* * * * * * * * * * ______ ______ ____________ _________ / \ | \ __/ \ __/ \__ _________ | \| \ / |/ _ \ _________ / | // _____ || / \_/ \ |NOTES \ // / \ \\_ \_ | |FROM \ || _____ ___\ \ \_ \_ | |THE \ || / ---/______| \ \_ | |EDGE ___\ || | | /______ __/ \ | |#13 ___/ \ \\ \_ \_ // | | \_____ / ___\ _/ \_ \ \_ _// | ______/ \__ \__/ ___/ \_ \____ | \_/ \__ ___/ \___ _/ \__ \__/ \ \_________/ \_____/ \_ \_____/ \ \_ | \_ | \__ __/ \_____________/ Notes From the Edge #13 May 10, 1991 * * * * * * * * * * IN THIS ISSUE... ================ Summer Notes --we're in luck! Tour Suspended --don't panic, it was only temporary Tour Dates --a few more summer shows confirmed Concert Notes --big boys *do* cry _Union_ --some reviews --the extra track on European CD --singles --wondering what Angkor Wat is? Jon Anderson --review of _3 Ships_ Bill Bruford --in Modern Drummer Rick Wakeman --review of _Phantom Power_ Chris Squire --the Fish speaks --the Squire clan Steve Howe --Turbulence: release date July 9 Trevor Rabin --commentary Tony Kaye --criticism Patrick Moraz --in Keyboard Magazine The Boxed Set --a live cover Other Bands --Gryphon --King's X A Quiz --signature 'lyrics' Random Notes --re: Uriah Heep --Yes cover tunes --the boxed set --Tony Levin --re: reviewers Tormato --pronunciation guide Bootlegs --CD's listed in Goldmine Contacts --meeting for shows Contributors --thanks! Birthdays --please don't spit on the cake Goodbyes --to those leaving us for the summer Addresses --some additions and some deletions * * * * * * * * * * NOTES FOR THE SUMMER: ==================== I have some great news everyone! Notes is a go for the summer! That's right, Dave Scidmore has agreed to run it for the summer while I'm off getting a tan somewhere (I hope! :-) We're trying to make the transfer as painless as possible, so your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. I will be compiling one more issue after this one, so after you receive issue #14, please do not send me any mail! That will be my last issue until I return in the Fall. Complete editorial responsibility will be turned over to Dave at that point. All submissions, questions and comments following issue #14 should be directed to Dave at: DAVES@HEURIKON.COM Mike Borella will have graduated as of May 19, so after this date he will no longer be our archiver (at least for the summer). Please do not send any requests to him after the 19th! Look for a new address for the archives in the next issue (due out May 24th). Even with people dropping off the list for the summer, our subscribers still number over 300. We're at 337! --ed. * * * * * * * * * * NOW WHO'S NOT FEELING WELL??? ============================= Something always seems to be happening to these guys when they finally get out on the road to tour. In 1983 Trevor Rabin collapsed on stage, with a ruptured spleen, I believe. In 1989, Tony Levin fell ill during the ABWH tour and was replaced on stage by Jeff Berlin. This time it was Jon's turn. Out with the flu was the official word. Their date at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago was postponed, also their show in Minneapolis. And the Oklahoma City date was cancelled (I think because the Minneapolis show was rescheduled for that date). But don't worry, they're back on the road again, and Jon's no worse for the wear. Their first date after Jon's recovery was the Kalamazoo, Michigan date on May 27. Dave Markfield was there and said the break improved their performance. --ed. +++ +++ +++ +++ SAY IT AIN'T SO!! ================= Well after all the psyching up for the concert, we have just been informed that the Oklahoma City concert has been cancelled (scheduled for May 7th) because Jon is down with a flu. Life is depressing suddenly! And to think that I had first row tickets. The DJ says even the Dallas show has been cancelled too. Talk about bad luck.... Ajoy +++ +++ +++ +++ From: IN%"za035@zeus.unomaha.edu" 29-APR-1991 I have a horror story to relate. This same group of people road-tripped to Sandstone Amphitheatre in Kansas City, KS to see ABWH, only to find out the show had been cancelled due to Tony Levin's illness. We heard the announcement on the radio as we were approaching the gig! A few weeks later we saw ABWH in LA on Pay-per-view with Jeff Berlin.. Heck, we would have been happy to see ABWH with a guy off the street playing bass! Oh well... Jason Horacek * * * * * * * * * * SCHEDULED TOUR DATES: ==================== May 10 TBA May 11 Desert Sky, Phoenix, AZ--on sale since April 6th May 12 Thomas and Mack, Las Vegas, NV May 13 TBA May 14 Sports Arena, San Diego, CA May 15 Forum, Los Angeles, CA May 16 Arco Arena, Sacramento, CA May 17 Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA--on sale since March 24th May 19 Coliseum, Portland, OR May 20 PNE, Vancouver May 21 Coliseum, Seattle, WA May 29 Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany May 30 Olympiahalle, Munchen, Germany May 31 Schleyerhalle, Stuttgart, Germany June 1 Weser Emshalle, Oldenburg, Germany June 2 Sporthalle, Koln, Germany June 3-4 Zenith, Paris, France June 6 Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon, France June 7 Palais Des Sports, Marseille, France June 8 Palais Des Sports, Toulouse, France June 12 Palatrussardi, Milan, Italy June 14 Stadium, Cava Dei Terrini, Italy June 16 Sports Palace, Athens, Greece June 18 Sajam, Belgrade, Yugoslavia June 19 Zemun Stadium, Zagreb, Yugoslavia June 21 Nep Stadium, Budapest, Hungary June 22 Forest National, Brussels, Belgium June 23 Ahoy, Rotterdam, Holland--on sale since March 9 June 25-26 NEC, Birmingham, England June 28-29 Wembley Arena, London, England--confusion abounds regarding whether there are 2 or 3 shows scheduled for Wembley. ******************* THE SECOND U.S. LEG ******************* ***Please take note: many of these dates have not yet been confirmed. --ed. July 6 Miami, Fl July 7 Tampa, Fl July 8 Orlando, Fl July 9 Atlanta, Ga--tickets on sale July 10 Raleigh, NC--confirmed July 12 Philadelphia, PA--sold out July 13 Philadelphia, PA--tickets on sale since April 27th July 14 Saratoga, NY (this date is in question) July 15-16 (was: Philadelphia, PA) July 18 New York, NY July 19 Portland, ME July 20 Middletown, NY July 21 Weedsport, NY July 22 Tanglewood Performing Arts Center Lenox, MA--confirmed (was: Darien Lake, NY) July 24 Pittsburgh, PA July 25 (was: Indianapolis, IN) July 26 Chicago, IL July 27 St. Louis, MO July 28 Nashville, TN July 30 Kansas City, KS July 31 Deer Creek Music Center, Indianapolis, IN--confirmed August 2 Birmingham, AL