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Now That I Have It, Are There More of Them? The Multitalented Rick Wakeman Raw Analog Sound and Energy of Old Happy Camper or Dynamically Challenged? Over the Past Few Years the Love of Yes... A Review of Steve Howe's Master Class A Primer on the YESsolo Universe What will they Play Live?...A Lot I Think Old Tours, New Setlist, New Energy! 1998 Yes Interview Available in Russian Is this Message Getting Through Yet? What I Miss About the 70's music Yes Collection for Sale From: Chris Wright Chriswright@marillion.net I have recently decided to sell my extensive collection
of Yes CDs, CD singles, programs, videos and promo items. Many items are fully
or individually autographed - all are in excellent condition. The collection
includes many rare, deleted or hard to find items. If anyone is thinks that
they may be interested, please email me with a "wants" list, and I
promise to reply. I would rather the collection is sold to genuine fans rather
than dealers who will sell the stuff on at inflated prices! From: Nik Brueckner nik@progbibliography.de Always trying to find more information about Yes books for my Progressive Rock bibliography (http://www.progbibliography.de), I would like to ask you for some help with the following books: 1. Lewis, Laurie: Yes Photos. 1979. Does anybody know more about this one? A publisher/city or ISBN? 2. Frame, Pete: Yes - The Trip to Asia. Belgium? 1983. Is there an ISBN? Or has this been privately published? Could you tell me the publisher? 3. Author? Yes. USA 1983. I admit, this is a hard one. Doues anybody know more about it? 4. Lopez, Jaime: Yes. Video Rock. Barcelona 1991. Does this book have an ISBN? What is it about? 5. Estigarribia (Fsngarnisa?), Décio: Yes, Uma Rara (Raca?) Música de Quinteto (Quiriteto?). Muiraquitã Ed. Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 1999. No ISBN. With this book, I need the exact title and author's name. Thank you very much in
advance. Now That I Have It, Are There More of Them? From: Michael Metzger freezethaw99@hotmail.com I was lucky enough to have purchased a signed numbered lithograph of the RELAYER album (signed by Jon). I am wondering if there were anymore album covers or lithographs like this? If anyone has any information, let me know at freezethaw99@hotmail.com. The Multitalented Rick Wakeman From: Gill Cooper gill_cooper@unipart.co.uk I am at a complete loss to understand why Sam Theiner should think that Rick Wakeman can only play in one style - has he ever seen the guy live, has he any Wakeman albums? Rick plays every type of music from classical to heavy rock and just a small selection of albums would disclose the versatility of this supreme keyboard player. I have classical albums my mum listens to and heavy rock stuff my son listens to - all great and all completely different. Try listening to some of Rick's solo albums and you will see just how truly talented he really is. Personally I think it's a shame he's rejoining Yes - I
don't think it's right for either the band or Rick himself. But I'll be
listening nonetheless. From: Ed McConnell ascension@prodigy.net Where do I find the absolute correct lyrics for Yes songs? I look around the net and they vary somewhat. I see what's printed on the CD insert and then a few times have heard them slightly different from the stereo speakers. I'd like to see an official version--with final proof read done by Yes themselves. Sacred words should not be mis-quoted. [The lyrics in the YesWorld Discography section is at close as you're
going to get, and are both compiled from the original release as well as from
members themselves. Send any comments on them to nfte@nfte.org. --EDs] From: Craig Goldberg kevicraig@yohoo.com I think it's awesome that Yes is COMPLETE again! Yes please listen: Thank you for touring the states this summer, as far as
the set list. Play what you want. You know best. Raw Analog Sound and Energy of Old From: T.H musicme@webtv.net I am very jazzed that Uncle Rick is rejoining Yes. And though I love the work he did the last time around with the boys (KTA 1&2)the sound of the band (especially Rick's "digital heavy" k-board rig) left much to be desired--given the great energy and sound they achieved on YESSONGS. Now I know the practicalities of lugging around all that old gear is insane, but many of the parts from of the masterpieces on KTA 1&2 sound like pure crap. I have recently discovered that a new Mellotron has been developed-and that Bob Moog has come out with a new Mini-Moog. I hope Rick knows this(I'm sure he does) and procures said items (two of each would be terrific) quickly. In lieu of this I hope the band does whatever they can to approximate at least a semblance of their vintage sound, otherwise the reason to re-create a classic yes tour is only partially realized. Even if they have to sample most of those sounds, it will certainly sound better then those tinny icy Korg textures. I don't mean to pick on Rick--the other guys should do
whatever they can as well regarding these concerns. As for the energy of their
old days, well thank God for Viagra--for we all know that sexual and creative
energy are one and the same. Looking forward to the L.A. show. From: Gary Titone gary@warrencuccurullo.com While I've thoroughly enjoyed Magnification since day one
I must admit that after spending the last 2 weeks with my high school
sweetheart for the first time in 21 years that the lyrical aspect of the
MAGNIFICATION CD has even a higher meaning. Thank you. From: Daniel Rainey fullcircle_1972@hotmail.com So a new Yes boxed set is coming out soon. Some fans will be pleased, some won't. More than 6 rarities might have been nice, but it sounds like it will be a nicer presented package than YESYEARS. (No finger painting, I'd guess from the description.) If Yes is going to the trouble of releasing an update to Yesterdays (Yestoday), why not an upgrade for YESYEARS. Instead of buying a new boxed set that repeats YESYEARS tracks, we should be getting a set with material and rarities left off YESYEARS and post 1991 material spread over three or four CDs. (Much like how there are two Led Zeppelin boxed sets that don't repeat each other.) I'd also like to see the release of classic Yes shows released on DVD. I'd love to see some of the raw footage from the YESYEARS video. Particularly, the footage from the 1974 tour featuring a full Roger Dean stage set. I think it was filmed for the BBC and the footage included "L.D.R.A.", "Ritual", and "Sweet Dreams". It this could be put out on DVD I would buy it in a second, no matter what the cost. From: Mike Moore sandmmoore@aol.com So, it was only a one-paragraph short in the latest issue (the one with Natalie Portlman on the cover) announcing the reunion with Rick Wakeman and Yes Tour 2002. Still, seeing anything about Yes in Rolling Stone is a rare and wonderful thing. The last time the magazine devoted any space to the band was another short item several years ago about Igor Khoroshev being charged. Other than that, Alan White has managed to make his way into its pages in articles about John Lennon and George Harrison, and is identified in passing as the drummer for Yes. Rolling Stone has failed for years to cover Yes - no album
