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Anyone want a "House of Yes" DVD? Video of Holmdel, NJ Masterworks Show "Yes - The Authorized Biography" Book It Will Be an Awesome and Spiritual Experience! The Full Circle Tour (Down-Under at Last) "I Must Have Waited All My Life For This Moment" "Don't Kill the Whale" Greenpeace Connection? The Critics Could Stay at Home Stillness of Heart Through Yes Stunning Performance in Philadelphia YESSHOWS Question (and Some Ramblings-on) We're Not All Lynard Skynard Fans in the South Thank You for A Great North American Tour Anyone want a "House of Yes" DVD? From: Daniel Peters dpeters@psphalifax.ns.ca I have an extra "House of Yes" DVD (Yes at the House of Blues, Ladder tour, I think it was recorded in October 1999). So does anyone want it? I'm not asking for anything material in return - call it a Saturnalia/Chanukah/Christmas/Kwanzaa present - but I'm hoping that the responses will come from fans who would like to view it rather than folks who'd just turn around and sell it. Email me at dpeters@psphalifax.ns.ca if interested. If
requests come slowly, it'll go to the first respondent. If they come quickly,
I'll choose arbitrarily among them. :-) From: Wes McNaghten wesmcnaghten@hotmail.com It breaks my heart to have to part with my Bodast album,
mint; contact kat at the listed email address above, serious offers only please. From: Tony Rima t.rima@edmont.co.uk Anyone out there got a copy of Ricks "Say Yes" book they
are willing to part with. It's out of print and unobtainable here. Thanks in
anticipation. Video of Holmdel, NJ Masterworks Show From: Jeff Peters jeff_peters@merck.com Looking to trade for this show. Have the usual and some
not-so-usual stuff. "Yes - The Authorized Biography" Book From: Steve Wightman stevanovich27@aol.com Hi - I'm looking for a copy of the book "Yes - The
Authorized Biography" by Dan Hedges. Any edition/printing will do (as long
as it is in English!). I think it was published in the late '70s or early
'80s. If you can help, please e-mail me. THANKS! From: Derek Danbury yesmandroc@yahoo.com I would be interested to know if anyone could tell me how
to get a hold of a live recording from the BIG GENERATOR tour. I am a fairly
recent Yes fan ( since late 1999), and I love that album but am unfortunately
bereft any released live recordings with those songs. I am especially
interested in the songs BIG GENERATOR and "Final Eyes". Thank you. From: Doug Young telepbrman@hotmail.com I was one of the very lucky few who got to go to the Falls Church taping of the mHz Presents show with Steve Howe. My pal, Vince, and I were the first ones there, and we sat in the lobby. As each person came in and waited for the show, we all talked about our experiences with Yes. We all talked about old shows, '76 Philly, and last evening's D.C. show; as well as Steve Howe solo shows. We were all very educated in real music. Then in mid conversation, Steve Howe and his assistant walked in...the lady at the desk didn't even know who it was!! We were all very excited to see the great Howe. Old Vince was in the men's room and missed Steve's entrance. As I saw Steve return and go to the men's room, I told Vince to go back and wash his hands...sure enough, Vince got to see Steve one on one. About an hour of warm up's and checks, it was time! We walked back to the studio, me and only 7 others!! Can you believe it, only 8 guests along with the staff of about 6 or 7. It was awesome. Now I stayed back to sit on the bleachers, while other's sat on stage behind his left side. Now they had good seats; but I'm a guitar player; so I got front and center...only 10 feet away!!! He played 30 minutes of solo classical guitar, and had a 30 minute interview. A guitar player's and fan's dream come true. A once in a life time deal for sure. As it ended, he sighed my Natural Timbre C.D. and noticed my Martin guitar t-shirt. He said, "Martin guitar's, alright!" My afternoon was the best. Vince has been a fan for 30 plus years, and he said he was as excited as a little kid in a candy store. As for me, the guitar player, it was a 100% one on one guitar class with STEVE HOWE!!! The best. MHZ will air the show in the near future, and I can't wait. Well
everyone, "In the course of the day"...I had a dream...with
"Solar Winds" and "Distant Seas"...see you next time, have
a good day. It Will Be an Awesome and Spiritual Experience! From: Diz & Simone Wetherell
rooshq@hotmail.com How wonderous to hear that Yes are finally touring
Australia! We can't wait for next year. We hope they will schedule a concert
in Brisbane. Diz saw them when they toured Sydney last time and has it as the
most amazing experience his life. We will take our sons who are fans of the
band with us. Another generation of loyal followers. Can't wait for them to
get here. March can't come quick enough. Thank you to all who were involved on
getting Australia on their tour dates! The Full Circle Tour (Down-Under at Last) From: Paul Rogers paul.rogers@aut.ac.nz With just over three months to go till the shows in Melbourne and Sydney and the Yesfanz festivals at both venues the local anticipation is building considerably. After travels to the USA in 1994 and 2000 to see my favorite band its hard to comprehend that they will actually be playing so close. That said it's still costing me over a thousand dollars to fly to two shows but...y'know, I guess that's passion for you. Like everyone else I have my "wish set list" but I'm quite content to consume whatever the guys decide to give us on the day. I'd venture, however, that the set list may change considerably from the current 2002 Nth American second leg. Its a "new" tour after all. It certainly would be a thrill to get more from
Magnification (Give love each day and Dreamtime), something from KEYSTUDIO ("Children
of Light") and maybe even a rearranged "Homeworld". Whatever. It'll be great. "I Must Have Waited All My Life For This Moment" From: Steven Kelly steven_kelly@yakka.com.au As the song goes, "I must have waited all my life for this moment"! I can't believe it I will finally be seeing Yes live. We have got tickets for both Melbourne & Sydney. Yes music has meant so much to me for over Thirty years. I don't wish to sound mawkish but the joy and inspiration Yes music has given me is beyond my capacity to express. I am counting down the days anxiously. My Set wish list, "Heart of the Sunrise", "Awaken", "The
Remembering", "Starship Trooper", "Sound Chaser", "Turn Of The Century", "Close
to the Edge', "And You and I", "Roundabout", and everything else they have
done. Roll on February. From: Bob Salvin rfsalvin@hotmail.com I love Yes, so I hate to be the critic. I saw Yes twice over the summer at Radio City in NYC and in Camden at the Tweeter Center. (Radio City Music Hall was by far the better place to see them.) But I'm not certain whether I'll see them next month when they play Philly again at the Tower. The news is that the set list will be largely unchanged and I don't want to hear the same concert a third time in a row. So, the criticism is that Yes should play a little more
music. Perhaps because of the nature of the material, Yes cannot just decide
to play any one of their songs at any given concert, but it would be good if
there could be an effort toward more variety. The irony is that if Yes
regularly played a greater variety of their repertoire, which songs they played
at each shoe would become less important. So what songs do I want to hear?