August 3 Houston, TX August 4 San Antonio, TX August 6 El Paso, TX August 7 Albuquerque, NM +++ +++ +++ +++ From: IN%"halm@oceana.crd.ge.com" 6-MAY-1991 This YES concert date has been confirmed: July 22 Lenox, MA - Tanglewood Performing Arts Center Also, the July 14 date for Saratoga, NY will *not* be happening. The date has been reserved for another artist. ----- David +++ +++ +++ +++ From: IN%"ILWN500@INDYCMS.BITNET" "David Markfield" 5-MAY-1991 Thought I'd offer this little correction. YES will be playing the Deer Creek Music Center in Indianapolis on the 31st of July as opposed to the 25 or 26 as was listed. There are plenty of good tickets available. Both lawn and pavilion. BTW anyone who might be going drop me a line at ILWN500@INDYCMS.IUPUI.EDU +++ +++ +++ +++ From: IN%"A.D.Thomson@computing-services.thames.ac.uk" There are 3 dates gonna be played in London at the end of june but i can't remember whether they were 27/28/29 June or 28/29/30 June. Hope that is of some help. +++ +++ +++ +++ HELP: CONCERT DIRECTIONS? ========================= From: IN%"rgombart@mcs.kent.edu" 28-APR-1991 Can anyone give me information on how to get tickets for either the July 26th Chicago Concert, or the July 30th Kansas City concert. Also, I would like information on where the concert will be, and how to get there (I can get to both towns). Thanks very much. Rich rgombart@mcs.kent.edu * * * * * * * * * * A MOVING EXPERIENCE... ====================== From: IN%"Elizabeth_Gehrman@ub.cc.umich.edu" 2-MAY-1991 Whew! Finally finished reading all the reviews! Have a couple of observations I'd like to throw in the pot as well. Saw the boys at The Palace/Auburn Hills, MI last Saturday. I could reiterate/elucidate on what's already been said technically, musically, etc., but won't. Instead I'd like to share something that has only happened at one other YES concert I've attended (I've seen them, let's see, 8 times now). Anyway, at the end of 'And You and I' before intermission, I had a few sneaky little tears trying to embarrass me by leaking out of the corner of my eyes. (To make the scenario complete I was attending the concert with my ex-husband! - weird!) On the other side of me was this burly, oh, maybe 6'4" guy that looked meaner than hell. I glanced over at him at the end of the song and - I'll be damned! There were some sneaky, leaky little tears dancing down his cheeks as well. And sure enough, there were many others similarly moved. The whole experience was very bittersweet and one I'll remember for a long time. -Beth * * * * * * * * * * UNION AT LONG LAST: ================== From: IN%"arcarese@andromeda.rutgers.edu" 2-MAY-1991 Album review: UNION Track Listing: 1. I Would Have Waited Forever 2. Shock To The System 3. Masquerade 4. Lift Me Up 5. Without Hope You Cannot Start The Day 6. Saving My Heart 7. Miracle Of Life 8. Silent Talking 9. The More We Live - Let Go 10. Angkor Wat 11. Dangerous (Look In The Light Of What You're Searching For) 12. Holding On 13. Evensong 14. Take The Water To The Mountain Finally, after weeks of waiting, the CD finally showed up! For those with short attention spans, here's a quick grade ---> A- For those who like to read, go on... Before listening to this album, I purposely didn't check to see what the SKRW songs were. I had already heard 'Lift Me Up', but I wanted to see how well the SKRW tracks blended in with the ABWH tracks. Fortunately, I couldn't find them all; I thought Miracle Of Life was an ABWH track - the keyboard intro fooled me. With Jon singing on the SKRW tracks, & Chris on a few of the ABWH tracks, the songs from both sub-groups blended together extremely well. Still, this album should have been called Merger instead of Union. It would have been nice to have all eight musicians working together on the entire album instead of being split into groups. Too bad all the songs were so short (for Yes anyway; no tracks were longer than 6 1/2 minutes) - a few 15 minute songs would have been great. The worst thing regarding this album is that there are no lyrics!! NONE!!! One of the few things I hate! Geez, they could have at least included two extra pages with the lyrics...oh well. Fortunately, that's one of the few things wrong with this album. More on this later... Still, this album is no 'Relayer' nor should it be; I'm glad they didn't attempt to redo what they've already done 15 - 20 yrs. ago. That's not what Yes (to me anyway) is about. This album is, in the truest sense of Yes, a collection of some very diverse, interesting music... Compared to the ABWH album, Union shows that ABWH really learned from that last album (it also helps having a different producer - Jonathan Elias is a definite plus here). The keyboards are subtle without sounding bland, and powerful without sounding forced (like they sometimes were on ABWH). Surprise, you can actually hear Steve Howe this time!!! His solo track 'Masquerade' is very good. Also, the harmonizing on this album is much improved over the ABWH album; check out 'I Would Have Waited Forever'. Anderson sounds better on this album than on ABWH; perhaps that's due to better material. I'm not saying ABWH was bad, I like it alot, however 'Union' is much more adventurous musically... So, if you like Yes, you will definitely enjoy this album. While alot of reviews I've read have panned the SKRW tracks, they are quite good, and add alot of diversity to an already diverse sounding album. Jonathan Elias' presence on this album, as both producer and performer (he plays keyboards on a few tracks), can definitely be felt on this album (check out an earlier album he produced 'Requiem for the Americas' - an album which is to 'Union' what 'i' is to 'Relayer'). Oh yeah, regarding the lyrics; for a laugh check out the credits on this album...HUGE...there are (for the ABWH tracks) 17 additional musicians!! Most of them are for synths, w/ a few for keyboards & percussion. Looks as if this was (like the ABWH album) a long distance collaboration. From the list of credits, Wakeman & Bruford were just a _little_ busy with other things :( luckily the album doesn't suffer from their absence :) John Arcarese +++ +++ +++ +++ From: IN%"V1180G%TEMPLEVM.BITNET@UBVM.cc.buffalo.edu" 1-MAY-1991 Despite Pat Q's communique in Notes #12, I got _Union_ on the 30th as rescheduled! I thought I'd share my *first impressions* of the songs. Keep in mind these are just first impressions and are subject to change with time. "I Would Have Waited Forever"-- This was one of the songs intended for the second ABWH album. It's an amazing hybrid