reviews or tour news, even though it continues to be a popular and productive
band. With Wakeman coming back, it seems like a perfect time for a story - and
not just about TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS being voted as having the coolest
album cover of all time. From: Paul Gorrell pgorrell@poncacity.net It's great that yes are doing presales on the Internet, but are the good tickets really getting to the Fans? Just take a look at EBay after they go on sale and you'll have the same questions I do. While the best I've been able to get in around four presales (and never bought) is 12th row and I started ordering as soon as they went on sale each time. I've always ended up paying a lot more for better seats that some ticket broker bought off of the presale. My suggestion is to limit tickets to a smaller amount like 4 per household. Maybe it might give more people access to the better tickets. Instead of letting two or three people buy a row let six. Because if people are being able to sell tickets on eBay for a sizable profit (I saw a set today with a buy it now price of 400.00) they are clearly selling too many to each person. Maybe I'm wrong but getting left out of the presale almost every year since 1997 has given me time to think. But please the true fans that got good seats from this presale please enjoy them for me. I'll be the guy sitting next to you broke. Eight front row tickets in the hands of a ticket broker is a goldmine. With eight true fans having to pay too much only because Yes are the only concert we ever go to and we don't know how to play the game. I still salute yes for trying to make this work even
though tickets sometime get into the wrong hands. I'll just keep on trying and
hope for the best. Happy Camper or Dynamically Challenged? From: Rhys Hickey rhyshickey@htomail.com I'm having trouble with some of the Yesfans who are caught hopelessly in the land of stagnant retrograde. When Wakeman came back for KTA1 and KTA2 I was a happy camper. But I'm usually always a happy camper when Yes does NEW things. KTA2 was a MONSTER, and should receive more credit. Wakeman et al were now resolidifying, and the outcome was unreal. Those who say different should try to buy the album and listen to it. That implies that I believe their are some dynamically-challanged individuals who simply didn't. When I look at some of these set lists recently submitted to NFTE I start believing there are more D-Challenged folks than a few who didn't. These folks should absolutely take those wish-lists and play them to themselves at home forever and ever and leave the rest of us to grow. Yes is not/should not be stuck in the oldies puddle of mud; eventually the puddle fossilizes. Let the boys bring us NEW musical experiences, make em
earn the money. Just my opinion stated here, which is by it's own nature,
unassailable. Over the Past Few Years the Love of Yes... From: John Heathfield melandyes@attbi.com The first time I went to a Yes show was in 1972 at the Rainbow in London. I myself was hooked ever since then each time I hear or even go to a Yes show my own small world feels more of the TIME AND A WORD days. Thank you to all the fine people I have met over the years in which I have been to 88 shows and ready to go to my 89th this July in Seattle. I feel I have something in common with any Yes fan or just a person who has found you don't have to be played on the radio to be a great band. That to me is the best part of Yes is their hidden music things you will never hear on the box, only if you go and buy their music. I have over 112 LPs of Yes together and with others. I still find the most important part to me when I play one of their songs...the gift of hope...in my life I have had times when I had lost hope and found it in Yes...the people that make Yes and the people I will never meet I thank them also for hope in this world of sadness. To Jon for who I keep in my heart each day, his words, his gift overlooked by so, so many, I thank you... Steve, Rick, Chris, and Alan, you each have opened and blessed my life, thank you. This may never be read by you all but for me to sit and
say thank you for these great years of music is a life's dream for me, one I'll
get to meet you, I know... thank you. A Review of Steve Howe's Master Class From: Paula Jakobi j.jakobi@chello.nl Nijmegen, May 25th 2002. It's a quarter past eight in the evening as Steve Howe approaches the stage and the crowd begins to cheer. The air in the house is filled with expectations. Fans have come from all over. Belgium, England, Switzerland, France, Germany and of course many of the Dutch fans are represented in the Stadsschouwburg in Nijmegen. And Steve is in good shape. Not only as a musician, but also as a talkative philosopher. He reflects on life as a true believer of macrobiotics. Telling stories of how he as a young lad sat on the - unlit - kitchen stove playing his guitar discovering the music of the early sixties and great musicians such as Les Paul and Wes Montgomery. Steve likes to talk about music leaning on the body of his 'Made in Holland' guitar (Theo Scharpach). And everybody is listening eagerly to hear his illustrative tunes such as "Apache" from the Shadows or the intro of "Astral Traveler" by Peter Banks. Waves of recognition flow through the hall of fans. At the age of 19 Steve was asked to play just like Jimi Hendrix and Steve didn't have the equipment nor the inspiration to do so. He found that he didn't have Jimi's 'thing'. He still is no 'big show off' compared with other rock guitarists, but distinguishes himself by his subtle virtuous riffs and playful tunes with great passion. As he plays the acoustic guitar with such craftsmanship it is obvious why this master class is that of a