Arent Yes Just Great?
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18377
Printed Date: January 22 2025 at 08:58
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Arent Yes Just Great?
Posted By: linchpinc
Subject: Arent Yes Just Great?
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:11
|
I have noticed alot of negative posts on this forum on how bad or
unworthy! bands are. I only read a topic on whether Pink Floyd are prog
or not of course they are!. Anyway i think we've had enough of
comparisons and put downs. Id like to talk about how great this band is. At first i found myself a bit put off by the hype Close To The Edge got but thankfully i was wrong its excellent. I have also heard Drama and Relayer and they blew me away. I know I havent heard much but i very much appreciate this band and would like to hear more. So what yas think of them? ------------- "What do you mean interesting?" Roger Waters |
Replies:
Posted By: tardis
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:13
|
Are Yes great?
hmm...
YES! |
Posted By: NetsNJFan
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:17
|
Arent Yes Just Great? in a word.....YES! ------------- 
|
Posted By: linchpinc
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:18
Yes thats great any records you would recommend for further listening? ------------- "What do you mean interesting?" Roger Waters |
tardis wrote:Posted By: tardis
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:19
I've only listened to Close to the Edge so far  so I'm in your position too...anybody recommend more excellent Yes??
|
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:21
|
I started a thread similar to this and i'd like you to take a look at it 'Yes,an open discussion' However it's good to see Yes getting the praise they deserve, i've been a Yes fan for quite a while now and I feel that Yes music is a great healer for when your in a bad mood and stuff. If you like Close to the Edge, Relayer and Drama you may also like -
And for the experienced Yes fan -
------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: gdub411
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:21
| Meh...so-so. |
Posted By: ANDREW
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:25
YES
|
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:35
There are better bands than Yes, in my opinion. Try Van der Graaf Generator or Gong; Van der Graaf Generator are the band with the most energy, Gong have the in my opinion best instrumentalists in 2 positions (drums and woodwinds), and the others aren't slouches either. Of course "best" is very much a matter of taste, and it refers to preference of style more than to technical ability (how would one measure that anyway)? Of Yes my favourite album is definitely "Relayer"; I personally can't understand all that ballyhoo about "Close to the Edge". It is a good album, even very good, but no match for "Relayer". As I said, this is a personal opinion; some CttE fans will clobber me now.  Oh, and I must admit I used to think Yes are THE band too; but that was when I started exploring prog. -------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:39
|
I'm a huge fan of Gong and VDGG (Especially Pawn Hearts) but I do not Feel that Vdgg had more energy, it certaintly doesn't come through in the music and i've never found Vdgg to be 'fun' ya know? That's why I think more people can get into Yes music, lots of people can relate to that! As for Gong, see my review of Flying Teapot ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: R o V e R
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:42
|
i'll check it winter wine |
Posted By: linchpinc
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:44
|
I'd have to agree i'd prefer the energy of yea p.s winterwine msn
------------- "What do you mean interesting?" Roger Waters |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:44
|
You have to see VdGG (or Peter Hammill) live (listening to "Vital" gives a good impression too, though of course seeing them live is better), then you'll know why I talk about "energy".
------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: matti meikäläin
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:49
| NO !!!! |
Posted By: linchpinc
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 14:51
|
I suppose i havent seen them so i cant judge really
------------- "What do you mean interesting?" Roger Waters |
Posted By: linchpinc
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 15:08
|
I havent really heard too much vdgg ------------- "What do you mean interesting?" Roger Waters |
Posted By: tardis
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 15:16
|
OOPS! A correction to my earlier entry: it was "Fragile" I've listened to part of (notably my friend played me "Mood For A Day")...NOT CttE. I've yet to truly explore the music of Yes, or for that matter most progressive rock music from the '60s and '70s, so it's hard for me to participate in a lot of these threads, but for what it's worth I enjoy the debates/discussions and I try to absorb what I can. I'm sure for the experienced prog fan Yes may not be the first choice, but I think for those that are just getting into a lot of prog from this period, one would appreciate such a musical choice. |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 15:25
|
When it comes down to instrumental virtuosity, Yes certainly are hard to beat; the individual abilities of the musicians on their instruments are excellent. But that's not all that counts, in my opinion. And other bands have virtuosos too.
