etl@cbscc.UUCP (Eugene T. Levine) (06/17/85)
Anyone out there into YES. I'm interested in tour schedules, trivia, and live recordings of shows. I have several recordings, some of quite good quality, and would be interested in trading. I've been into YES for years now, and have seen them live 10 times starting in 1976 in places like Detroit, Toledo, Dayton, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and (yekk!) Columbus. The best concerts I have seen (not restricted to YES) have been in Cleveland where the high energy fans make the concerts an experience I`ll never forget. I've seen many rock concerts, and only once did I see a group come back for a 'unplanned encore'. After playing the usual one or two encores and having ALL of the house lights turned on, the sold out crowd surprised even me when they did not give up and were treated to a fifteen minute version of 'yours is no disgrace'. This was verified later by the concert reviewer in the Cleveland paper. YES has had many different configurations over the years, but my favorite one consisted of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Alan White, and Chris Squire. I prefer these gentleman and their music over the current group and their work. Anyone that is into YES and would like to converse about them, just let me know - my email address is below. Gene Levine AT&T Bell Labs 860-4337 Columbus, OH ihnp4!cbosgd!cbsck!cbscc!etl Still 'Going for the One.' 6/17/85
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Arthur Pewtey) (06/19/85)
> YES has had many different configurations over the years, but my favorite > one consisted of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Alan White, and > Chris Squire. I prefer these gentleman and their music over the current > group and their work. [GENE LEVINE] I preferred the incarnation before that when they had a drummer. -- "Wait a minute. '*WE*' decided??? *MY* best interests????" Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (06/20/85)
> I preferred the incarnation before that when they had a drummer.
You're right about that; Bill Bruford was much better than Alan White.
White doesn't seem to have much dynamic control; often he sounds like
he is beating on a tin pan. Bruford was very clean and precise, often
almost military.
--
Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos
UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer
US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC;
2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642
Bar ol bar / Gur pbyq rgpurq cyngr /
Unf cevagrq gur jnez fgnef bhg.mms1646@acf4.UUCP (Michael M. Sykora) (06/20/85)
I suspect that the Howe-Anderson-Wakeman-Squire-Bruford combo was the most popular and, in my opinion, the most creative. They are the one's who did "Close to the Edge," "Fragile," "The YES Album," and "The Age of Atlantic" (with their incredible rendition of Paul Simon's America on it), among others. Mike Sykora
oyster@uwmacc.UUCP (Vicious Oyster) (06/22/85)
In article <1150041@acf4.UUCP> mms1646@acf4.UUCP (Michael M. Sykora) writes: > >I suspect that the Howe-Anderson-Wakeman-Squire-Bruford combo was the >most popular and, in my opinion, the most creative. They are the one's >who did "Close to the Edge," "Fragile," "The YES Album," and "The Age >of Atlantic" (with their incredible rendition of Paul Simon's America on >it), among others. > > Mike Sykora What was "The Age of Atlantic"? I have "Yesterdays", which has the song "America" on it. However, since I've never seen the "Age of Atlantic" album, I just assumed it was some obscure compendium of songs by Atlantic recording artists. You make it sound like yet another Yes album. What is it? Just for the record, I feel that the current album sounds very fresh, yet still very much Yes. I think it as good as the above-listed albums (though my favorite, at least every other day, is still "Relayer"), and definitely better than anything after "Going for the One." And I don't even want to *think* about the infamous "Yes meets the Buggles" album. -- - joel "vo" plutchak {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!oyster "Take what I say in a different way and it's easy to say that this is all confusion."
todd@SCINEWS.UUCP (Todd Jones) (06/22/85)
> > YES has had many different configurations over the years, but my favorite > > one consisted of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Alan White, and > > Chris Squire. I prefer these gentleman and their music over the current > > group and their work. [GENE LEVINE] > > I preferred the incarnation before that when they had a drummer. > -- > "Wait a minute. '*WE*' decided??? *MY* best interests????" > Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr Oh Boy! Another Bill Bruford fan!! Let's hear it for one the greatest percussionists ever!
