The Official Yes Thread

[Architeuthis]

Very cool song!

[Orbert]

Wow!  I finally listened to it, and I'm impressed.  I guess I was expecting something okay, but not particularly memorable or groundbreaking.  This is really good.

I've always liked Benoit's voice.  To me it sounds similar to Trevor Horn (which is why the Fly From Here material sounds so good) but actually a bit better, more like Jon A.  And Oliver Wakeman is a chip off the old block.  His use of textures is similar to his daddy's.

[IDontNotDoThings]

Is that actually Benoit? I seriously thought it was Jon Anderson.

[Orbert]

No, these songs are from the original Fly From Here sessions, before Horn and Downes came on board.  Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman were both out of the band at the time (and did an album together somewhere in there), but they had Oliver Wakeman on keyboards.  Both of Rick's sons play keys, and it's no surprise that they're both very good.  So Wakeman on keyboards, and Benoit David on vocals.  Trevor Horn was brought in to produce, and I'm not sure if it was before or after he became involved, but the next thing I heard was that they were revisiting some material originally from the Drama sessions, and by the way, Son of Wakeman is out and Geoff Downes is now playing keys on the next album.  Um... okay.

I do like Fly From Here.  I like Downes, and as I said Benoit's voice reminds me of Horn's in a way, so Fly From Here really is Drama II to me.  Then they actually re-recorded the album with Horn on vocals, which I thought was kind of a slap in the face to Benoit.  It truly was the Drama lineup again.  But before any of that happened, they had written some stuff.  I think it was an interview I read with Steve that mentioned it.  So these four tracks are apparently from those sessions.  Howe, Squire, White, Wakeman, and David*.  I didn't know that there was recorded material; I didn't realize that they'd gotten that far.

Anyway, this is some good stuff.  I've never actually heard anything by either of Rick's sons before, and that brief Moog solo was nice.  Presumably they gave us this one to get people to fork out for all four.  That's the draw to me, the entire live album is the "bonus" as far as I'm concerned.  Too bad, too.  I'd've probably forked out for a four-song EP.  I still don't know if I'll get this whatever-you-call-it release.  Oh yeah -- "Cash grab" -- that's what you call it.  What some would call it, anyway.


* There's a new age pianist named David Benoit who's been around for a while.  Then comes Benoit David, and I keep getting his first and last name mixed up.  Then I realize it doesn't matter.

[gzarruk]

Anyway, this is some good stuff.  I've never actually heard anything by either of Rick's sons before, and that brief Moog solo was nice. 

You should check Headspace, it's a very good prog metal band with Damian Wilson on vocals and Adam Wakeman on keys

[Orbert]

Thanks.  I've been meaning to look up what they have out there, but have never gotten around to it.

[Fritzinger]

Oliver has actually played on Fly From Here, you can hear him on We Can Fly From Here and the Reprise, as well as Hour Of Need. He really sounds like his father.

[KevShmev]

New interview with Bill Bruford, where he talks a lot about his time with both Yes and King Crimson.  Very cool to read.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/bill-bruford-yes-band-king-crimson-genesis-earthworks-interview-902501/

[Orbert]

Oliver has actually played on Fly From Here, you can hear him on We Can Fly From Here and the Reprise, as well as Hour Of Need. He really sounds like his father.

Wow, I did not realize that!  I have the CD, so I'm sure I read the credits at some point, but apparently the strange bits and pieces of information that came out over time back then are what stuck in my head.  I just read the Wiki page for Fly From Here, and it's even more convoluted than I'd thought.  More Buggles and less, more Wakeman and less, the album really is a mashup of stuff, yet I always thought it sounded wonderfully consistent, and gave both Horn and Benoit a lot of credit for that.  And they deserve it.

Now I have to find my CD and read the credits again.  I'm up to three stacks of CDs on my desk here, in cases but otherwise not really organized in any meaningful way.

[ytserush]

New single To the Moment from the new release....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKUK_frQEsQ&fbclid=IwAR22Bd5OHZFQ2iJWGVgZNNy1iTWwvw7K5vsHxO7_3YYLJF79iaRlKDsCON4

I'm pretty freakin impressed!!!