master. Songs like "In The Course Of The Day" from the album NATURAL TIMBRE, to which he joyfully refers to as Natural Timber, prove that Steve masters his instrument. Such dynamics are rare in pop music. Steve gives the guitarists in the audience several advices. He rather speaks of 'playing' instead of 'rehearsing'. A different more colourful approach with the same goal. He also advises to exercise relaxation before a show to conquer stage fright. He makes fun of his own serious face, especially during Yes concerts and expresses his admiration for artists who can smile throughout their shows. After a short break, fans in the audience are given the opportunity to ask the maestro questions and Steve reveals that he likes diminished scales. Steve is an autodidact and remembers with his ears. He can't play while he is reading so he looks into the distance instead. He says it's most useful to change chords for they are changeable and interchangeable. He thinks it's ok if one is dependent on sheet music. Just do your thing. Someone says that his electric sound has changed over the years. Steve answers that the pedals might have changed, but the guitars are the same. The guitars in MAGNIFICATION sound very much like the ones in OPEN YOUR EYES. And as Steve puts it: a wah wah is still a wah wah and he is restricted in tuning. It is always good to go back to normal. After this question and answer session tempus fugits so fast that alas only two fans were allowed on stage. Wout Teeuw gives us a medley of several Yes tunes with the outro of "Starship Trooper". A highlight. Steve accompanies Wout and plays 'his solo' unplugged. You can hear the rhythm section (Alan and Chris) in the back of your head. Great moment, leading to a standing ovation. Jos van Maren does a marvelous job performing a song from the album BEGINNINGS. Jos says that to be honest he only plays when his wife goes shopping. Well, she must be doing an awful lot of shopping! During the show Steve says that on many occasions artists say that there is a special request. But he is sincere. Someone really asked for this song. Steve then plays a great deal of "The Ancient" (TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS) with "Leaves of Green". And I know Steve is telling the truth for the fact is that I am the one who asked for it. Thank you Steve! Thank you for a wonderful intimate
night! From: Dave Williams Dave@dw1969.fsnet.co.uk At last, a decent live recording. Superb camera work, no
silly animations, good atmosphere. Long overdue but very welcome.
Congratulations to the production team. Highly recommended. From: Jim Sanderbeck jtk2k@aol.com "Mind Drive"... and I come away with another smile on my
face as I have from the last 50 Yesshows! A Primer on the YESsolo Universe From: Carl Coppage cmcoppage@worldnet.att.net There are only two rock bands in history (KISS and Yes), who have attempted the unprecedented feat of simultaneously releasing solo albums by each individual member. Both bands, in their heyday, were unceasingly panned by critics, while still attaining a large and devoted fan-base. Both bands were accused of being overly bombastic and pretentious, as well as over-exploiting their fans through marketing and merchandising. The difference, of course, is that Yes could actually play their instruments! Not only could they play their instruments, but Yes was of course one of the earliest bands to demonstrate that each member could be both a technical virtuoso and accomplished songwriter in their own right (a fact which has proven to be both a blessing and a curse!). Any logically-minded person who saw a live Yes show in the early 70's could predict that there would be solo albums. From the beginning, one of the mainstays of any Yes concert were the individual solo songs from each member of the band. This tradition set Yes apart from the other technically proficient bands of their era, because it clarified the musical personalities of the band, making them somehow more "accessible" to their fans. (There simply were no other bands, then or since, for whom the "bass solo" was one of the most memorable parts of the concert!) Yes were like an elite club, in which, in order to be a member, you had to have a highly defined, unique and innovative musical personality in order to be a member (attributes in which Peter Banks and Tony Kaye were apparently not "up to par"). Paradoxically the strong solo personalities of Yes actually seemed to strengthen its cohesiveness as a band. For, once the core "virtuoso lineup" of Anderson-Squire-Howe-Wakeman-Bruford was cemented, they produced some of the strongest music of their career with FRAGILE and CLOSE TO THE EDGE. And then when the first solo albums were finally unveiled, rather than weakening the group's unity, they turned around to produce one of their most "band-like" efforts in GOING FOR THE ONE. But this balance between individuality and group unity could not be sustained forever, for after the heyday of the 70's Yes quickly made a name for themselves as one of the most volatile bands in the music business. Holding the record for the most personnel changes in rock history, they have been through no less than 10 changes of keyboard player and 5 guitar changes in the relay race between Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin. I had an interesting premonition of this future when I saw them in 1979. While I watched the stage going round and round (it was the first tour with the round stage that revolved), I kept having this fantasy of what would happen if the stage started moving faster and faster, uncontrollably, what would happen to the band? I then imagined each member falling...even flying, off the stage, except Jon, who remained in the center like some primordial angel, preparing for his ascension to the heavens! Although my fantasy was in error (Jon was in fact the next, along with Rick, to "fly off"!), there was an interesting symbolism between that vision, and what actually happened to the band in the 80's. With such a melting pot of talent it is surprising that there hasn't been more success with the solo careers of the various Yes-men. When the 90125 lineup disbanded all bets were on Trevor Rabin for "most likely to succeed". Young, bright, and flashy, with an uncanny business sense, Rabin raised Yes from the ashes in the 80's like some proverbial Phoenix, making them pop-literate, and giving them the biggest selling album of their career with 90125. Why Rabin didn't go on to some Phil Collins-like