______ ______ ____________ _________ / \ | \ __/ \ __/ \__ | \| \ / |/ _ \ | // _____ || / \_/ \ // / \ \\_ \___ \ || _____ ___\ \ \_ \ \ || / --/ ______| \ \ ___\ || | | - /______ __/ \ ___/ \ \\ \_ \_ // | / ___\ _/ \_ \ \_ _// | \__ \__/ ___/ \_ \____ | \_/ \__ ___/ \___ _/ \__ \__/ \ \_________/ \_____/ \_ \_____/ \ \_ | \_ | \__ __/ \_____________/ N o t e s F r o m T h e E d g e #91 THE Internet YES Newsletter (copyright) January 24, 1994 ______________________________________________________________________________ | nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IN THIS ISSUE ============= New Jon Anderson - - CD and Video Steve Howe - - Vocal Opinions Yes - - The Family Album - - Songs And Wishes Asia - - Album Titles - - Can't Use This One Rick Wakeman - - Music On Spanish TV Piltdown Man - - And Yessounds Yes - - A Parody Wakeman And Wakeman - - A New One? Yes - - Humorous Predictions Keyboards - - The Last Biro Cover Songs - - We Can Dream Can't We? Rick Wakeman - - In Decline - - Agreed Yes - - Memories Yesshows - - On Laserdisc? Yes - - A Wish List Sound Chaser - - The Steve Howe Guitar Collection Reviewed From The Editor - - Words ______________________________________________________________________________ | nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NEW JON ANDERSON ================ From: Doug Gottleib, Editor, Yes Magazine A new official CD & video by Jon Anderson Not available in stores This Ultra-limited pressing will not be re-run [Limited to 1-2,000 copies] It is sure to become an impossible to obtain collectible, so don't delay! This is Jon Anderson as you've never heard or seen him before. The Best of Jon Anderson - South America Live '93 is a magical journey with Jon as he performs his favorite songs with indigenous peoples of Latin American cities. The video includes exclusive concert footage, as well as personal, behind the scenes views into Jon's life on the road. Hidden within one package is a special platinum, all-access pass entitling the holder to fly first class to Puerto Rico. You'll join Jon in rehearsals on the eve of the Yes '94 tour. [Yes Magazine subscribers will receive tourdates as soon as they are finalized. I'll also post them on AOL & pass them along to Jeff and the Notes crew]. You will stay overnight in local accomodations, then travel to the show in style with Jon Anderson. VIP passes will allow all access, including aftershow cocktails with Jon. You will fly home the following day. 6 holders of gold all access-passes will be entitled to cash them in to attend any one show, VIP, in the town of your choice. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Best of Jon Anderson - South America Live '93 CD contains: "Hearts," "And You And I," "Time And A Word," "Owner of a Lonely Heart," "State of Independence," "I've Seen All Good People" and "Love Will Find A Way," each track digitally recorded live. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Best of Jon Anderson - South America Live '93 Video contains: "Time And A Word," "Ave Verum," "Building Bridges," "Sound And Colour," "And You And I," "State of Independence," "March of the Toltec," "I've Seen All Good People" and "Love Will Find A Way". CD and Video sold in sets only. Video available in American television compatible VHS only. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jon Anderson CD/Video Set $59.95 in the U.S. , $67.95 elsewhere - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Also available - These great hard to find Yes items: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steve Howe Guitar Collection [book] $32 in the U.S., $37 elsewhere - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steve Howe Official Tour Program $11 in the U.S., $13 elsewhere - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make check or money order in $U.S. only, payable to YES MAGAZINE, 12 Chelsea Place, Dix Hills, NY 11746-5414 Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Certified check/money order prefered * * * * * * * * * * STEVE HOWE'S VOCALS =================== From: IN%"John.Lukes@EBay.Sun.COM" I've known since Steve's first solo album (20 years ago!) that he has a limited singing voice. I'd picked up "Grand Scheme" hoping he didn't sing too much, or has gotten better. Both things seemed true. He doesn't have the greatest voice, but he doesn't sing all that much, and when he does, it sounds fine (studio work can get "fixed"). Anyway, when I went to his solo tour show locally (Cabaret, San Jose, CA), I figured I was going for the overall show and was willing to take the singing too. To me, it's not unlike Lou Reed's voice. In a way, I admired him for being willing to sing even though he acknowledged to us (in so many words) that he's a guitarist, not a lead vocalist. He said there was a time when he couldn't even talk and play at the same time, but that he enjoys being able to play and sing now. Maybe since I had purposely lowered my expectations regarding his singing, that his singing didn't disappoint me. For what it's worth, consider this, he was playing some of the most intricate progressive rock music I've heard and sang the lyrics as well...that always blows my mind. If you know the music and lyrics, you know we're talking about more than walking and chewing gum here, folks! ;>) -JOHN * * * * * * * * * * THE YES FAMILY ALBUM AND OTHER THINGS ===================================== From: IN%"r.derousse2@genie.geis.com" A few responses to NFTE #90: 1) The uncredited bit at the beginning of The Affirmative Yes Solo Family Album is a song from Flash, Peter Banks' group formed after leaving Yes. I haven't listened to it recently, but it may have been "Small Beginnings." 