My lawn.
Get off it.
You subby, you.

I was just listening to Relayer. Yes had a great five years (c. 1970-1974) and a good 15 years. Too bad that was decades ago.

ZAZ: I was just listening to Relayer.

Their most underrated album by far.

Maybe it's because one of them have become a complete junkie. That is how i always read "unforeseen medical issue"

Gunny Highway: Maybe it's because one of them have become a complete junkie. That is how i always read "unforeseen medical issue"

Squire's had heart problems the last several years. The article mentions leg surgery; he's probably dealing with thromboses.

GypsyJoker: Squire's had heart problems the last several years. The article mentions leg surgery; he's probably dealing with thromboses.

Well best of luck to him. Sucks for Yes fan.

Leave it.

This just in: subby is a dumbass who didn't do his/her research. 1980, "Drama" tour. No Jon Anderson.

I was listening to The Yes Album today for the first time in years. It dawned on me that Yes might not be the best band that ever graced the planet. But, god damn, they had some farking great moments. And their throwaway songs are more imaginative and skillfully executed than 90% for what passes for popular music today

I saw the Original Members of Asia tour last year. Howe still makes virtuoso guitar playing look as easy as breathing. Of course, he looks like a high school science teacher now, but we're all getting older.

Subby's snark earns a big FAIL.

I am very proud to be a Yes fan. And if you are too, Yours Is No Disgrace ;)

Squire just had a kid in December. Let's hope he is better soon.

What a great player. I've never seen a better lead bass player.

Come on Chris. You must have a few Starship Trooper's left in you.

Nosongs.

Gunny Highway: Maybe it's because one of them have become a complete junkie. That is how i always read "unforeseen medical issue"

It could be The Clap.

Will we be saying the same things about most of today's bands?

How many of today's bands put out albums at the rate Yes did? You can substitute a vast number of names for Yes in that question. One a year, more or less, was the expectation in the 1970s.

I hope they can Hold On.

Roundabout + I've Seen All Good People > Owner Of a Lonely Heart



That said, other than those songs, I never got into Yes. Of all the "prog rock" bands to come out of England, the only one I really, REALLY like is Pink Floyd. Not that I'd even call Pink Floyd prog rock....at least not post-DSOtM.

My first and still favorite album was Going for the One.

GypsyJoker: Gunny Highway: Maybe it's because one of them have become a complete junkie. That is how i always read "unforeseen medical issue"

Squire's had heart problems the last several years. The article mentions leg surgery; he's probably dealing with thromboses.

From the headline I figured Squire's liver had finally given out.
He is/was a mean drunk.

They were my favorite band in the Yes Album to Going For The One years. After that formatted music charts changed too quickly for them to stay relevant to the mainstream and they tried too hard to create a more accessible market niche, it weakened their writing. I've got everything Yes have released, including the solo projects, side bands (Asia, Circa, Vangelis, GTR, etc.)and guest appearances/collaborations that the members worked on. And when I say members, I mean ALL the various members from the New Wave, East Coast, and West Coast versions of the band. I still keep up with Wakeman's releases but he hasn't really put out anything innovative since Journey To The Center of The Earth.

It took Owner of a Lonely Heart (written by Trevor Rabin) to finally get them into stadiums and when they couldn't follow up with a second comparable album to sustain the momentum everything died down and it left Jon and Chris a touch bitter. Struggling to half-fill a hockey arena can have that effect on a person. Yes is just about to the point of playing State Fair and winery gigs. (I mean regular wineries- not like Chateau St.Michelle)

Their set list hasn't changed much over the decades. They try to put out new stuff but have to fall back on the old stuff to carry the show.

That's got to be frustrating.

Close To The Edge is a hugely awesome psychedelic album.

Not many musical statements exhibit such precision, invention, passion and poetry.

Gotta love it when a good plan comes together.

Saw a show on the "Union" tour around '92. Excellent

Glad I'm missing out on whatever comprises Yes today.

They're not touring? Aw c'mon! Even Siberia goes through the motions.

/Just went for the joke
//Hope Squire's OK
///All those years of balancing on one leg while playing bass might come in handy?
////Aisle seat, please

il Dottore: It took Owner of a Lonely Heart (written by Trevor Rabin) to finally get them into stadiums

I saw Yes in Buffalo in 1975 in Rich Stadium with Johnny Winter and The J Geils Band on the
Relayer tour -- well before that crap song was written. What Trevor Rabin really did for Yes was commercialize their sound and turn off the fans that had followed the band from the beginning.

Just came in to say that Chris Squire's solo album, Fish Out Of Water, is a genuinely beautiful thing.

il Dottore: It took Owner of a Lonely Heart (written by Trevor Rabin) to finally get them into stadiums


Ummm...uh, yeah, sure...whatever you say, man.

And hey, if Owner Of A Lonely Heart shot those olde dudes a twak of cash, then right on.

They deserve it many times over.