superstar career is anyone's guess. He seems to have suffered from the same dilemma as the "core group": Despite having a unique, highly individual musical persona, he has only truly thrived when in the confines of a group environment. (A single listen to the early Rabin solo works makes this fact indelibly clear!). Yet despite the fashionable influence of Rabin in the 80's, none of the Yes family have ever been very good at "selling out", either collectively or on their solo careers. The Yes lineage has always maintained a strict tradition of consummate musicianship, one which they have always maintained, often at the expense of more practical considerations. And even when they have skirted the boundary of commercialized excess, the "powers that be" have always knocked them down again, seeming to remind them of their true purpose. Essentially every member of the ever-growing Yes family, with the possible exception of Squire, White, and Trevor Horn, have made solid attempts at solo careers, yet none has come anywhere near the type of success they gained within Yes, except when entirely new group situations have been attempted. Indeed it appeared for a time in 1982 as if the spinoff band ASIA would actually eclipse the success of its mother band! Aside from their tandem solo efforts of 1975-76, and a spotty collection of demos and Yes song outtakes by Squire(CONSPIRACY) neither of the Squire/White duo has made much of an attempt at life in the YESsolo Universe. And perhaps it is this steadfast dedication of "WhiteFish" (as the duo are sometimes referred) to the Yes mothership that is as much responsible for the survival of the band in the new millennium as any other factor. Every other member of the Yes Family Tree, past and
present, has released considerable amounts of solo material, enjoying varying
levels of success outside of their Yes homeland. Bill Bruford has enjoyed a
staggering career, both with his own bands (Bruford, Earthworks) and within the
confines of other "supergroups" (King Crimson, U.K.). Patrick Moraz
released 10 solo albums and reinvented himself in the Moody Blues. The
short-lived duo of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes went on to new lives as Master
Producer (Horn) and ASIA keyboardist, respectively. Trevor Rabin made a
workman-like attempt at a solo career (CAN'T LOOK AWAY), then, like some
endangered species, submitted himself into "captivity", where he now
works as a producer and soundtrack composer. The other core group members (Jon
Anderson, Steve Howe, and Rick Wakeman), have all found a seemingly happy
balance between solo work and Yes work, the occasional "defection"
from the troops not withstanding! In the Beginning: The "Caped Crusader" meets Henry VIII Rick Wakeman is without a doubt one of the most important figures in Yes history. He joined the band in 1971 during a critical hour when their stability as a financial entity was still a question mark. Steve Howe's arrival in 1970 had rescued them from potential annihilation by the record company, yet they were still a virtual unknown in America. With Wakeman's residency, however, the band's sound underwent a complete facelift, and their breakthrough success with FRAGILE soon followed, cementing the "core lineup" which fans would associate with the band for years to come. Wakeman brought in a wide spectrum of new keyboard sounds, and was an instant hit with fans everywhere. Surrounded by a veritable mountain of keyboards, he seemed onstage like some magical sorcerer from another world. From the very beginning, Wakeman saw himself as a serious composer in his own right. In fact, on just his second tour with Yes, he was already promoting his first solo album! Consisting of excerpts from the soon-to-be-released SIX WIVES album, Rick's solo spot on the CLOSE TO THE EDGE tour was one of its most memorable moments, immortalized on the live set YESSONGS. SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII, released in January 1973, went on to gold status, and was one of the first all-instrumental rock albums to achieve that feat. Its success was hard to fathom by many at the time, yet it somehow captured both the pop and prog fans simultaneously. Most of the songs are catchy to the ear, yet at the same time complex enough that they provide challenging listening with repeated listens. Above all, SIX WIVES is quite "Yes-like": grandiose, and with an "epic feel", yet standing alone as "songs" at the same time. This unique blend of pop and prog was one of the gifts which Wakeman brought to Yes, setting them apart from their contemporaries, and providing a precedent which other bands, such as Genesis, would soon follow. According to Yes-lore, Wakeman was initially the only one in the band to see the error in abandoning the "song-approach" from the Yes formula, in favor of epic, side-long "suites". He quit the band in frustration after the TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS tour, for many of same reasons critics were lambasting them, feeling that they were fast becoming a pretentious, ego-driven beast, disconnected from their fans as well as their own music. Yet paradoxically, Wakeman's first recorded work after leaving the band was an epic 40-minute work (JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH), that took up not one, but BOTH sides of an album! Perhaps it was the nervous exhaustion of his whirlwind period with Yes (he in fact experienced a bona fide heart attack during this period) Or perhaps it was a sell-out, for as much as Rick, and the critics, may have hated TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS, it had initially sold better than either CLOSE TO THE EDGE or FRAGILE. The "epic approach" to record-making was apparently a very marketable idea. At the very least, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH stands as one of Wakeman's most original works. And with repeated listens it is much catchier than the bloated TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS. The use of a spoken-word narration and full orchestra had been tried before, (most notably by the Moody Blues), but never in such an elaborate fashion as with JOURNEY. For the most part, it worked, and the album hit the top of the charts in the U.K., making Wakeman a household name in that part of the world. In the U.S., Wakeman the Solo Artist remained rather obscure, although the funny thing was he was still the most popular member of Yes, even though he was no longer in the band! As the band