2): >A new Yes book called "Yes -- But What Does It Mean?" has allegedly >been published by a company called Wyndstar. Supposedly, this book >has been endorsed by Yes itself. It costs $15 and the address is: >Wyndstar >c/o Thomas and Coral Mosbo >824 Neumann Court >Milton, WI >53563-1773 >USA The book has not yet been published because the author is waiting for more prepublication orders. They are honorable people, and I am sure that they will not run off with the money. The latest Yes Magazine has an excerpt from it if you want to read a bit of it before ordering. 3) I'm afraid that I at least partially agree with the assessment of the Rick Wakeman Plays Yes disc of RW's Greatest Hits. Some of Rick's interpretations of Yes songs sound pretty lame, but I did enjoy a number of them. I thought the reworkings of some of HIS songs on the other disc were much better done, especially since we don't have to listen to Ashley Holt on the new versions. :) 4) I enjoyed the title suggestions for the next Asia album. :) I must point out that Aurora has already been used by Asia. It is the title of an EP released only in Japan which features the non-album tracks through the Alpha period. Finally here is some news sent to me by a friend, Ralph Giddens, and later posted in Gibraltar by "Mathias": > There is a new TV show called "Viper". It is a very cliche >program along the lines of "Streethawk/"Knight Rider"/"Airwolf". > The interesting part is that the music score of the 2-hour >premiere was done by Eddie Jobson! Unfortunately, the score was not >very memorable on its own and served merely to underscore the on- >screen events. Some may say that this is the preferable course. But >I believe that soundtrack music should add to the viewing experience >while being enjoyable independently and not just be audio >wallpaper. >Hopefully, this was not Jobson's decision. >Mathias (mathias@tarkus.ocis.temple.edu) --Roy * * * * * * * * * * From: IN%"sraiteri@GCPL.LIB.OH.US" "Steve Raiteri" In response to the question from "CONFUSION" in NFTE #90: the first minute of music on _Affirmative: The Yes Solo Family Album_ is the beginning of "Small Beginnings", the hit single from the first Flash album, which featured Tony Kaye and Peter Banks. The back of the CD says "Running from the first break away band Flash..." and goes on to describe the rest of the contents. The whole song is over nine minutes long, and wouldn't have fit on the CD, so I don't even know why they bothered to include this excerpt, especially since they didn't even mention it in the track listing or anywhere else. Incidentally, I've been meaning to write NFTE regarding something else about this CD: it contains no pre-Yes stuff, unlike this company's Deep Purple family CD, which has several pre-Purple tracks. The liner notes to this one state, "There was no room here to delve into this era here [the redundancy is verbatim from the original], but maybe one day a collection of pre-Yes music will be possible." I would like that "one day" to be sometime soon (as I'm sure many of you would), and the company that put out this CD, Connoisseur Collection, would be a great one to put such a CD together. They, with the cooperation of the Deep Purple Appreciation Society, have put out several releases for collectors including two excellent Ritchie Blackmore _Rock Profile_ CDs that include many rare pre-Purple songs that Blackmore played on. I've been looking for re-issues of pre-Yes stuff by Yes members for a long time, and I've found some (if anybody wants, I can post a list), but I think it would be fabulous to have all of the Syndicats, In Crowd, Syn, Hans Christian, Federals, etc. songs all together on CD. Even for people not interested in Yes a set like that would be a goldmine; some of those singles command very high prices from British R'n'B and psychedelic collectors. With Steve Howe in the NFTE interview talking about acquiring the rights, possibly, to his recordings with the Syndicats, perhaps now would be a good time to put together such a CD. I'm going to write the Connoisseur Collection and ask them to do so; for any of the rest of you who would like to write, the address is: Connoisseur Collection Ltd. 2-3 Fitzroy Mews London W1P 5DQ Take care all. P.S. - Speaking of the Steve Howe interview, it was great! Thanks very much for it! * * * * * * * * * * ASIA ALBUM TITLES ================= From: IN%"manitp@rpi.edu" In the last issue of NFTE, Jeremy Weisenburger made some suggestions as to what Asia's next album might be called. Which reminded of a discussion I prompted on alt.music.progressive about a year ago. For some reason, it turns out that I saved the last post and..... well here they are: disclaimer- These are not necessarily all MY suggestions AlfalfA AudiA AlgA AbbA AtomicA AsphaltA ArcticA AlumnA ApocalyptA AmbrosiA AurA AurorA AmmoniA AmnesiA AnathemA AnemiA AcademicA AnesthesiA AcademicA ApocryphA AromA AcousticA (unplugged??) AreA AriA ArenA ArmadA AlgebrA AsthmA AzaleA AsphyxiA ApproximA AbsentiA AmoebA AwhitesnakeA (somebody thought John Payne sounds too much like David Coverdale) Well, there they are. A lot of these were intended to be negative, this discussion came during the backwash of AquA, when most of the readers of a.m.p. were pretty dissappointed. -ralf. (manitp@rpi.edu) * * * * * * * * * * From: IN%"marwood@csri.toronto.edu" "Simon J. Marwood" Jeff-- Aurora certainly can't be used as the title to the next Asia album, simply because the band has already used it! Aurora was the limited edition Japanese-only 12" to Too Late, from Astra. It includes the B-sides Ride Easy, Lyin' To Yourself, and Daylight. Only 20,000 copies were ever produced, so it's extremely rare. Geoff Downes has apparently said that a CD EP version exists, but that's unconfirmed, at best. Simon * * * * * * * * * * WAKEMAN TIDBIT ============== From: IN%"atober@genesis.nred.ma.us" NFTE- A week or so ago, while flipping through all of those monotonous TV sitcoms, I stumbled upon the Spanish channel. An extremely bad soap named "Mas Alla del Puente" was on, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear