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Joined: April 19 2011
Location: America
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Points: 877
Posted: August 29 2012 at 14:34
cstack3 wrote:
I don't think I'd hold out high hopes of a Jon Anderson/Yes reunion, based upon my read of his comments made during his "Music of Yes" solo performance in Chicagoland some months back.
He did laugh and tell quite a few funny stories that included Chris Squire, but when he tuned up his acoustic and an audience member yelled "Steve Howe!" in jest, Jon's face went....dark.
I've never seen such a look on Jon's face before...maybe Howe is the "fly in the Yes ointment," not Squire, as many have surmised over the years.
Anyway, I think Jon is quite happy to maintain his low-key schedule and recording work with Wakeman. He is supposed to have some surprises up his sleeve in terms of new material, we'll just have to wait.
W - T - F Chuck????
Wassup Chicago Chucky????
How ya been? I think based on Jon's comments... that "guarantees" we will see him in YES in a year or so.
If Artists are one thing it is that they are tempermental, say all kinds of "When Hell Freezes Over" stuff then they change their tune 180 degrees without even a "by your leave mate". So I say JA will be back w/YES sooner than later. Further evidence:
I met and talked with YES after the SLO show in 1996. All were quite happy to see the classic lineup back together,
first time since 1979... I was speaking with Chris Squire and then I asked him will there be more than these three SLO shows? He looked me straight and the eye, frowned dissapprovingly at me, waved his arms across his body like a baseball umpire making a "safe at home base" call, (which outside of baseball, means NO WAY!!!), and he barked at me. "No. Absolutely not. No way." Well those YES guys toured for like the next 8 years, doing hundreds of shows around Planet Earth. So..I learned never to listen to what comes out of an artist's mouth, only the music he plays.
"Yeah, people are unhappy about that - but you know what, it's still Yes." - Chris Squire
Joined: June 13 2010
Location: Long Island, NY
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Points: 19
Posted: August 29 2012 at 12:57
I was at the Westbury show back in mid-July.....and there's no doubt the band was leagues better than they were last summer when they toured with Styx (which was a borderline embarrassment.....even the most loyal Yes fan - if truthful - would have to admit that Styx blew them off the stage).
The performances were better & the set list was better (i.e., less predictable while still playing some of the songs they "have" to play).
However - after having seen the band on each of their New York area tours in recent years - there is absolutely no doubt that the band will never be truly spectacular live again until and unless Alan White is no longer drumming for them.
It absolutely kills me to say that.
I LOVE Alan White's drumming.....and although I've never had the honor of meeting the man, by all accounts, he's a class act.
Additionally, in recent times - with Yes's line-up being in a state of perpetual flux - it's comforting to see one of the classic era members of the band remain consistently in place for 40 years at this point.
But the hard truth of it is that age has probably caught up with him....and he is very clearly not the drummer he once was. Age takes it toll on vocalists and drummers more than any other instrument.......it's the nature of our muscles.....and a good drummer is so key.
This isn't to say that Alan isn't still good.......but he's no longer great. He no longer plays with the power he once did....nor the speed. Listening to him cheat his way through Heart of the Sunrise over the past 10 years is painful - and I'd rather them just not even play it.
I truly mean no disrespect towards Alan.......he's awesome and I will forever enjoy his drumming on past Yes records.........and I'm not even suggesting that Yes consider replacing him or that he retire......perhaps fans would rather see a less-than-perfect performance WITH him than a perfect performance WITHOUT him.
I am the ocean
Lit by the flame
I am the mountain
Peace is my name
I am the river
Touched by the wind
I am the story
I never end.
Joined: February 10 2010
Location: Barcelona Spain
Status: Offline
Points: 5154
Posted: August 25 2012 at 03:11
Excellent review, thanks for posting it.
Nice set list with the inclusion of songs like Tempus Fugit (I would have preferred Machine Messiah but OK...), America, Wonderous Stories or Heart Of The Sunrise.
My biggest surprise is the praises for Downes, I have not seen him live with this Yes line-up yet but I have with Asia and I was not too excited with his playing.
I like Davison too, better than Benoit David.
Alan White always plays good but is IMHO the one who seems to miss the spark already for a few years.
