just got my tickets for the band YES

[mdmatt4ever]

anyone else a fan?

 

[tagradh]

Don't listen to them so much now but they are great live. Rick Wakeman ftw.

 

[BloodSword]

Great live experience and band. Hope you have an awesome fuckin' time. You do know that Jon Anderson won't be on this tour? The vocalist is Benoit David. According to what Cris Squire said, "he fits the bill very well."

 

[ramses]

Yeah, Anderson has some health issues, causing the tour to be postponed. The biggest Yes fan here, without a doubt. I'm suprised Billy Sherwood isn't doing the vocal duties. Probably because Steve Howe will whine again. Of course, Yes were supposed to re-unite with the Drama line-up, to do an anniversary (the only Yes album without Anderson) of the 1980Drama album, but that got cancelled. Probably because Trevor Horn (vocals on Drama) changed his mind. I missed their 35th anniversary tour, I hope to have money soon to get a ticket for this one. After all, they're approaching their mid 60's, and Rick's health may eventually make him retire for good. And I'd like to see him one last time at least. Chris is forever the optimist- ( well, they are called Yes....) he's the one responsible for getting Alan White to take over drums, Rick to re-join in '76, Trevor Horn, and Geoff Downes to join in '79, Trevor Rabin, Billy Sherwood, and the list goes on....

 

[mdmatt4ever]

yes i know anderson is not on this tour and neither is rick wakeman, its his son playing keyboards. still though for $35 it will be a good show. i only have 1 album by yes, looking at the tracklisting for this album what songs/albums do i still need to check out. http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6658783 thats the album i have

 

[BloodSword]

That covers a lot of their tunes. I certainly would get the first four albums. This might be redundant, but I, picked up "Yes-Live in Montreux-2003" and Steve Howe plays magnificently, but looks like he could die at any moment. Excellent dvd sonically and the filmwork is very good. I saw Yes for the first time on their "Fragile" tour, in 72-73 I think, and it was/is one of the best concerts I've ever attended.

 

[ramses]

Oh yeah, one of Rick's son's. Can't remember which. Oliver was on the '96 Yes tribute album, and his band did Starship Trooper. He almost toured with them for the Ladder tour, but at the last minute (at the time Keyboardist) Igor got his passport stuff straightened out. Too funny, Bloodsword....I've been saying Steve looks rough for the last 12-13 years. The Symphonic dvd they did about 7 years ago was great, but Steve half the time, looked like he was trembling. I love the guy, but you can barely hear his guitar anymore....ever since the Keys to Ascension album. I heard a few years ago that Trevor Rabin missed being in the band, and thought of doing something with Yes again. But, I'm sure Steve, who does have an ego, shot that down. He's the reason a few members left, or got kicked out. He threw such a hissy fit over the Talk album, and a few other things he didn't play on in the past.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

That covers a lot of their tunes. I certainly would get the first four albums. This might be redundant, but I, picked up "Yes-Live in Montreux-2003" and Steve Howe plays magnificently, but looks like he could die at any moment. Excellent dvd sonically and the filmwork is very good. I saw Yes for the first time on their "Fragile" tour, in 72-73 I think, and it was/is one of the best concerts I've ever attended.

i heard the self titled and the one after that are pretty weak. i was told to get "the yes album", fragile and going for the one

 

[ramses]

The first 2 Yes albums have a few good tracks on each, but they were still finding their direction/identity, and did a few covers on each album. Like most 70's prog bands, most of them had the same peak years....'71-'78.
Yes Album
Fragile
Close to the Edge
Tales From Topographic Oceans
Relayer
Going For the One
Any of these Yes albums are good starts. Most consider Fragile, and CTTE their best, and where to start. Though Tales From Topographic Oceans is my absolute favorite, I can't argue with the two that are more suggested.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

The first 2 Yes albums have a few good tracks on each, but they were still finding their direction/identity, and did a few covers on each album. Like most 70's prog bands, most of them had the same peak years....'71-'78.
Yes Album
Fragile
Close to the Edge
Tales From Topographic Oceans
Relayer
Going For the One
Any of these Yes albums are good starts. Most consider Fragile, and CTTE their best, and where to start. Though Tales From Topographic Oceans is my absolute favorite, I can't argue with the two that are more suggested.

thanks. those are the 6 other people suggested

 

[BloodSword]

Yeah, Ramses is completely correct on what you should get. I'm old as dirt and liked just about everything Yes did. I'd love for them to write some new material. Ramses, I did not know Mr. Howe could be a problem, you know, there's one in every crowd. Interesting that TFTO is your favorite Yes. I too enjoy it, it was a courageous move on their part to record that in 1974. From what I heard Yes was under the spell of the Mahavishnu Orchestra at the time. Most fans I knew back then jumped ship on Yes because of TFTO. Too bad for them, but I guess I can understand why it was difficult to absorb.