a tune I recognized. After searching my brain for a nanosecond, I realized that it was Anne of Cleves from Six Wives. It turns out that this is the show's theme song. Wakeman's just all over the place. Oh, I also saw a demo videotape of Microcosm, which Wakeman is doing the music for(I have connections with the ad agent who is working on the project). The preliminary graphics are just ok, but the music is great. Well, at least the old boy keeps himself busy. Adam Tober Teakbois! We be jammin'! * * * * * * * * * * PILTDOWN MAN AND YESSOUNDS ========================== From: IN%"burley@gnu.ai.mit.edu" Over on USENET's rec.music.newage newsgroup, a question came up about the grunting noises heard on Part 2 of Mike Oldfield's _Tubular Bells_ (recorded around 1973) and _Tubular Bells 2_ (recorded quite recently). Several people are convincing in their explanation that the strange growling, referred to (presumably) by the identification "Piltdown Man" in the liner notes, is simply Mike Oldfield himself, or perhaps some other person, using his voice with little or no special processing. For a couple of reasons, I find this difficult to believe, and have always assumed there really is some kind of instrument or device called a "Piltdown Man". The first reason is that, from what I know of the human voice, I doubt anyone would make sounds like that unless they didn't intend to talk (much less sing) normally again. In particular, the high-pitched baying/growling seems to me likely to be very damaging. (Hmm, I should play this for my voice teacher, who is quite experienced with vocal physiology, and see what she thinks.) The second reason is that the same kinds of sounds are on _YesShows_, during the instrumental portion towards the end of "Ritual" with Pat Moraz on keyboards (and I've always assumed he was responsible for those sounds), recorded in 1976. I'm referring to the voice-like sound that starts out like a low mumbling and turns into strange yells and howls. I've always assumed these sounds were made by the same general device that did the sounds on _Tubular Bells_. (They seem well-timed with the music.) All of these sounds seem to be fine accompaniments to any decent movie about werewolves. :-) On the other hand, I've also marveled at how complex both the sound itself _and_ the control of the sound was, especially on "Ritual". I couldn't picture it being adequately controlled by a keyboard, and certainly have never imagined any electronic synthesizers of that day being capable of such complex sonorities. (Having played with the "sophisticated" voice-synth machines of around 1975, which were pretty feeble, it seemed unlikely they were capable of making electronic synths that could convicingly switch from moaning/mumbling to yelling, barking, screaming, and so on.) So, it has long been a mystery to me, and if it wasn't for "Ritual", which is the only non-Oldfield recording on which I can ever remember hearing this sound, I'd easily believe that it was either Oldfield's or a friend's voice making those sounds on TB1 and TB2. But since it _is_ on "Ritual", and isn't specifically credited, I've always assumed it was some kind of electromechanical (like an electric guitar) or mechanical device (like an organ). This is probably gullibility on my part; it has been pointed out that the very name "Piltdown Man" might be an indication that, like the original Piltdown Man, a "discovery" of a missing link in the chain of human evoltion that turned out to be a hoax, the supposed existence of a device making those noises also is a hoax (i.e. that it's just someone's voice). Do any Yes fans have actual knowledge of this topic? Say, conceivably, clear memories of some Yes member actually playing a device making those sounds during Ritual? I saw Yes in '76 at Providence, RI, but that was my first rock concert ever, I was a teenager, I'd heard only portions of _YesSongs_ and, occasionally, Roundabout and other popular Yes tunes at that point, and had never used drugs so was dealing with the stench of dope (not as bad as cigarettes) as well as the use of lasers and other stuff for the first time, and I can't remember much at all about the concert except a few vague things (like, the opening using Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite", perhaps preceded with "Creation du Monde" by Vangelis, and I remember the weird "cha-cha-cha, cha-cha" that I later discovered was from a song called "Sound Chaser"). (Hmm, the above rambling sentence might suggest I used drugs for the first time there -- nope, I've always been "clean", for what it's worth. I ramble without any artificial stimuli whatsoever. :-) What I'd love to know is exactly _how_ Yes produced those sounds and whether any relationship actually exists between those vocal sounds on the live "Ritual" on _YesShows_ and the so-called Piltdown Man on _Tubular Bells_ (Part 2) and _TB2_ (in the equivalent place). Is it a device, someone's voice, what? Is the method used by Oldfield the same used by Moraz? Etc. BTW, in case anyone first found out about TB2 here and is thinking "great, finally a sequel to _Tubular Bells_, I'll get it", not knowing much about other Oldfield recordings in the meantime, I'll offer my capsule review: TB2 is so much like TB1 that I find it quite dull for the most part, since the way it is different is primarily that it is so antiseptic compared to TB1. My favorite Oldfield album has become _Amarok_, it is clean but far more interesting. And I still love TB1 -- it sounds like a result of an artist's passion. ObYes: Moraz's live "Ritual" is one of my favorite recordings of a Yes song ever. I wish they'd taken out the fade-edit for the CD version of _YesShows_. (Hmm, now that I have a MiniDisc recorder, maybe I'll try and do my own edit, like I used to do when recording the LP onto cassette. :-) Though the song seems to lose some steam right as