derrick@ut-sally.UUCP (Derrick Hartsock) (06/24/85)
> > What was "The Age of Atlantic"? I have "Yesterdays", which has the song > "America" on it. However, since I've never seen the "Age of Atlantic" album, > I just assumed it was some obscure compendium of songs by Atlantic recording > artists. You make it sound like yet another Yes album. What is it? > -- > - joel "vo" plutchak Age of Atlantic was just a compilation of songs. I believe America was done because of a request by Atlantic for a single. I'm not sure what the flip side had on it.(Anybody know?). -- Derrick Hartsock - CS DEept. University of Texas at Austin {seismo, ihnp4}!ut-sally!derrick : derrick@ut-sally.{ARPA, UUCP}
brandx@ihlpl.UUCP (H. D. Weisberg) (06/24/85)
I really think the line-up with Bruford was great, but my favorite YES album is "Relayer" featuring Patrick Moraz. It's too bad they didn't record any more with him.
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (06/24/85)
> I suspect that the Howe-Anderson-Wakeman-Squire-Bruford combo was the > most popular and, in my opinion, the most creative. They are the one's > who did "Close to the Edge," "Fragile," "The YES Album," and "The Age > of Atlantic" (with their incredible rendition of Paul Simon's America on > it), among others. Mike Sykora Slight correction: Tony Kaye played on the Yes Album, not Rick Wakeman. I was thinking about my comment about White, and I realized something about his place in the Topographic album. Topographic was an album with some interesting ideas that were not executed in the best manner. There were problems with the mix and with Wakeman's integration into the band that showed in the final mix. White was hired by Anderson because he felt Bruford, who had just quit, didn't offer them a rhythmic anchor on solid ground, which White, a "rock" drummer, might. Ironically, the Topographic might have been even more unanchored if Bruford had still been the drummer. (Or maybe not...) The story is that "America" was the first thing Wakeman ever recorded with Yes. -- Like a bourbon? (HIC!) Drunk for the very first time... Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr
mms1646@acf4.UUCP (Michael M. Sykora) (06/25/85)
I've been a Yes fan for many years. In the last few years I've become a diehard Pat Metheny fan. It seems to me that there are similarities in their music. Any thoughts on this?
derrick@ut-sally.UUCP (Derrick Hartsock) (06/25/85)
> > I preferred the incarnation before that when they had a drummer. > > You're right about that; Bill Bruford was much better than Alan White. > White doesn't seem to have much dynamic control; often he sounds like > he is beating on a tin pan. Bruford was very clean and precise, often > almost military. > -- > Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos What? I admit that Bill Bruford was a better drummer but he is a tough act to follow. I know I wouldn't want to. Obviously you don't do your homework. There is in existance an album- an album so incredible that it's amazeing that it hasn't been given proper notice. It's called "Tales from Topographic Oceans". And just guess who the drummer is. That's right, Alan White. This is the album that has "Ritual" on it. Not as creative? Hardly. Also, the "Relayer" album contained Alan White also. I'm sure you've heard of "The Gates of Delirium". If you listen to these albums, I'm sure you'll see the light. [Nous Sommes Du Soleil] -- Derrick Hartsock - CS DEept. University of Texas at Austin {seismo, ihnp4}!ut-sally!derrick : derrick@ut-sally.{ARPA, UUCP}
simpson@lll-crg.ARPA (Rea Simpson) (06/25/85)
> > What was "The Age of Atlantic"? I have "Yesterdays", which has the song >"America" on it. However, since I've never seen the "Age of Atlantic" album, >I just assumed it was some obscure compendium of songs by Atlantic recording >artists. You make it sound like yet another Yes album. What is it? > Just for the record, I feel that the current album sounds very fresh, yet >still very much Yes. I think it as good as the above-listed albums (though >my favorite, at least every other day, is still "Relayer"), and definitely >better than anything after "Going for the One." And I don't even want to >*think* about the infamous "Yes meets the Buggles" album. I have the same question about "The Age of Atlantic" and now I have another. What are you refering to by "Yes meets the Buggles"? I hope I'm not being stupid but I don't understand. I agree that the new album is the best since "Relayer" which is also my favorite (although "Going For The One" does have it's high points). Rea Simpson
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (06/25/85)
