Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman

[KevShmev]

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/ex-yes-members-tour/

Woah.

[King Postwhore]

Bout time.  Rabin and Wakeman have been talking about this for a long time.

[KevShmev]

I know, but still pretty cool to see it is actually going to happen. 

It's just too bad that we never got to see a Yes album with just the three of them and Chris Squire (and Alan White). 

[King Postwhore]

You hear the stories of Wakeman on stage egging Trevor to go next to Howe when he was soloing?  Just to mess with him? 

[splent]

I'm glad this is happening, but I hope Anderson Ponty keeps happening as well.

[KevShmev]

You hear the stories of Wakeman on stage egging Trevor to go next to Howe when he was soloing?  Just to mess with him? 

Sounds about right.

[chaossystem]

I hope they get a decent-and familier-rhythm section, like maybe Bill Bruford and Tony Levin.

Or how about Carl Palmer on drums!?

[DragonAttack]

If they had Palmer, they could call themselves W.A.R.P.

I like the idea, and I'm not being nasty, but can Anderson still sing semi-decent?

[King Postwhore]

I vote now for Palmer. He is a shell of himself as a drummer.

[Kwyjibo]

This could be interesting. Let's see what happens.

[splent]

If they had Palmer, they could call themselves W.A.R.P.

I like the idea, and I'm not being nasty, but can Anderson still sing semi-decent?

 He can still sing. He doesn't  have the clarity of his younger days, but he still has the range. He just released an album with John Luc Ponty last year, and it's really good.

[The Letter M]

I've been saying for YEARS that this line-up needs Bruford and Levin, then their name can be BRAWL.

Anyways, I do wonder who they'll get for their rhythm section...

-Marc.

[chaossystem]

If they had Palmer, they could call themselves W.A.R.P.

I like the idea, and I'm not being nasty, but can Anderson still sing semi-decent?

I LOVE that idea!

Very cool!

But what about whoever plays the BASS?

[chaossystem]

If they had Palmer, they could call themselves W.A.R.P.

I like the idea, and I'm not being nasty, but can Anderson still sing semi-decent?

 He can still sing. He doesn't  have the clarity of his younger days, but he still has the range. He just released an album with John Luc Ponty last year, and it's really good.

Let's don't forget that he has Trevor to help him OUT in the vocal department!

[ytserush]

I vote now for Palmer. He is a shell of himself as a drummer.

Have you seen him live recently?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k8WhJLpzFo


Still quite a bit left in the tank.....

[chaossystem]

Another possibility on bass would be Guy Pratt, who was with Pink Floyd from about 1988-1995. He's not only an excellent musician, but he sings as well, and I think his voice would/could blend in with Jon and Trevor's.

[Orbert]

It seems to be getting closer to actually happening, but after hearing about it being planned for years, and still in the planning stages, this one is firmly in the "I'll believe it when I see it" category.  The article mentions the planning going on since 2010, but the seeds of this were planted in 1993, after the Yes Union project produced a mediocre album, a fantastic tour, and then the band promptly broke up.  The next Yes album was to feature the 90125 lineup ("YesWest" or "the Rabin lineup") plus Rick Wakeman.  It was even announced as such.  Then when Talk came out, Wakeman wasn't on it.

[Stadler]

My admiration for Trevor Rabin just seems to grow over time.  I think the four albums (I'm only counting the songs he played on for Union) that he did with Yes are all strong.  VERY strong.   And I think he has the perfect complimentary voice.   I think the harmonies will miss Squire (a VERY underrated singer, in my view) so maybe Guy Pratt is the right choice.  I like Levin, but I don't like him in this context.  I think you need a powerful, ROCK bass player, like a Squire or Lee (not that I am suggesting Geddy for this gig, but that's the idea). 

How about Mike Rutherford (not that he'd ever do it, but still...)?

[Kwyjibo]

Mike Rutherford is a weird idea to me because in my book he's definitely not a powerful rock bass player (and has he done anything in the last 10-20 years?), whereas Tony Levin proved with LTE and with Bozzio Levin Stevens that he can handle powerful rock stuff.