I was just watching Yes: Greatest Video Hits on DVD a couple nights ago. A longtime fan. I've seen them in concert five times:
"Big Generator" tour, "Union", "Talk", the 2000 "Masterworks Tour" and in 2004. The crowd was definitely smaller for that last show but they were all great concerts.

priestrape ....And their throwaway songs are more imaginative and skillfully executed than 90% for what passes for popular music today


Holy Crap you hit the nail on the head with that one!

That statement could also include a hell of a lot of other classic bands too. Not just "prog" bands.

"A Venture" is a good example. (from "The Yes Album")
According to the Dan Hedges Yes biography book, that song was a last minute "filler" song. "A Venture" is 10 times better than any stupid current song being played on the radio. More interesting musical parts and hooks etc.

Music used to not be so random and disposable.

craigdamage: "A Venture" is a good example. (from "The Yes Album")

would you believe this is the EXACT song I was thinking of when I wrote that? Like I was saying, I listened to The Yes Album today for the first time in ages. I had forgotten about "A Venture" until I heard it today, then thought how sick it was that a song that cool was just another couple of minutes to fill for the band

Lord Snoopy's G.P.E.H.: Just came in to say that Chris Squire's solo album, Fish Out Of Water, is a genuinely beautiful thing.

I just came in to say THIS.

I saw Yes in a few filled stadiums in the 70's. I lost track of them after Tormato, but I still listen to their earlier stuff on vinyl quite frequently.

I was lucky enough to see Yes in 79. What an incredible show. The first concert in the new arena in our town. I think Tormato was the album out at the time, I just remember opening with Siberian Khatru an incredible version of Close to the Edge(which has always been my favorite), and a Wakeman keyboard solo that brought the house down. I really hope they can get on the road again with Anderson and Squire both healthy

craigdamage:
"A Venture" is a good example. (from "The Yes Album")
According to the Dan Hedges Yes biography book, that song was a last minute "filler" song. "A Venture" is 10 times better than any stupid current song being played on the radio. More interesting musical parts and hooks etc.


I have that very book, autographed by ABWH. Was my step-father's. He was a huge fan and a serious bass player and it kinda bummed him out that there was no Chris Squire with them at the time.

That and Steve Howe wouldn't shake his hand because he was so nervous that he took a couple of pills to calm him down and they worked a little too well. Well, that and the beer.

Personally, I love the band from the earliest stuff, through the Rabin era (Talk had some amazing tracks on it) and even the later stuff was decent for the most part.

Got to see them on the Talk tour and Rabin is a phenomenal musician.

frostus: il Dottore: It took Owner of a Lonely Heart (written by Trevor Rabin) to finally get them into stadiums

I saw Yes in Buffalo in 1975 in Rich Stadium with Johnny Winter and The J Geils Band on the
Relayer tour -- well before that crap song was written. What Trevor Rabin really did for Yes was commercialize their sound and turn off the fans that had followed the band from the beginning.

Clarification: "...to finally get them into stadiums where they were the headliner with no supporting opener. I saw the Relayer tour in Los Angeles at the Long Beach Sports Arena. There was no opener and they were still using some of the set props from the Tales From Topographic Oceans tour. Good show. They dug into Time and a Word and did Sweet Dreams for the encore.

I agree about turning off fans- I wasn't too thrilled about the West Coast version of Yes. It was a relief when Trevor Rabin left. Wasn't too impressed with Billy Sherwood and Igor, either. (And those are two names you NEVER utter where Jon can hear them unless you want an angry earful.) People just want to hear the 70's version of the band- the classic line up that did Going For The One.

yeah Going For The One was the last truly great YES album

i was a mere 15 or 16 when TORMATO hit the stands
and it just felt too rushed after Going For The One

no wonder Wakeman hated the cover so much
they threw a tomato at it

he probly felt the same way about the music

shanrick: My lawn.
Get off it.
You subby, you.

*Stands behind shanrick with folded arms and stern glare*

Well that sucks. Eat a bag of d***s subby.

I have Fragile on permanent rotation in my cd changer and my ipod. That farking album defines prog rock.

radioman_: I saw the Original Members of Asia tour last year. Howe still makes virtuoso guitar playing look as easy as breathing. Of course, he looks like a high school science teacher experiment now, but we're all getting older.


Still, all due respect.


il Dottore:
I agree about turning off fans- I wasn't too thrilled about the West Coast version of Yes. It was a relief when Trevor Rabin left. Wasn't too impressed with Billy Sherwood and Igor, either. (And those are two names you NEVER utter where Jon can hear them unless you want an angry earful.) People just want to hear the 70's version of the band- the classic line up that did Going For The One.

I never got what Sherwood's role was supposed to be, unless he was Squire's lackey. I can understand that Anderson wasn't too thrilled with a fifth wheel in the band. What's behind the friction with Khoroshev, though?

craigdamage:

"A Venture" is a good example. (from "The Yes Album")
According to the Dan Hedges Yes biography book, that song was a last minute "filler" song. "A Venture" is 10 times better than any stupid current song being played on the radio. More interesting musical parts and hooks etc.

Music used to not be so random and disposable.

Add another to the list of posters who love "A Venture."