Started off slow, but it got better. Still on the fence.

[ytserush]

New interview with Bill Bruford, where he talks a lot about his time with both Yes and King Crimson.  Very cool to read.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/bill-bruford-yes-band-king-crimson-genesis-earthworks-interview-902501/

Thanks. Always love hearing what that man has to say about just about anything.

[pg1067]

Anyone else see Dan Rather's "Big Interview" with Jon Anderson?

Nothing terribly Earth-shattering (unless his great desire to reunite with Yes is news), but I always enjoy hearing him talk, and Rather is a really good interviewer.

[Orbert]

Dan Rather is one of the best interviewers ever.  He's not a musician, but his knowledge of music and his love for it is pretty clear since most of his "Big Interviews" are with bands and musicians.  I've watched his interviews with guys I don't even care much about, because I know they'll be great interviews and I'll come away with information and usually more respect for the subject.

Jon Anderson has been saying he wants to reunite with Yes since the early 2000's, not long after he quit Yes.  During the 2000's the band tried for years to put a reunion together, but Jon got sick, so they waited.  The next thing anyone knew, Jon was putting a solo tour together.  Apparently he got better, didn't bother telling anyone from Yes, and went to do his own thing, so the remaining members of Yes found another singer and moved on as well.

Yes have a singer and they're working now.  They're not going to kick Jon Davison to the curb to make way for Jon Anderson, partly because Anderson is an asshole and everyone says he's very difficult to work with.  With Chris Squire gone, the de facto leader of Yes is now Steve Howe, and both Howe and Anderson have indicated that they just can't work together.  So I just don't see how a reunion could ever happen, or why Jon thinks it ever could, unless Howe leaves, which isn't going to happen.  And even if he did, would it even be a "reunion" at that point?  It would just be Anderson and mostly guys he's never even worked with before.

[Fritzinger]

Jon Anderson has been saying he wants to reunite with Yes since the early 2000's, not long after he quit Yes.  During the 2000's the band tried for years to put a reunion together, but Jon got sick, so they waited.  The next thing anyone knew, Jon was putting a solo tour together.  Apparently he got better, didn't bother telling anyone from Yes, and went to do his own thing, so the remaining members of Yes found another singer and moved on as well.

Yes have a singer and they're working now.  They're not going to kick Jon Davison to the curb to make way for Jon Anderson, partly because Anderson is an asshole and everyone says he's very difficult to work with.  With Chris Squire gone, the de facto leader of Yes is now Steve Howe, and both Howe and Anderson have indicated that they just can't work together.  So I just don't see how a reunion could ever happen, or why Jon thinks it ever could, unless Howe leaves, which isn't going to happen.  And even if he did, would it even be a "reunion" at that point?  It would just be Anderson and mostly guys he's never even worked with before.

I agree with all of this, except for the comment that Yes are "working now". That band (if you want to call it Yes or not is up to you) is not "working". But a reunion with Anderson would not change that. It's Alan who can't play anymore. His substitute Jay Schellen is a good drummer, but not a great one. Geoff was never the greatest player (his style fit the early 80s rainy pop-prog on Drama though) and he struggles with every keyboard part Wakeman and Moraz wrote for the band. Billy wants to sound like Chris, but he really doesn't. Jon wants to sound like Jon, but he really doesn't.

[Stadler]

Dan Rather is one of the best interviewers ever.  He's not a musician, but his knowledge of music and his love for it is pretty clear since most of his "Big Interviews" are with bands and musicians.  I've watched his interviews with guys I don't even care much about, because I know they'll be great interviews and I'll come away with information and usually more respect for the subject.

I've long been pimping his interviews.  I've seen most if not all of them - 35-ish if I was going to guess - and with maybe two or three exceptions, I've ALWAYS come out liking the artist more after than when I started, even if I didn't like them before (Kenny Loggins is a great example; as are Joan Baez and Billy Ray Cyrus).  I didn't even realize he started a new season, because I switched cable companies, but I will be checking them out online.

By the way, the ones that Rather couldn't salvage:   Sheryl Crowe, Jewel, and Carlos Santana (and not really him, since it wasn't like I loved him then hated him; I was indifferent before, and indifferent after). 