the last use of that "device" is over, what follows makes me picture the whole band getting into some kind of starship that slowly takes off (before the lyrics return), it is so majestic and intense! (Wishing I had an LD of that RI '76 concert instead of Q.P.R., which is half-decent but not very similar, visually, to what I experienced....) tq vm, (burley) * * * * * * * * * * A YES PARODY ============ From: IN%"dlazarus@PCS.CNU.EDU" Hi fellow Edger's, The following parody is one that a good friend of mine, Scott McMahan, and I did a while back. Enjoy! You are lying a soft green grass. The smell of astral traveling dust is in the air. Looking around, you see a fragile looking but sirene cliff about 100 yards to your left. Suddenly, the astral traveling dust takes form and Jony Anderson and the children of the sun, Chris Chior, Biff Bifford, Rick Wakeuptheneighbors, and Kleve How?, fade into view. You sit there helplessly and watch them step off the edge into the blue-green background that Roger Keen so whispfully drew for them. Well now that I've given a full --and personalized-- description of the album cover for Step Off the Edge, let's review the album itself. 1) Step Off the Edge This title track is sure to go in the Guiness Book of World Records of one of the ten longest rock songs ever composed. Rick recalls, "It took Kleve and I five years to write this piece, and Jony wrote the lyrics for it in less than 30 minutes! He is quite amazing you know. Jony can write lyrics with his eyes closed and without even touching a pen or pencil. He says that angels write his lyrics for him and I didn't believe him at first, but when I saw him write the lyrics for Step off the Edge I knew it had to be true." 2) Better You Than I Obviously not a 70's motto, so Jony must have been able to see the future. This is a vocal masterpiece! "Kleve's fretwork is very spiritually uplifting," Jony says in his soothing voice. "We, the children of the sun, however, do not believe in this motto," Chior replies. Even being the masterpiece that this song is, it was very difficult to record because Biff kept falling asleep while in session. For unlike the song Oh Shit I'm Tongue Tied (Heart of the Sunrise) off the album Too Fragile, Better You Than I has a laid back rhythm. Furthermore, it contains one of the longest keyboard solos ever --for which Rick got his nickname Wakeupmanmysoloisalmostover. 3) Aahh! Aahh! AAhhchoooo! A wonderfully funny sneeze quintet featuring Kleve How? on his crystal-cracking Fenderbender electric guitar. I sometimes wander why the front album cover has that slimy green tint to it. Maybe they overdid the sneezing...just a tad. * * * * * * * * * * NEW WAKEMAN AND WAKEMAN? ======================== From: IN%"sharth26@ursa.Calvin.EDU" "Steven P Harthorn" Hi gals and guys, I was recently looking through the prog rock bin at Vinyl Solution in Grand Rapids, MI when I noticed a new Wakeman with Wakeman CD. At least I think it was. I should have checked better. The cover had Rick and Adam Wakeman standing in a doorway, with women nearby (which Adam certainly seemed to appreciate). This is different than my W with W CD which has clouds and sky on the front. I never knew that another CD was coming out--does anyone know anything about this release?? A live CD from their recent tour, perhaps?? I'll check more on this CD, but I just wanted to get a note out to see if anybody knows about it. Thanks, Steve Harthorn * * * * * * * * * * YES PREDICTIONS =============== From: IN%"r.derousse2@genie.geis.com" Here is a note from Linda Schultz, originally posted on Prodigy and reposted here with permission: Anyone have any Yes predictions for 1994? Here are mine. Jan. Trevor, having continued his body building since the 1991 Union tour, begins to enter body building competitions. His ultimate goal is Mr. Universe. Feb. A very slimmed down Chris Squire (the cheek bones are back!) becomes a spokesperson for Jenny Craig Mar. Jon introduces a line of jewelry and rainsticks on the Home Shopping Channel. The new Yes album is delayed until May because band members are too busy pursuing other interests to finish it. April White and Kaye bring a suit against Anderson, Squire and Rabin. White and Kaye allege that they are being denied the opportunity to earn a living because the other three aren't paying any attention to Yes. May Suit is settled out of court. Yes album is released. It's title is "FINALLY!!" June Tour begins. In order to get sponsorship from Victory Music, Yes tours with ELP!! Opening act each night is determined by who wins the screaming match at sound check. July Trevor Rabin and Keith Emerson get along famously. Rabin often joins Emerson on stage for a duet on Hoedown. Relations between Emerson and Anderson are strained. Aug After repeated suggestion from Anderson on how "Pictures at an Exhibition" could be "improved", Emerson cracks and goes after Jon with a dagger. Sept Tour ends with no fatalities. Announcement is made that Trevor will join ELP - the group will now be know as PELT Oct. RICK WAKEMAN RETURNS TO YES! All managers and producers are fired. Nov. New Yes album is released. Dec. A new Yes Christmas album is released. Tour beginning January 1995 is announced. --Roy * * * * * * * * * * THE LAST BIRO ============= From: IN%"halmda@dso030.sch.ge.com" "David Halm" Regarding the naming of the Birotron: The inventor with whom Rick worked was named Dave Biro. * * * * * * * * * * OVERACTIVE IMAGINATION ====================== From: IN%"sam@swanson.com" i was thinking about the forthcoming Yes album and how the fire seems to have left most if not all of the members ... and maybe they should do some covers to loosen themselves up ... and i had this wild thought that i haven't been able to shake ... they should do KASHMIR ... i can hear it ... i can see it live. and then, i heard here that Wakeman was out of the band (again) and i had yet