How about "To Be Over" and "The Remembering". Either one of those would
definitely get me to the show. From: Jian Lakerson jian@pagasys.com About the whole impropriety of some fans and Jon's comment, I must really agree with those who wrote to say that Jon can probably spot insincerity a block away, I think that if a person were providing a service to those fans unable to acquire mementos that there are more straightforward, upfront, honest ways to approach that than to harangue this gentle soul with bags of stuff to be signed out on the street and then harass him and his wife when they want some time to themselves. I hope that those sorts of incidents are few and that such wanton commoditization declines through fans willingness not to support such sales. I have been a devoted (some would say fervent, I named my youngest son "Jon Christev") fan of ALL the Yes GUYS since 1972 when through a divine stroke of fortune I first heard FRAGILE in my backcountry northern California home... sometimes hitchhiking 600 perilous miles to see them in Oakland Coliseum or San Francisco Cow Palace... to later all but abandon hope when after DRAMA news of the end of Yes... to later move to Seattle and see the UNION tour in Key Arena (then Seattle Coliseum) after seeing ABWH in the Paramount the year before. Ah, the stuff dreams are made of, I never had the nerve to try hanging around to meet them although it is for me a dream of a lifetime, no not for "autographs" but, and I would probably be so tongue tied to meet the singer who has touched my heart and soul with his voice and words (tho' I know some of those are contributed by the others) and those musicians which have inspired and moved and comforted me over these last 3 decades. I am resolved to try this time - probably my last chance - though I do not have a clue how to do it. I am trusting in the Divine Mother and Father Sun to guide me. It is a possibility, as is my dream that one day I will connect with the person out there who is to be the singer/collaborator I have been seeking. It is my aspiration to write music that carries the Yes magic and philosophy forward, spreading the light. I am waiting... (By the way, Jon, my mother is 10 years older than you to
the day, she is the one who planted and nurtured my love of poetry.) Happy
Birthday Mom... From: Steve Wehner RELAYERman@comcast.net Well, it appears the boys are in fine form on the 2ns leg of the 2002 tour, but I have to say, and I speak for thousands, they sure are disappointing everyone from the Florida panhandle, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. If they would just play someplace like Mobile or Pensacola or Biloxi (or New Orleans for that matter) their fan base would grow. I know it and believe it. I don't know what they're thinking, but they aren't winning any new friends from anywhere in the south by playing in Chastain Park in Atlanta. C'mon guys, tour the South once in a while. You haven't been here since 1994. Sad and disappointed. From: Karen Ratner karenr1123@earthlink.net I completely agree with the statements made by Vic Keezii in NFTE #267. Having been a fan for 30+ years and having met the current line up during the KEYS TO ASCENSION kick off at Tower Records, Sunset Blvd., my experience with them was very positive. I was able to have a short chat each with both Jon and Rick and found them both to be very warm, gracious and engaged in our conversation. They'd both been meeting and greeting fans for nearly 2 hours by the time I reached them. It's an experience I will never forget and I would never consider selling the autographed poster I have, on E-Bay. It is very special to me. I would guess Jon's comments were born out of sheer frustration in dealing with people that are pushy and not genuine fans of the band and the music. Perhaps he's scoped out E-Bay merchandise and recognizes that he's been duped by people he thought were genuine and were just out to make money. Granted when someone is a public figure, they do open themselves up to dealing with fans. Time and time again the band has opened themselves up to fan events etc. We are very lucky in that this is not a band that hides behind publicists and avoids the fans. They go out in public and try to have normal lives. I used to live in an area of LA where celebrity sightings are frequent. I think the matter is one of respect for these people as individuals with families, things to do and problems like the rest of us. Also with the many stalkers, a celebrity must always keep their guard up in the event that someone may want to hurt them. Walk a mile in their shoes, would you want someone coming up to you at the grocery store, starring at you while you had a dinner out with your family, chatting with you in the lobby of the doctor's office? Especially, if it was not a person who was a fan, but wanted to make money off your name and your hard work, or might be someone dangerous? The double-ended sword for celebrities is that they are
"damned if they do and damned if they don't". If they are always
gracious and have no personal boundaries, then they are hounded and interrupted
all the time. If they have boundaries, then they are not a "nice person. If you read through the tour diary on Jon's website, you see a glimpse into the joys and a bit of the grind that all of the traveling involves. Life on the road is not "home" no matter how comfortable the accommodations. He talks about the difficulty and how much Jane gives up to be with him on the road. As one who travels on business and sales person, I am delighted that no one knows me, wants to chat or wants my autograph when I get on a plane at the end of a long week of work. However, happily I perk up immediately if I see someone with Yes CD's or a Yes t-shirt. Give the guys a break and be grateful that the guys are still out there and making music for us to enjoy. With that, I'll jump off the soapbox and go listen to
"Awaken" for the bahzillionth time. From: Graeme Stewart Graemestewart@supanet.com The mention of "Live in Philadelphia" in the last issue makes me wonder about some DVDs being listed by W H Smith, a large UK online retailer. They are currently listing, (as separate releases), YESSONGS, "YES LIVE AT THE RAINBOW 1972", & "CLOSE TO THE EDGE", apparently all from the same publisher. Unless they have unseen footage from different performances, they are (the publishers, not W H Smith) trying to flog us YESSONGS, with three different (I presume) covers. Each has a different reference number, though whether this is the retailers code or the publishers, I don't know. Instead of giving us this stuff, the publishers should