------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: matti meikäläin
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 15:34
|
Posted By: erlenst
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 16:17
That is strange. This is perhaps the album I have heard that moves me the most. |
Posted By: dunguinha
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 16:23
|
of course they are ... ------------- 1 - The Dark Side of the Moon - PINK FLOYD 2 - Crime of the Century - Supertramp 3- Close to the Edge - YES |
Posted By: ummagumma08
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 16:31
|
Relayer - All the passion spent in one place. (as Anderson sings on TfTO) Very accurate description. I could do without the other Yes albums. CttE has it's moments, but no match for Relayer! |
Posted By: porter
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 16:51
|
YES aren't great. They're greater.
------------- "my kingdom for a horse!" (W. Shakespeare, "Richard III") |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 17:51
|
Yes was the first Prog' band I ever heard (Knowing what Prog means, because I am an Uriah Heep fan before even knowing there was something called Prog Rock). But they are not the best Prog' band IMO, they have great musicians, Howe, Wakeman, Bruford and Squire are top 10 on their respective instruments but honestly I can't stand Jon Anderson's voice and their lirycs say nothing to me plus the fact that Alan White (who plays during most Yes career) is not a great drummer, good, but not outstanding. But the music is incredible, I like most of their early albums and I would recommend you to buy them in this order:
If you become a fan, then go for the rest, but there are at least 10 or more bands that you should explore simultaneously only in the symphonic sub-genre (If you try other sub-gentres, you would have many more to explore):
Iván ------------- 
|
Posted By: #1floydfan
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 17:54
|
any yes hater desirves to die they right up there with floyd if you ask me ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/jimbobismykitty/?chartstyle=basicrt10 - [IMG - http://imagegen.last.fm/basicrt10/recenttracks/jimbobismykitty.gif - |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 18:16
|
I haven't seen a single Yes hater in this thread, unless you consider those of us who love Yes but don't believe they are N° 1 as haters. I love Yes, have all their albums (Except Big Generator which I heard many times but never bought), all their videos and DVD's but they are not in my top 10. BTW: Didn't mentioned Floyd despite they are in my top 5 because Pink Floyd is not a Symphonic band so not suitable for this case. Iván -------------
|
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 18:49
|
Yeah...they aren't bad. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: A'swepe
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 19:08
|
The went by the name, The Beatles!
To answer your question, YES.
------------- David - Never doubt in the dark that which you believe to be true in the light. http://www.myspace.com/aardvarktxusa - Instrumental rock http://www.soundclick.com/aardvarktxusa |
Posted By: Mongo
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 19:56
|
You MUST listen to "Going for the One"!!, as well as CTTE and "Relayer" ------------- "The options are ever fewer on the ground these days" Fish |
Posted By: Losendos
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 22:40
|
Yes Floyd and Genesis are clearly the top 3 ------------- How wonderful to be so profound |
Posted By: Laurent
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 22:50
|
For me, everything changed the day I first heard Close To The Edge. I became the musical equivalent of a born again Christian. The rest is history.  ------------- 
|
Posted By: Bern
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 22:53
I think Yes are the best band technically speaking but I just think they lack in the emotion department. Their songs are just not emotionally intense IMO.  But congratulations for their skills ! They sure can play  -------------  
RIP in bossa nova heaven. |
Posted By: lunaticviolist
Date Posted: February 02 2006 at 23:05
|
Yes are great! I would recommend Tales From Topographic Oceans
because it's my favorite, but I'm afraid it might turn you off to
them. Check out Time and a Word, though. That's a very
underrated album! (I'm assuming you already have Close to the Edge and
Fragile?) As for VDGG -- very good band. I recommend starting with H to He or Pawn Hearts. ------------- My recent purchases: 
|
Posted By: Thufir Hawat
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 00:17
|
Great is an understatement, they are better Than Great. ------------- "I can't see through my eye lids" |
Posted By: Norbert
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 02:55
|
YES -They are THE band for me. VDGG are also very good btw. |
Posted By: Soulman
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 03:36
Yea, they don't seem to really play so much on creating tension in their music. Their music is almost like a cosmic journey through different levels of virtuosity. I'll give Yes credit for being a very influential and very original band. I mean definetely, before their 80s pop excursions, they were a force to be wreckoned with. Steve Howe with his flexible and soaring guitar technique. Rick Wakemen with his obvious technical skill, his ability to be "apart" of the music, and his funky organ solos. Chris Squire with his original bass technique. Then Jon Anderson, the front man who influenced this project to soar and challenge the pretenses of rock music. Though, I feel that most prog fans will eventually have to agree, that other prog band's music material can be more memorable than Yes'....namely Genesis |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 03:50
|
When it comes to virtuosity, Gong in their prime could give them a run for their money, with virtuosos like Pierre Moerlen, Didier Malherbe, Mike Howlett and Steve Hillage in the band. Not to mention Gong in their jazz-rock era.
