Yes -- band name origin?
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Topic: Yes -- band name origin?
Posted By: BlackWinterDay
Subject: Yes -- band name origin?
Date Posted: July 04 2005 at 19:45
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I was wondering if Yes got their name from the affirmations by Molly Bloom in James Joyce's ULYSSES. The book has a lot to say on consciousness and spirituality and I wouldn't say it's totally implausible that members of the band are familiar with the novel. After all, the book contains probably the most famous "Yes"s in all of english literature and represent an affirmation of humanity and life. Prog bands have a tendency to know Joyce anyway: Jefferson Airplane's "rejoyce", King Crimson's "Islands", Syd Barrett's "Golden Hair" and Dream Theater's "6:00" to name a few. Am I reaching here? Does anyone know the story of the band name's origin? |
Replies:
Posted By: Retrovertigo
Date Posted: July 04 2005 at 20:13
| They were all sitting around in 1968, and they decided to make a name for the new band. Jon Anderson thought of Life, Chris Squire thought of World, and Peter Banks, kept saying yes. They realized he was serious and they said, do you mean "The Yes?" He said "No, Yes". And so it was. |
Posted By: Anonymous2112
Date Posted: July 04 2005 at 20:27
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Yep that pretty much sums it up right there. Another one i heared was the pulled names out of a hat and they pulled up Yes. But the one where they were sitting around talking about names and he said Yes is the corret one. ------------- And The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth |
Posted By: boo boo
Date Posted: July 04 2005 at 20:31
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i think they were just desperate...i think it began like this.
squire:hey jon shouldnt we be trying to find a name for our band? anderson:yes squire:that will do. |
Posted By: BlackWinterDay
Date Posted: July 04 2005 at 20:41
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Well there goes my theory! |
Posted By: NetsNJFan
Date Posted: July 04 2005 at 20:41
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short and sweet I love it ------------- 
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Posted By: maani
Date Posted: July 04 2005 at 21:15
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Actually, I heard yet another "story." Have any of you seen the film "Yellow Submarine?" If so, you may remember that there is a rather long scene during "It's Only a Northern Song" where the word "Yes" is multiples on the screen for quite some time in big bold block letters, sometimes with exclamation points. I heard that Anderson et al had gone to see Yellow Submarine (probably tripping their brains out) and got the name from that. After all, it seems awfully coincidental that the movie came out in 1968, and Yes put out their first album in 1969 - and were not only admittedly Beatle-influenced, but did a Beatle cover on the their first album (Every Little Thing). It is also not a little coincidental that the abbreviation for Yellow Submarine is...YS. It may sound "iffy," but I believe this is as possible as any other story. Peace. |
Posted By: Cinema
Date Posted: July 04 2005 at 21:24
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Retrovertigo has the most accurate description. Jon Anderson did indeed
suggest the name life -- and I believe so did Chris Squire -- but Peter Banks suggested Yes. The others resisted at first, but in the end, the name Yes won out. |
Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 00:40
It could be a combination of several of those options. considering they were discussing a name for a band. several possibilities were mentioned, one of them was Yes, inspired by the beatles movie. All mentioned names were done in a hat, and the one that came out of the hat was Yes.
------------- I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT |
maani wrote:
Posted By: Retrovertigo
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 00:45
| Well, my description is the correct one, Jon Anderson told the story in Yesspeak. |
Posted By: nousommedusolei
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 03:55
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A friend of mine has a book about how certain bands got their names (the name of the book has escaped me). According to this book, the band opened a random page of the dictionary and came across the name "Yes". Somewhere along those lines. I could be wrong, though. ------------- I don't believe in demons I don't believe in devils I only believe in you |
Posted By: iguana
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 04:20
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another good one i overheard was the apparent art
exhibition of john and yoko's works, where you had to climb a ladder to spy through a magnifying glass to read the enlarged word "YES". a bit far-fetched IMHO since that exhibition was from the 70s and YES formed on march 22nd in 1968, when the beatles were still operating. anway, YES' 1999 album was "the ladder" and it's follow-up was called "magnification" so what do i know... >currently playing: mr. bungle – "disco volante"< |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 05:23
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I think you got you're stories mixed up. This is how the album The Ladder got it's name. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Carakhallo
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 05:30
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Yes, iguana, I also heard that story and always thought it is true,
since that Yoko Ono's exhibition was held in London in 1966 (not in the
70s). I think that was the exhibition in which John and Yoko first
met.... So it was 2 years before Yes formed. http://www.raintaxi.com/online/2002fall/images/ono_ladder. jpg |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 05:55
Somehow I bet there is a 'Yes' tribute band out there somewhere, that goes by the name 'No'.... ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |
Posted By: iguana
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 09:43
i have a review of the ABWH-album from britain's KERRANG!-magazine (june '89) where the album is being completely slaughtered and the headline of the review says "NO!". how very thoughtful... well, never say you never learn anything on the net. thanks for the replies regarding john & yoko 
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Posted By: bumheed7
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 10:09
yep, i can verify that.  ------------- Good Morning Carpark Fans 
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Posted By: gok22us
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 10:12
| They summoned a genie and wished for a random band name. |
Posted By: Q&Mojo
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 10:22
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In Q & Mojo magazines' upcoming special edition about
progressive rock (see post on this site in Prog News!… shameless plug etc etc)…
Peter Banks is still taking credit for the Yes name claiming he was “ mindful of the fact that if a name had few letters it could be printed bigger.” He then goes on to complain "You know, I've never received any money for thinking up the name. Although certain other guys in the band have been paid money for the rights to use it." |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 12:08
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It is indeed a shameles plug! Now plug off! When is it out? 15th of July you say? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: July 07 2005 at 20:58
| Not connected...but i love the story about how 10cc, allegedly, got their name...............apparently the average man ejaculates 5cc (5ml in new money), the 10cc members thought they were supermen as they ejaculated.......guess??? |