> I really think the line-up with Bruford was great, but my > favorite YES album is "Relayer" featuring Patrick Moraz. > > It's too bad they didn't record any more with him. Goes to show it's all a matter of taste. I thought Relayer was a mishmash attempting to integrate Yes-style (whatever that is and was) with a new sound, namely Moraz's jazz-tinged flavorings. I thought the clash was too harsh, that the styles didn't meld into anything. "Sound Chaser" sounded to me like four or five separate compositions force-fitted together. I always believed Moraz was very wrong for that band---though I actually liked his previous work with Refugee. (Do you realize that Moraz has effectively replaced the keyboardist in three of the top-line progressive groups of the 70s? Emerson (Nice-->Refugee), Wakeman (Yes), Mike Pinder (Moody Blues). Also Moraz was not the original choice to replace Wakeman, Vangelis Papathanassiou was, but he couldn't join because of some visa problems.) If you like Moraz and Bruford, they did make a record together (called "Piano and Drum"???) which I've heard is rather good. Note that as you point out above, they never actually played in Yes at the same time, though I believe they both played on Chris Squire's "Fish Out of Water". (No, that was Andrew Jackman on keyboards there from the Syn, my mistake.) -- Like a bourbon? (HIC!) Drunk for the very first time... Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr
lsmith@h-sc1.UUCP (Liz Smith) (06/25/85)
> > And I don't even want to > >*think* about the infamous "Yes meets the Buggles" album. > > > What are you refering to by "Yes meets the Buggles"? I hope I'm not being > stupid but I don't understand. > > Rea Simpson "Yes meets the Buggles" was a bad idea that happened 5 (?) yrs. ago when Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman left the band to be succeeded by Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes, The Buggles. They did the tour that the former members had set up, and produced the album Drama. Although some of the songs from that album were OK in concert, (the tickets were all sold months before the change was announced - I wondered if it was false advertising . . .) when Horn tried to sing Anderson's songs it was pitiful, painful, and depressing. Liz Smith
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (06/26/85)
> Just for the record, I feel that the current album sounds very fresh, > yet still very much Yes. I will agree with this regarding the sound, but I feel the current lyrics are considerably more shallow than formerly. Consider their briefly-popular song from _90125_, "Owner of a Lonely Heart," compared to some of the other songs on the same or similar subject, e.g., "To Be Over". The latter is a very sensitive, encouraging sort of song; on the other hand, the former is simply trite repetition of popular self-help advice. Musically, though, I think having a second, stronger voice helped that album a lot. Jon Anderson's voice has always seemed a weak point of Yes to me (although his lyrics are very good). I suspect the music on 90125 was in a sense a reaction to Asia, inasmuch as Howe left the group out of dissatisfaction with the type of music Yes had been producing. It seems stylistically very strongly influenced by Asia (although, fortunately, again the lyrics are much better than the very mundane ones Asia uses), almost a demonstration of "see, we can make this kind of music too if we really have to." A strange thing about 90125 is that it has two of the most traditionally melodic themes on it of any Yes album; in "Hearts," and "City of Love". It will be interesting to see what they do next. -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642 "Qbpx! Qbpx! Zl obj jrag bss juvyr V jhm pyrrava' vg!"
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (06/26/85)
> Topographic was an album with some interesting ideas that were not executed > in the best manner. ... Ironically, the Topographic might have been even > more unanchored if Bruford had still been the drummer. Could you expand on this idea a little more, Rich? It sounds interesting. -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642 "Qbpx! Qbpx! Zl obj jrag bss juvyr V jhm pyrrava' vg!"
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (06/26/85)
> "Sound Chaser" sounded to me like four or five separate compositions force- > fitted together. I think that was the intent. "Sound Chaser" contained a concise statement of Yes's overall approach to music, of the mixing of traditional forms in almost unrecognizable ways; the "guiding lines, we touch them: our bodies balance out the waves" notion. As such, I think it was INTENDED as a hyperbole, an intentional exaggeration of a set of forms not generally considered as particularly contributing to rock music (with the exception of the jazz, which you mentioned). (Also I just particularly like the organ-like guitar chords on there, which are really great stuff, independent of the rest of the song.) -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642 "Qbpx! Qbpx! Zl obj jrag bss juvyr V jhm pyrrava' vg!"