Joined: August 11 2012
Location: Toadstool
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Points: 1787
Posted: August 24 2012 at 21:46
I just saw Yes (and Procol Harum-very good) within the past month and was pleasantly surprised with singer Jon Davison, who I later found out sang on the last couple of Glass Hammer albums. He sang effortlessly and sounded on par if not better than Anderson. I am not one who views Yes as "not" Yes without Anderson.,p>
The Fly From Here suite was excellent as they nailed it and I knew the material before hand and do like it. Awaken blew me away as that was the last song before the encore of Roundabout. Howe seemed to be "on" that night and enjoyed himself. Downes was awesome IMHO.
Joined: June 18 2009
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Points: 12732
Posted: August 22 2012 at 21:31
OK. I at last I got to see the newest Yes line-up. Of course, the show was great, though I'm afraid most of the set didn't inlcude my favourite songs, but it did include Awaken, which was the main reasong I wanted to see the show (plus, the Fly from Here songs were very enjoyable for me). Still, I feel they have played better... sometimes I felt Howe wasn't playing as fluidly as he could (but when he got on fire, he could rock big time), and Alan, well, I could barely notice him. Also, I'm not so sure I really liked Davison's singing better than Benoit's (though he certainly had more personality and a better stage presence). And also I feel Oliver could have done a better job on Awaken than Downes did (though I do feel that Geoff is a better showman than Oliver).
Joined: June 18 2009
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Posted: August 09 2012 at 11:31
I hope you are right. By the way, I just read some fragments of interviews with members of Yes, and it seems Squire is optimistic about the posibility of Davison staying with Yes, and recording a new album on 2013. A good sign about this is that Squire likes the fact that Davison is also a song writer, as oposed to Benoit, which means that he would give him space to contribute... and indeed I believe Yes could use the extra inspiration in writing songs. However, Howe doesn't seem so optimistic, and feels that doing a new album so soon would just rush things and end up being not as good as it could have been.
Joined: June 18 2009
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Posted: August 02 2012 at 19:09
Indeed, I hope seeing them live will give more "life" to the song. I wish I had seen/heard it live with Anderson himself... but I was a bit too late. If I had got into them one or two years earlier, Imight have ended up going to the 35th anniversary tour. However, having heard (I think) all the "official" live version (plus the studio one), the one I like the most is, easily, the Keys to Ascension one. Though as a matter of fact the 35th anniversary one was almost as good (I think the vocals do sound a bit "older"), and the Unios one is really good too, with some added cool sounds and instruments, but the sound quality was a bit bad, and perhaps some of those added instruments were just a bit too much. And ideed, I wish Annie Haslam would end up joining Yes for a little while... she would indeed be a peer to Anderson, no step down on quality at all, but somehow I feel that's just wishful thinking, and extremely unlikely. However, you were right when you were thinking about Jon Davison as a possible replacement... so we might just as well keep our hopes up, just in case. May your wishes be profetic once again.
Joined: July 20 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ USA
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Posted: August 02 2012 at 00:40
Dellinger wrote:
Yeah, knowing that they would play Awaken was one of the facts that helped me decide to attend this concert (as a matter of fact, it almost made me need to got to it)... plus of course the positive review on this thread, and a pair of videow you posted, in which Davison sounded really great. However, as a matter of fact, I didn't like him so much on this one, sort of too weak, I guess. Perhaps I shouldn't expect to hear Anderson in it, but it's difficult not to remember his excellent performance on this song.
I saw Yes play "Awaken" on the first GFTO tour, it was unreal! Howe used a Rickenbacker 12-string and Squire played that 3-necked monster of his!!
Then, I saw them play it on the "Union" tour, with Howe playing a Steinberger 12-string! The big "Yes In The Round" stage was really crowded - Wakeman and Kaye, Rabin and Howe, Bruford and White, but only one Anderson and Squire of course!!
I believe I saw them play it on their 35th Anniversary tour as well, it all blurs together.
Davison's voice fits quite well, I like him better than Benoit David. I don't know what they will do when Davison moves along with Glass Hammer, but I'd enjoy having them bring Annie Haslam in! Her "Turn of the Century" performance is remarkable!
Sounds like we enjoy the same slices of Yes, my friend!
Joined: June 18 2009
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Posted: August 01 2012 at 18:57
Yeah, knowing that they would play Awaken was one of the facts that helped me decide to attend this concert (as a matter of fact, it almost made me need to got to it)... plus of course the positive review on this thread, and a pair of videow you posted, in which Davison sounded really great. However, as a matter of fact, I didn't like him so much on this one, sort of too weak, I guess. Perhaps I shouldn't expect to hear Anderson in it, but it's difficult not to remember his excellent performance on this song.