of _Tormato_ era Yes and the _90125_ style. I love this song. I wish it ran longer than six-something. I give it a strong A. "Shock to the System"-- Another ABWH song. It's funky, but it lacks the bold and daring sound of the first track. I give it a B+. "Masquerade"-- This one was Steve Howe's little instrumental contribution. It has heart, but it's no "Clap." I give it a B+. "Lift Me Up"-- We've all heard this one. It's one of the songs from the Rabin sect. "Lift me up and turn me over / Lead me on into the door" What's with the lyrics? Sounds like we're frying burgers at an all night diner. Needs more of the "airy-fairy" sound of the ABWH sect. C+. "Without Hope You Cannot Start the Day"-- An ABWH song. Too derivative of the material on _ABWH_. With all due respect to the illustrious Tony Levin, this song would sound much better featuring the talents of Chris on bass. I give it a C. "Saving My Heart"-- Proud to say that this is one from the Rabin sect. It's definitely a different sound for the Yes guys (even for Rabin's Yes), but I was boppin' and snappin' and singin' along on this one. And I like Trevor's vocals on this song. Much to the chagrin of Grand Inquisitor Joe P. and the Trevor-bashers (you know who you are) I give this one an A-. "Miracle of Life"-- From the Rabin sect, this song features an intro composed in the style of ABWH, and then the funk kicks in a la Chris. By the early middle, you can tell it's Trevor's baby. It's catchy and I wouldn't be surprised if they released it as a single and it hit the charts. B+. "Silent Talking"-- From the ABWH sect, this song tries to capture the sound of "Close to the Edge" in under 4 minutes. It just doesn't work. The song lacks creativity. D+ "The More We Live-Let Go"-- From the Rabin sect, this one is interesting, but it lacks exciting and creative composition. C- "Angkor Wat"-- Or as I like to call it, "Angkor Wat the Hell Happened Here?" This one is one of the ABWH songs. It really got me on my feet--pacing! The only redeeming factor in this song is Pauline Cheng's recital of Cambodian poetry. I give it a D-, and this is from somebody who *likes* new age music! I would like to know what Pauline is saying. Anyone speak Khmer? "Dangerous [Look in the Light of What You're Searching for]"-- This is one of the ABWH songs too. For a second, I thought they were going to RAP in the middle of this song. It moves, but not enough. C+ "Holding On"-- Also from the ABWH sect. There's little to this song. It's bland in many places, but I like Steve's guitar parts. I give it a C. "Evensong"-- It's hard to review this song as I feel it was meant to be an intro to "Take the Water to the Mountain," but on it's own it is a spectral instrumental. I give it a C+. "Take the Water to the Mountain"-- This one was one of the ABWH songs, but I kept looking for Peter Gabriel's name in the credits for this one (didn't find it though). It's enchanting in it's own way. I give it a B-. Well that gives the boys a GPA of 2.5 for this semester. That's about a B. Anyone wanna figure out their Cumulative? -Rob Petrone ***You're a tough grader, Rob! Remind me not to take any classes from you! :-) Seriously, I think Union deserves better than a 2.5 (which here at Buffalo translates to a B-/C+). I was surprised to see how well the Squire+ tracks flowed together with the ABWH tracks. Even found myself thinking some of the ABWH tracks were Squire+ tracks and vice versa. --ed. +++ +++ +++ +++ THE EUROPEAN VERSION: ==================== From: IN%"A.D.Thomson@computing-services.thames.ac.uk" Union was released in England on 29th April this year. The CD and the tape contain a bonus track which the vinyl does not have. This makes for a track listing of 15 songs on CD/tape, while vinyl has 14. ***somehow they decided the Europeans were special and deserved an extra song that we can only hope will show up as a b-side. I recall Jon saying that this song "Give and Take" will show up as the b-side to the third single. However, he added IF there is a third single...ugh. --ed. * * * * * * * * * * "SAVING MY HEART" ================= From: IN%"V1180G%TEMPLEVM.BITNET@UBVM.cc.buffalo.edu" "ROB" 6-MAY-1991 In my "first impressions" review of the _Union_ album, I said I wouldn't be surprised if they released "Saving My Heart for You" as a single and it hit the charts. Well, my prophecy is starting to come true! I heard the song played on 93.3 WMMR in Philadelphia just before typing this message! Now we'll have to see if it makes the Top 40... Uh oh, does this mean an ethical crisis for Dave Markfield? Rob Petrone * * * * * * * * * * ANGKOR WAT: ========== Hmmm. It seems pretty clear that few people actually know what Angkor Wat is. It is an old Khmer temple in NW Cambodia (now Kampuchea). Angkor Thom, nearby, was the capital of the Khmer civilization. Beautiful ruins, full of mystery. The song should make more sense now.... John Nash '91 nash@husc9.harvard.edu * * * * * * * * * * I SAW 3 SHIPS COME SAILING IN... ================================ From: IN%"ex.heurikon.com!daves%heurikon.UUCP@cs.wisc.edu" 27-APR-1991 Hey, its already April, and with Christmas coming a day closer every day what better time than now to review a Christmas album. _3 Ships_ A Christmas album by Jon Anderson 1) Save All Your Love 7) The Holly and The Ivy 2) Easier Said than Done 8) Day of Days 3) Three Ships 9) 2,000 Years 4) Forest of Fire 10) Where Were You? 5) Ding Dong Merrily On High 11) Oh Holy Night 6) Save All Your Love (reprise) 12) How It Hits You 13) Jingle Bells _3 Ships_ was released in 1985 on the tail of Yes' 90125. Anderson has shown a marked fascination with, if not outright belief in, Christianity since before _Going For The One_. If you review the lyrics on Anderson solo albums, Jon And Vangelis albums, and even some songs on later Yes albums, it is not hard to find many obscure references to God, Christ, and Biblical themes. Having observed this for years it was not the least bit surprising to me that Anderson would make a Christmas album. _3 Ships_ is not just a Christmas album, it is a Christian christmas album, with little in the way of songs about snow, snow men, hearth fires, or sleigh rides. The themes are about the celebration of, and the significance of, Christ's birth. As a Christmas album, _3 Ships_ succeeds brilliantly. For me, this album captures that Christmas feel, and Christmas music atmosphere better, by far, than any other rock Christmas album I have ever heard. A feeling of warmth and celebration exude from this album. It succeeds at bringing rock elements