maybe think about releasing "An evening of Yes music", "Live
at QPR" (on one disc, instead of the import rip-offs), "Greatest
Video Hits" & UNION. I have been on these pages before raising the
subject of UK DVD releases. I would sooner pay for these titles, than for
murky, grainy visuals, and muddy sound quality. From: Greg Winston gdwmusic@wi.rr.com After reading some of the submissions regarding Porcupine
Tree, I am disappointed. I thought Yes fans would be more open-minded about
music and an opening act. I have been a Yes fan for many years, seen many
shows - looking forward to seeing them at the Riverside in Milwaukee in
November. I have also been a P Tree fan for a few years and have been lucky
enough to see them a few times. Please don't dismiss them before giving them a
chance - they are not a Tool rip- off. They certainly have music that has a heavy
edge to it. They also have delicate and gorgeous music. These are very
talented and creative musicians. If you give them a chance, you may find music
you cherish at the level you do Yes music. I know I have. From: John Hernandez jhdrums@yahoo.com I'm sorry to read so many close minded submissions about
Porcupine Tree. It is unfortunate that fellow "Yes" fans make a
judgment on a band they have never heard or have seen. I have been a
"Yes" fan since 1972, "Yes" is one of the most influential
bands of our times, but there are other musicians trying to make a difference
in this world of "ripped of samples" and "vocal fixes"
through the magic of computers. "Porcupine Tree" is one of those rare
bands that exhibits both taste and real musicality in their work. I have had
the pleasure of seeing these guys live this past August and I guarantee they
will blow you all away. Have some faith in "Yes" after all didn't
anyone consider that they chose them for a reason. We need more bands like
"Yes" and "Porcupine Tree" to bring back the essence of
what music is all about. From: John Steele yes69to2k@yahoo.com Yes are currently experiencing a magical reunion of friendship, camaraderie and unified vision. Anyone attending their 2002 concerts can clearly see this. And they are moving "Full Circle" through Australia and Japan, and who knows where else; giving all US true YESfans the thrills of yesteryear. I know everyone is hoping for a 'new' album of material, myself included; but with a grueling world tour in progress, it may be expecting too much from them. Only time will tell if the boys in the band have the creative energy to come off the road and move right into the studio, feeding off the magic that is currently casting it's spell on the Yes machine. I am so grateful to have had Yes in my life for 30 plus
years and expect nothing, yet welcome any and everything. We fans have been
truly blessed! From: Frankie frankie543210@hotmail.com What, a northern favored tour? When is Yes coming to the south? I live in Louisiana, and there isn't anything near me, and I'm very disappointed, because I would love to see Yes on tour again. I saw them a couple of times in the old Warehouse in New Orleans in the '70s, I went to Jackson, MS and to Houston a few times, and the last time I saw them was a the House of Blues in New Orleans in 1999. And this tour saddens me greatly that unless I dish out
lot's of money for a plane and the ticket to the concert, I won't see them
again. There is a lot of places for Yes to come to, lot's of places in New
Orleans, or the surrounding areas, like Biloxi, Baton Rouge, Jackson, etc. So I
hope someone reads this, and sets up a concert down here, because there are a lot
of Yes Fans down here that would love to see another concert. "Don't Kill the Whale" Greenpeace Connection? From: Mark D. Murray dcmdm@aol.com I'm glad Yes is playing such a kick ass version of DKTW. It brought back an old but still vivid memory of mine from 1978. I was living near LA at the time, and one spring day one of the local rock stations (K-West) announced a huge benefit concert for Greenpeace to be held at the LA coliseum. In between every song and commercial break they would announce that yet another band has agreed to play. I was glued to my radio, hoping yes would be involved. As the day wore on they confirmed Genesis, The Dead, Fleetwood Mac, etc. At this point I'm sure everyone listening was ecstatic with anticipation for what was sure to be the concert of a lifetime. Right around noon they said Jon Anderson had called and
Yes would play as well! I was overjoyed, but alas the concert never happened. I
began to wonder if the whole thing had been a hoax. I was extremely
disappointed but soon forgot about it. Lo and behold TORMATO is released 6
months later with DKTW! I will forever wonder if Jon's lyrical inspiration for
that song (I know the music was all Chris) was developed as a result of this
failed Greenpeace benefit concert. Does anyone have a clue? From: Jim Whitman Jimw67@hotmail.com I was listening to MAGNIFICATION last night and came to realize how much I liked "Don't Go". I have to agree with a lot of fans who think that it didn't seem to really belong on MAGNIFICATION...but there it is, just the same. Anyhoot, I got to thinking that for all the great "epics" and "masterworks" Yes has come up with over the years, it's the "Roundabouts", "Owner Of A Lonely Hearts", "Lightning Strike-eds" and, yes, "Don't Go-s" that Yes does that help us appreciate the big pieces all the more. And some of those shorter songs are just so damned spiffy and well made, aren't they? ("Just as cute as the dickens!!!", as someone's Grandmother would probably say.) Sure, I like "Awaken", and "The Revealing
Science Of God" as much as any other YesNut...but them shorter songs are kinda
purty in their own way. I think I'll put on "Long Distance Runaround"