toured heavily for RELAYER, with new kid on the block Patrick Moraz, new fans would come to the shows, asking "which one is Rick Wakeman?" Perhaps one of the band's goals with it's next project was to clear up this confusion, as they sporadically released solo albums by each member of the current lineup throughout the year, including Moraz. It's doubtful that it helped, however, because Wakeman released no less than three new records of his own during the same interval, each of them outselling Moraz' eponymous STORY OF "I" by a considerable margin. And by that point, Rick had rejoined Yes, leaving many fans clueless that he had ever left! By 1974, Yes had become so big, it is no wonder that the band began To lose perspective. Things were happening so fast on both a creative and economic level, that it became virtually impossible for the band to see everything that was going on. Much of their success during this time was undoubtedly due to good management, particularly the keen mind of Brian Lane, who had seen over their affairs since 1970, and would continue to work with Yes-related projects well into the 80's. The tours had become so elaborate, that they were now traveling with three or four semi truck trailers to every gig! The Yes fan collective had grown as well, and began to resemble a kind of cult following, unwavering in their support of the band. Although the label was not yet in vogue, Yes were one of the first of a new genre of bands commonly referred to as a Cult Bands. This growing legion of fans seemed willing to buy anything Yes-related that hit the market, even if it were a repackaging of songs that had already been released! Many of the people who were buying Wakeman's albums were simply Yes fans who associated Wakeman with Yes. Surely the band, or its management recognized this fact, because a decision was made in 1975 for each member to produce solo records. The result was that no less than NINE Yes-related records were released between 1975 and 1976 (3 by Wakeman, one Yes compilation, and one each by the current members of the Yes lineup), and many fans gobbled up each and every one of them, like manna from heaven : Feb 1975 Yesterdays (Yes) Apr 1975 Myths and Legends of King Arthur (WAKEMAN) Oct 1975 Beginnings (Steve Howe) Nov 1975 Fish Out of Water (CHRIS SQUIRE) Nov 1975 Lisztomania (RICK WAKEMAN) Mar 1976 The Story of "I" (PATRICK MORAZ) Apr 1976 Ramshackled (ALAN WHITE) Apr 1976 No Earthly Connection (RICK WAKEMAN) Jun 1976 Olias of Sunhillow (JON ANDERSON) Although the album YESTERDAYS contained only one "new" track (the majestic "America", which had itself already been released, though not on a Yes album proper), it sold in droves, especially in America, where many fans were not familiar with the older songs from the first two albums. The eye-catching cover painting by Roger Dean was a clever gimmick, making it look like a new Yes album. In April, a new Wakeman album, appeared, this time, without the spoken narrative, but heavily orchestrated nonetheless. Another heavily-themed concept album, MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR showed a return to shorter songs, with six easily digested tracks. It was Rick's third album in two years, causing skeptics to question whether he was just riding the coat-tails of his former band, while they were still a lucrative "cash crop". In October, the most Yes-like of the solo albums was released, Steve Howe's BEGINNINGS. Howe had been something of guitar hero in his homeland since before he joined Yes, so for some fans BEGINNINGS was the most anticipated of the bunch. Produced by Eddie Offord and with a surreal cover painting by Roger Dean, BEGINNINGS looks and sounds very Yes-like on many of its tracks, and shows how important Steve had become to the Yes sound. A true tour de force, the album captures the whole spectrum of Steve's guitar sounds, culled from his large collection of instruments. Dense and multi-layered tones come from all angles, with clear separation from Offord's production. BEGINNINGS is a showcase for guitar lovers of all ages, and exudes Steve's love of guitars and guitar styles of all genres. Unfortunately, many fans couldn't stomach the weak vocals by Steve, and it failed to garner the respect it deserved, except in guitar player circles. Within just weeks of the release of BEGINNINGS came the lush FISH OUT OF WATER by Chris Squire. Squire had long-established himself as a center point of the Yes concert experience, with a dynamic stage presence, unique vocals, and a bass sound that made him a favorite of fans and bass players alike. His solo spot in concert during "The Fish" (as documented on the live YESSONGS) had almost single-handedly transformed awareness of the capabilities of the electric bass as a lead instrument. Unsurprisingly, the album was among the biggest selling of the solo albums, and a couple of tracks from it, came close to breaking through as singles. Most of the songs are linked together with lush orchestrations written by Squire himself, and there is a tight band feel to most of the tracks, facilitated by the capable hands of Patrick Moraz and Bill Bruford, among others. With all the excitement generated in fan circles by these
albums, Wakeman's LISZTOMANIA soundtrack, released within weeks of FISH OUT OF
WATER, nearly came and went without notice, as did the flop film it presumably
supported. Adding fuel to the fire, many of the songs on the album were
different versions from what appeared in the film, and in fact didn't even have
Wakeman playing on them! Wakeman was reportedly so infuriated that his piano
parts were "replaced", that he divorced himself from all contact with the
album, and refused to even speak of it for many years. The record company was
at least honest enough to put a small blurb on the inner sleeve (albeit in
small print): "Liszt piano music performed by David Wilde". However, a newly
restored version of Wakeman's original soundtrack has "mysteriously" surfaced, renewing