[Orbert]

Despite a couple of fair-sized radio hits, Mike + The Mechanics has always been Rutherford's "side project".  Their last album was in 2011, and the last one before that was 2004.  And of course the 2007 Genesis reuinion.  But yeah, he hasn't been super-busy lately that I know of.

He's not a "powerful rock bassist", but I don't see why that's a requirement here.  Despite ARW being composed of former Yes members, and the inevitable comparisons to Yes if and when they finally record something, I don't see why the bassist has to be viewed as a Squire substitute.  The whole point of making it a different band is to make different music and have a different sound.  Rabin has said that he's done with Yes, and has no interest in revisiting Yes.

If I had to guess, the biggest issue with getting this project off the ground is probably that Anderson will want it to be "the new Yes" and Rabin wants nothing to do with that.  Wakeman just wants to play with Rabin, and he's always up for working with Anderson.  Rabin has always wanted to work with Wakeman, and is open to working again with Anderson.  So why, in over 20 years, has this never happened?  I have to believe that there's a fundamental difference in their vision for the band.

[Kwyjibo]

A "powerful rock bassist" is not necessarily needed (and it was Stadler who brought it up). But I like Rabin best when he's rocking and I hope that if/when this project comes to life, that it's rocking enough, so a rock bassist would be right up my alley.

But then it doesn't have to be a big name, there are enough capable musicians out there.

And even if they all don't want to do something Yes-related, I think it's inevitable that comparison's are made and expectations of a new Yes arise. Yes is the band that all of them are associated with.

[Orbert]

A "powerful rock bassist" is not necessarily needed (and it was Stadler who brought it up).

I realize that.  I was basicallly responding to both of you, while pushing a point or two of my own.

[Stadler]

A "powerful rock bassist" is not necessarily needed (and it was Stadler who brought it up). But I like Rabin best when he's rocking and I hope that if/when this project comes to life, that it's rocking enough, so a rock bassist would be right up my alley.

But then it doesn't have to be a big name, there are enough capable musicians out there.

And even if they all don't want to do something Yes-related, I think it's inevitable that comparison's are made and expectations of a new Yes arise. Yes is the band that all of them are associated with.

Here's my rationale:  Rabin is better when he's rocking, but his voice and his style is very suited to an orchestral, melodic version of "rocking", and listening to some of the basslines that Mike came up with in Genesis (can you tell I just saw The Musical Box last week??) and playing them on a Rickenbacker bass (not that far removed from Squire's sound) I thought it would be a good fit, plus it would bring "Genesis" into the super-group pantheon. 

[Hanz Gruber]

Heck yeah.  I really liked "Talk" with Rabin.  Hopefully they release something in that vein.  Anyway....any new music from Jon Anderson this day in age is nice

[chaossystem]

I just hope they don't end up in a situation like BOTH ABWH and Pink Floyd did, where they bring in a bunch of guest musicians and singers, and you end up not being able to tell WHO's playing or singing WHAT!

[Kwyjibo]

As long as it's good I don't care who's playing or singing what.

[chaossystem]

If the music is going to be played mostly by people other than Jon, Rick, Trevor and whoever they get on drums and bass, then it might as well be a TRIBUTE band playing the music of Yes and/or solo projects by Anderson, Wakeman and Rabin!

[Stadler]

I just want to hear Jon and Trevor singing together again (pray that Jon's voice isn't toast) and Rick and Trevor playing.   What all else they surround themselves with is fine with me. 

[chaossystem]

Me too.

I just meant that I didn't want other singers overwhelming their voices, or other guitar and keyboard players burying anything that they play.

[ytserush]

Fifteen years too late for me. Not that they need to be on MY schedule.


Although, the last Rabin solo album I have Jacaranda is pretty close to a masterpiece in my opinion.

[KevShmev]

I sort of agree with that, regarding the time table.  10-15 years ago, I would have been excited as **** about this, but now it's kind of like, "Okay, cool, finally."