just for grins. From: Tom Rogers trsunhillow@aol.com Soon FRAGILE will follow MAGNIFICATION and be released on DVD-Audio. MAGNIFICATION in DVD-Audio's high resolution, surround sound format is exceptional. DVD-Audio also contains a high resolution stereo version as well. Both versions provide clarity and detail that makes any CD version, re-mastered or no, sound muddled. DVD-Audio discs also contain a Dolby Digital or DTS version that, while not high resolution, will play in these surround sound formats on any DVD player. Now we have FRAGILE About to be released and I can only
drool at the possibility of CTTE, TALES, and RELAYER, etc. might follow. These
high resolution discs are fabulous and are usually carefully engineered from
master tapes. They also include lyrics, photos, cover art and more on the
video portion. MAGNIFICATION has a great interview about making the music as
well as a screen saver and more. DVD-Audio and SACD (a similar high resolution
format) are the future of music. We can help reach this future by encouraging
Yes and it's recording companies to carefully and thoughtfully release their
works on this exciting high resolution format. High resolution audio is to
music what high definition video is to TV. What a joy awaits us all to
experience Yes in this format. From: Jerry Colotti jcolotti@hvc.rr.com I've read a few of the reviews from the 2nd leg of the tour, and exactly how I thought it would be is true. It seems that people that know something about Yes music are extremely disappointed. I have been an avid fan for 30 years, and I was bored to tears during this summer's tour. I feel the difference is that the band did not have to "work" for the summer's tour. The previous tours, YesSymphonic, they had to work because of the orchestra. Masterworks, they had to work because they had to play songs that they hadn't played in over 20 years. THE LADDER tour was new songs. They blew through the songs this summer with no effort. They could have played the CD versions loud, and no one would have known the difference. They are comfortable playing with Rick, and have played those songs a 1000 times over. They insulted us by only playing 2 new songs. "South Side" and "Don't kill the Whale". To make matters worse, during the interlude between "We Have Heaven", and "SSoTS", Jon talks during it. It seems they are collecting money for their retirement plans. The care they use to put into each song was missing this year. At Radio City, Rick runs to go play the house organ. Our seat bottoms should have shook. Instead, people were asking people to be quiet, so you could hear it. This nonsense would have never happened in the past. The reviews I have read so far, it seems they are going thru the motions of being onstage. They are far better than this. I have said in the past in this forum, that they have never understood their fans, and this is another example. The summer's tour was a perfect opportunity to play songs from the box set that were unreleased, and songs from the first 2 albums. Maybe they are afraid that the average fan is in their 40's and 50's, that we might not be able to overcome the shock of the band playing something that is a surprise to us. They have lost any idea how to have fun on stage, or to make the set fun and enjoyable. Reading Steve's last interview, I think he still can't get over that the orchestra came onstage to dance. I did not buy tickets for this tour, the first time in
over 25 years. I am glad I didn't. I am hesitant to buy any for the inevitable
greatest hits tour of the summer of 2003. They are going to have to open up,
and let us know what their goals are for the future. Rehashing the old stuff,
or giving us new and interesting experiences onstage. From: Todd Cadle sunflwr98@aol.com My college age stepson just told me that there are a few
yes songs on the new Grand Thief Auto - Vice City computer game. This is an
adult only game with extreme violence. It says on the package that song are
with the permission of the group and publisher. Does this mean that yes
doesn't care who uses their music, or is it management just trying to make
money anyway they can. Does anyone else see a problem with Yes positive ideas
being used in this way? Let me hear from fans. From: Scott Gottliebson
sgottliebson@yahoo.com I got a call from some friends of mine from the Schottenstein Value City Arena the night of the concert in Columbus Ohio. I couldn't go because of work and other prior commitments. I was really bummed when he told me the venue was less than half full. I really wasn't surprised since the only advertising I was aware of came from a quarter-page ad in a weekly paper and a few spots on the local AM station. There was a stupid contest on the classic station where people had to match Meg Ryan's orgasm scene yes per yes. Oh God! So I sat back in my chair and cursed another round of "bad management" and the big hit machine music industry and my sorry ass excuses for not supporting the band I have loved since 1981. A little later on the phone rang again and although the distortion was great I could hear a live version of "We Have Heaven" followed by "South Side Of The Sky" My wife smiled knowingly as I bobbed and weaved around the kitchen conducting to the two songs I most wanted to hear. I was 42 miles away but I felt like I was there. My friends claimed the guys were going through the motions perhaps disappointed by the turn out. They said that Steve had messed up his timing a lot. They also said Jon took requests three times but were saddened that they only played the 70s stuff except for "In The Presence Of" I wished they had called back during "Awaken" but I didn't care, I got to hear the songs I heard they were playing on other shows. Then I realized that Yes is a waning force in this world because people like me don't contribute. I should have bought a ticket and been there cheering them, inspiring them to be what they are. I should have responded to their tour and talked it up to all my friends and written the editors of papers and called radio stations asking for songs. I should have but I didn't. We do have a little bit of heaven with the group called
Yes but we are just as important as they are. Without "fans" there is
no group. Without Yes there is no reason to rejoice. I regret contributing to
the decline of my beloved Yes and I say never again. There is a live box set
coming out soon and, hopefully, a new studio album after that followed by a
tour. I'm going to do everything in my power to keep the Yes force going.