into the arena of Christmas music where other albums force Christmas music into the rock world. The album consists of slightly more than half originals and slightly less than half old Christmas standards. Even the originals occasionally break out into a verse or two of a Christmas standard. My clear favorite on this album is "Save All Your Love" which can best be described as a beautiful and joyous celebration of the Christmas spirit. Many of the songs like "Forest Of Fire" blend a novel format, such as jungle sounds and rhythms, with a Christmas song feel. Two other such songs "Where Were You", and "How It Hits You" while being infectiously positive also bring to the party a rhythmical, rock-ish feel. Both "Easier Said Than Done", written by Vangelis, and "Day of Days" are more conventional, but are also light, up tempo, and cheerful. The short but bright "2,000 Years" gets its simplicity and innocence from the fact that Anderson is backed by a choir of children. Most of the Christmas standards are done in novel ways as well. The namesake of the album "3 Ships" is done in an interesting mechanical sounding style. The electronic sounding "Ding Dong Merrily On High" briskly breezes past the listener, while "Oh Holy Night" is performed as a rock ballad. Only "The Holly And The Ivy" has a somewhat conventional rendition. The album ends with a single verse of "Jungle Bells", sung by a single child, accompanied only by sleigh bells. If you like listening to conventional Christmas music, then _3 Ships_ is just the album for you. It blends rock and Christmas music very effectively and really projects the Christmas spirit. For those who want _3 Ships_ it is only available as a Japanese import and so is hard to find and will cost from $20 to $25 if you do find it. -Dave Scidmore * * * * * * * * * * BILL IN MODERN DRUMMER: ====================== From: IN%"kemp@uiatma.atmos.uiuc.edu" "John Kemp" I almost forgot. This month's issue (April or May?) of Modern Drummer had a two or three page interview with Bill Bruford. The entire topic was "Close To The Edge". It is tucked away in the back...about page 58 if memory serves, so it is easy to miss. There are some neat bits in it though, about how they would play all these parts and end up with tons of tape segments hanging on the editing room walls...and so forth. I could dig it up and summarize if anyone is interested... john kemp * * * * * * * * * * RICK'S PHANTOM POWER: ==================== From: IN%"ex.heurikon.com!daves%heurikon.UUCP@cs.wisc.edu" 3-MAY-1991 _Phantom Power_ by Rick Wakeman 1) The Visit 8) Fear Of Love 2) Heaven 9) "The Love Trilogy" - One Night 3) The Rat The Dream Sequence, One Night Of Love 4) The Stiff 10) The Hangman 5) Evil Love 11) The Sand-Dance 6) The Voice Of Love 12) You Can't Buy My Love 7) Heat Of The Moment 13) Phantom Power 14) Rock Pursuit This 1990 release was, quote, "written and recorded for the 1990's re-launch of the 1925 Universal Screen version of Phantom of the Opera." Now what does that mean? Since the term "re- launch" was used instead of "remake", and later in the liner notes Lon Chaney is thanked for making the movie, does that mean it was written for a re-release of the original or a new version of the movie? Another good question is whether this music actually appears anywhere in the movie or was written only to celebrate the re-release? The liner notes are fairly vague about this and heck if I know! In addition to Rick Wakeman, veteran Wakeman drummer Tony Fernandez, who also appears on _Live At The Hammersmith_, _Cost Of Living_, _A Suite Of Gods_, and _Zodiaque_ plays drums on _Phantom Power_, while guitarist D'zal Martin's presence is keenly felt. In fact the songs "The Visit", "Heat Of The Moment" (no relation to the Asia song of the same name), "Fear Of Love", "The Hangman", and "Rock Pursuit" are guitar oriented enough that it might be hard for the uninitiated to tell the songs are the work of a keyboard player. For anyone who has heard _A Suite Of Gods_ the clearly operatic voice of Ramon Remedios is easily recognizable on the progressive "The Rat", as well as the ballads "The Voice Of Love", "The Love Trilogy", and the rocker "Phantom Power." Those who are familiar with Remedios' previous work with Wakeman will most likely agree that classic opera style vocals in rock music takes some degree of getting used too (I have played Wakeman/Remedios stuff for more than a few people and had them laugh when the vocals started). Those who did not like Remedios vocals on _A Suite Of Gods_ will not find them much more palatable here, but those like me who have gotten past the initial shock, may find that some of the Remedios material is quite good. At ear shattering volumes his rich, heavy voice can be quite impressive indeed! Three of the more heavily guitar oriented tunes "The Visit", "Heat Of The Moment", and "Hangman" feature more ragged edge vocals of Ashley Holt, almost shades of AC/DC. His vocals also appear in a more monotone form on the trance like, hypnotic "Evil Love." This album abounds with ballads from "Heaven", and "You Can't Buy My Love" with the clear, soaring, strong, female voice of Chrissie Hammond, to the above mentioned Remedios songs "The Voice Of Love" and "The Love Trilogy." "Fear Of Love", also sung by Hammond, has a touch of reggae flavor to it. Among the two instrumental songs on the CD is the unusual, "The Stiff" which has a slithering, foreboding, black feel very suitable for a creepy horror film. By contrast "The Sand-Dance" is more of a bit of fluffy filler that seems somewhat out of place on an album about a horror story. The epic finale of this work is "Rock Pursuit" which rolls out all three vocalists and an armament of guitars and keyboard for a truly grand finale. I have noticed a phenomena with some of the recent Wakeman material that is quite interesting. While it is true that a lot of rock music sounds better at higher volumes, there is something about recent Wakeman material that makes it sound weak at low volumes, but much stronger when cranked up. Perhaps it is that the subtle use of unusual keyboard sounds and a lot of interesting background instrumentation is simply lost at lower volumes, but more discernable at higher volumes. In other words you seem to get more of the full effect of this album with the volume on 11. So, do I like the album? Well... yes and no. It lacks some of the things I have come to expect of a Wakeman album such as Wakeman's flare for impressive keyboard work, his ability to weave together and intertwined several