[Orbert]

Jon Anderson has been saying he wants to reunite with Yes since the early 2000's, not long after he quit Yes.  During the 2000's the band tried for years to put a reunion together, but Jon got sick, so they waited.  The next thing anyone knew, Jon was putting a solo tour together.  Apparently he got better, didn't bother telling anyone from Yes, and went to do his own thing, so the remaining members of Yes found another singer and moved on as well.

Yes have a singer and they're working now.  They're not going to kick Jon Davison to the curb to make way for Jon Anderson, partly because Anderson is an asshole and everyone says he's very difficult to work with.  With Chris Squire gone, the de facto leader of Yes is now Steve Howe, and both Howe and Anderson have indicated that they just can't work together.  So I just don't see how a reunion could ever happen, or why Jon thinks it ever could, unless Howe leaves, which isn't going to happen.  And even if he did, would it even be a "reunion" at that point?  It would just be Anderson and mostly guys he's never even worked with before.

I agree with all of this, except for the comment that Yes are "working now". That band (if you want to call it Yes or not is up to you) is not "working".

They toured this year.  They toured last year.  They toured the year before.  The last two tours produced live albums, and there was a studio album the year before that.  Next year's tour is already being booked.  I'm not sure how that doesn't qualify them as a working band.  They are the official version of the band Yes, the only official version of the band Yes, and that is not up for debate.

Anderson-Rabin-Wakeman had been saying for over 20 years that they want to work together, and they finally put a tour together to promote the new music they would be releasing "soon".  It never materialized.  One single was unofficially released.  They keep saying there's more in the works, but Wakeman has hinted that there really isn't anything.  They did tour, and managed to get permission to call themselves "Yes featuring ARW" but that doesn't change the facts; it was a band composed of some former members of Yes, each of whom has quit the band multiple times, but calling themselves Yes to sell more tickets.  The only thing lending any of it any legitimacy was that Jon Anderson was a founding member.  Him putting together a band including some other former members of Yes, while the actual band Yes is still around, doesn't make them Yes.  That's not up for debate either.  Those are just facts.

[Lupton]

They toured this year.  They toured last year.  They toured the year before.  The last two tours produced live albums, and there was a studio album the year before that.  Next year's tour is already being booked.  I'm not sure how that doesn't qualify them as a working band.  They are the official version of the band Yes, the only official version of the band Yes, and that is not up for debate.

Anderson-Rabin-Wakeman had been saying for over 20 years that they want to work together, and they finally put a tour together to promote the new music they would be releasing "soon".  It never materialized.  One single was unofficially released.  They keep saying there's more in the works, but Wakeman has hinted that there really isn't anything.  They did tour, and managed to get permission to call themselves "Yes featuring ARW" but that doesn't change the facts; it was a band composed of some former members of Yes, each of whom has quit the band multiple times, but calling themselves Yes to sell more tickets.  The only thing lending any of it any legitimacy was that Jon Anderson was a founding member.  Him putting together a band including some other former members of Yes, while the actual band Yes is still around, doesn't make them Yes.  That's not up for debate either.  Those are just facts.

  To me ARW seemed more like a lazy cash grab orchestrated by Brian Lane. While they do have the benefit of having "the voice" of Yes, I'd seriously bet against any of these guys actually putting in any of the hard work (edit: not to mention $$)  necessary to make it into anything more than doing a handful of shows any given year with the same static setlist.

[gazinwales]

ARW had every right to call themselves Yes, former members or not.
I really doubt if they were doing it for the money, all three are multi millionaires.

Same as the people that say the Later Years Pink Floyd box is a cash grab, non of them need money and Gilmour gives away millions every year to various charities.

[Lupton]

ARW had every right to call themselves Yes, former members or not.
I really doubt if they were doing it for the money, all three are multi millionaires.

Same as the people that say the Later Years Pink Floyd box is a cash grab, non of them need money and Gilmour gives away millions every year to various charities.

I don't think any of that really matters to Brian Lane. He's probably ripping them off.

[Lupton]

If you want the real reason behind anything Yes does, follow the money. These guys (all of them) really stopped caring about the pure musical side of things decades ago. Since the late 70s, it's just been fighting over money and trying to milk whatever remains of the cash cow.