Part of the problem nowadays might be that CDs hold a lot more music than vinyl did, so bands have to write extra tracks to fill the space.

Or not.

Seen them quite a few times in the late 1990s/early 2000s. After seeing them with Wakeman a few times, what else is left?

I do wish I was around when they did some of those stadium shows in the 1970s. I hear the laser shows were awesome.

Gonzo76: I do wish I was around when they did some of those stadium shows in the 1970s. I hear the laser shows were awesome.

They were! I (mostly) remember the one I saw. Sort of.

Yes!

i dunno, subby......
that new Yes singer from Quebec can really sing the older material very well. he's just missing the characteristic "slight grittyness" that jon's voice had for a while there in the 70's.

and btw, i think there are one or two really stellar tracks on "Tormato" like the first track, and "onward" and, i may be the only one on this, but "circus of heaven" never fails to bring a smile to my face. it's such a nice song.
the rest? meh.

Going for the One is possibly their best album ever... along with "fragile" and "the yes album".
"relayer"? umm... not so much... for me at least. I love most of "gates" and all of "to be over" but "Sound chaser", while technically brilliant, just doesn't do it for me.

and i actually like [love in spots] "tales from topographic oceans".
and "Drama" wasn't bad at all. like a more poppy / more metal version of yes.

FreeLoveFreeway: Yes!

OUI!

I admit that I have always had a huge love for their "Drama" album.

That one is indeed an odd record and often shunned by most classic Yes era fans but I think it is vastly superior to "90125"and "Big Generator" also from the 80s.

"Drama" is missing Wakeman (no Tony Kaye either) and Anderson but there is some real genuinely impressive moments on that record. "Machine Messiah" is a very unique song for Yes. The intro is so heavy and menacing. One of the few Yes songs in which guitar,bass and keyboards are all playing the same chords simultaneously. Sounds almost like a Black Sabbath riff.

"Tempus Fugit" and "Does it Really Happen" are also really funky standout cuts.

....oh yeah,and I forgot to mention:

Of all the Yes alumni solo efforts I have always loved Jon Anderson's "Olias of Sunhillow" the best. Chris Squire's "Fish Out of Water" is a close second.

"Sunhillow" is a prog masterpiece but it is basically EXACTLY what you would expect from Anderson.

"Fish" by Squire has many real surprises. His bass playing is actually somewhat restrained and as a bassist he doesn't show off as much as many would have assumed. He grooves and really stays in the pocket. "Lucky Seven" is awesome.

I hate to admit,
I NEVER really cared for Wakeman's records.

I admit that I have always had a huge love for their "Drama" album.

I like it too. Compare the Buggles' version of "Into the Lens" to Yes'. The first sounds like something anybody could turn out on a toy Casio.

craigdamage: "Sunhillow" is a prog masterpiece but it is basically EXACTLY what you would expect from Anderson.

"Fish" by Squire has many real surprises. His bass playing is actually somewhat restrained and as a bassist he doesn't show off as much as many would have assumed. He grooves and really stays in the pocket. "Lucky Seven" is awesome.

I listened to "Sunhillow" for the first time a couple of years ago, listened a few more times, and it never really grabbed me. It confirmed to me strongly that Anderson needed the other members of Yes as much as they needed him.

"Fish Out of Water" does indeed have some nice surprises, but I actually think it's overrated by most Yes fans. I REALLY don't like "Canon Song:" it just keeps going and going and going without any sense of build or purpose, something I wouldn't say for almost any Yes track (even though Yes haters tend to think that applies to every lengthy Yes track). I like the beginning and end of "Silently Falling," but the middle is just a little show-off wanky for a little too long for my tastes. And, uh, that's 25+ minutes of the album between those two tracks. The other three tracks are pretty awesome, though. The first two tracks are marvelous anthemic pop ballads, and "Lucky Seven" is a great bit of funk/jazz/pop.

Oh, and I'm not a huge fan of his solo work in general, but the best Yes solo album I've heard yet is "Criminal Record" by Rick Wakeman.

GypsyJoker: I can understand that Anderson wasn't too thrilled with a fifth wheel in the band. What's behind the friction with Khoroshev, though?

Sherwood: I'm a little surprised that Anderson was the one upset with having Sherwood around. I knew that Howe hated having him around, but I didn't know of any tension between Anderson and Sherwood.

Khoroshev: Igor got kicked out of the band for biting a female security guard in the neck.

So they're old and have problems now.

They get a pass simply for creating "South Side of the Sky."

I got free tickets to see Yes some time in the early 80's. I wasn't really into the band's music, but went anyway because it was my night off and it was a decent excuse to get away from my parents and get stoned.

The opening act didn't show up, so they brought out a projector and a screen, and ran Bugs Bunny cartoons. Seriously. If you've never had the chance to watch Bugs Bunny in an arena that's packed with stoned hippies, I highly recommend it.

But the concert that followed was one of the best performances I've ever had the pleasure of attending. That was when I learned that there is a reason that long-lasting groups maintain their longevity, and that's because they put on incredible live shows.

I started buying up Yes albums shortly afterwards.