intricate themes, and his flair for the adventurous. But on the other hand I find it hard to fault an album for being too conventional. Still, quite a number of the songs simply fail to do much for me. Perhaps their more guitar oriented approach and simpler, more straight forward arrangements seem basic by comparison to other more popular Wakeman works. On the other hand I have to admire the fact that Wakeman has tried some things I have never heard him try before, and quite a bit of the album does work quite well for me. Sappy though they may be, the ballads are, for the most part, quite good, and the moments when the band is kicking out some good heavy rock and roll really do rock. All in all I can't promise that you will like the album, but die hard Wakeman fans will probably still want to give this one a try. -Dave Scidmore * * * * * * * * * * ACCORDING TO THE FISH: ===================== Chris said in a recent interview: That Tony Kaye had never met Rick Wakeman before the rehearsals for this tour; That originally he replaced Jon Anderson in Diet Yes (RSWK) with a guy named Billy Sherwood, and even wrote some songs with him that are on Union, but with Jon singing them... That the box set won't be out until Christmas... That no one knows what the line-up for the next Yes album (he said it would be released in '92, "in the new year" = January?) will be! This will be old news by the time you read this, but I have my copy of Union. Since I was flying to the US on May 2nd, I thought I would just wait and get the album stateside at a lower price. Fortunately, I checked the stores in the UK, just to look at it, and saw a sticker: "Special European release: includes the extra track "Give and Take"". So, you guys only have 14 tracks, eh? The special release is a brilliant picture CD; is that the same with the US version? By the way, my ABWH CD is coloured a dark brownish-red with the cover logo; is that the same with the US release? That's all for now... Ronald L. Chrisley chrisley@csli.stanford.edu ***Yup, the _Union_ disc *is* a wonderful picture disc. My copy of the ABWH disc, however, does not feature the cover logo. --ed. * * * * * * * * * * CHRIS' FAMILY? ============== From: IN%"garyk@meaddata.com" 1-MAY-1991 In answer to Diane's question about Nikki Squire's relation to Chris, I know I read somewhere that Nikki is Chris' wife. I also read that the picture of the band on the inside of the Relayer album was taken in Nikki and Chris Squire's yard. On the back of "Fish Out of Water" Chris dedicates the album to Niccola, Carmen, and Chandrika. My guess is the other two are his children.(?) Dori Kelly * * * * * * * * * * TURBULENCE: ========== From: IN%"bilbo@cis.ohio-state.edu" "William H Stoner III" 30-APR-1991 I talked to Steve Howe after the show (for about 30 seconds :-() I asked him when Turbulence would be out and he said July 9th this conflicts with the May 1st date given in issue 12 so we'll just have to see. bilbo * * * * * * * * * * TREVOR RABIN: ============ From: IN%"bilbo@cis.ohio-state.edu" "William H Stoner III" 30-APR-1991 Hullo, What do people REALLY think of Trevor #2? He mystifies me...He's obviously a talented song writer -90125- was a really good album and BG had its moments too, and Solly's Beard is an incredible little piece. He can write great pop hooks, and even some things that aren't so pop that really are good. I've tried to get over my Trevbias but I really don't understand the way he can write competent music and then go into the most thoughtless solos in the middle of older Yes material (and even some of the newer stuff). During the show at Auburn Hills he was most annoying at some points. They opened with Yours Is No Disgrace, Steve took a very well thought out solo (though it too could have been better), then Trev stepped to center stage and did his "classic solo" - arpeggio-arpeggio-arpeggio-hold note-arpeggio-hold note-hold note-arpeggio- arpeggio-arpeggio-I-arpeggio-AM-arpeggio-NIGEL-arpeggio-TUFNEL!-arpeggio- arpeggio-arpeggio-hold...(This goes on for two or three minutes). It really came off as nothing more than masturbation. I almost offered him a tissue. And to be honest I did actually yell out "GO Nigel GO!" a couple of times during the show. It wouldn't bother me as much except he did that same solo (though on different chords) three or four times that night...and he did it on the BG tour ruining (IMHO) "Yours Is no disgrace". I really am trying to give him the benefit of the doubt but he keeps doing those horrible solos. On the bright side he really nailed the slide guitar part on "And You and I" this time (he didn't play it on slide mind you but he really had it down!) he missed it horribly when I saw him on BG. Is it just me?... bilbo * * * * * * * * * * A FEW THOUGHTS ON TONY KAYE (and Resurrecting Dragons...) ========================================================= From: IN%"JDLISS@AMHERST.BITNET" 7-MAY-1991 Resurrecting Dragons is quite a good boot (all thanks to Mike). It's got some excellent sound, though sound quality is not consistent. Basically it gave me some respect for the Big Tour of 1988. I had front row tix to the Jacksonville FL show but Trevor Rabin collapsed on stage in Miami or Tampa from an illness and so they cancelled. I was sorry at the time, then I saw ABWH and wasn't sorry, and now I'm sorry again, a little bit. The new songs they play are all done well; as on the 9012live concert video, I'd rather see them do new songs well than screw up the old ones. Whatever they did with the opening to Rhythm of Love is anyone's guess; alot of keyboard stuff which made me forget I was at a Yes show (though I had heard a guitar chord in there which helped to locate me). Anyway, it shapes up and they do good renditions of Big Gen/90125 stuff. The question mark is the classic stuff: Heart of the Sunrise, Roundabout, And You and I, Disgrace, and Your Move. The last of these is kind of dead, no big deal. Heart of the Sunrise was a nice surprise for this tour, and it's done well technically. Roundabout is an absolute nightmare; this is a shameful and dead version of it (for those who have heard or seen it in 88, they skip the middle section). And You and I really misses the slide guitar; Rabin does his best on those sections and I can't fault him too badly. The second half of this song has a faster tempo, more rock ... can't say it does much for me, but OK. Disgrace is actually a relief; Rabin doesn't go off like a maniac on the guitar. He seems to have himself under control as he did at the 91 show. So these songs are done