another wild thought ... imagine Eddie Jobson and Mark Isham in the band replacing rick and (sorry :-) ) tony. and imagine that lineup doing KASHMIR live!! i really DO have a life :-) and i don't have too much time on my hands :-) [Ed. - Sure Sam, We believe you. ;-) ] * * * * * * * * * * THE DECLINE OF WAKEMAN? ======================= From: IN%"sharth26@ursa.Calvin.EDU" "Steven P Harthorn" Hello, "Jet Jaguar" mentioned in NFTE #90 the declining quality of Rick Wakeman's playing on his albums. I'm afraid I would have to agree. Rick's latest efforts on *Wakeman with Wakeman* seemed very limited and very, well, programmed. All of the pieces sounded similar to me after a while since he seldom varied textures and sounds on his instruments. From recent concerts, I know that Rick can still play, but his solo albums have often shown instances of poor taste (witness his choices of vocalists! :@ ). All of this became especially apparent to me when I received Patrick Moraz's album *Human Interface*. Patrick fills his album with a myriad of different sounds from his keyboards, with many carefully layered textures and themes. He also guides and accents his playing with stirring percussion. To me, this is a fantastic new-age album, and I think Moraz succeeds in every way that Wakeman fails (heh heh but don't ask me about Patrick's album "i", that is a different matter!!). Check out *Human Interface* if you can. * * * * * * * * * * From: IN%"dtratt@voyager.Jpl.Nasa.Gov" "David M. Tratt" IN%"90125@unh.edu" "Jet Jaguar" wrote: > I've been thinking about this for a while, but Wakeman's recent release > "Rick Wakeman's Greatest Hits" (an inaccurate title if I ever saw one) really > clinched it. Listening to Wakeman's absolutely disgusting interpretations of > classic Yes tunes, I would never know he was once a member of this band. The > godawful liner notes to this disc mention something about Rick using "artistic > license" to make "mostly subtle" changes to enhance this music. I've never read > anything so ridiculous in my life. Rick, like David Palmer and the London I completely concur with everything you wrote, but especially the above quote. I went out of my way to acquire a copy of this release and was VERY disappointed - no: "shocked" would be a better word - with it. I can't for the life of me understand what's got into the man. To my ears it's just so much elevator muzak. Apologies to all you out there who like this thing, but it's seemingly inconceivable for me to associate this material with the same artist who created "Six Wives" (even accounting for all the intervening mediocre output). > So... anyone want to buy my "Greatest Hits" disc? I'll sell it cheap! :) I already got rid of mine, and was lucky to find a buyer very quickly through the used-music-server, so there is a market for it (you'll be delighted to know!). On a different note, has anyone noticed this distressing trend recently. Most of the "imports" I've been purchasing for the last month or two come in damaged cases. Specifically, the CD retaining mandrell is so badly mangled that the disk rattles around in the case. I've had a few of these before over the years, but never so many as this. I know we're lucky to even have this material, and it's real cheap to replace the CD tray, but it's still a bad development, IMO. * * * * * * * * * * YES MEMORIES ============ From: IN%"bargar@panix.com" "Barry Garner" Hello all!!! I am delighted to find NFTE exists since I have been looking for a hardcore completely Yes dedicated publication for years. I am a 29-year old male, married with a 9-month old child, who incidentally loves to listen to Yes as I had played various tracks consistently while my child was in the womb. I work on Wall Street (not the typical Yes fan I guess), but I have loved Yes since I was 12 (not knowing I would end up on Wall St. at that time:-)) When I have tried to talk to people at work a bout Yes I sort of get strange looks and, well, I am sure many of you can relate. My first real exposure to Yes came when I had invited two girls in my eighth grade Spanish class to come over and help me study for a test (which I believe I ended up failing). They had brought with them an 8-track (can you believe it?) tape of Fragile. While I had know Roundabout fairly well as a result of much air play, I did not connect the song to Yes. After borrowing and listening (over and over) to Fragile I instantly fell in love. All of the tracks were addictive particularly South Side of the Sky and Heart of the Sunrise. Soon after I began to purchase LP's from the now defunct Korvettes discount department store chain. First buying Fragile, then The Yes Album, and then Going For The One and eventually all of the albums existing at the time. At the end of that school year I went to summer camp, where I was completely removed from any type of music. However, the two girls who had originally turned me onto Yes would write me 25 page letters complete with lyrics to 15 or 20 different songs (which definitely puts me in the af firmative camp as far as commentary on lyrics in this publication is concerned). They were saviors!! When I came back from camp that summer (I had just turned 13) the Tormato tour was arriving at Madison Square Garden that September. It was the first concert I ever attended. I went with my best friend (who incidentally still is) who had to beg (with my help) his mother to let him go! Since another friend of mine knew the head photographer for Madison Square Garden, we were able to get pretty good seats (Row 1 Seats A1 and A2) I still have the stubs! The concert was in the round and I will never forget them opening up the show just like Yessongs (Firebird Suite, then Siberian Khatru and Heart of the Sunrise). As I am sure most of you know, the show was to say the least, fantastic! Shortly there after, I was greatly disappointed when I had heard Yes had broken up. But, then, Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes to the rescue. That next year I went to see the Drama tour (Oh how I love that album) at Madison Square Garden. The concert was excellent despite Trevor struggling to hit the high notes:-). Does it Really Happen stands out as the highlight of the concert. Memories of the event were rekindled when I recently picked up a boot on CD of the concert at MSG (The Age of Buggles MSG 6/9/8 0) the night I was there!! (I think I heard myself screaming) The boot does contain the two songs not commercially released, We Can Fly from Here (a really great piece) and Go Through This. Through the years of have seen yes over 20 times in cities ranging from New York, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta. Here are some funny, wierd, etc YES tidbits or encounters I had over the years. 