After they put out 90125 they should've changed their name to "No More. Please Make It Stop."
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I know a militant prog fan who would argue that there have been two bands called "Yes" ever since "Owner of a Lonely Heart". In his view, there was the real band before, and what came after. 
*sigh*
This is just going to wind up another sad situation where guys who probably should retire will sully the name of their original band by fighting and making half @$$ music until they fizzle out. They will sing until they can't hit the notes anymore. Then they will drop the key or just sing lower notes than the original versions.They will play until they can't play the licks anymore. Then they will hire a young gun to play backstage so the original artist can fake it (or some other fake trick). And we will all lament the awful last few shows they did before they finally tucked their collective tails between their legs and wandered off into the night wishing they hadn't done those last two tours. Sad.
*sigh*
This is just going to wind up another sad situation where guys who probably should retire will sully the name of their original band by fighting and making half @$$ music until they fizzle out. They will sing until they can't hit the notes anymore. Then they will drop the key or just sing lower notes than the original versions.They will play until they can't play the licks anymore. Then they will hire a young gun to play backstage so the original artist can fake it (or some other fake trick). And we will all lament the awful last few shows they did before they finally tucked their collective tails between their legs and wandered off into the night wishing they hadn't done those last two tours. Sad.
*sigh*
- Jan 29, 2008
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Without Squire, it is all a bit of a drag, but Anderson is the only original member in either camp, and something in my mind tells me the brand should fall to him. Howe and White, much as I love them, really aren't original members.
Whichever version has Squire on bass is the real version...
...so neither one is the real Yes.
To me, anyway. Seriously, Chris Squire's bass playing was always my main attraction to that band. I love their songs, their sonic imagery, their musicianship, everything. But the best part was that bass and the guy playing it.
And it looks like Anderson was just waiting for the right moment to show his fangs; he waited long enough to get them through the HOF reunion and now he's asserting himself. Interesting how band dynamics work like that, isn't it? It dismays me to see guys I grew up admiring bicker like this. Same goes for Gilmour and Waters. Can't we all be cool here?
Guess not.
...so neither one is the real Yes.
To me, anyway. Seriously, Chris Squire's bass playing was always my main attraction to that band. I love their songs, their sonic imagery, their musicianship, everything. But the best part was that bass and the guy playing it.
And it looks like Anderson was just waiting for the right moment to show his fangs; he waited long enough to get them through the HOF reunion and now he's asserting himself. Interesting how band dynamics work like that, isn't it? It dismays me to see guys I grew up admiring bicker like this. Same goes for Gilmour and Waters. Can't we all be cool here?
Guess not.
Wondering what I would do should I be called to replace a fantastic bass player such as Chris Squire ... I mean, some of his recorded stuff is pretty unique and probably sounding good only if played by him because of his particular technical skills ...
lol this is just like that few year period when there were 2 Queensryches....
I kind of thought the name should have been retired when we lost Chris.
Otto
Otto
I'll see the version with Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman.
At this point, it comes down to Anderson's voice over Howe's guitar, to make it any version of "Yes", for me.
R.I.P. Chris Squire
At this point, it comes down to Anderson's voice over Howe's guitar, to make it any version of "Yes", for me.
R.I.P. Chris Squire
I wish they would both quit using the "Yes" name. They're both missing key elements of what makes Yes Yes, Chris Squire being awfully crucial. Just let the name live on without dragging it through the mud. If you all think you have worthwhile contributions to give to the music world, present them on their own merits, not by trying to give them legitimacy by attaching Yes's name to them.
I agree completely and wish a whole bunch of bands that were great a long time ago would (or did) stop before it became embarrassing.
It's like a bunch of over the hill boxers out there getting their faces beaten in, while it would be so much better to just remember them for how great they were.
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Perhaps they should have called themselves "Anderson Rabin Wakeman, of Yes" - that would have worked.
I'm sure I saw an interview back in the day, where they said that Yes were originally conceived to be a roundabout where people could get on and off as they liked, so this kindof extends that idea.