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (06/26/85)
> I will agree with this regarding the sound, but I feel the current lyrics > are considerably more shallow than formerly. I wonder, though, if this doesn't reflect the changed philosophy expressed in "Short Stories" over the songs that were lost during the big "I just meant we should take some time off for awhile, not break up" breakup that preceeded "Drama", "When I think about the silent list, drowned this summer, travel light." I hope not, though. -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642 "Qbpx! Qbpx! Zl obj jrag bss juvyr V jhm pyrrava' vg!"
lip@masscomp.UUCP (John Lipinski) (06/27/85)
In article <1175@peora.UUCP> jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) writes: > Just for the record, I feel that the current album sounds very fresh, > yet still very much Yes. I disagree. It is simpler and more commercial. It doesn't seem to contain as much work as many of their previous albums. >Jon Anderson's voice has always seemed a weak point of Yes to me >(although his lyrics are very good). I think that you are missing a lot of their music then. I think that most Yes fans would agree with me that Anderson has an excellent voice and it is finely tailored for their type of music. >Howe left the group out of dissatisfaction with the type of music Yes had >been producing. How do you know that? I seen Howe play in concert and I know most of the songs that he has written. They are all alligned with the style of traditional Yes - Close to the Edge, YesSongs, .... I don't believe that he left the group out of "dissatisfaction with the type of music Yes had been producing." Probably more out of desire to make more money with commercial music. However, I think (hope) that he will not be able to supress his talent much longer and quit Asia soon. Maybe he'll look up Squire, Anderson, Bruford, and Wakeman.... - John Lipinski {ihnp4,decvax}!masscomp!lip
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (06/27/85)
>>> I preferred the incarnation before that when they had a drummer. >> >>You're right about that; Bill Bruford was much better than Alan White. >>White doesn't seem to have much dynamic control; often he sounds like >>he is beating on a tin pan. Bruford was very clean and precise, often >>almost military. >>-- >>Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos > What? I admit that Bill Bruford was a better drummer but he is a tough > act to follow. I know I wouldn't want to. Obviously you don't do your > homework. There is in existance an album- an album so incredible that > it's amazeing that it hasn't been given proper notice. It's called > "Tales from Topographic Oceans". And just guess who the drummer is. > That's right, Alan White. This is the album that has "Ritual" on it. > Not as creative? Hardly. [HARTSOCK] Not as creative? Precisely! (Just one man's opinion.) Carl Palmer that man is NOT, yet he felt obliged to show off as many noises and instruments playing at once as possible. I was (and still am) deeply unimpressed with White's performance there and elsewhere. However, as I mentioned in another article, Topographic might have been an even more obtuse album (even the members of the band were dissatisfied with the final execution in the mix) than it was WITHOUT White acting as an anchor. Bruford might have been fantastic on it, but it would have been even more rambling than it was with Bruford in it. "The Ancient", on the other hand, showcases the whole band very well (including White) and for me is one of the best Yes cuts of all. > Also, the "Relayer" album contained Alan White also. I'm sure you've > heard of "The Gates of Delirium". Again, I am unimpressed by most of "Relayer", but more because Moraz seemed grafted onto the band as an out-of-place appendage rather than an integrated part of it (exception: Soon). > If you listen to these albums, I'm sure you'll see the light. I hope you aren't serious in claiming that simply by listening to albums you like, people will "see the light" and agree with your opinions. I'm as entitled to my opinion that White stinks and Relayer is poor as you are to the opposite opinions. I think that from the objective angle of actual ability and real creativity, White doesn't hold a candle to Bruford, but that doesn't mean his resulting music is necessarily "worse". I've always thought that his whole style was dead wrong for Yes. -- Like a sturgeon (GLURG!), caught for the very first time... Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr
mfs@mhuxr.UUCP (SIMON) (06/27/85)
> Goes to show it's all a matter of taste. I thought Relayer was a mishmash > attempting to integrate Yes-style (whatever that is and was) with a new > sound, namely Moraz's jazz-tinged flavorings. I thought the clash was too > harsh, that the styles didn't meld into anything. "Sound Chaser" sounded > to me like four or five separate compositions force-fitted together. > I always believed Moraz was very wrong for that band---though I actually > liked his previous work with Refugee. It sure is a matter of taste. Moraz was/is not as flashy as Wakeman, and I always felt he was more willing to intgrate his sound into the tune, rather than take Wakeman's approach of integrating the tune into his sound. Also (this is not a flame) I have always wondered how much of Wakeman's popularity was based on those flying blond locks. I mean, the music he has made as a leader ranges from average (HENRY VIII) to mediocre (KING ARTHUR) to embarrassing (just about everything else) Moraz deferred to Steve Howeas lead soloist, creating sound textures, which supported the guitaristic and vocal flights that make up so much of Yes. I always felt that Wakeman was trying to inject himself into those heights as well. Bruford was able to fill in, but as has been pointed out, White just was not as inventive. The group's music with White and Wakeman always sounds top-heavy. Just some opinions Marcel Simon PS Does anyone know Moraz's solo album, I ? Came out before GOING FOR THE ONE. It's one of my favorites. I'd be interested to hear what others have to say about it.