 

[ramses]

Einherjar and I, and a few others all love that '73 album. Jon Anderson was into these Japanese Sharstric scriptures, when touring CTTE in '72. And he said in a documentary...."the critics were saying after CTTE that next we'll probably try to put the bible to music, so I thought....we'll show you, it can be done!" It's such a dark, yet uplifting cosmic, spiritual (without pushing any form of religion) masterpiece. Despite Steve being very egotistical, I love his guitar work. During the Union tour,in Los Angeles, their original guitarist (Peter Banks) off their first 2, was supposed to come out and do a medley of stuff he did when in the band. Steve didn't want him to do it, so at the last minute, he said it wouldn't be a good idea. All Steve said about it was "I don't remember saying that....he could come out and do one song...that'd be allright, I guess" He said Trevor Rabin's work, "wasn't Yes-ish, it's not Yes, what I did was Yes". Basically a few times, he's said in a vague way that he's not doing it right. He didn't want Billy Sherwood even playing rhythm guitar, thought it wasn't necessary. But, he wasn't the only egotistical member, just the most obvious. The '74 Relayer album is the one that had them going jazzy, with the Mahavishnu bits in their 3 songs, especially the song, Sound Chaser. Parick Moraz is such an amazing keyboardist on that album. Rick's the best, mind you, but Patrick is so underrated, not appreciated enough. I wish they'd do something new soon, because Magnification was a bit of a let down. It has some good songs, but it wasn't a strong consistent album like most of their work.

 

[mdmatt4ever]

is any album after the 80's good? i know someone told me to get the anderson bruford wakeman howe album but thats still the 80's. jon anderson said they had written some new stuff but weren't in a rush to put out an album because of how poor the ladder and magnification sold

 

[ramses]

Of course the 1980 album Drama is great. It's the only album without Jon Anderson. It has Trevor Horn on vocals, who sounds a bit like Anderson. Geoff Downes (who after the album, left with Steve to form Asia) did some good keyboard work on the album. 90125 is an awesome album. Yes going into a harder, more rhytmic direction, and of course very mainstream, catchy sound, but regardleess, an excellent album. Big Generator in '87 is my second favorite Yes album. Half the album has a cold, but ambient atmosphere, shimmering guitar sections. This is the album where Trevor Rabin took old melodic, mystical, cosmic Yes, and mixed it with a modern (at the time) sound. Shoot High, Aim Low, and I'm Running on the album alone, is worth having this album. The Anderson Bruford Wakeman How album is a great album. I'd say 75% of the album has stellar "yes" work. It obviously was what they'd have sounded like in '89, if they didn't leave Yes. The Ladder album is a very good album, despite it not selling like some of the members thought it would. This album brought in long time Yes fan, tour helper, Billy Sherwood.(rhythm guitar on '94 Talk album tour) And at one time, WAS going to be the next Yes vocalist, after Jon left again in '88. He sang lead vocals on a song called Love Conquers All, which is on the '91 Yes box set. He's also doing vocals on the '91 Union album, on the song The More We Live Let Go. Anyway, (sorry) The Ladder has the "classic" sound of early 70's sounding Yes. Billy helps in all facets on this great album, with his vocals, writing, and beefing up the melodic, and rhytmic background. Magnification has 3-4 good songs on it, but it was a let down for almost all Yes fans. No fucking keyboards! Just an orchestra....definitely Jon got his way on this album. Overall, to me, a 5.5 out of 10 rating. The '93 album Talk is excellent as well. The last with Trevor Rabin, it has an epic 17 minute song called Endless Dream on it. I personally think you'd miss out on some really great Yes moments if you ignore the 80's material.
'91-Union-great songs, but overall, all 8 Yes members got understandably upset, for the rcord label changing arrangments on the album, so it does sound a little unfocused throughout 60% of it. 6 out of 10
'93-Talk- The 90125 line-up. The heaviest Yes album rhytmically. Done with at the time, new technology. It does sound a little sterile in a few spots, but it's a strong album....overlooked. 7.5
'96-Keys to Ascension I and II- on both albums, half (classic line-up) live material, half studio. The new songs, for the most part, are some of the best Yes songs this line-up has done since '77. 7.5
'98-Open Your Eyes- this was at first, a Chris Squire/Billy Sherwood collaberation, but then added Steve Howe, and Anderson at the last minute. Still, a decent album. Doesn't have much of the Anderson "stamp" on it, though. 6
'99-The Ladder-8
'01-Magnification-5.5

 

[BloodSword]

Thanx Ramses, for a very informative post. I'm a big Yes fan, however,I've learned some things about them from you that I really didn't know. You do know the band Yes very well. Appreciated. "Relayer" is one of my favorites from Yes. Moraz, did an excellent job on the album. Soon, contains maybe the most beautiful Yes melody they ever wrote,Imo. And the artwork is my favorite for any Yes album.

 

[ramses]

You're right. When I think of all the great album covers Dean did for them, It's in my top 3
1-Yessongs (live album-triple album as well) When you unfold the album, it's a continuation of the Fragile, and CTTE album covers. Fragile-the planet breaks apart, then on CTTE, inside is a land that has waterfalls on every side. Then on Yessongs, it shows these fractured planet pieces landing on a distant planet, with fish, and the residents looking on.
Drama-just fantastic artwork, with the icebergs, and the wrecked ship on it's side in the distance, 3 cats chasing 2 birds, and the coral in the foreground. So much detail!
Relayer- The cliffs, and mountains dotted with window slits on it's rocky face. The brown-grey color of the landscape fit perfectly with music within....

 

[mdmatt4ever]

so looks like the ladder is a must get too

 

[ramses]

The Ladder was a pleasant suprise, with it having a 70's style/feel to it.
Igor Koreshev doesn't get to show what he can really do on keyboards, but the few melodic moments he gets, are great. The Live at the House of Blues DVD for this album, shows that he can handle Rick Wakeman music quite well.

 

[BloodSword]

Ramses have you seen "Live at Montreux" 2003? And if so what did you think?

 

[mdmatt4ever]

i wish next year YES would tour with emerson,lake and palmer opening for them and its a farewell tour for both bands