[reason for edit: to try to make my opinion sound less like was stating a fact]

[Orbert]

ARW had every right to call themselves Yes, former members or not.

I don't see how.  That would be like Sons of Apollo calling themselves "Dream Theater featuring Portnoy-Sherinian".  A founding member, another guy who was in the band for a time, and some other guys.  That doesn't make them Dream Theater any more than ARW is "really" Yes.

[pg1067]

ARW had every right to call themselves Yes, former members or not.

I don't see how.  That would be like Sons of Apollo calling themselves "Dream Theater featuring Portnoy-Sherinian".  A founding member, another guy who was in the band for a time, and some other guys.  That doesn't make them Dream Theater any more than ARW is "really" Yes.

Good analogy.  You get a gold star.  In fairness, I'm guessing that gazinwales wasn't so much making a legal argument as saying that it is equally as legitimate to call ARW plus two other guys "Yes" as it is to call Howe, Downes and White plus two other guys "Yes."  Of course, that sells Billy Sherwood short, and giving no consideration to the legalities is a bit silly.

I'm also guessing that gazinwales isn't privy to the personal finances of any of the folks mentioned.

[Orbert]

To be fair, I do understand the argument, and why some people feel that way.  I actually agree that ARW sounds more like Yes to me than what Yes is currently doing.  Anderson and Wakeman to me are very, very important to the sound I think of when I think of Yes, so in that sense they're "more Yes than Yes".  I get it.

But facts are still facts.  The official band named Yes still exists and has continuously existed since the 90's when they reformed.  As always, members have come and gone pretty much every album, never more than two albums in a row without a lineup change.  But it is still the official band Yes.  Jon Anderson didn't just leave the band again, he sold his shares in Yes, LLD or whatever they call them in England.  The name of the band belonged to Howe, Squire, and White, and with Squire's passing, either those shares go to Squire's estate or somehow get absorbed by Howe and White, or maybe some other thing happens.  But as much as I love Jon Anderson's voice and singing, he's a dick.  He had a fucking temper tantrum, again, and quit the band, again, and this time he even sold his shares of the band name because he said he was done, really, for sure, this time.  Oh yeah, but in interviews now he's "I always hope to reunite with the band".

I also agree that these days, it's all about the money.  Still doesn't change facts.

[gzarruk]

Orbert, what a great string of posts, man

[Orbert]

Thanks.    As many here know, Yes is my favorite band and has been for many years.  But their history has some really messed-up shit.  Maybe no more than a lot of bands, but it seems so counter to the glorious, positive vibe that permeates their music.  Being a raving egomaniac is practically a requirement to be in the band, because if you're not, you'll never get any of your ideas across, let alone on a record.

[pg1067]

Thanks.    As many here know, Yes is my favorite band and has been for many years.  But their history has some really messed-up shit.  Maybe no more than a lot of bands, but it seems so counter to the glorious, positive vibe that permeates their music.  Being a raving egomaniac is practically a requirement to be in the band, because if you're not, you'll never get any of your ideas across, let alone on a record.

This.  And it's hard to reconcile the two things.  And I concur with gzarruk

[Stadler]

Thanks.    As many here know, Yes is my favorite band and has been for many years.  But their history has some really messed-up shit.  Maybe no more than a lot of bands, but it seems so counter to the glorious, positive vibe that permeates their music. Being a raving egomaniac is practically a requirement to be in the band, because if you're not, you'll never get any of your ideas across, let alone on a record.

I love that observation.   Going For The One is my favorite album of all time, and for me, part of it's glory IS that it's so positive and uplifting.  It's spiritual to me (seriously).   

[Orbert]

Same here.  Absolutely breathtaking, every time.  And yet it was the product of a band almost actively trying to destroy itself with all the infighting.

But also, it was the 70's.  Lots of weed, in the practice rooms and in the studio.  They got stoned, chilled out, and forgot about all the crap, until next time.

[Architeuthis]

  But as much as I love Jon Anderson's voice and singing, he's a dick.  He had a fucking temper tantrum, again, and quit the band, again, and this time he even sold his shares of the band name because he said he was done, really, for sure, this time.  Oh yeah, but in interviews now he's "I always hope to reunite with the band".