Joined: July 20 2009
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Posted: July 31 2012 at 13:22
This is a nice audio clip (no video) from that performance. I can't say I am all that impressed with Geoff Downes, and I wish they had kept Ollie Wakeman on board for continuity with the prior generation. Oh well, Yes never DO listen to my suggestions!
However, Jon Davison smokes Benoit David! Pity that he won't be with Yes on a permanent basis, as he'll be rejoining Glass Hammer when they tour to support the upcoming CD "Perilous." Maybe Annie Haslam will get a shot at the vocalist slot?
Enjoy, I think Davison's voice is absolutely angelic in this clip! Part 2 is also on YouTube.
Joined: June 18 2009
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Posted: July 30 2012 at 19:35
I just read in a site that suposedly (and read all before anyone gets excited) Annie Haslam attended one of Yes's shows... I understand it was just as part of the audience, because there's no mention of her performing anything with them (on 22 July).
I read your review in full and I thank you. Excellent.
Regarding Yes. Here is my opinion of them as a man under 30 who has played with a few bands:
They are old. They have a history. They have disagreements. They have money issues. They have desires to perform. They have members with health issues. They have members with egos. They have rabid fans wanting more. They have rabid fans wanting them to retire. They have Squire.
None of these in and of themselves are bad things. But when you put all of it together, it can weigh on a unit. Yes is one of my favorite bands and has been for some time. Whatever they do now will not diminish from past laurels. I don't know these men personally, and I don't know their situations.
Do we lose our wits about plumbers in the same scenario? Yes is a business as much as it is a band. Hopefully they will work it out and do great things still. But if they don't, they have done "wonderous" things with "toilet" so to speak.
Joined: July 20 2009
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Posted: July 16 2012 at 19:44
jplanet wrote:
Dellinger wrote:
I haven't yet bought my tickets for next month... but it seems I must not miss this show. If only for Awaken. I love that song (if only they would play Gates of Delirium too!!!).
Gates is the top song on my Yes set-list-wishlist! That was very much an Anderson creation, at least in initial concept, so I wonder if they might save it for a reunion with Jon. I am always disappointed when they only do "Soon"...
I don't think I'd hold out high hopes of a Jon Anderson/Yes reunion, based upon my read of his comments made during his "Music of Yes" solo performance in Chicagoland some months back.
He did laugh and tell quite a few funny stories that included Chris Squire, but when he tuned up his acoustic and an audience member yelled "Steve Howe!" in jest, Jon's face went....dark.
I've never seen such a look on Jon's face before...maybe Howe is the "fly in the Yes ointment," not Squire, as many have surmised over the years.
That sort of flies in the face of the ABWH project!! Yes is as complex as any family....
Anyway, I think Jon is quite happy to maintain his low-key schedule and recording work with Wakeman. He is supposed to have some surprises up his sleeve in terms of new material, we'll just have to wait.
Joined: August 30 2006
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Posted: July 16 2012 at 19:08
Dellinger wrote:
I haven't yet bought my tickets for next month... but it seems I must not miss this show. If only for Awaken. I love that song (if only they would play Gates of Delirium too!!!).
Gates is the top song on my Yes set-list-wishlist! That was very much an Anderson creation, at least in initial concept, so I wonder if they might save it for a reunion with Jon. I am always disappointed when they only do "Soon"...
Joined: June 18 2009
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Posted: July 16 2012 at 18:47
I haven't yet bought my tickets for next month... but it seems I must not miss this show. If only for Awaken. I love that song (if only they would play Gates of Delirium too!!!).
Joined: October 28 2008
Location: Wales
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Posted: July 16 2012 at 15:43
Although my views on the Yes "soap opera" are well known, I have to say that this is an excellent, heartfelt, and educational review. Thanks a lot for this
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Joined: August 30 2006
Location: NJ
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Posted: July 16 2012 at 13:51
Thanks for the kind words about the review!
Who knows what will happen next, though I would like to think that the most likely scenario would be a studio album with Jon Anderson. Maybe Davison will remain for a while - I'm sure that Glass Hammer's schedule won't be more rigorous than Asia's, and two members of Yes are able to multitask with that band as well...
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cstack3 wrote:
