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YES - Big Generator (1987)
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mellotronwave View Drop Down
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    Posted: September 25 2024 at 11:43
^Thx
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Steve Wyzard View Drop Down
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Originally posted by mellotronwave mellotronwave wrote:

^not mentioned in the book of the series On track : Yes , every album, every song by Stephen Lamb

Trevor Rabin mentions it in Tim Morse's book Yes: In Their Own Words.
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^not mentioned in the book of the series On track : Yes , every album, every song by Stephen Lamb
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^omphalo : thx for explanations about BG side 2
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Originally posted by kirk782 kirk782 wrote:

90125 had it's good moments including the pop oriented title track. But I listened to this album again, and for me, this hasn't gone down well. There is no single standout track and it feels like it belonged to the 80s for some reason. I am not sure if it's my least favorite Yes albums or not considering Open Your Eyes was even more cheesy.

The 80's in general was the story of steady decline. I reckon that post seventies everyone assumed progressive rock was dead but had no idea what should be put in its place. This must have been confusing to a lot of those guys who were in those bands and certainly Yes were no different. The 90's was bery much 'we want our rock back' Best band of the 80's? Iron Maiden no contest. They were actually listenable Smile
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Originally posted by kirk782 kirk782 wrote:

90125 had it's good moments including the pop oriented title track. But I listened to this album again, and for me, this hasn't gone down well. There is no single standout track and it feels like it belonged to the 80s for some reason. I am not sure if it's my least favorite Yes albums or not considering Open Your Eyes was even more cheesy.

There are 3 stand out songs for me (Shoot High Aim Low, I'm Running, Final Eyes) and I'll mention a 4th one that some enjoy more than me (Holy Lamb). 
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Points: 50 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kirk782 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 24 2024 at 04:41
90125 had it's good moments including the pop oriented title track. But I listened to this album again, and for me, this hasn't gone down well. There is no single standout track and it feels like it belonged to the 80s for some reason. I am not sure if it's my least favorite Yes albums or not considering Open Your Eyes was even more cheesy.
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Originally posted by Steve Wyzard Steve Wyzard wrote:

Two more thoughts regarding this album:

1) The original computer-graphics album cover for the LP was green and purple. For the CD, the cover was entirely different graphics with a yellow and pink color scheme.

2) I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that "Side 2" was originally intended to be a side-long, 22-minute suite. Since it was 1987, the record company immediately vetoed that idea, and insisted the band complete  the four movements, which became the four "Side 2" songs. The running order was supposed to be "Holy Lamb", "I'm Running", "Love Will Find a Way", and "Final Eyes", with brief, connecting links between the movements, sort of like Abbey Road's Side 2. The record company also demanded that "Love Will Find a Way" open the side because it was the album's first single. The band capitulated, and the suite idea was abandoned.

Wow! What a wonderful insight.  I plan to make a Big Generator CD, according to your specifications... Holy Lamb", "I'm Running", "Love Will Find a Way", and "Final Eyes" Wink with a wink
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Two more thoughts regarding this album:

1) The original computer-graphics album cover for the LP was green and purple. For the CD, the cover was entirely different graphics with a yellow and pink color scheme.

2) I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that "Side 2" was originally intended to be a side-long, 22-minute suite. Since it was 1987, the record company immediately vetoed that idea, and insisted the band complete  the four movements, which became the four "Side 2" songs. The running order was supposed to be "Holy Lamb", "I'm Running", "Love Will Find a Way", and "Final Eyes", with brief, connecting links between the movements, sort of like Abbey Road's Side 2. The record company also demanded that "Love Will Find a Way" open the side because it was the album's first single. The band capitulated, and the suite idea was abandoned.
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Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Jawohl mein Herr! Big Generator fails to generate much excitement in Hitler's bunker. Confused





What can I say? Hitler is a jerk. 
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While I'm a fan of 90125, I can listen to Big Generator but I don't love it. I totally dislike the title track and only Shoot High saves it, IMO. 
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Originally posted by Hrychu Hrychu wrote:

I love the Downfall caption parody format! It's so simple yet so universal! If you're creative enough you can shoehorn in pretty much any event!

Hitler may not like it, but Big Generator is still a good album by the standards of the time. After all, we can't expect YES to have come up with a classic 1970's album in the middle of the 1980's when prog was generally going in a more pop-oriented direction, or as the Germans would say, "Mann kann nicht auf zwei Hochzeiten gleichzeitig tanzen", meaning one can't dance at two weddings at the same time, which, roughly translated into English means "You can't have your cake and eat it." - although Boris Johnson may disagree. Tongue


Edited by Psychedelic Paul - February 14 2024 at 05:05
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Originally posted by Hrychu Hrychu wrote:

I love the Downfall caption parody format! It's so simple yet so universal! If you're creative enough you can shoehorn in pretty much any event!

I like the bit at the end where Hitler says "I may as well start listening to Marillion." LOL
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I love the Downfall caption parody format! It's so simple yet so universal! If you're creative enough you can shoehorn in pretty much any event!

Edited by Hrychu - February 13 2024 at 16:32
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Jawohl mein Herr! Big Generator fails to generate much excitement in Hitler's bunker. Confused
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^ The Live version is so much better than the official video for Rhythm of Love. Thumbs Up
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Great live version Big smile
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Originally posted by Hector Enrique Hector Enrique wrote:

Of the "minor" albums, so to speak, Big Generator is one of the best, and it seems to me that it is generally underrated. It's not the progressive symphonic style of their glorious era, but "Shoot High Aim Love", "Final Eyes" and "Holy Lamb" are excellent songs. For me it is a good album.

It's more than a good album imo. I prefer it over 90125 even though 90125 might be more consistent. BG seems to go places that 90125 didn't want to (or couldn't) go. Those songs are great but I would also add the rhythm of love (maybe one of the most unlike Yes things they ever did), I'm Running and the title track.


Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - January 25 2024 at 18:25
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I think the biggest problem for Big Generator over 90125 was that the latter was fresh and new. There was a lot of energy and momentum going into what was new project with new chemistry.

The band was in different shape and frame of mind in the years after 90125. They obviously doddeled around in the studio for years to come up with material. People tend to overthink and overanalyze with that much time, so all freshness is lost.
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Points: 2567 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Steve Wyzard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 25 2024 at 13:13
Originally posted by Jaketejas Jaketejas wrote:

Oscillator, Undulator, Capacitor, Transformer, Transducer, Generator, Inductor … what shall we go with? Let’s go with Generator. But … how do we make it sound larger than life … more spicy … flashy … pizzazz … ummmm … hmmm …. er … Big Generator? That’s it!

Funny thing about the title:

If you watch the 9012Live concert video, the filmmakers incorporate some "pseudo-found-footage" from what seems to be a mid-1960s color-TV show (whether it's authentic or re-created, I've never been sure) that serves as connecting links between the songs. At both the beginning and end of the film, some of the characters are discussing "the sound of big generators". This video was released in early 1985, 2-1/2 years before the Big Generator album came out.

The big mystery is: did the band already have the "Big Generator" song/concept ready for their next album and decided to include a little foreshadowing in the video? Or, did they see the footage and become inspired to come up with a song/album title called "Big Generator"? Or (least likely of all), is it all just a COINCIDENCE??? 
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