I wouldn't go as far as calling Jon Anderson that!  He did get really sick for a while and nearly died with a respiratory condition and the band went on without him.  Jon Anderson is the voice of Yes and the other two singers don't even come remotely close to filling those shoes.  I met Jon Anderson and he was a very nice down to earth guy and gave me the time of day.  I don't know what goes on behind closed doors in the band room but I couldn't see him throwing temper tantrums of that nature. He knows what he wants musically and probably isn't afraid to voice that.
Yes is not Yes without JA,  it's just a business..   

[Max Kuehnau]

Thanks.    As many here know, Yes is my favorite band and has been for many years.  But their history has some really messed-up shit.  Maybe no more than a lot of bands, but it seems so counter to the glorious, positive vibe that permeates their music. Being a raving egomaniac is practically a requirement to be in the band, because if you're not, you'll never get any of your ideas across, let alone on a record.

I love that observation.   Going For The One is my favorite album of all time, and for me, part of it's glory IS that it's so positive and uplifting.  It's spiritual to me (seriously).

as it is for Jon (CTTE basically is Siddartha set to prog, TFTO is based on spiritual Indian literature. There you go.

[KevShmev]

Call me crazy, but to me the three biggest things I identify with as far as Yes goes are:

1) their vocal harmonies
2) Jon Anderson's voice as the lead singer
3) Chris Squire's bass playing

The current Yes, with Steve Howe, has only one of those three, and even that is a stretch since the current harmonies do not have Anderson, Rabin or Squire. 

I initially had a hard time with Drama because it didn't have Jon Anderson, but it won me over because it was so good, and it did have two of those three.

[Max Kuehnau]

Call me crazy, but to me the three biggest things I identify with as far as Yes goes are:

1) their vocal harmonies
2) Jon Anderson's voice as the lead singer
3) Chris Squire's bass playing

The current Yes, with Steve Howe, has only one of those three, and even that is a stretch since the current harmonies do not have Anderson, Rabin or Squire. 

I initially had a hard time with Drama because it didn't have Jon Anderson, but it won me over because it was so good, and it did have two of those three.

as does Fly From Here: Return Trip (it's a continuation of Drama, same lineup. I love it.)

[Stadler]

Call me crazy, but to me the three biggest things I identify with as far as Yes goes are:

1) their vocal harmonies
2) Jon Anderson's voice as the lead singer
3) Chris Squire's bass playing

I really like this, and agree 100%.   

[Lupton]

Orbert, what a great string of posts, man

I heartily concur. Great posts Orbert. I also have you thank for that Chicago thread as well. Thanks for all your contributions sir!

I do agree that ARW may sound closer to proper Yes (whatever that is) but it all boils down to personal preferences. I hold Rabin in very high esteem. He's is an awesome guitarist (among other numerous talents). However, his playing style is poles apart from Howe, which means he has to come up with his own approach to the older material. He's sort of in a no win scenario covering Howe's parts and it doesn't help that I've never personally dug any of his interpretations of the 70s material. I do think he does the best he can. Others may like his approach, so if you do then...cool beans. I really have trouble listening to him play any material that is not his own parts from his 3 albums with Yes. I am also not a fan of what Wakeman does with the 80s songs. His style of playing doesn't really work well with those tunes IMO (just not my cup of tea). So it means for me, no matter what they play one of the guys is going to be "butchering" it so to speak. In short, Wakeman ruins the 80s songs and Rabin ruins the 70s ones (Again just my opinion).

So basically, there is not one single tune I want to hear ARW play.

[pg1067]

Call me crazy, but to me the three biggest things I identify with as far as Yes goes are:

1) their vocal harmonies
2) Jon Anderson's voice as the lead singer
3) Chris Squire's bass playing

I agree as long as (1) these things are not necessarily in order of importance, (2) the vocal harmonies specifically include Chris Squire, and (3) you also include Steve Howe's eclectic guitar work on equal footing with the rest of these.  I generally like 90125, but it's really a different animal (as Lupton explained from a different POV), and the reason is because of Trevor Rabin's BIG, rock guitar playing in place of Howe's playing.