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (06/28/85)
>>Goes to show it's all a matter of taste. I thought Relayer was a mishmash >>attempting to integrate Yes-style (whatever that is and was) with a new >>sound, namely Moraz's jazz-tinged flavorings. I thought the clash was too >>harsh, that the styles didn't meld into anything. "Sound Chaser" sounded >>to me like four or five separate compositions force-fitted together. >>I always believed Moraz was very wrong for that band---though I actually >>liked his previous work with Refugee. > It sure is a matter of taste. Moraz was/is not as flashy as Wakeman, > and I always felt he was more willing to intgrate his sound into the > tune, rather than take Wakeman's approach of integrating the tune into > his sound. I always thought Wakeman for the most part did just that in Yes, rarely soloing concentrating for the better part of most of the compositions on doing the very thing he was hired for: electronic keyboard colorizing which Tony Kaye was too timid to do. I consider tearing into a Chick Corea ripoff synthesizer solo for no valid musically contextual reason (i.e., Sound Chaser) to certainly qualify as flashy in the boldest sense. > Also (this is not a flame) I have always wondered how much > of Wakeman's popularity was based on those flying blond locks. I mean, > the music he has made as a leader ranges from average (HENRY VIII) to > mediocre (KING ARTHUR) to embarrassing (just about everything else) Try telling that to Wakeman fans. (I did, I'm missing a few limbs for it --- "It's only a flesh wound") I liked Six Wives and little else. I agree that stuff like "Journey", in which he misuses a symphony orchestra in a most banal way (though I know more than a few who love it) is embarrassing. Of course his blond locks were part of his image. Wakeman wasn't the Emerson a lot of people thought he was, he was just a good keyboardist who single handedly defined rock multi-keyboarding style: the stacks, the purposely placing keyboards on opposite ends of the stage to impress people as to how far he could stretch his arms and still play, and (more importantly) the way in which he introduced keyboard colorization as a pseudo-art form. > Moraz deferred to Steve Howeas lead soloist, creating sound textures, > which supported the guitaristic and vocal flights that make up so much > of Yes. I always felt that Wakeman was trying to inject himself into > those heights as well. Again, I see just the opposite. > PS Does anyone know Moraz's solo album, I ? Came out before GOING FOR > THE ONE. It's one of my favorites. I'd be interested to hear what others > have to say about it. I think I sold it, or then again I may still have it. Lyrically it certainly was banal, instrumentally it was ... different. -- Like a sturgeon (GLURG!), caught for the very first time... Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (06/29/85)
> > Topographic was an album with some interesting ideas that were not executed > > in the best manner. ... Ironically, the Topographic might have been even > > more unanchored if Bruford had still been the drummer. > > Could you expand on this idea a little more, Rich? It sounds interesting. > -- > Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos All I was saying was that there are interesting sections of music on the Topographic album, including Wakeman's contributions to side two (The Remembering), Squire's contributions to side four (Ritual---for which he now performs an extended overly pompous and self-indulgent solo, quite the opposite of his disciplined role in prior incarnations of the band), all of side three (The Ancient---the best side on the album and the one that best provides a solid continuing framework for an extended composition). However, rarely does a whole side come together well as a "piece", an ability that seemed to come to them and then leave them with "Close to the Edge". In fact, an interview with the band in about 1974 indicated that during the Edge tour they worked so hard to perform a piece like "Edge" that they really worked up a sweat performing it, but after Topographic and Relayer it was like nothing. I think it showed---I think compositionally the pieces from Topographic on AS EXTENDED PIECES were much weaker despite moments of good music, and that may be the reason that it was "like nothing". After Bruford's departure, White was deliberately chosen by Anderson BECAUSE he was a "down to earth" hard rock drummer who could anchor the band rhythmically. (Ask Fripp or Levin about how hard it was to get Bruford to do anything of the sort in King Crimson mark XLII!) The Topographic album often wanders off into space thematically, and without White at the drums it might have been even more unanchored than it was. -- Like a bourbon? (HIC!) Drunk for the very first time... Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr
mms1646@acf4.UUCP (Michael M. Sykora) (06/29/85)
>/* jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) / 11:29 am Jun 26, 1985 */ >Jon Anderson's voice has always seemed a weak point of Yes to me >(although his lyrics are very good). Wow, that surprises me! I feel just about the opposite way. Not that I think Anderson's voice is great, just that it fits iin very well with the rest of Yes. I always looked at the vocals in Yes' music as primarily just other musical instruments (like in scat singing), with the lyrics as an afterthought. Mike Sykora
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (07/02/85)
> In article <1175@peora.UUCP> jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) writes: > > Just for the record, I feel that the current album sounds very fresh, > > yet still very much Yes. I said no such thing!! That isn't even my style of writing. However, I did say everything else you commented on. > I think that you are missing a lot of their music then. I think that most > Yes fans would agree with me that Anderson has an excellent voice and it is > finely tailored for their type of music. At this time, having listened to Yes for years, I tend to feel Jon Anderson's voice goes well with the music. However, my initial impression was considerably opposite that, and I tend to still feel that a stronger but otherwise equivalent voice would have been better. Anderson's voice just does not hold up well; in fact, at one point in _Close_to_the_Edge_ (which incidentally Anderson considered his best vocal performance) his voice actually breaks completely, although it is drowned out by Wakeman's loud pipe-organ playing, so that you have to listen closely for it. (I believe it is where he sings "I get up, I get down" the last time at the end of the cavern-scene ("In her white lace...").) > >Howe left the group out of dissatisfaction with the type of music Yes had > >been producing. > > How do you know that? I seen Howe play in concert... I know that very definitely! First of all, during all the time _Tales_From_Topographic_Oceans_ was being recorded, Howe kept complaining that they should be producing an album of short songs. (Despite the fact that he wrote, and did so very well, a good part of that album.) Furthermore, however, in a recent (last year) interview Howe stated this explicitly; that he felt that Yes had drifted more and more from the sort of music he wanted to make, and felt they weren't allowing him to express himself adequately from a musical standpoint. He also commented, however, that "maybe no one band can encompass all my music," or something along those lines. (I still have the interview in a file somewhere, I could look it up, but it is at home.) > Maybe he'll look up Squire, Anderson, Bruford, and Wakeman.... I hope so; Wakeman's latest albums are not much good. However, I think he runs an antique car dealership now, so maybe he is too busy to perform? -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (07/02/85)
> (The Ancient---the best side on the album and the one that best provides a > solid continuing framework for an extended composition). I think you are just being perverse! I always thought "The Ancient" was something they stuck on there so that they would have 4 sides to the album; I never did understand that mess Steve Howe does with the steel guitar through the majority of that side. (Although "Along Without You" is really great.) -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (07/03/85)
>>(The Ancient---the best side on the album and the one that best provides a >>solid continuing framework for an extended composition). [ROSEN] > I think you are just being perverse! I always thought "The Ancient" was > something they stuck on there so that they would have 4 sides to the album; > I never did understand that mess Steve Howe does with the steel guitar > through the majority of that side. (Although "Along Without You" is > really great.) [ROSKOS] I don't know what you mean by "understanding" it, but I'm quite serious: The Ancient, to me, was the only side of the album that worked as a single continuous composition, harking back to the quality of "Close to the Edge" and at times exceeding it. It is a vastly underrated and underlistened-to piece. It is by far the most interesting and innovative of the four sides, and the most exciting to listen to (though the very end of side four, *after* the vocals end, beginning with the alternating thirds in the tritonic scale--- b minor, g minor, Db major, a minor, Eb major, b minor, F minor, C# minor, g minor, Eb major, b minor, ending on that exquisite f# minor chord and fading away---comes pretty close as a high point in and of itself). As for my being perverse, well... -- Like a bourbon? (HIC!) Drunk for the very first time... Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (07/03/85)