interest in what is probably the most bizarre entry in the Wakeman catalogue. What will they Play Live?...A Lot I Think From: Dan Smedile, Jr. djsmed@yahoo.com I have read a lot about Rick re-joining Yes. Personally, as a keyboardist of over 20yrs who has been inspired over and over again by Rick and Yes, I think this is a wonderful thing. I have made it one of my musical "callings" to get as many younger people as possible to listen to Yes and see them live. At the OYE tour I took a younger friend from work (21yrs old). On the next tour he invited two more of his friends and I invited my younger brother (21 at the time) to the show. As it turned out we went twice that tour and brought a total of six people. For the Ladder tour we had eight people, myself being the only one over 25. So, as you can see it is working. Unfortunately, the Symphonic tour seemed to be a "let down" for most of my younger Yesheads, but I loved it because of the incredible performance of GATES. I wondered after that if any of them would want to see Yes again...have they seen it all? Well, just in time, Rick re-joins the group for this tour. Once I told my younger friends about this, they HAD TO SEE this tour. Mainly this is because all of the shows I had seen with them had different Keyboardists. Igor blew me away a few times, but most of my friends said "I wish we could see Rick Wakeman live." and I had to agree I missed that lineup too. They see it as a Once in a Lifetime chance to see the classic Yes lineup. I see it as a chance to see Yes...again!! So, again we have eight going to this show (some new faces this time) and ordering tickets was easier than ever...I can't wait to see the faces of my friends when I hand them a full page printed out from e-mail...change we must I suppose. As far as a live set this would be my fantasy set: Close to the Edge Awaken Onward Gates of Delirium Tempus Fugit (into White/Squire solo) Howe solo Turn of the Century Mind Drive South Side of the Sky Nine Voices / All Good People Encore: Heart of the Sunrise Roundabout (Full version) Starship Trooper (or Perpetual Change) Thanks, as always to NFTE and YESWORLD for all of the
great work over the past few years! From: Frank List franzstuka@yahoo.com First, I'd like to thank all those who so generously responded to my post regarding Wakeman's book "Say Yes". I now have a copy to cherish...I even heard from Graeme Slocomb, who is a good friend with Mr. Wakeman. Through him, I had contact with the Maestro himself! (Allow me to remind y'all that Rick is nuts...completely nuts!) I asked Graeme if Rick could get a copy for me, and he said that Rick didn't have any copies for himself! So, I offered to autograph a copy and send to Rick! HA! I think that was just looney enough to get Rick's attention, because he did write back...it was great! A great comic mind resides behind, or within, all that technical ability! Which brings me to the upcoming tour. Yes with Rick is the ultimate! I have loved every incarnation of the Band of the Ages, seen every tour, bought every album repeatedly, named my first child after Mr. Squire...you got it, the true YesFan...but with Rick, Alan, Chris, Jon and Steve all together, we are in for some magic beyond description! I hope that there will be DVD's made of this tour, because I am sure that it will prove historic...and if Rick has his way...hysterical as well! After hearing shouted requests for "Mind Drive" during the OPEN YOUR EYES tour, I think we stand a good chance of hearing that great piece finally rendered on the live stage...wouldn't that be great? Over the last several tours, I have brought one of my Rickenbacker guitars (a rare slant-fret 481) with me, in hopes of creating an heirloom bearing the signatures of all the members of the Band. Any pointers from any who have been fortunate enough to have met the guys would be greatly appreciated! See you all in Atlanta! Long live Yes! From: Jay Bird jbrown@haverford.org Following up on what Mr. Tiano said [in NFTE #259]about Yes not realistically being able to fit every big city into a US tour: Thanks to the band and Yes management for always keeping the Philadelphia, PA area on the itinerary! There are still guys alive here who camped out for more than a week on the hot pavement in front of the Spectrum to get good seats for the TORMATO tour!! One idle request from a guy who can actually get his wife to dance to "I've Seen All Good People" (yeah, we did that last year in row 4 at the Mann Music Center): Since Rick Wakeman is also alive and well, play "Silent Wings of Freedom"! Here's a song where all five members of the band, especially Chris, get down. Let's not forget that FREEDOM is on everyone's minds these days. Finally: One day, we hope Yes will come back with an orchestra again and play fine venues like The Kimmel Center for Performing Arts in Philadelphia. We're prepared to pay a little more for civilized listening. If only the ushers at the amphitheaters that the band plays at today did their job at concerts and tossed the "woo wooers" and "whistler's mothers" out the door? Nothing makes us more annoyed than to see Steve and Jon wince during light acoustic and vocal pieces. Everybody be quiet and listen to the music. Applaud like
crazy after each song. This is a recording... From: Manuel kielmannsegge jmo_kielmannsegge@hotmail.com I would like to contact Yes fans all over the world and exchange impressions on the development of the band. I also would like to know how I can get Patrick Moraz´ solo albums. Old Tours, New Setlist, New Energy! From: Guy Eckstine eckstine@attbi.com I have been a Yes fan since 1971. I have all of their albums. I have been to many shows including, TALES at The LA Forum-1974 (awesome), RELAYER at The Hollywood Bowl-1975 (the best ever), TORMATO in the round LA Forum (strong)- 1978, DRAMA with Trevor in the round, LA Sports Arena 1980 (he tried), "90125", LA Forum 1984 (okay), ABWH- Greek Theatre LA- 1989, (with Jeff Berlin reading charts!) UNION-- Orange County Fairgrounds 1991 (a horrible show where you could visibly see the egos and hate onstage, they strictly did that for the $$$ and phoned in their performances), and House Of Blues/Universal Amp with Igor/Sherwood 199-2000 (earnest and fun thanks to the new blood), and lastly, MAGNIFICATION Konocti Harbour, Kelseyville, CA, 2001(good show/lackluster orchestra, even though the female percussionist was a hottie!). That being said there is NO DOUBT that their best performance I have seen was The Hollywood Bowl, 1975 with Patrick Moraz! If Yes only played with the energy of that show today, they would not be resting on their laurels. Jon still sounds great. Steve Howe has not learned a new lick in years. Chris Squire particularly at Konocti last year was awesome. Alan White has improved over the years, but he has to get off of banging the ride cymbal to death! Come on, close the hi-hat sometimes dude! All in all they are still a great band but they need to re-energize and perhaps Wakeman can do that for them. He was very impressive on the ABWH tour and "Keys" Live is killer too. All in all, please play to your abilities and inspire us again! You are THE BEST BAND IN THE WORLD SO PLAY LIKE IT!! I am looking forward to this year's tour, and I hope