However, for me, Squire was really the main man in Yes and to me the name died with him.
I'm sure I saw an interview back in the day, where they said that Yes were originally conceived to be a roundabout where people could get on and off as they liked, so this kindof extends that idea.
However, for me, Squire was really the main man in Yes and to me the name died with him.
Given that one version of Yes bills themselves as Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman, there should be little doubt as to which band a person will be seeing live (unless they've been living in a cave).
I have seen ABWH, the Union tour, and the last tour Yes did with Chris Squire. In some ways, the ABWH show was the best because it was a more intimate performance and the sound was very clear and dynamic, though I missed Squire on bass (even though Tony Levin is a huge influence). The Union tour was cool in a more bombastic big rock show sort of way, louder, and a bit wanky on Trevor Rabin's part, IMO. The 2014 show with Jon Davison singing was pretty good, though I must say that, for me, Jon Anderson is the voice of Yes, even though Drama is one of my favorite albums. IMO, Alan White's health has affected his drumming significantly, and he is somewhat of a liability to the band, even though he's been involved in creating a lot of great music. I thought the ABWH album was decent, but did not like Bruford's drum sounds or Wakeman's constant overplaying, doodling over everything. From what I gather, Steve Howe's guitar was deliberately buried on that one, to the detriment of the music.
I have seen ABWH, the Union tour, and the last tour Yes did with Chris Squire. In some ways, the ABWH show was the best because it was a more intimate performance and the sound was very clear and dynamic, though I missed Squire on bass (even though Tony Levin is a huge influence). The Union tour was cool in a more bombastic big rock show sort of way, louder, and a bit wanky on Trevor Rabin's part, IMO. The 2014 show with Jon Davison singing was pretty good, though I must say that, for me, Jon Anderson is the voice of Yes, even though Drama is one of my favorite albums. IMO, Alan White's health has affected his drumming significantly, and he is somewhat of a liability to the band, even though he's been involved in creating a lot of great music. I thought the ABWH album was decent, but did not like Bruford's drum sounds or Wakeman's constant overplaying, doodling over everything. From what I gather, Steve Howe's guitar was deliberately buried on that one, to the detriment of the music.
Currently there is also a Venom and a Venom Incorporated, funny stuff indeed.
Didn't Gilmour and Waters bury the hatchet some time ago? I'd heard they made up and collectively decided not to make any more Pink Floyd albums. (The endless River being the exception since it was a tribute to Richard Wright.)
I never heard that the hatchets were buried, though I think they did at least set them aside somewhat. I heard somewhere vaguely that Gilmour reached out and invited Roger to play on The Endless River, but I don't think anything came of it.
What happend to West-Yes and East-Yes? They were called that for a while, the two "units". West-Yes was the "hit" and Rabin led Yes with AOR style music, and "East-Yes" was the more proggy one led by ABWH.
I've seen both ARW and YES recently and will say this, as I do say with the Stones too: Age has chewed a lot into the performance qualities on both these bands. To be abe to perform all of it live requires some kind of younger talents, and they do skimp on too many things. I saw Yes with Squire and Jon Davison and I thought for the second time that "No, this didn't help, time to call it a day guys...". Same with ARW. While they first gigs may have hold up,but it wears on all of them too quickly and starts to show (very much) the shortcomings induced by arthritis, age and especially (most important thing) memorizing things. In studio, they can do what they want though. Instead of besmirching the legacy of Yes name in both parts, both of them should decline live work as for now, and resort to studio, at their own pace, on the days that they feel good enough to work on things.
I can see the headlines on the tabloids coming up full of puns: Yes says no to WAR, and so on. WAR says YES. or YES says: WAR! They don't give a crap that it's called ARW.
You just have to call it a day somewhere down the road. It's as simple as that. FWIW, I've never ever seen/heard any artist (Jon Anderson) that has been given so much public image persona of "love, peace & understanding" and is present in most of his lyrics, but at the same time, behind the scenes being at WAR most of the time with band members, and management. Hypocritical and belligerent. Yes, have had more drama (ha!) than anything in Leo Tolstoys books.