> As for my being perverse, well... Actually I was just giving you a hard time. I know Howe recently claimed in an interview in _Guitar_Player_ that he felt "The Ancient" was his best piece. I just hoped you would say something like ... > the vocals end, beginning with the alternating thirds in the tritonic > scale---b minor, g minor, Db major, a minor, Eb major, b minor, F minor, C# > minor, g minor, Eb major, b minor, ending on that exquisite f# minor chord > and fading away---comes pretty close as a high point in and of itself). ... which, being personally relatively ignorant of music theory, I would like to see lots of in here! I've never much been a fan of blissful ignorance. That ending to Topographic Oceans is (gratefully!) one of the few really interesting parts of that album that is actually written out in full, in the "Yes Complete" books. However, I think (if I remember right) that the "Chick Corea Ripoff" you mentioned is also all in the guitar version in the back of the "Sound Chaser" book. For some reason, nothing much by Howe ever appears in those though... is there anyplace one can get the, you know, uh, sheet music for that stuff? (I know Yes supposedly never writes it down... I hoped someone would, though.) > I don't know what you mean by "understanding" it ... That's what I meant. When one quits learning, s/he might as well give up and go sit in a corner somewhere and waste away... -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642 "Cvpgherf unatvat va n unyyjnl ba gur sentzragf bs n fbat"
tp@ndm20 (07/10/85)
I like that never-existed lineup myself. My favorite is
Relayer, but Bruford is better than White. However, I
believe the classic lineup (Squire-Howe-Wakeman-Anderson-
Bruford) WAS on both the Yes Album and Close to the edge.
I like Moraz better though. I also recommend 'I' and
'Patrick Moraz' to those who like him. The record between
those 2 (title escapes me) was disappointing. 'I' is a good
illustration that good music can survive even a bad mix.
(Moraz recorded about 5 times as many keyboard lines as he
intended to use, wo he could pick and choose. When he joined
yes, he had to let someone else mix the album, because he
had to report for rehearsal. The engineer used ALL the keyboard
tracks, drowning out a lot of the bass and percussion. Even
so, it is a good album.)
Moraz uses a 16-person Brazilian percussion section
on his own albums, which is very interesting with all the
synthesisers.
Terry Poot
Nathan D. Maier Consulting Engineers
(214)739-4741
Usenet: ...!{allegra|ihnp4}!convex!smu!ndm20!tp
CSNET: ndm20!tp@smu
ARPA: ndm20!tp%smu@csnet-relay.ARPArlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (07/10/85)
>>the vocals end, beginning with the alternating thirds in the tritonic >>scale---b minor, g minor, Db major, a minor, Eb major, b minor, F minor, C# >>minor, g minor, Eb major, b minor, ending on that exquisite f# minor chord >>and fading away---comes pretty close as a high point in and of itself). >> [ROSEN] > ... which, being personally relatively ignorant of music theory, I would like > to see lots of in here! I've never much been a fan of blissful ignorance. Since you say you'd like to see such drivelous stuff in here, let me correct what I said above. When I said "tritonic scale", I meant to say "whole tone scale". I don't know what possessed me to use the term "tritonic scale".
tp@ndm20 (07/11/85)
Howe couldn't have left for artistic reasons. He joined Asia. I guess I have an unpopular opinion, but I LOVE Drama. That was the album that got me interested in YES, as they had always seemed to mellow for me (what I had heard). Now that I've gone back and listened to the rest of their music, I love it, but Drama is second only to Relayer (perhaps tied with Fragile and the Yes Album). By the way, Vangelis said he declined joining YES, not that he couldn't.