1) When going to a YES concert with a friend (who was not very familiar with the group), I was shocked to return to my seat (still prior to the begining of the start of the concert) to see my friend talking to Rick Wakeman. As I walked toward them, Rick apparently saw that I was aware who he was, but signled not to let my friend know. Apparently the conversation my friend was having with Rick was Rick telling my friend how pompous and egotistical the keyboard player for the group was. It was very amusing to explain afterwards that he was actually talking to Rick. Obviously Rick has quite a sense of humor. 2) Seeing Patrick Moraz sue the Moody Blues (on Court TV) for breech of contract. Did anybody else out there catch that? 3) Reading in some law textbook about a case in which Yes was suing some rap group for sampling a note from Onwner of a Lonely Heart without permission. 4) Jon Anderson waving to my wife during a concert at Madison Square Garden. 5) Getting excited to pick up from my wife's sister a bass guiter bought by my father-in-law as a present for her that was Chris Squire's only to learn that she sold it.(Not knowing who Chris Squire was) 6) My mom asking me to blast Gates of Delirium at the poolside on our vacation so it would cause people to move so she could get more chaise lounges. 7) The great relief I feel when I meet somebody new and we get to the eventual topic of music and we both discuss our love of Yes such that an ensuing arguement does not have to break out as I explain why YES is the best Group ever to exist in the Universe. Here are my top 10 favorite Yes songs along with the version I like the most in order of greatest affinity (if that is possible): Awaken-live version from the Reunion tour. I always thought that it was the quintessential Yes piece and Jon agreed on the Video!! BTW if anybody has a live version from the Going for the One tour PLEASE LET ME KNOW!! PLEASE PS I almost broke my fingers trying to play it on my synth! Gates of Delirium-live version from Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City 1976. This was taped off the air from a concert on WNEW. Ritual-live version from same 1976 concert. To Be Over-live version don't know the particulars Heart of the Sunrise-any live version and wife's favorite song On the Silent Wings of Freedom-live version from Tormato tour in Los Angels Forum 10-16-78. I think this double LP boot is of high commercial quality. I picked it up at a flee market 14 years ago for $15 bucks (what a steal) Every time I here this version it makes me melt. Maybe I should move it up on the list? Close to the Edge-live version Yours Is No Disgrace-Yes Album version although the live version from the 90125 tour comes in a very, very, close second. Trevor is truly amazing! Going for the One-live version from Yesshows moment decide moments delight moments in flight talk about sending.. luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuvvvvvvvvvv.... I love the ending can you tell? Into the Lens-Drama version This album is every bit Yes as any other (not to mention one of my favorites) Now that I have put this list together I sort of feel bad because I sense I have left out other songs which I also am mad about. However I will leave the list as a testiment to my ability or idiocy to make such list. Enough rambling. I look forward to speaking with you all in the future, glad I found ya! If you want to chat, respond or whatever I can be reached at: bargar@panix.com * * * * * * * * * * YESSHOWS ON LASERDISC? ====================== From: IN%"bargar@panix.com" "Barry Garner" Does anybody know if Yesshows exists on laserdisc and if so where to obtain it? [Ed. - He may mean Yessongs.] * * * * * * * * * * A YES WISH LIST =============== From: IN%"tlkalka@mailbox.syr.edu" Since there's at least a 50% chance we'll get a new Yes album before June, I thought I'd send a short list of things I'd like to see on the new album, kind of like people wishing for songs while awaiting tour info. Here it is: 1. I wish for there to not be a gazillion other players credited, a la Union, which even had a FEATURED guitarist for "Dangerous." The only featured guitarists I want to see an any Yes album are Trevor Rabin, Steve Howe, or Pete Banks. 2.If there are any outside producers, I wish that their names do not appear in the writing credits for all the songs. How much do you think Jonathan Elias really had to do with "Dangerous?" 3.I wish for at least 50% of the new album to be played on the next tour. 4.I wish for printed lyrics. 