------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Ricochet
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 03:54
|
Yes are a great band with some great music...but could have done a little better in the 80's and 90's...
------------- 
|
Posted By: gimsom
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 04:23
| Yes is second to none (but ignore 80's and stuff after that). |
Posted By: Pafnutij
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 05:26
|
Nah, not great at all. |
Posted By: Hemulen
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 06:00
|
i love yes! ------------- Guss |
Posted By: erlenst
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 07:08
|
Ok, I am quite a bit confused here. I can somewhat understand that some
people don't really like Yes (well, actually I can't but that's just
me), but what is this rubbish that they are not an emotional band???? Seriously, the last 6 minutes of Gates of Delirium might be the 6 most intensely moving minutes in rock history. What about Close to the Edge, especially the orgasmic ending?? And let's not forget And You And I !! I get shivers down the spine every single time I listen to this beautiful masterpiece, which definately is not about virtuosity - it is a quite simple song actually. Turn of the Century, Awaken, HEART OF THE SUNRISE ?! Yes were THE emotional progrock band in their prime !  *dazed and confused* |
Posted By: Norbert
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 07:17
|
I also don't understand this not-emotional thing and what is more memorable in other bands' material. But people are different and sometimes quite strange to me. |
Posted By: Shark Sandwich
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 09:09
|
I thought Yes were sort of boring before I heard Close To The Edge. Relayer sealed the deal for me. I haven't heard Fragile yet, except for 'Roundabout' but I plan to pick that up soon as well as Yessongs which I read is supposed to be a great live album. |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 09:30
|
Yes. I tend to think that when anyone here says "boring" re a classic prog band, as above, I am reading the views of a younger, likely metal-favouring listener. (But I was the same -- my transition from hard rock to prog did not happen overnight!) An appreciation for subtlety, beauty and grandeur, seems to be a taste one acquires with age and/or exposure, if ever.... Not many explosions, car chases, gunplay, or much of a "body count" in Yes -- Grand Theft Auto," ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
anyone? 
Posted By: Shark Sandwich
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 09:41
I agree. I don't think I could have liked Yes back in my teen years. I would have passed them off as 'soft sh*t'.Thankfully, I don't solely judge a band's music in that way anymore. |
Posted By: erlenst
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 09:59
I think I listened to Close to the Edge for the first time when I was 18. I thought it was OK, but not on the same level as Genesis and Camel at all. However, a couple of years later I gave it some good listens, and it has ended up as one of my top 3 albums of all time, if not THE BEST. (I will be 22 this march). I don't necessary think it has so much to do with age, just time to get used to it. If you start being interested in prog in your early years, chances are you will appreciate subtlety, beauty and grandeur in your teens  |
Posted By: Peter
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 10:09
Point taken -- post edited! ------------- "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' He chortled in his joy. |
Posted By: porter
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 10:35
same here, and what about the closing of "To be over", to me one of the most intense finales ever? and what about the second part of "And you and I"? people can shock me sometimes... ------------- "my kingdom for a horse!" (W. Shakespeare, "Richard III") |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 10:58
|
When you have listened to some really daring and experimental stuff (and have come to like it), you just can't believe Yes are the epitome of prog anymore. And certainly not "Close to the Edge"; I put "Relayer" way above "Close to the Edge". Mark that I don't say they are bad; "Close to the Edge" gets solid 4 stars from me and "Relayer" 5 even. But Yes did not keep up the level of "Relayer" all the time. And most of there albums are good 3 to 4 stars, in my book. Not what I expect from the absolute top band of prog. And again: I DO like Yes; I just don't think they are the epitome of prog. There are a lot of bands I put above them. There used to be a time when I had the same feeling about Yes as the people who put them at the very top; but my taste has developed since then. Yes ARE an excellent band, but I don't have a fangirl attitude towards them. ------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 11:05
|
If you don't think that 'Gates of Delerium' is emotionally intense, then I assume your made of wires and chips ------------- My computer's broke |
Posted By: Winter Wine
Date Posted: February 03 2006 at 11:09
|
I could never have put it better myself, you are correct about everything there I was young when I heard 'And You And I' and I never felt like that before, amazing stuff ------------- My computer's broke |