Everyone who loves this band should. After all, fan is short for fanatic isn't it? From: Dale Stubitsch dalegtr18@yahoo.com I am guitarist and huge fan of Steve Howe and Yes. My dream has been to walk into a store and find a note-for-note score book of all of Yes' music, much like the Beatle scorebook. After years of searching to no avail, I realized I would have to get off my lazy duff and make an effort to transcribe some of these songs on my own. Thanks to the laborious efforts of many people who have posted tabs in various places on the web, I have a pretty decent head start on several songs. So far to date, I have a fairly accurate transcription of "Heart of the Sunrise" (no drums, though) and "Yours Is No Disgrace" (again, no drums), as well as portions of America, Perpetual Change and a couple of others snippets of other songs. As I am only a marginal reader of your wonderful site (something I will be rectifying shortly!), I realized today, when I did a search of your site for "transcriptions," that there are others out there like me who want to see accurate transcriptions of Yes music. I have sent an email to Greg Utas and several others regarding transcriptions, though some of the addresses are no longer live. I am wondering what became of the proposed project to involve musicians in this gargantuan project to transcribe Yes' music and if I can help contribute. I would welcome anyone that would be interested in
pursuing this project to contact me and see what we can do. Thanks much and rock
on! The Critics Could Stay at Home From: Jimmy Wegoil jem302@juno.com By the time this is published, I will have seen Yes live for the third time in 2002. I have managed to see them at least once every year since 1989. I have been reading the posts about the second leg of the 2002 tour on the Reviews page at YesNet. Some of them are very negative. As a fan of this fine group of musicians since 1972, I am bewildered as to how someone could go see this lineup and complain. People complain about the light show? Give me a break. If you go to see the lights, go to a planetarium - they have an excellent light show! This group could have just enough lighting so that I could see them and I would be happy. I go for the music! People complain about the backdrop on the stage. This group could hang up a bed sheet behind Alan with their logo on it and I would be happy. I go for the music! People complain about the sound - "Steve was too loud", "I couldn't hear Rick", "Chris could not be heard", etc.... In all of the Yes shows I have attended, I have never had a complaint about the sound. I am happy to be able to hear these guys live. People complain that the guys looked tired and looked like they wanted to get off the stage. Outrageous! For those of you that have passed that 50th birthday, I challenge you to go on stage and play night after night, year after year, and hold up as well as these guys have over the years. How can you tell that they looked like they wanted to get off stage? Did their roadies continually have to push them back on stage? People complain that they make mistakes while they are playing, and that Jon's voice is fading. Outrageous! ALL MUSICIANS MAKE MISTAKES. Yes is no exception. If you want perfection every time you listen to Yes music, you could stay at home and listen to the studio tracks. Those are about as perfect as you are going to get. At the Chicago show in July, it took them three tries to get America started up because Rick was missing the intro. After the second try, Jon make a remark that the standing ovation the audience had given them after "Siberian Khatru" had blown them away and they couldn't play! That intimacy made the evening, and they got "America" right the next try. The way I look at it is that these fine musicians
continue to give and give to their fans year after year, and we should
appreciate them for it. So what if the lights don't meet your approval. So
what if the sound isn't perfect for you. So what if you notice a mistake.