5.I wish for none of the players to discuss, upon the release of the album, how disappointed they were with it, and how much better it COULD have been, IF ONLY... 6.And, finally, I wish for a wonderful YES album, like most of the other ones. Terry PS- Upon a recent viewing of the YesYears video, I come to this conclusion: Yes are without a doubt the worst-dressed non-hevy metal band of all time. ;-) * * * * * * * * * * SOUND CHASER ============ Notes from the Associate Editor, Mike Tiano (miketi@microsoft.com) REVIEW: THE STEVE HOWE GUITAR COLLECTION Steve Howe cares passionately about the music he creates so it's only natural that his dedication would spill over to his instruments; they are the tools which provide the means of his artistic expression. Having played professionally for over thirty years Steve has carved his own niche by never adhering to a particular style while painting his musical colors from a broad palette. His craft is marvelously documented in his new full- color book THE STEVE HOWE GUITAR COLLECTION. It's chock full of guitar lore, contains high-quality photographs of many instruments in Steve's collection, and shows him as recording artist, performer, collector, and human being. The Howephiles who are guitarists will get the most out of the book but its appeal goes beyond that; Yes fans interested in Steve's creative process will find a lot of interesting information on the recording and performing of numerous Yes songs (along with those of Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, GTR, Asia, and various other projects) while collectors and guitar enthusiasts can not only get a good look at various fine instruments but also learn about their histories from a master musician with a definite point of view on his vast knowledge of the instrument. The book is definitely one that guitarists will drool over, thanks to both the photography of Miki Slingsby and the assistance of Tony Bacon (many of Steve's guitars were first introduced in print in Bacon's impressive THE ULTIMATE GUITAR BOOK). The book first begins with a four page Career Chronology that provides a general overview of Steve's career, from his first f- holed acoustic to his fourth solo album THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, accompanied by the album covers and photos of Steve and his bands. Steve has always been forthright in his opinions and this is reflected in many of his revelations in the chronology including his distaste for the Yes album covers that were designed by Hipgnosis rather than Roger Dean (his f[Aeelings are along the lines of if it ain't broke, don't fix it), and that he and Steve Hackett were both too 'gentlemanly' to have made the GTR album a guitarist's blowout. Though the chronology seems too brief this is compensated by Steve's comments that accompany his instruments; it is there that he discusses the real details of his career. The book is sectioned into various categories and sub- categories; for instance Gibsons are represented in subsections such as antiques, mandolins, and thinlines, there are sections for Fenders, Antiques, and so on. Each guitar pictured has an identifier that gives the name, the year it was created, the serial number, and the years the model itself was produced. Steve discusses his use of each guitar in the main text, explaining how he came to acquire them and his personal feelings about each one as well as their use in the studio and/or on stage. In smaller captions there are additional notes about the instrument itself including any modifications he's made, what may attract him to the neck or body, and the function of knobs and switches. There are also performance and studio photos, magazine covers, and bios on certain craftsmen and influential players. But of course the what stands out above all are the exquisite photographs of the instruments: electric and acoustic steel 6- and 12-strings, nylon-strings, mandolins, basses, pedal steels and many other stringed instruments all get the deluxe treatment. Steve wisely had them present in natural lighting, and the photographs themselves are of varying sizes, either vertically on one page or horizontally on one, two, or even three pages (the last as part of a fold-out). This is where the book really shines for guitarists; one wishes that these guitars can be picked up from the page and experienced first hand. Steve's text increases that feeling, though he's not afraid to comment on features he finds unpleasant; one example is his 1970 Gibson Crest Gold, where he demonstrates why a guitar's playability may not always equal its reputation. It's only natural that the first guitar presented is his prized Gibson ES175, his main guitar and in his words his first 'proper' guitar, the one he correctly believed would bring him fame and fortune. It's clear his love for guitars stems from the 175 as he would regularly take it apart and clean it, let no one else touch it, and even once sleep with it (!) to ensure it not disappear in an unfamiliar America on Yes' first tour there. Amazingly the 175 was the only electric he used for recording THE YES ALBUM (with the exception of the solo on 'Perpetual Change' where he used a Guyatone) as well as other Howe masterworks. Although other guitars may take him to different places to Steve the 175 is like coming home. He may have considered using his 175 when it was time to record the composition 'Close to the Edge' but prior to recording the album of the same name Gibson gave Steve a ES345TD in 1971 in return for an ad Steve had done for them. He found the 345, his first thinbody, invited adventure and found it ideal for the 'hurtling riffs' that the band plays in the opening. As elsewhere in the book fate plays a role here, putting an instrument in Steve's hands that would sound great and be performed to perfection on what is possibly Yes' finest album. If he had stuck to the 175 it would have been very different, though it's unlikely he would have used it; he was looking for something to define his creative feeling, and here he felt the 345 lent itself to his improvisational urge. This was also the beginning of Steve's varying his main instrument for each album; he used his 1955 Les Paul Junior on the bulk of TOPOGRAPHIC, a modified 1955 Telecaster on RELAYER, the 1982 ES-Artist on ASIA, and red Fender American Standard Strat for the ABWH album. Steve's comments reveal the breadth of