died at 78. His works are a frequent topic of debate and disquiet here at ProgOmbsHQ. Here he is on the set of "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" with another dearly departed David, whom Mr. Lynch later re-cast as a giant kettle.
Here's an interesting thread our Insight Officer found whilst "occupied." Any complaints which cannot be resolved by communicating with the author can of course be referred to the Ombudsman who, while impartial, isn't a huge Madonna fan.
80s pop utterly destroyed 70s rock, where Punk utterly failed.
Almost every 70s rock musician started creating awful plastic pop chasing the big gated drum trends of the decade.
It was Madonna killed the beast of prog.
(l'il thread)
Almost every 70s rock musician started creating awful plastic pop chasing the big gated drum trends of the decade.
It was Madonna killed the beast of prog.
(l'il thread)
January 15, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Here's an interesting thread our Insight Officer found whilst "occupied." Any complaints which cannot be resolved by communicating with the author can of course be referred to the Ombudsman who, while impartial, isn't a huge Madonna fan.
We ask complainants not to unfairly denounce prog for being 'pretentious.' The OED defines this as: "Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed; making an exaggerated outward display; ostentatious, showy." The PO says this describes every artist ever.
January 15, 2025 at 7:31 PM
We ask complainants not to unfairly denounce prog for being 'pretentious.' The OED defines this as: "Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed; making an exaggerated outward display; ostentatious, showy." The PO says this describes every artist ever.
"How forward-looking was progressive rock?" A question we are often asked. "Reasonably," says The PO, "but it also looked to the past." After a few more drinks, he will likely denounce most 'modern prog' as "regressive" but we will keep him off the socials at that point.
www.msn.com/en-gb/entert...
www.msn.com/en-gb/entert...
MSN
www.msn.com
January 10, 2025 at 9:18 PM
"How forward-looking was progressive rock?" A question we are often asked. "Reasonably," says The PO, "but it also looked to the past." After a few more drinks, he will likely denounce most 'modern prog' as "regressive" but we will keep him off the socials at that point.
www.msn.com/en-gb/entert...
www.msn.com/en-gb/entert...
We make evidence-based decisions and will continue to rigorously check facts before basing determinations on them. However, The PO would like to make a short statement in response to today's news.
"Anyone who relies on Facebook as a source of factual information is, in fact, a moron."
"Anyone who relies on Facebook as a source of factual information is, in fact, a moron."
Meta announced that it would effectively end a fact-checking program instituted to curtail the spread of misinformation — a policy that was born out of Donald Trump's 2016 win — across its social media apps. The move is likely to please Trump and his allies.
Meta to End Fact-Checking Program on Facebook Ahead of Trump Term: Live Updates
The social networking giant will stop using third-party fact checkers on Facebook, Threads and Instagram and instead rely on users to add notes to posts. It is likely to please President-elect Trump a...
www.nytimes.com
January 7, 2025 at 6:18 PM
We make evidence-based decisions and will continue to rigorously check facts before basing determinations on them. However, The PO would like to make a short statement in response to today's news.
"Anyone who relies on Facebook as a source of factual information is, in fact, a moron."
"Anyone who relies on Facebook as a source of factual information is, in fact, a moron."
Today's listening at ProgOmbsHQ, even though the snow didn't settle in our environs. Whether or not Ms. Bush actually "had it off" with the snowman in track 3 is not within our jurisdiction to determine although, for what it's worth, The PO says she definitely did.
January 5, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Today's listening at ProgOmbsHQ, even though the snow didn't settle in our environs. Whether or not Ms. Bush actually "had it off" with the snowman in track 3 is not within our jurisdiction to determine although, for what it's worth, The PO says she definitely did.
The age-old quandary of naming the "first ever prog rock" LP has resurfaced. The PO's view is thus: Time is an illusion, a human construct, not a straight line, and any talk of "first" is therefore moot. Or, to quote The PO verbatim, "Oh, bore off, face-ache."
faroutmagazine.co.uk/what-was-the...
faroutmagazine.co.uk/what-was-the...
Who made the first prog rock album?
With a rich heritage of pop's creative ambitions and the emergence of the album as an art form, which release can lay claim to being the first in prog rock?
faroutmagazine.co.uk
January 4, 2025 at 11:22 AM
The age-old quandary of naming the "first ever prog rock" LP has resurfaced. The PO's view is thus: Time is an illusion, a human construct, not a straight line, and any talk of "first" is therefore moot. Or, to quote The PO verbatim, "Oh, bore off, face-ache."
faroutmagazine.co.uk/what-was-the...
faroutmagazine.co.uk/what-was-the...