fairly well, but there's something gravely wrong...it's not Jon's vocals (great) or Chris (he's doing the job). Folks, it's Tony Kaye. This man is a terrible keyboardist. He gives up on whole sections of Wakeman's parts. He was originally an organ-type keyboardist, and it really shows. On Disgrace he just runs his hands down the keys and then holds a note, then does it again. He provides an imperfect backing for the band and should be hurled quickly from the stage. Anyone could do better and try to be truer to Yes sound. Rabin has his influence on the new stuff which I can't agree with, but at least he tries to play the old stuff right, and his technical expertise brings him up to a level that I can respect. Moraz also had his own impact (more positive in my opinion) on the album he participated in, but he played everything else right. Kaye literally leaves things out of the classic songs; if his style on 90125/Big Gen is more minimal than Rick's, then fine. Those songs sound good. His jazzy little intro to Changes on the Union tour was fine; it didn't do much for me, but it's his thing and that's cool, especially in the context of a song which he had an influence upon. But on Starship Trooper (and this is the guy who did the original version) he did the same shit as in 88's Disgrace: running up the keyboard then holding a note, repeat as is unnecessary. He didn't exactly ruin the song, but there was a nasty hum behind the whole Wurm section (otherwise quite good) and its name was Tony Kaye. He also was freaking out the whole time as if he were making great music. My friend and I laughed at him the whole time; he looked like Einstein with his wild shock of white hair. Anyway, no use putting down the way he looks. Even in the Yes Album era, he was the least creative member of the band, and he still is, no question in my mind about it. This was a big revelation for me, and the reason I go on about it is that if you don't like the 90125/Big Gen albums and shows, don't blame Trevor Rabin exclusively, blame Kaye, who gets alot of undeserved credibility from his status as Yes's original keyboardist. * * * * * * * * * * PATRICK MORAZ IN KEYBOARD MAGAZINE: ================================== From: IN%"halm@oceana.crd.ge.com" 8-MAY-1991 Patrick Moraz is featured on the cover of this month's /Keyboard/ magazine. The article contains some interesting information about what Patrick has been up to lately as well as some tidbits from his days with Yes. Here are some of the items covered. Yes-related trivia: - Moraz has been invited to join Yes on tour for at least a few dates this summer (along with Banks, Horn, and Downes, I presume.) He hasn't decided whether to accept or do a solo piano tour of the States instead. - Moraz recalls his first meeting with Yes, in August 1974: "We introduced each other, had some tea, and then they played what was to become 'Sound Chaser' on /Relayer/ - just the middle part, because I would write the introduction later. I was totally overwhelmed, because they played so fast and so precisely and so well. The swing was there, and the sound was there. I had never heard such original music, except for what Mahavishnu Orchestra was doing at the time. They were absolutely brilliant. I must say that I had to have a lot of guts to sit at the keyboards and try to play along." - After devoting a weekend to learning all of Yes' repertoire, as well as helping to arrange the new material, Moraz was on the road with Yes, barely a week after their first meeting. - On that first tour, Moraz played six keyboards. By 1975 he was touring with 14 instruments, and for the 1976 tour he had 24 keyboards arranged on two stage levels! On the Moody Blues: - Moraz was quite candid in stating that the Moody Blues don't offer him any musical challenge whatsoever anymore. In 13 years he asserts that he has only written about half a song for the band. - One reason that he has stayed with the band for so long is that they always retained their sense of humor. He says they never took themselves seriously. Current projects: - Moraz has a new solo album almost completed. Called /Change of Space/, the album is in search of a record label that will release it. - Moraz recently did a live performance of his entire /Human Interface/ album (deleted by Crapitol Records) in Abbey Road Studios. He played with both computer and keyboards while performing it, changing the tempo and orchestration as he went along, while playing solo-type stuff on top of the sequences. He says, "It was more inspired, more spontaneous, more emotionally charged than the album." - The major project on Moraz's schedule is the planning for the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation. Moraz has a massive, multimedia vision of holographic projections, laser illuminations, and cross-cultural musical performance, all taking place on Lake Geneva. /The Symphony of the 700th/, as he calls it, would feature the following: - a cross-shaped landing pad on the middle of the lake where the action would take place, including the landing of jet pack-powered "extra-terrestrials" bearing the numbers to form the year of Switzerland's birth (1291) - Moraz in a sphere suspended above the stage, from which he would perform the music and control the multimedia spectacle with "devices maybe yet to be invented" - fiber-optic sculptures floating across the water; laser projections of notated themes; silent fireworks, synch- ronized to the music; and a holographic apple floating in the sky bisected by a holographic arrow shot from a gigantic bow pointing upward from the middle of the lake - How would the music be heard and synchronized? A tiny Swiss chalet containing a speaker would be attached by Velcro to every spectator. The audio signal would be transmitted over an FM frequency to everyone simultan- eously. Wow! What a project. I hope he can pull it off. Originally scheduled for August, the anniversary festivities may be put off until late '91 or even '92. ----- David * * * * * * * * * * NEWS ON THE BOXED SET! ====================== From: IN%"joep@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com" 7-MAY-1991 one of the tracks on the boxed set will be a live cover of the Beatles' "i'm Down". wish I could remember what show it was from... * * * * * * * * * * GRYPHON: ======= From: IN%"chall@khan.tam.cornell.edu" 2-MAY-1991 On the Relayer tour, the show was opened by a band called Gryphon featuring a bassoonist! I have one of their albums _Red Pawn to Gryphon Three_, but it's in bad shape. Kinda reminds me of Gentle