Just sit back, relax, and be grateful that you can be in the presence of what I
consider the best band in the world! Stillness of Heart Through Yes From: Sue Light startlight1290@aol.com Wish you were playing closer to Boston but seeing you in NH is just as nice, perhaps better...recently took a trip to NH to see the foliage and it was beautiful, spectacular colors, breathtaking. May be looking to relocate, make a fresh start and NH is certainly inspiring... CDs are great but cannot wait to see you again in person...this past year and 1/2 has been very difficult, test of my strength and spirit. My brother died suddenly of a massive heart attack, shortly after my daughter underwent a serious operation, and I've been dealing with the aftermath of a relationship with a man I loved like no other, which became abusive/violent and ended tragically a year ago. Through counseling hope to answer the question, why someone who loves me would want to harm me? and laugh about it. And getting through everything else through TIME, a great healer, and MUSIC. I never knew how healing MUSIC can be. When I feel my strength withering, faith challenged, I listen to YOUR words, listen to YOUR music and I'm uplifted physically and spiritually. I was told your music is all positive, of goodness and truth. So true. Time is a true healer, it's been 1 long year...safe now...Hope someday to SMILE, as I use to, experience happiness again. I just wanted you to know that you are an inspiration to all of us, more so at certain times in our lives than others. Thank you for being there when "I" needed you... PS: My daughter is a Yes fan now...and so it goes...on
and on... From: Mark Debellis creditdr@twcny.rr.com I have been a Yes fan for over 25 years and appreciate the band still touring. I just saw the show in Rochester and with Mr. Wakeman there is a feeling of a family being reunited. Rick once stated that the band could be carrying on to a new generation with different musicians carrying the yes family crest. When I look at the YESHOO main page it strikes me as an academy and these have been the classmates over the years. Thinking of the concept of Yes as an academy makes it possible to have new personnel come in and create new Yes music. I think it would be pretty cool to have the current essential members invite past members and work as a cohesive sub unit making new music. An example would be Squire, Sherwood, Downes, White, and Horn, or Anderson, Howe, Moraz, Bruford, with Rabin on bass. The band could also invite musicians not yet affiliated in the Yes cannon like Tony Levin, Steve Porcaro and even young proggers in bands like Spocks Beard and Porcupine Tree. An album representing the heritage of Yes could realistically set the band up to continue after Anderson, Wakeman, White (THE TRUE YES DRUMMER), Howe, and Squire have retired. The perpetual change in the band lineup is a big reason the band can still carry on as a working unit creating fresh music and not simply a nostalgia band like the Who have become. My second thought is to ask the band to tour like the Grateful Dead used to. Yesheads and Deadheads are the most loyal fans in the business. What made a Dead head follow the band is that each night was a unique show. When Yes tours it seems like another town, another (almost) the same show. I would love to see a loose rotation of different songs and reworking of songs like "Long Distance Runaround" was on the RELAYER tour. My mind boggles at the thought of Yes using their enormous catalog of music to have a unique concert experience every time they play. Yesheads would follow the tour if their was a valid reason to do so. What ever the band decides to do I appreciate their
willingness to continue making the magic that is the Yes heritage!! From: Mark Welsh karaganda55@hotmail.com I just finished listening to a track from Flash's IN THE CAN LP called "Lifetime". Flash was the band formed by Peter Banks and Tony Kaye shortly after the latter's departure from Yes in 1971. I don't listen to "Lifetime" very often because I don't want to get sick of it but I have to admit that the musicianship is superb. It makes me think of how Yes would have sounded if the original lineup had somehow remained in place and the members had a chance to grow and develop together a little more fully. Banks's guitar rivals Howe's easily in its complexity and creativity. And Chris Squire fans would be truly surprised at Ray Bennett's bass with its excellent use of the heavy pic and the ripping, melodic lines that intertwine around the guitar. The drummer, Mike Hough, plays in the best Bill Bruford style but, in my opinion, much more aggressively with some really great stick-work. Colin Carter, the vocalist, sings with confidence and power in a sound much like Jon Anderson while Tony Kaye lays down some heavy, pounding keyboarding that reminds me of his fine work on TIME AND A WORD and THE YES ALBUM. Obviously Flash was put together to recreate some aspects of the Yes sound but in a more advanced and developed way and was probably intended by Banks and Kaye to rival the success of Yes's newly released 'FRAGILE' LP. Sad to say, their album 'In the Can' is no longer available and "Lifetime" not easy to find but, in a way, this doesn't really surprise me. During its short life, Flash went unappreciated and unnoticed except as maybe a curiosity on the part of Yes fans and I feel this stigma follows Peter Banks to this very day -- going unnoticed and unappreciated in spite of the superb music that the band, and he, generated along the way. The release of CLOSE TO THE EDGE by Yes in 1972 pretty much sapped away whatever interest Yes fans had in Flash. Tony Kaye departed to strike out on his own though still remaining on very good terms with Banks. The rest of the band struggled on as a foursome and eventually broke up due to bad management and record company neglect. Fans of Yes's earlier material should try to give a
listen to Flash especially to tracks like "Lifetime"--if they can
find it. It is by far my favorite and I'm sure lovers of THE YES ALBUM and TIME
AND A WORD would certainly agree. Stunning Performance in Philadelphia From: Steve Kossor sakossor@voicenet.com I attended the first performance in Philadelphia on November 8th -- my wife and I were there to celebrate our 22nd anniversary. The show was fabulous, with Rick and Steve trading licks with such intensity, and joy, that Jon commented on "the great energy in the band" when we met him at the Ritz after the show. He was cheerful, smiled, readily shook hands, congratulated my wife and I on our anniversary (commenting that he should have sung "happy anniversary to somebody," instead of "happy birthday to somebody" from the stage that night), and visited with a few friends at the hotel before retiring for the night. He was so unassuming and appreciative of the compliments he received. The next morning, Rick was doing an interview in the
