All YES Appreciation Thread

KingCrimson250 wrote: I've got a question, is Going For The One worth getting? I've got CTTE, TFTO and Relayer (of the three Relayer is my favourite, right now at least). I don't own Fragile but I feel as though I do just because I've heard the songs from it so many times. I'm not nearly as big a fan of it though, although I'm not sure if that's because I don't like the material as much or if it's just through over-exposure (Roundabout kind of loses its magic after the 50th time LOL). So given that information, is it worth it? And by "worth getting" I don't mean if I should pick it up at some point during my life, I mean if it should be a high priority buy for me right now. I know this probably should've gone in the Album Recommendations forum but I saw a collection of Yes fans and figured "Why not?" Also, in appreciation of Yes, those three albums I've got are simply magnificent. The only reason I don't listen to them all the time is because I'm worried that the more I listen to them, the more I'll write like them, and while I do recognize the deep need in the prog community right now for a Yes clone, I'd rather try to find my own voice Honestly though Gates of Delirium may very well be the best sidelong in prog history

Going for the One is essential. Get it as quickly as you possibly can!

Fragile is worth getting at some point, but I don't find it as essential as other people find it. I gave it a 3 star review.

Is there an official release of Yes live from the early 7o's with line up: Bruford, Squire, Anderson, Howe and Wakeman? There is one track from Yessongs but imagine having that entire show? I always wondered if live recordings of this period were featured on the box set Yes Years. I could never seem to find the track listing for that box set. I often wonder if a show like this has been officially released and maybe I just didn't happen to notice.

The answer without hesitation is YES! Just because of "Awaken" which is one of their best and beautiful epics ;)

And Fragile too because of "Heart Of The Sunrise" of course :)

Back from my fav shop, I bought The Promise Ring by Jon Anderson, low price and as I love Ireland, I like the atmosphere of the album.

And I bought again Keys To Ascension dvd. I sold it some years ago but all in all, it's one of their best dvds...

I love Yes ... almost saw them live in the second half of the NA In The Present Tour, but they cancelled all concerts from four days before I saw them. I'm hoping for them to come around again some time in the next year. I own most of their albums and they are by far the #1 artist on my lastfm because I was pretty much obsessed with them to the exclusion of most else for six months. They are responsible for me being into prog rock now.

progkidjoel wrote: American Khatru wrote: Dellinger wrote: By the way, given that this is a Yes appreciation thread, what do you people think of Jon Anderson's singing? I find most people find it diffilcult to like his voice, even in the prog archives. But as far as I'm concerned, he is one of the very best singers in prog and rock in general, quiet a unique and beautiful and powerful voice. I love love love his voice.  My wife finds it annoying, too "fay", which is a lot of people's complaint about it I guess.  But I think it's beautiful and powerfully moving, the first unmistakably great and mystical voice I got into (Tim Buckley great too, but a very different thing).  And as for fay, I find much more of that quality for real in today's pop singers.  Oof.There was a thread recently (I'm sure many of you saw it) that polled people for who was the better vocalist, Peter Hammill (VdGG) or Jon Anderson.  The more people explained why they preffered Hammill - the reasons they gave, like theatrical range of emotion, verbosity, hi wails and later soft meaningful whispers - well, the more I read what was supposedly better about Hammill (no slouch mind you) the more I was convinced of Anderson's cool superiority.  Anderson didn't do all those "stretching, searching" things... and thank goodness he didn't (or wouldn't, or couldn't, who cares), how it would have wrecked Yes!  He just brought the goods in the classical, consistent vocalist sense, time after time after time.  And can still sing. BTW, I wish I had more time to spend in this thread, or anywhere in these pages.  Kind of sad to start this page and only look in on it 1 to 3 times a day.  My job write now doesn't keep me in front of a computer.  Been driving a lot, and will again today.  You can bet I'll be taking some Yes with me! I'll take care of the thread in your stead A quick question - Do you have any of Jon Anderson's solo albums? -Joel

I actually only own two, but I've heard scattered things from the others.  Not sure just what stuff I've heard actually, mostly I'm a Yes listener.  What one would you recommend?  (There's so much music to get to...)  I have the first two.  The great Olias, also Song of Seven.  For me, I don't like a lot of this record.  Some very good songs.  I'd welcome recommendations.

Anaon wrote: Progkidjoel, could you recommand me some Jon Anderson albums? I just own Olias of Sunhillow which I love but I fear that some of his album are too... 80's or something... About Anderson's voice, I think he's unique too. I can see only Anderson sings "Close To The Edge" or "Heart Of The Sunrise", it's just "the" voice of this otherworldly music!

Without wanting to steal Joel's thunder, I would heartily recommend Toltec to you as a starter, followed by Animation. Ifyou like both, you can move on to other, more obscure, albums. Both are, IMO, easily 4 star LPs.

Progkidjoel, could you recommand me some Jon Anderson albums? I just own Olias of Sunhillow which I love but I fear that some of his album are too... 80's or something...

About Anderson's voice, I think he's unique too. I can see only Anderson sings "Close To The Edge" or "Heart Of The Sunrise", it's just "the" voice of this otherworldly music!

Dellinger wrote: By the way, given that this is a Yes appreciation thread, what do you people think of Jon Anderson's singing? I find most people find it diffilcult to like his voice, even in the prog archives. But as far as I'm concerned, he is one of the very best singers in prog and rock in general, quiet a unique and beautiful and powerful voice.

I love love love his voice.  My wife finds it annoying, too "fay", which is a lot of people's complaint about it I guess.  But I think it's beautiful and powerfully moving, the first unmistakably great and mystical voice I got into (Tim Buckley great too, but a very different thing).  And as for fay, I find much more of that quality for real in today's pop singers.  Oof.

There was a thread recently (I'm sure many of you saw it) that polled people for who was the better vocalist, Peter Hammill (VdGG) or Jon Anderson.  The more people explained why they preffered Hammill - the reasons they gave, like theatrical range of emotion, verbosity, hi wails and later soft meaningful whispers - well, the more I read what was supposedly better about Hammill (no slouch mind you) the more I was convinced of Anderson's cool superiority.  Anderson didn't do all those "stretching, searching" things... and thank goodness he didn't (or wouldn't, or couldn't, who cares), how it would have wrecked Yes!  He just brought the goods in the classical, consistent vocalist sense, time after time after time.  And can still sing.

BTW, I wish I had more time to spend in this thread, or anywhere in these pages.  Kind of sad to start this page and only look in on it 1 to 3 times a day.  My job write now doesn't keep me in front of a computer.  Been driving a lot, and will again today.  You can bet I'll be taking some Yes with me!

tamijo wrote: Only time i saw Yes was the Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe tour   Howe was excellent

I love ABWH, absolutely great band and album.


Was Tony Levin involved during the performance? On the ABWH DVD he's barely visible for most of the performance.


-Joel