they play some more obscure tunes, like "Sound Chaser", "To Be
Over", "On The Silent Wings Of Freedom", "Astral Traveller",
GOING FOR THE ONE, "The Remembering", "South Side Of The
Sky", etc... I love most of their tunes, but do we really need to hear
the usual stuff? In my opinion all of the albums after "Talk" have
been mediocre. The "KTA" live material was great. "The
Ladder", and "Magnification" very disappointing. 1998 Yes Interview Available in Russian From: Anil Prasad aprasad@innerviews.org Russia's guitar studio is now running a translated version
of a 1998 Yes interview conducted by Innerviews. Russian NFTE readers may find
it of interest. The link is here: http://www.guitar.ru/interview/yes/index.html Is this Message Getting Through Yet? From: Tony Gargan tgincurtin@aol.com Every edition of NFTE seems to have one Yeshead from Australia begging for a tour. Please count me in as one of the beggars, and now guys its someone else'e turn! We are not sure about the reason for no tour but if its anxiety about the number of tickets you can be sure that the period of antipodean Yes deprivation is highly correlated with the number of friends and family we are all going to bring along to the shows, their initial enthusiasm to attend is an entirely separate consideration. (I am personally good for 12 tickets.) We would also be happy to have an acoustic show guys if production cost is the worry. Actually an acoustic show would be a fantastic idea full stop. We do hope that the billions we spent on the Olympics
convinced the rest of the world that we are always up for a good show. We now
just need the world's best progressive music show to come to town. From: Glen Larmer glsport@go.com On E-Bay recently, I have noticed that 9012Live DVDs are now on sale. However, they all seemed to be made and distributed from Brazil, which I think is little strange. I seem to recall reading on the YesWorld news page, that Yes had secured the masters of the 9012 tapes and a DVD was in the wind. So, does this mean they have been officially released, or South American pirates are at work. [Unless someone can prove otherwise these are not legitimate
and should be avoided. --MOT] From: Gary Kowalchuk TServo137@msn.com First off I should ask if anyone knows if Yes will be any closer to Tennessee than Georgia this tour? If not, a 5 hour drive is no big deal to see such a group of masters as they certainly are. As far as what seems to be a bit of controversy regarding everything from the return of Rick, to set lists, let me say this. It doesn't matter what the lineup of the group is at any given time. Yes music has survived everything over the years including what appeared to be Yes reaching a point of no return with Trevor Rabin. DRAMA, to many signified a massive change when Jon was away but nothing tarnished the band as much as when they stopped being a true Yes band (the Rabin Years). Although some good music (not great) came from 90125 and BIG GENERATOR, the band had ceased to use the talents that had emerged prior to and since those albums. The FM radio rock sound of Rabin had overshadowed the other members powerful contributions. It truly was "pretty boy" time for a while. A master at what he did? Rabin sure was, but that is not what Yes is all about. I can only imagine what "Endless Dream" could have been without Rabin. I love the song but I do believe that the other members relinquished control in order to let Rabin have his glory. Also it was fun for the guys to just rock and roll for a while. But the birds come home to roost and they always have. I was at the TALK Tour as well as the UNION Tour when I lived in Connecticut and I loved them, but not as much as the others. I've also read a great deal about OPEN YOUR EYES not living up to expectations. Did I listen to different album than you guys? That is a great album...start to finish. I think the problem with the anticipation of a new release is that it forever gets pitted against a previous album. The fact of the matter is that each Yes album is unique in style and delivery. Even in spite of the similarities of the Rabin efforts...those albums were different in many ways. If I am waiting for the next CLOSE TO THE EDGE, I'm going to miss the forest for the trees. With my first listening of THE LADDER I almost fell into the trap of wanting another "something else"...maybe a greater milestone than "Awaken"...I didn't know what...I was almost disappointed till I realized that what I was listening to was that great milestone. I needed to awaken to "Awaken". As for this tour, Jon said it best on the ABWH tour. He said there were so many songs that the band considers "standards" and music that they consider true "Yes" music that they have a good idea of what they are gonna play before they sort it out. But it's a tough decision because one member will want one song and another wants another and most of the band agrees that after a while..."they could be playing all night"...and I guess that would be alright too. God Bless Yes for going Onward and upward...and the fans
for taking all that Yes has to offer. The gift of great music is a gift that
really keeps on giving. From: Tom Pitsis lentils@bigpond.com My MAGNIFICATION copy is a HDCD. Has anybody else found problems when playing this CD. I've got a Sony CD player that plays all my cds with no problem, but it skips etc with MAGNIFICATION. Quite irritating, since I believe MAGNIFICATION is their
best album in years. From: John Lawson John_lawson@christabal.freeserve.co.uk Yes, I agree that the band should be going forward and with MAGNIFICATION I thought that they had finally arrived and evolved into the Orchestra that was, as I understood, Chris and Jon's original vision. I for one was looking forward to many more genuinely orchestrated albums perhaps even a revisit to TALES, after all how many truly progressive rock bands have continued to play with an Orchestra. Now I'm sure that economics, finance and logistics would be leveled against the project but what happened to "art for art's sake" Lets hope they don't give up on the opportunity. From: Alan acacom1@msn.com I am reading these articles of what Yes should be doing (what to play, who is in the band etc.) and I will submit my opinion on it. After nearly 35 years of music they can do whatever they want to. How many artists much less groups have been consistently doing what they enjoy for that duration? They have earned the right to do whatever pleases them. Even with the changes in styles one aspect has remained consistent--the art of Yes is still spiritually inspirational. Read "The Difference Between Listening and Hearing" submitted earlier for more on that. Do I personally like everything they have released? No I