Giant a' la _Octopus_. Anyone know more about this band, their albums, CDs? Chris * * * * * * * * * * KING'S X: ======== From: IN%"RNT3515@TNTECH.BITNET" 29-APR-1991 There's a section in Wonderous Stories magazine where people write in and plug bands they listen to other than Yes or Yes-spinoff bands. I think it would be cool to see what you guys listen to here as well. So I'll start this off. One of my favorite bands right now is a great little metal band from Texas called King's X. You might have heard their latest single "It's Love" or seen the video on MTV. The band consists of Doug Pinnick on bass and lead vocals, Ty Tabor on guitar and voice, and Jerry Gaskill on drums and voice. King's X blew me away when I heard their second album _Gretchen Goes To Nebraska_ back in 1989. Their music is cerebral, enigmatic, tight, and powerful. A lot of their songs rotate around themes of spirituality, although they are not Stryper by any stretch of the imagination. I'd compare their sound to a cross between early Rush, Led Zeppelin, and (vocally, at least) the Beatles. They have three albums: _Out of the Silent Planet_, _Gretchen_, and their latest one _Faith Hope Love_. However, after seeing them live in a little club in Memphis last December I can say that albums do not do them justice. Their musicianship (live and recorded) is absolutely impeccable. In fact, Doug says that when they were doing gigs before they made albums, one of their cover tune repertoire was "Roundabout"! Not bad for a 3-piece band. So if you are in the mood for hard rock that feeds your brain as well as your ear, go out and check these guys out! One more thing: the aforementioned single is NOT representative of their stuff. Most of their music is far more hard-driving and tight. signing off, Robert. * * * * * * * * * * CREATIVITY AT ITS BEST: ====================== From: IN%"halm@oceana.crd.ge.com" 3-MAY-1991 Just for fun, I've come up with another YES lyrics quiz. This one is slightly different, though, in that it examines the more, shall I say...profound, lyrical delights that have appeared throughout our favorite songs. So see if you can identify the songs from which these gems have been lifted. I'll send in the answers for the next issue. Have fun! ----- David The Profound YES Lyrics Quiz --- -------- --- ------ ---- 1. Yes yes, yes yes 2. La la, la la la la la la, la la la la la la, la la la 3. La-ah la-ah la la, la-ah la-ah la la, la-ah la-ah la la la 4. La la la la la la, la la la la la la la la 5. Daaaahhhh, dah dah, daaaaaahhhhhhh 6. Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah 7. Cha cha cha, cha cha 8. Dah dah do-da-do-da dah dah do-da-do-da-do-da did-dit dat dah dah da-do-dit-da-do-dit-da-do 9. Did-dit did-dit did-dit did-dit did-dit did-dit did-dit did-dah 10. Dig it, dig it 11. Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo 12. Doo doo doo doot'n doo * * * * * * * * * * RANDOM NOTES... =============== From: IN%"RNT3515@TNTECH.BITNET" 29-APR-1991 Hi guys. Here's some random responses to stuff from last issue: * John Wetton & Uriah Heep I am really pretty sure that John did play in Uriah Heep. On the back of the longbox for UH's Greatest Hits cd there's a little chart that shows all the members and when they were in, and John is definitely listed. * Yes Covers I'd Like to See Well I'd like to see them do "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC... or perhaps "Cherry Pie" by Warrant. Haha! Just a little joke there folks... Hey put that grenade launcher down! Aigh! Seriously though, I think just about any song could have its quality amplified by having Yes do a cover of it. Specifically though, there are a couple that come to mind. First, one of the genres of music that I like the most (besides prog rock and classical) is soul. And I read once somewhere that Yes, when they were opening for Janis Joplin or something and they only had a 10-minute set, did a 10-minute version of an old Wilson Pickett tune called "In the Midnight Hour". You've heard it I'm sure. I love the song to begin with, and I'd like to hear Yes do a really cool, laid-back version of it. I don't know if this counts as a cover or not, but I also think that Trevor Rabin would have been awesome playing lead/solo guitar on Janet Jackson's "Black Cat". The guy who plays on the single/video version is Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme (another good band), and the b-side to the single has Vernon Reid from Living Colour playing. Every time I crank up the cassette in my car, I can just imagine an "Owner of a Lonely Heart"-sounding guitar blasting those power chords... * _5_-CD Box Set? I heard that the box set was supposed to be four CD's! Now I hear 5! This is really cool, but my wallet is going to be in sad shape by the time August gets here... I still haven't picked up the Jethro Tull or Led Zeppelin box sets, and there's a James Brown box set coming out in a week or two that I am dying to get, and now this...! (But do you see me complaining?) =) * Tony Levin OK, this wasn't mentioned in last issue but I wanted to bring it up anyway. In my taped-off-the-radio version of _Union_, I am basically having to guess at everything -- what the song titles are (usually successful thanks to the Extremal Phrase Repetition principle: the word/phrase that is repeated the most or the least in a song will be the title), and especially who plays on them. Some of the tracks are obviously Cinema + Jon, and some are obviously ABWH. On the ABWH tracks, I swear I hear Tony Levin playing. Jeez, he sounds absolutely incredible. He is, IMHO, the best bass player alive today. And he practically blows Chris Squire off the map. That is, unless it's Chris sounding a LOT like Tony. =) {Disclaimer: I still worship Chris Squire too. They are both awesome but I must admit I prefer Tony's playing these days.