Happy new year from ProgOmbsHQ. We hope you all have something to look forward to during the course of this new trip around our central star.
January 4, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Happy new year from ProgOmbsHQ. We hope you all have something to look forward to during the course of this new trip around our central star.
A very happy festival of light to you all from ProgOmbsHQ. The PO says, "Be awesome to others, and exalt the awesomeness you see in everyone around you."
He hasn't even had a drink yet!
He hasn't even had a drink yet!
December 25, 2024 at 12:40 PM
A very happy festival of light to you all from ProgOmbsHQ. The PO says, "Be awesome to others, and exalt the awesomeness you see in everyone around you."
He hasn't even had a drink yet!
He hasn't even had a drink yet!
We enjoyed Prog Magazine's review of the annual "Prog The Forest" but we have received complaints already, particularly around whether "fun" has any places in Prog, and the provenance of post-rock. Our Insight officer is on the case!
December 24, 2024 at 10:32 AM
We enjoyed Prog Magazine's review of the annual "Prog The Forest" but we have received complaints already, particularly around whether "fun" has any places in Prog, and the provenance of post-rock. Our Insight officer is on the case!
Our offices close at 12:30pm today, hopefully before the PO gets too "tired and emotional" to make impartial decisions. If prog causes any arguments in your household over Christmas dinner, you're on your own.
December 24, 2024 at 9:26 AM
Our offices close at 12:30pm today, hopefully before the PO gets too "tired and emotional" to make impartial decisions. If prog causes any arguments in your household over Christmas dinner, you're on your own.
Thanks to everyone who attended our drop-in today. Some interesting issues were raised, mostly via the medium of interpretive dance, which we are of course equipped to receive. If you require any reasonable adjustments when contacting us, please just let us know.
December 22, 2024 at 11:15 PM
Thanks to everyone who attended our drop-in today. Some interesting issues were raised, mostly via the medium of interpretive dance, which we are of course equipped to receive. If you require any reasonable adjustments when contacting us, please just let us know.
This is excellent news. Fun fact: Ombudsman is a nine-letter word. We resolve prog conundrums.
Countdown crowns first female champion in 26 years
Countdown crowns first female champion in 26 years
Fiona Wood solves final conundrum to clinch victory and encourages other women to ‘give it a go’
A forensic accountant has become the first female Countdown champion in 26 years.
Fiona Wood prevailed in the series final on Friday after correctly…
www.theguardian.com
December 21, 2024 at 1:35 AM
This is excellent news. Fun fact: Ombudsman is a nine-letter word. We resolve prog conundrums.
We'll be holding a 'drop-in' session at the All Bar One in Richmond, fielding any questions or complaints you may have. If you cannot find us, ask the band where the Ombudsman is and they'll point you in the right direction. facebook.com/events/s/the...
The Mighty Handful Christmas Sing Along 2024
Event by The Mighty Handful on Sunday, December 22 2024
facebook.com
December 19, 2024 at 1:20 PM
We'll be holding a 'drop-in' session at the All Bar One in Richmond, fielding any questions or complaints you may have. If you cannot find us, ask the band where the Ombudsman is and they'll point you in the right direction. facebook.com/events/s/the...
Television show themes can be considered progressive, and therefore some may fall within the PO jurisdiction. PO himself has been heard to mutter, "Numberblocks is prog AF."
A lovely ode to Delia Derbyshire in this archive piece from Prog Magazine.
www.loudersound.com/features/car...
A lovely ode to Delia Derbyshire in this archive piece from Prog Magazine.
www.loudersound.com/features/car...
“The Doctor Who theme was just a fraction of what she could do… She felt sound very deeply – things that haunted her came out”: Actress Caroline Catz on hearing Delia Derbyshire’s unreleased archive
Doc Martin and DCI Banks star’s record collection also features krautrock, space rock, acid folk, Canterbury and metal music
www.loudersound.com
December 18, 2024 at 9:03 PM
Television show themes can be considered progressive, and therefore some may fall within the PO jurisdiction. PO himself has been heard to mutter, "Numberblocks is prog AF."
A lovely ode to Delia Derbyshire in this archive piece from Prog Magazine.
www.loudersound.com/features/car...
A lovely ode to Delia Derbyshire in this archive piece from Prog Magazine.
www.loudersound.com/features/car...