don't but that doesn't change the fact that I respect them for their efforts
and ideas. Has it occurred to anyone that they might not be around all that
much longer? Age is a factor that can't be ignored. For myself, I accept and am
thankful for what they have done and will do even if my personal expectations
are not met. From: John Steele yes69to2k@yahoo.com With Rick Wakeman coming back and Yes having toured extensively these past few years; I, along with many others are hoping the band challenges themselves by bringing in some past gems to perform. "On the Silent Wings of Freedom" & "Tempus Fugit" seem to always come up, as does "South side of the Sky" which I believe will never happen, but, having said that, I am hoping Yes funnel their creative chemistry into a singular unity and bring back the magic that fueled those 'glory days' of old. We're behind you Yes, one and all! From: Brent Buckley bdbmusicserv@aol.com As a fan of Yes for over 30 years I'm not unhappy to see Rick's return. However, I think it's worth pointing out that this is NOT the "classic" Yes lineup by any objective criteria. Let's look at the output of this lineup: TALES, very ambitious but it just didn't work, as the band found out when they tried to play the whole thing on tour and had to drop half of it to stop people from leaving; GOING FOR THE ONE, excellent album; and TORMATO, certainly the worst Yes album. One out of three (and I'm purposely not holding KEYS against them as the piecemeal editing is so obvious) is not a great average. I think it's clear that the
"classic" Yes lineup has to be the FRAGILE/CLOSE TO THE EDGE group
with Bill Bruford; this was a point of stunning creativity they've just been
unable to match since. All this being said I'm still thrilled to see them
continuing no matter what form they take, and I hope they're able to play on
forever. From: Kara Cassels kcassels@bellsouth.net I must tell you first that I've only recently discovered Yes over the last two years or so, and have become completely obsessed with them...buying every album within weeks of my husband and I catching a Yessymphonic show. However, our initial musical passion is Phish, who have been admitted Yes fans since high school and have played licks from several Yes tunes over their 20 or so years together. For those of you outside the US, they are statistically the biggest live concert draw in the country (or were...before their 2000 breakup), though they boast no hits. I know it's very tough to hear incredible Yes numbers like "Mind Drive," "To Be Over," "Astral Traveler," or even "Endless Dream" get completely ignored in set lists for years. I wasn't around in 2000, but I can imagine the ecstacy Yes fans must have felt when "Gates" and a full "Ritual" were unveiled for the first time in so long. Well, imagine this. Let's say every single Yes song was in the set list rotation. And every night of a tour, the band did a different set list. "Close to the Edge" might get 13 showings because of it's popularity, but maybe "Sound Chaser" got played as an encore in Philly, and only those lucky enough to see it could relish in the moment. Or what if they opened Radio City with "The Remembering," and never played it again. That's what it's like listening to Phish. They treat all their songs with just as much importance as the next. In other words, "Harold Land" would be just as likely to pop up as "And You and I." Think about what it would be like to be at a Yes concert and in between songs, while trying to predict what was next, you truly had NO idea and NOTHING to base the selection off of. There's only a two true reasons I can think of that bands like Phish switch set lists every night and bands like Yes don't. Yes rehearses and becomes extremely tight, focused, and proficient...forming a show and taking it on the road. Phish purposely goes on stage with no idea what's going to happen. Sometimes it doesn't work, but when it does, it's truly genuine and out of this earth. With Yes, EVERY song is out
of this earth, which is why I would just love to hear them stretch their
repertoire
out to its true limits. From: Tina Johnson youyoyo4yes@aol.com The Yes Fans Video Project (YFVP) team would like to thank NFTE for publishing our project information some time ago. We have received an overwhelming number of responses from the fan base. We have enough materials to produce more than one Volume. We anticipate Volume One will be complete by Q1 of 2003. Those fans attending shows for the 2002 tour who shoot stills, video footage, or that acquire boots are invited to submit materials to be included in Volume 2. Many thanks go out to the Yes
fans who have participated thus far. Your 'spoils' will soon be ready. What I Miss About the 70's music From: Doug McWilliams doug_mcwilli@hotmail.com I just recently started listening to the classic stuff again. Personally I do not have the love of the newer music that I have for the old and I was trying to put my finger on why. It's not like they can't write a decent melody any more. Howe and Anderson are masters. So what was the problem? I was keying in on Howe's
guitar on "And You And I" at the "I listened hard, but could not see" section
and it is so raucous and noisy and punctuated so uniquely it's just freakin'
awesome. It's similar to some of the noisier guitar on say "Awaken". To me a
lot of the magic of those old songs is the mixing of those dissonant/offensive/unpretty
sounds with the beautiful stuff. Like the drums of "Ritual" or the "cha cha cha
cha cha (Harummmm!)" at the end of "Sound Chaser". That's what gives me the
goose bumps, and that's what seems to be lacking on the recent stuff. They've
gotten more traditional. Are they mellowing with age? Are they not as
adventurous? Does that kind of stuff not sound good to them any more? I wish
I could ask them. For lack of a better word, I'd say they had a lot of balls
to go for that stuff and that's why I'm proud to tell anyone that they are my
favorite band of all time.
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