I'm a fan, although I'm not as versed in their catalog as I should/could be.
During a big record reorganization project a few weeks ago, I navigated unsuccessfully through a small stack of Yes records. When they are hitting, they are definitely hitting but there is some stuff I heard that was straight nasty. But I love most of the tunes I have heard by Yes on classic rock radio.
When I was 13, my cousin and I went to Boy Scout Camp at Camp Siwanoy in Wingdale, NY. The two kids that lived in the tent next to us smoked weed constantly and listened to Yes exclusively. After three days, they were kicked out and my cousin and I were very critical of their behavior.
I also went to school at SUNY with Rick Danko's son before he died in a tragic drinking accident, although I graduated in 89 when he was a freshman.
Bruford and Squire have to be one of the best rhythm sections ever. I'm down with s/t -> Tales From Topographic Oceans - anything after that I'm not really feeling. Alan White just doesn't do it for me. I could listen to Squire's bass all day long, love that tone.
Yes. Bassist Chris Squire admittedly said he wanted to copy Larry Graham's playing style from Fragile[/b] onwards, so when you hear his work in "Roundabout", you're hearing Squire wanted to add a bit of funk into his prog rock.
I'm definitely a fan, and the solo work is pretty good too.
Well, with the exception of some of Jon Anderson's stuff with the exception of that "Friends Of Mr. Cairo" thing he did with Vangelis.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
There's a few things I don't like about Yes. Jon Anderson's incomprehensible, syntax-mangling lyrics will do for starters. Absolute gibberish, most of the time. If he was thirty years younger, rocked a chinstrap beard and an LRG hoodie, and didn't have a voice like a choirboy, he'd be signed to Def Jux. Also, on the basis of a recent interview, Steve Howe appears to be a textbook muso snob with an incredibly high-flown sense of both his and his band's importance. Once in a while, I'd like to hear some grizzled old prog-rocker admit that, for half the time, they were just waving their dicks about and selling themselves short because they knew that the audience only wanted to hear them play reallyreallyreallyfast.
The funny thing is, when I listen to Yes nowadays, Howe's playing is one of the things I really like about their music. It's all clipped, urgent Barney Kessel/Chet Atkins/James Burton runs and phrases, when everyone else at the time was happily trailing in the wake of Clapton and Hendrix. If any of you have that Age of Atlantic comp from about 1970/71, check their version of Paul Simon's America - Howe f*cking kills it throughout. In fact, the entire band are on it for the whole track, and the arrangement flips mad styles, too; country, Meters-style funk, Latin, West Coast pop, none of which swamp the song, making it possibly my favourite ever cover of a Paul Simon song. At their best, which for me is The Yes Album/Fragile/Close To The Edge, they did sound like a bunch of gifted musicians experimenting with existing pop forms and structures, and trying to shape something genuinely new out of them - shit is crammed with ideas, and the best of it still stands up. They dropped the ball with Tales from Topographic Oceans, and briefly got their mojo back with Relayer, but after that there was just the odd tune here and there. I agree that some of the solo joints are slept on, especially Squire and Alan White's albums, and Bruford's jumping ship to King Crimson was definitely the move (now there's a band that came hard). But do I ride for those three albums from 1971-72, though? F*ck, yes.
I recently cleansed my last Yes LP (the Yes album) from the collection. I have decided I do not ride. Although my Dad would blast Relayer (aka the 2nd to last one I got shot of) in the car when I was young.
There's a few things I don't like about Yes. Jon Anderson's incomprehensible, syntax-mangling lyrics will do for starters. Absolute gibberish, most of the time. If he was thirty years younger, rocked a chinstrap beard and an LRG hoodie, and didn't have a voice like a choirboy, he'd be signed to Def Jux. Also, on the basis of a recent interview, Steve Howe appears to be a textbook muso snob with an incredibly high-flown sense of both his and his band's importance. Once in a while, I'd like to hear some grizzled old prog-rocker admit that, for half the time, they were just waving their dicks about and selling themselves short because they knew that the audience only wanted to hear them play reallyreallyreallyfast[/b] .