} Anyway, I just wanted to say that if Tony Levin does not get at least equal billing with Chris as a member of Yes both on tour and on the album, Tony will have been shortchanged in a major way. Of course, if Tony doesn't even show up on the album I just made a fool of myself. That's the problem with guessing. * Vaccination for Upcoming Reviews OK, OK, this wasn't in last issue either. We all know how record reviewers LOVE Yes, especially those at Rolling Stone. (*muffled chuckle*) You remember, the same guys that gave _ABWH_ one star (lowest possible rating) and in the same issue gave the new Beastie Boys album 4 stars? Even though I personally rank _Union_ as one of the group's best albums, you gotta expect reviewers to be pissy as usual and blather on about something they don't understand. So, here's some advice that might help you from going on a tri-state chainsaw killing rampage against reviewers who dis Yes in the upcoming months. Album reviewers are WEENIE HEADS FROM HELL!!! Most of them can barely write their own names, barely graduated from some puissant college with a BA, lost their job at Hardees, and as a result gave money/oral sex/firstborn children to those who are now their editors. The usual rave against Yes by reviewers is something like "too pretentious" or "instrumental overkill". First one: What are Yes pretending to be, if they are pretentious? Second one: This sounds like in _Amadeus_ when people didn't like Mozart's music, they'd say it "has too many notes in it". Don't take album reviewers seriously! Their collective IQ is somewhere around 75 or 80, and they like to play "Nab the Noogie" with mountain goats. People who are in a position to be vocal without the ability to use neurons tend to dis things they can't understand. And believe me, album reviewers for large magazines are definitely in over their heads when they get into anything cerebral, especially Yes music. { The preceding ragging session is null and void for reviewers who give Yes good reviews, and to reviewers in pro-Yes magazines such as this one. Thank you. } That's about it from here... roundaboutly, Robert. * * * * * * * * * * YOU SAY TOR-MAY-TOE, I SAY TOR-MAH-TOE: ====================================== From: IN%"garyk@meaddata.com" 1-MAY-1991 Here's something else that has had me wondering. The other day I was speaking to a guy that my husband works with and when he made reference to Tormato (one of my favorites) he pronounced it tor-MATE-o. I've always thought (and still do) that it was tor-mato (like M and auto). So what's the general consensus? Dori Kelly ***I've always heard it pronounced tor-mah-toe. --ed. * * * * * * * * * * CD BOOTLEGS: =========== From: IN%"JDLISS@AMHERST.BITNET" Information is from Goldmine magazine, May 3 issue. If you want more info please contact me or go out and buy yourself one. from CD Connection in Heidelberg W. Germany ROUNDABOUT California 1974 $16 AMSTERDAM 1972 $18 SOUND CHASER Boston 1974 $18 (bet anything this is Re-evolution material) LONDON 1975 $19 DOMINO California 1988 $38 (2CDs) also Crimson shows 73-75, plus one from 84 They also have all the CD boots we have catalogued except for White. I.R.C. (Int'l Record Collector) CD's: Jon Anderson -- Japanese pressings of Three Ships and Song of Seven Steve Howe -- The Steve Howe Album Japanese pressings of Drama, Going for the One, Time and a Word, Yesterdays, Yesshows (2CD $35) and German Yesterdays all between $21-25 IRC is located in Baltimore MD Also have ELP in Japanese: In Concert, Love Beach, and Welcome Back (2CD) Fish Vigil in a Wilderness Mirrors Dave Jones (Videos) in Wyoming, MI Yes Philadelphia 1977 & Drama Promos 65 min Yes Belgium TV 1970, Tormato promos & various 100 min. also Crimson and Marillion shows So that's all in Goldmine. If you get a copy look up these advertisers in the Ad Index in the back. But please feel free to write me for info. Jeff * * * * * * * * * * GOING TO A SHOW? ================ Here's the list of people to get in touch with if you are interested in meeting other people before/during/after the concert: Los Angeles (5-15) Mike Maddock MMADDOCK@POLYSLO.CALPOLY.EDU Oakland (5-17) Ben Ragunton RAGUNTON1@LLNL.GOV Atlanta (7-9) Christian W. CWALTERS@DUCVAX.AUBURN.EDU Weedsport (7-21) Michelle Kelley KELLEY@CERAMICS.BITNET Nashville (7-28) Robert Talbert RNT3515@TNTECH.BITNET Birmingham, AL (8-2) Christian W. CWALTERS@DUCVAX.AUBURN.EDU If you'd like to be put on this list as an organizer for any shows, drop me a line saying so! * * * * * * * * * * CONTRIBUTORS: ============ Muchas gracias to: Diane Westerfield, Joe Pizzirusso, David Halm, Dave Markfield, A.D. Thomson, Ajoy Kodali, Rich Gombart, Beth Gehrman, John Arcarese, Rob Petrone, John Kemp, Ron Chrisley, Dori Kelly, Bilbo Stoner, Jeff Liss, Chris Hall, Robert Talbert, Jason Horacek, Bruce Cotsonas, Jay Thompson. Also, cheers to Mike Borella's wonderful effort at Notes #12! And of course I am indebted to Dave Scidmore for volunteering to take over as editor for the summer! Thanks also go out to Christian Walters and Roger Swanson for offering as well! * * * * * * * * * * MAY BIRTHDAYS: ============= 11 Greg Johns 16 David Purnell 17 Bill Bruford 18 Rick Wakeman 20 Dean Gitters 20 Angelo Melis 20 Martyn Lesbirel 24 John Hansen 24 Jeff Appling 24 Sinn Santos 26 Robert Pearson 26 Gary Black 27 Bilbo Stoner 30 Les Rackl 31 Mike Morgan But then, I suppose if you *do* spit all over the cake, no one else will want any and you can have it all to yourself...:-) If you're going to the Oakland show on the 17th, make sure everyone salutes Bill's birthday. :-) And where are they playing the next night for Rick's big day?? * * * * * * * * * * A FOND FAREWELL =============== (well, to those of you who won't be around for issue #14) If you're leaving us for the summer, I hope yours is as exciting as I'm hoping mine will be! Hey, how can we go wrong with all those YES shows to go to? :-) If you would like to keep in touch with me, or if you're ever in the Syracuse area, (this goes for everyone while I'm away too), my mail address is: Cathy Leak 4193 Coye Road Jamesville, NY 13078 and my phone number is: (315) 492-2266. It's been one helluva year for YES fans! Take care... Cath ***remember, #14 will be my last issue before the summer. After that Dave Scidmore is in charge! * * * * * * * * * * THOSE ALL-IMPORTANT ADDRESSES: ============================= For New Subscribers, Contributions to Notes #14 only, Questions/Comments/Criticisms (until May 24, 1991): Cathy Leak (Editor) V111PBXX@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU For New Subscribers, Contributions to Notes after #14, Questions/Comments/Criticisms (after May 24, 1991): Dave Scidmore (Editor) DAVES@HEURIKON.COM For requests for Back Issues and Survey Responses (offer expires May 19, 1991): Mike Borella CURADIO@CLUTX.CLARKSON.EDU For the Discography (this offer also expires May 19, 1991): Mike Borella CURADIO@CLUTX.CLARKSON.EDU For the Rarities List (Additions and Requests): Dave Markfield ILWN500@INDYCMS.BITNET For Lyrics (Additions and Requests) Christian Walters CWALTERS@DUCVAX.AUBURN.EDU For Import CD's (last resort): Joe Pizzirusso JOEP@CBMVAX.CBM.COMMODORE.COM *****************************************************************************