hotel restaurant while my wife and I had breakfast. As he was leaving, I
approached him and he warmly greeted me, smiled, shook hands, and thanked me
for being "so kind" when I introduced myself and said that I'd been
in awe of his talent for 30 years, and thought that the show on the previous
night was absolutely wonderful. Jon remarked from the stage that he was so
thankful that he and the others "could still play the music" and that
"so many people still want to hear it." It was a marvelous,
inspiring time for my wife and I; we can't wait for the next opportunity to
share time with Yes. We do have one suggestion for Porcupine Tree (the band
that preceded Yes to the stage) -- rethink the visuals. The images projected
on the screen behind them were unnervingly grotesque and their vibe was
surprisingly antithetical to the optimistic, uplifting vibe that Yes has
thrived on and nurtured for so long. YESSHOWS Question (and Some Ramblings-on) From: Keith K Smith vgmc@webtv.net YESSHOWS is one of the more overlooked CDs in the catalogue. I have a question...between "Don't Kill the Whale" and "Ritual", Jon is thanking his tour people and road crew, and at one point he appears to be saying "Don't point that _____ in my face! C'mon!" Anyone want to elaborate on that? By the way...the extended guitar solo on Ritual is one of Chris' best moments on audio, that and his extended 11-minute version of The Fish on YESSONGS. (What was his wacky intro on Survival all about anyways?) Re songs that would go well with orchestration: How about Love Will Find A Way (which starts with a multi-violin solo) or Rhythm of Love (whose intro simulates orchestration)? Oh wait...Rick tore up those from off the "list" in '91, didn't he? (Only to follow, I hear, with tea?) Nice animation job on the YesSymphonic DVD. "Don't Go" is the first MTV-style video I've seen since "I'm Alive". (What's with the little "car"-toon on the live version, fellas?) I've yet to buy the House of Blues DVD; saw part of "Homeworld" video at the Toledo '99 concert (where Steve made an error "for the first time ever" with the wrong guitar at first and they had to start the song over..."look busy"). And that brings up another subject...Jethro Tull usually follows on Yes's heels with their own album...why has there never been a House of TULL CD? And for that matter, are Ian and Jon (Andersons) related in any way? As far as "Man In the Moon": I think I hear Jon singing, almost piercing through. Turn up your CD louder! I got the blue "surround-sound" OPEN YOUR EYES disc that apparently requires 4 speakers to get the full effect; it's hard to hear the vocals on New State of Mind, for example. I also notice that Mr. Squire is taking a more active "lead" on many vocal parts these days. Such an example is "Can You Imagine", where he takes lead vocals entirely. [That and "Magnification" just may well be the best "form" songs on the latest album.] On Open Your Eyes he shares the lead with Jon. On others he, Jon, and the others do a full choral throughout and there is no "lead vocal" on those particular tracks. I have a long list of favorites from each album as well
as Power Picks from each. I'd like to list them sometime, though not all at
once as it would be too long a thread. (Like this one isn't, hi hi?) From: Orelon Sidney orelon.sidney@turner.com Does anyone know if Jon Anderson was in Atlanta on
September 30, 2002??? I ask because I was at a restaurant called
"Einstein's" and I could SWEAR he was sitting at the bar about 4 feet
away from me! His daughter, Jade, was performing in Atlanta that week, so I guess
it's possible...By the way, this guy had blue eyes...If you have any info,
please let me know...My friend and I have been arguing about this for weeks! YesFamily From: Frank List franzstuka@yahoo.com There is an interesting human dynamic that is growing around the concerts: the family of YesLovers who meet before (and after) the shows. Introductions are more like a family reunion than a group of people who had never before met. Just by the fact that we are there removes so much of the barriers that we build around ourselves in 'common society'. We are bonded by this love of Historically Significant Music; we see ourselves as sharing in a Vision that the public at large chooses to ignore. We can drop the obligatory defensive posture that most of us assume when we mix with the 'un-Yessed', and we cease to be 'that old Yes freak', and become relaxed and open, because we are surrounded by those who share the same love, the same 'grokking' of what True Music is. As a working musician in a town known for 'music' (if that's what you want to call some of this nasal-anal noise that comes from Music Row), I can tell you that even in circles of musicians who never listen to anything closer to Rock than Shania or Toby, Yes is held in high regard, even awe. I have taken on the 'mission' of sharing these wonderful artists to the 'un-Yessed' professional musicians I meet here...and their reaction is always the same..."Wow! How did they do that?" "Man, listen to that guy pick!" "Are you sure that's a bass? How do they get it to sound like that?" I have a friend in Nashville who is considered one of the strongest pickers in town, and that's saying something! He proudly showed me how he had worked out 'Clap'...and now he plays it often...so he has taken on the Mission as well. I have said all this to convey this one core thought: Don't worry about how the Mainstream Media continues to ignore this band. Recognize that this kind of involved, complicated, beautiful, emotional music is not for everyone, nor will it ever be. The guys in the Band seem to be at Peace with that fact. The "Flavor of the Day music" will always grab the headlines, and then 'poof!' be gone like flatulence in a whirlwind. But, this music we love is a precious gift that only those willing to really listen, really SHUT UP and LISTEN, are heir to. Most folks are unwilling or unable to do that. Their loss. Let's just celebrate our Love for the Music, and our Love
for each other who are bound together by its Power and Grace. From: Susan Troy susan_troy@ssga.com Since being introduced to your music, I have listened for the pure enjoyment of it...especially enjoy MAGNIFICATION. But this last year and a half has been a very difficult time for me and a test of my strength, faith and beliefs. My brother passed away suddenly of a massive heart attack in May, and my 6 year old daughter went through a serious operation shortly thereafter. Your music has been a comfort through these times and other recent tragedies...I just want to thank you for creating this music and words so meaningful. They carry great comfort and hope. There is no other band like yours. Hope you continue to