The funny thing is, when I listen to Yes nowadays, Howe's playing is one of the things I really like about their music. It's all clipped, urgent Barney Kessel/Chet Atkins/James Burton runs and phrases, when everyone else at the time was happily trailing in the wake of Clapton and Hendrix. If any of you have that Age of Atlantic comp from about 1970/71, check their version of Paul Simon's America - Howe f*cking kills it throughout. In fact, the entire band are on it for the whole track, and the arrangement flips mad styles, too; country, Meters-style funk, Latin, West Coast pop, none of which swamp the song, making it possibly my favourite ever cover of a Paul Simon song. At their best, which for me is The Yes Album/Fragile/Close To The Edge, they did sound like a bunch of gifted musicians experimenting with existing pop forms and structures, and trying to shape something genuinely new out of them - shit is crammed with ideas, and the best of it still stands up. They dropped the ball with Tales from Topographic Oceans, and briefly got their mojo back with Relayer, but after that there was just the odd tune here and there. I agree that some of the solo joints are slept on, especially Squire and Alan White's albums, and Bruford's jumping ship to King Crimson was definitely the move (now there's a band that came hard). But do I ride for those three albums from 1971-72, though? F*ck, yes.
This cannot be stated enough.
I bought "Tales Of Topographic Oceans" for 25 cents at a school fair when I was a very young nipper, I guess it was my earliest experience of digging for records and it could easily have put me off the whole business for life. I tracked through all 6 (six?!) sides of that sucker, wondering where I could drop the needle without fear of ear-abrasion. And that title...still pisses me off!
Anyway, all that pretentious proggy twaddle quickly became the epitome of everything I didn't want to hear in music so I never gave Yes a fair shake, and I don't feel at all bad about it.
Its been interesting to read all your reviews of their output - such informed, articulate opinions almost made me want to issue an amnesty, plunk down for "Tormato" and give it a modern day appraisal. Almost, but...I'll happily admit it's not going to happen.
As much as I'd like to, I just cannot get with Yes. However, any King Crimson '69-'74 and even all 3 releases in 80's get my some ELP is cool. and if I never heard a song by Rush ever again in my entire life I would be perfectly content.
RAJ
tenacious local 7,782 Posts
Comments
I'll ride for Fragile all day, however.
During a big record reorganization project a few weeks ago, I navigated unsuccessfully through a small stack of Yes records. When they are hitting, they are definitely hitting but there is some stuff I heard that was straight nasty. But I love most of the tunes I have heard by Yes on classic rock radio.
and i aint talkin 'bout no paul verhoeven movie neither...
btw - When it comes on in Buffalo 66 = goosebumps!
I also went to school at SUNY with Rick Danko's son before he died in a tragic drinking accident, although I graduated in 89 when he was a freshman.
I ride hard for the opener on Jon Anderson's Olias of Sunhillow.
I'm definitely a fan, and the solo work is pretty good too.
Well, with the exception of some of Jon Anderson's stuff with the exception of that "Friends Of Mr. Cairo" thing he did with Vangelis.
The funny thing is, when I listen to Yes nowadays, Howe's playing is one of the things I really like about their music. It's all clipped, urgent Barney Kessel/Chet Atkins/James Burton runs and phrases, when everyone else at the time was happily trailing in the wake of Clapton and Hendrix. If any of you have that Age of Atlantic comp from about 1970/71, check their version of Paul Simon's America - Howe f*cking kills it throughout. In fact, the entire band are on it for the whole track, and the arrangement flips mad styles, too; country, Meters-style funk, Latin, West Coast pop, none of which swamp the song, making it possibly my favourite ever cover of a Paul Simon song. At their best, which for me is The Yes Album/Fragile/Close To The Edge, they did sound like a bunch of gifted musicians experimenting with existing pop forms and structures, and trying to shape something genuinely new out of them - shit is crammed with ideas, and the best of it still stands up. They dropped the ball with Tales from Topographic Oceans, and briefly got their mojo back with Relayer, but after that there was just the odd tune here and there. I agree that some of the solo joints are slept on, especially Squire and Alan White's albums, and Bruford's jumping ship to King Crimson was definitely the move (now there's a band that came hard). But do I ride for those three albums from 1971-72, though? F*ck, yes.
This cannot be stated enough.
I bought "Tales Of Topographic Oceans" for 25 cents at a school fair when I was a very young nipper, I guess it was my earliest experience of digging for records and it could easily have put me off the whole business for life. I tracked through all 6 (six?!) sides of that sucker, wondering where I could drop the needle without fear of ear-abrasion. And that title...still pisses me off!
Anyway, all that pretentious proggy twaddle quickly became the epitome of everything I didn't want to hear in music so I never gave Yes a fair shake, and I don't feel at all bad about it.
Its been interesting to read all your reviews of their output - such informed, articulate opinions almost made me want to issue an amnesty, plunk down for "Tormato" and give it a modern day appraisal. Almost, but...I'll happily admit it's not going to happen.
Epic banger related.
some ELP is cool.
and if I never heard a song by Rush ever again in my entire life I would be perfectly content.