And to rub it in, some coy interview way back with Steven Wilson when Porcupine Tree opened for Yes, rather confirms this than denies it:
"Q: I understand you didn’t have a great time on the 2002 tour opening for Yes. The rumor was someone from the Yes crew was messing with the band.
A: There was the whole thing where after a few days on tour, we were told we couldn’t have as many lights as we previously had. It was the usual ********. There were some conspiracy theories going around. We walked onstage a couple of nights and equipment that had been working during soundcheck suddenly wasn’t working. I don’t believe Jon Anderson was creeping backstage and unplugging cables though. Maybe he was ordering a stage tech to do it? [laughs]"
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Later on when Jon Anderson solo, visited my town, he had a sign greet and meet afterwards, and one person in the front of the line, for me, just unsuspicially asked him what he thought of Porcupine Tree, (since they were the newest prog thing happening) and Jons looks turned like looks could kill. He was a millisecond into some word, and then stopped himself in the tracks and went "No, not really my bag, but I'll guess there ok..." and here comes the main thing, he continued: "I haven't really heard them..", presumably not knowing that the fan knew that PT opened for them some years back. Fan went ok with this reply. Nothing went further and he signed away gladly probably with an inner sigh of relief. I stood there and giggled.... inside. Didn't want to stress the issue too much...
I've seen both ARW and YES recently and will say this, as I do say with the Stones too: Age has chewed a lot into the performance qualities on both these bands. To be abe to perform all of it live requires some kind of younger talents, and they do skimp on too many things. I saw Yes with Squire and Jon Davison and I thought for the second time that "No, this didn't help, time to call it a day guys...". Same with ARW. While they first gigs may have hold up,but it wears on all of them too quickly and starts to show (very much) the shortcomings induced by arthritis, age and especially (most important thing) memorizing things. In studio, they can do what they want though. Instead of besmirching the legacy of Yes name in both parts, both of them should decline live work as for now, and resort to studio, at their own pace, on the days that they feel good enough to work on things.
I can see the headlines on the tabloids coming up full of puns: Yes says no to WAR, and so on. WAR says YES. or YES says: WAR! They don't give a crap that it's called ARW.
You just have to call it a day somewhere down the road. It's as simple as that. FWIW, I've never ever seen/heard any artist (Jon Anderson) that has been given so much public image persona of "love, peace & understanding" and is present in most of his lyrics, but at the same time, behind the scenes being at WAR most of the time with band members, and management. Hypocritical and belligerent. Yes, have had more drama (ha!) than anything in Leo Tolstoys books.
And to rub it in, some coy interview way back with Steven Wilson when Porcupine Tree opened for Yes, rather confirms this than denies it:
"Q: I understand you didn’t have a great time on the 2002 tour opening for Yes. The rumor was someone from the Yes crew was messing with the band.
A: There was the whole thing where after a few days on tour, we were told we couldn’t have as many lights as we previously had. It was the usual ********. There were some conspiracy theories going around. We walked onstage a couple of nights and equipment that had been working during soundcheck suddenly wasn’t working. I don’t believe Jon Anderson was creeping backstage and unplugging cables though. Maybe he was ordering a stage tech to do it? [laughs]"
Invalid Link Removed
Later on when Jon Anderson solo, visited my town, he had a sign greet and meet afterwards, and one person in the front of the line, for me, just unsuspicially asked him what he thought of Porcupine Tree, (since they were the newest prog thing happening) and Jons looks turned like looks could kill. He was a millisecond into some word, and then stopped himself in the tracks and went "No, not really my bag, but I'll guess there ok..." and here comes the main thing, he continued: "I haven't really heard them..", presumably not knowing that the fan knew that PT opened for them some years back. Fan went ok with this reply. Nothing went further and he signed away gladly probably with an inner sigh of relief. I stood there and giggled.... inside. Didn't want to stress the issue too much...