create this unique music... From: Kent Dodd KLDodd@aol.com I've been a staunch Yes fan for a long time. This has led me to attend twenty-five Yesshows since the 1980 DRAMA tour. I welcomed Rick Wakeman's recent return to the band. It was just as exciting to learn of the set list for the summer leg of the 2002 tour. There was enough variety to justify the description of it as being a genuine breath of fresh air. Close To The Edge is my favorite Yessong and Yes album. This prevents me from complaining about any track from that album being on the set list of an attended Yesshow. So I did not greet the substitution of "Close To The Edge" for "The Revealing Science Of God" for the second leg of the 2002 tour with a thumbs down. But that earlier breath of fresh air was now not quite as fresh. This brings me to my point. On recent tours Yes has been giving full treatment to the CLOSE TO THE EDGE and FRAGILE albums. And I'm glad they've done that. I love classic Yes music. But the time has come for the band to bring more diversity to the set lists of future tours. Their current shows are being attended for the most part by stalwart fans like myself who are familiar with the sizable catalogue of unperformed Yessongs. I know us staunch Yes fans would give an equally enthusiastic response to any number of these unperformed songs as we're now giving up for the FRAGILE and CLOSE TO THE EDGE tunes that we get on nearly every concert tour. The following list reflects my personal taste for boosting set list diversity. I pray the band may be influenced by it. Because the special musical alliance existing between Yes and Yes fans is dependent upon sensitivity to issues like this one. 1) To Be Over 2) "Side One" of GOING FOR THE ONE 3) anything from TIME AND A WORD 4) something more from TORMATO 5) Mind Drive From: Andy Yue ushaped@hotmail.com Just want to say thanks to everyone who emailed me links to MIDI files of "Sound Chaser". I took the file into my notation program and have now a nice Adobe Acrobat PDF of the keyboard part. Another musician asked for it and I have posted it on my website. If anyone else is interested in it they can access it at this URL: http://members.rogers.com/u-shaped2/Sound_Chaser.pdf
From: Paul Botta paulbotta@twelfthlight.com It was on 12/23 of this past year (the eve of Christmas Eve?) last year, when I, like thousands of other Seattlies, combed the local stores in search of last minute gifts and groceries in anticipation of the holiday. I was shopping at a popular local store (whose identity will remain anonymous), studying the crowd as I navigated my shopping cart through the masses. A man in the background caught my attention. He kept falling in and out of view. I knew he looked familiar, and yes, I knew why. I kept staring at him, looking for something in his face to dismiss my first suspicion, because It just really couldn't have been him - could it? "What's the matter with you?" my wife asked. I told her. She thought I was crazy. But I didn't think so. I summoned my courage and went over to the man in question. "Mr. White?" I asked. He looked up, a little startled. "Yes." he confirmed. I shook his hand, apologizing for interrupting his personal life. I told him what I huge fan on the band I was and how important the music had been to me over the last 25 years. He was polite and gracious, and seemed a little surprised to be recognized. I thanked him and wished him a happy holiday. I returned to my wife and told her that I had been
right. Not a moment later, I had come across a gift book on the history of
rock and roll. Inside were several pages devoted to Yes, and a picture of Alan
when he first joined the band. My wife handed me a pen and suggested that I
get his autograph. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I didn't want
to be an annoying fan. At 40, I had to pretend to display some modicum of
maturity, and the poor guy was busy doing his last minute shopping like
everyone else. We're Not All Lynard Skynard Fans in the South From: Mark Gibson christine.gibson@noaa.gov Well, after expressing my hopes back in July that YES would come somewhere in the south besides Atlanta and south Florida, where did they go for the second leg of the tour?? That's right; Atlanta and south Florida AGAIN!!! Atlanta's show was even in a venue that nobody liked the last time they were there. I just don't get it. The deep south is often misunderstood politically, socially, and culturally. I don't drive a pickup, dip snuff, or attend KKK meetings. I was introduced to YES in 1971 when "Your Move"/"All Good People" was played on the New Orleans radio stations. YES quickly became my favorite band, TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS my favorite album, and Alan White my favorite drummer and role model. So now three years have gone by since there's been a YES
concert somewhere in the south besides you-know-where. I'm tired of having to
buy videos to see this great band in concert. Thank You for A Great North American Tour From: William E. Surdi
wsurdi@msn.com This sincere letter of appreciation is for the support staff who without them, we would not have the memories that we have of YES: Left Bank Management Thank You, God Bless From: Tammy Miller millert@wsu.edu About eight or nine years ago, Rick Wakeman toured with his son Adam. Some smart promoter got them scheduled into a small club in the college town of Moscow, Idaho - where I've resided for over twenty years now. Before the show I brought a picture of my husband and I that was taken in 1975(?) before we left for San Francisco to see Rick's Journey to the Center of the Earth tour. All the band members welcomed me into the green room, and were happy to share autographs and memories. Rick's autograph was really very special as it added meaning to over twenty years of togetherness with my husband, and the joy that the music of Yes and Rick Wakeman has given us over the years. Later after the show, Adam and several band members came over to our house to party after hours. The bass player bought one of our Gentle Giant CDs for a couple of bucks and a guitar pick before he left. Everyone was kind, fun, and grateful for the obvious affection and adoration of their fans. While I've never met the other members of Yes, I'm certain that their appreciation for their true fans extends well beyond the ire that the eBay "fans" inspire. My precious few mementos will never be for sale.
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