his experience in owning these gorgeous axes and is a treasure trove of anecdotes about his guitars, his music, his bands, and his life. His 1957 Gibson Country and Western acoustic has been around the world on practically every tour and served as the guitar for writing new songs. He laments the fact that he had modified a collectible 1950 Fender Broadcaster but felt at the time he was doing what, as he puts it, the guitar was telling him to do. He turned to pedal steel when he felt that 'And You and I' needed a more elastic sound that a regular axe could provide. The instrument he played on 'Your Move' isn't a 'vachalia' as the album cover states, but a Portuguese 12-string guitar. And his comments also touch on his career in general, like his discusssion of what occurred with ASIA prior to his leaving that band. Though his primary focus is playing Steve loves the instrument Aenough to acquire precious antiques. Among these are a number of unusual hybrids, including an antique Josef Laurent Mast harp guitar from 1827 which uses the basic structure of a harp but has the strings running along a neck; a 1830 Salomon harpo- lyre, which looks like a three necked acoustic guitar and the headstocks joined together; a John Preston cittern from around 1775 with elaborate decorations on the fretboard and soundhole; and a number of lyre guitars from the early nineteenth century characterized by the extremely long horns which spanned the length of the neck and its stunning decoration. Most of his antiques are too delicate to handle being tuned to pitch or difficult to play. Steve gives a bit of history on the antiques and includes old prints of the instruments in use. Steve also discusses guitars he has known. It's sad that many of his guitars have been stolen; among the missing items was the first 1978 Steve Howe Custom that Gibson manufactured for him: it was stolen from an airport right after it was built. If the photograph of the 1967 sunburst Fender Stratocaster seems fuzzier than any other it's because it too was stolen, and its inclusion here demonstrates that Steve still sees it as part of his collection. There are also guitars he has sold, including the Les Paul Recording used on 'Cactus Boogie' on THE STEVE HOWE ALBUM. One complaint I have is that the inset thumbnail photographs (of Steve performing, etc.) are so small that I have to look close to really *see* them, but as the real point of the book are the guitars it makes sense. Steve makes at least one gaffe (in the chronology he incorrectly states that 'America' on YESTERDAYS is the edited version) but otherwise he has his facts straight. This book is highly recommended for anyone who is eager to discover Steve Howe the artist and the man, and who would love to check out some of the world's finest instruments. THE STEVE HOWE GUITAR COLLECTION is available at bookstores now, and Yes Magazine subscribers can order through the Gottleibs mail order service. Otherwise the books can be obtained directly from the publisher; the information appears below. Mike THE STEVE HOWE GUITAR COLLECTION Steve Howe with Tony Bacon Price: $27.95 Format: 88 pp., Cloth, 9-3/4 x 12-1/2 IBSN: 0-87930-290-9 Available through U.S. bookstores through Publishers Group West Available through U.S. music stores through Hal Leonard Publishing To order direct: Send $27.95 plus: - Sales tax if you're in TX, CA, NY, IL, GA, or CANADA GST - Shipping & Handling: $5 for U.S. $8.50 for Canada $20 outside North America to: Miller Freeman 6600 Silacci Way Gilroy, CA 95020 Phone: 800-848-5594 FAX: 408-848-5784 * * * * * * * * * * FROM THE EDITOR =============== To all subscribers in the LA quake zone, hope you're ok. To all subscribers in the east...brrrrrrrr. I went to the mountains last weekend and found temps at -10 with -60 windchills. Quite a different experience for one who lives a mile from the ocean. The snow was fun, I just have to look out for things like trees on the way down the hill with a sled. Come on summmer! I've gotten word that Jon Anderson's "Power Of Silence" will see release on the Windham Hill label. Good news to say the least. I've heard the album and it's quite good. Mike and I are working on the format some. We'll try and group articles by subject and it will hopefully read easier. Also in the works is a breaking news section to go at the top of the issue. The logo is completed. It looks great. I'll have the GIF and JPEG versions available soon. ______________________________________________________________________________ | nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ THOSE ALL-IMPORTANT ADDRESSES: ============================== New subscribers, contributions, questions/comments/criticism: Jeff Hunnicutt (Editor) hunnicutt@vxc.ocis.uncwil.edu Reviews, Surveys, Etc. Mike Tiano (Associate Editor) miketi@microsoft.com NFTE Server (lyrics, backissues, discography, rarities, surveys, GIFs): Automated. For help send mail with subject line yes-archive@meiko.com "send main help" to NFTE Server problems, additions/corrections to the lyrics & GIFs, and additions/corrections to the rarities list: Mike Stok mike@meiko.com NFTE backissues, lyrics, etc, via anonymous FTP: cs.uwp.edu Directory: /pub/music/lists/yes Contact for helping out with transcriptions: Greg Utas utas@bnr.ca ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |The views expressed within Notes From The Edge are the opinions of individual| |contributors and in no way reflect the views of the editorial staff unless | |otherwise stated. - The Editor. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________________________________ | nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ END OF NOTES FROM THE EDGE #91 ______________________________________________________________________________ | nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte nfte | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------