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moshkito
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 04 2007
Location: Grok City
Status: Online
Points: 17516
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 12:18 |
Hi,
I still think that "Tales of Topographic Oceans" is one of the best rock albums ever made ... maybe it was because I had a sensibility and leaning towards long cuts, had enjoyed classical music since I was a tiny tot ... and always looked forward to seeing musicians my age ... show their art ... instead of overloaded, and grossly over rated, pop music!
I thought of things like Thick as a Brick, A Passion Play, Topographic Oceans, Mike Oldfield, Vangelis, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream ... and many other long pieces as the "classical music" of our time ... unffortunately many people decided that it was not rock'n'roll and trashed it silly ... and trahsed it hard ... it didn't help that even Ian Anderson was making fun of the long cuts, albeit in a weird way but still good, as the title was related to stuffed up folks and musicians ... that had a lot more to do with their ego than it did with their musicianship!
No one sits here and trashes Beethoven, or Mozart, of whomever ... and says that is is self indulgent and that the lyrics are pooh and paah ... and what not ... and that's almost like saying that the sacred stuff is now considered "good" and any attempt that you or I, or Yes in those days will put together .. is automatically defined as poop'ery.
In my book, all it is showing is the lack of knowledge and ability on many people, and specially those that can only have a 3 minute orgasm ... for them I don't even feel sorry, or care.
I respect the talent and the beauty ... and above all ... the desire ... to do something like Topographic Oceans ... it's hard ... and playing it is probably nerve wrecking since it is not chuck berry or some simple stuff that is just repetitions on a theme ... it takes no talent to do that btw ... compared to the other example.
You decide ... prog for me is about people trying things ... that were not done before ... Topographic Oceans is massive ... and one of the best that prog will ever create ... if we only give it a chance to let it play out. I wish I was a symphony conductor ... I would orchestrate that in a minute ... and I bet the concert hall would fill up ... the second part of the concert would probably be some Frank Zappa! hehe
Edited by moshkito - April 28 2009 at 12:21
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lazland
Prog Reviewer
Joined: October 28 2008
Location: Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 13627
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 12:32 |
Even after 32 years of being a fan, I still listen to a load of Yes, and rarely tire of them. As for TFTO, I still listen to Revealing Science of God and Ritual a lot, but not the other two very often.
Yes are still a massive band, even after all these years, and are hugely influential on many modern bands, not just prog either.
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Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org
Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time!
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 12:35 |
I was listening to Yessongs at the weekend. I have an irregular a rotation of Yessongs, Relayer and TFTO and will listen to each of them several times in a year.... and I don't count myself as a Yesfan but Relayer would be one of my top-ten albums.
Edited by Dean - April 28 2009 at 12:38
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What?
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Alberto Muņoz
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 26 2006
Location: Mexico
Status: Offline
Points: 3577
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 13:33 |
I have been listening to Tales recently
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Nightfly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: August 01 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 3659
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 13:45 |
As I buy far more albums than I really should I tend to listen to the stuff more that's less familiar to me and as much as I love Yes, I know all their albums like the back of my hand. However, every once in a while I'll give them a spin. In the last few weeks for example I've listened to Going For The One and Fragile and still really enjoy them.
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SgtPepper67
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 17 2007
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 530
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 15:16 |
Actually I don't listen to them that much, but I like them and they're definitely in my top 10 prog bands. I listened to Fragile a couple of weeks ago.
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In the end the love you take is equal to the love you made...
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darkshade
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: November 19 2005
Location: New Jersey
Status: Offline
Points: 10964
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 15:57 |
Been a fan since 2005 when i got into them. I got Fragile first and immediately fell in love with the band. Close to the Edge was my next album, and the rest is history. I think everything from Time and a Word till Drama are all excellent albums, but I dont put their albums on too often these days since i consider everything from The Yes Album until Going For The One to be high art. So as someone already said, "im not worthy" no seriously, CttE has made me tear up towards the climax of the song, and the album has changed my perception of music more than once. In some ways, Relayer has gone beyond what CttE could do to me emotionally. The peaks and valleys in that album blow me away everytime. Gates of Delerium may be the best Yes song EVER!!! I mentioned Fragile, and that album is a trip in itself. I didnt know some songs were solo pieces, so i thought it was all by the band, and to this day, after knowing there are solo pieces, it doesnt affect my love for the album. I have some nostalgia for it, since it was the only album i had for a while before i took the next step in getting more albums. But Heart of the Sunrise is a fantastic track, and i love all the solo pieces. TFTO is a mammouth album. though it took me a while to fully get into it, i t was well worth it. Revealing Science of God is a wonderful song, and i love all the acoustic pieces during the album. The album has this magestic feel to it, hard to describe. Classic prog rock. Re-reading what i typed has made me want to listen to some Yes right now. Might grab Relayer and BLAST IT!!!
Edited by darkshade - April 28 2009 at 16:01
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Dominic
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 02 2008
Location: Liberation Land
Status: Offline
Points: 651
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 17:28 |
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stonebeard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 27 2005
Location: NE Indiana
Status: Offline
Points: 28057
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 18:00 |
treebeard
Newbie
Joined: December 04 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2 A challenger appears.
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Padraic
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: February 16 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Status: Offline
Points: 31169
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Posted: April 28 2009 at 18:09 |
well, this thread inspired me
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treebeard
Forum Newbie
Joined: December 04 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 36
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 05:44 |
Brilliant, what a reponse. Now if only the band could get out on the road and play, then there would be more good people listening to this in their cars on the M6 near Preston... As for a challenge to stonebeard...never. I have been a reader only of the forum for more than 2 years and this is my 1st thread....
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Petrovsk Mizinski
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 24 2007
Location: Ukraine
Status: Offline
Points: 25210
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 06:09 |
Not for a while.
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UMUR
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: October 19 2007
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 3069
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 08:56 |
I listened to Yes a lot about 10-15 years ago when I discovered them but didnīt listen to them for many years in between. Iīm currently re-discovering the joys of Yes while reviewing their albums from an end though and what a great joy that is .
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SaltyJon
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: February 08 2008
Location: Location
Status: Offline
Points: 28772
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 09:18 |
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Vibrationbaby
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 13 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 6898
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 09:25 |
I listen to the guys in the picture above a lot more. I`ve been watching these videos by a Yes tribute band called Parallells lately with a female vocalist, killer drummer and a Steve Howe musical clone. They do excellent versions of Heart Of The Sunrise & Perpetual Change complete with drum solo.
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AlanOB
Forum Groupie
Joined: February 29 2008
Status: Offline
Points: 40
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 09:47 |
Whisper it quietly....but Tales is their best album.
I feel sorry for people who can't grasp the sheer scale of awesomeness contained in those two discs.
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NickTFTO
Forum Newbie
Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Preston
Status: Offline
Points: 2
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 10:14 |
I am the colleague who treebeard mentioned in the original posting. I love the yes albums between The Yes album and Going for the One. Not overly keen on Tormato. I was surprised to like Drama. But then I kind of lost touch with their next release, still listened to the old stuff until very recently when I also discovered the Keys to Ascension albums and was blown away by the studio tracks on KTA 2. I then discovered the keystudio and wish I could buy a reasonably priced copy of it. No luck yet. I like the Ladder but not a fan of the 90125/Big generator stuff. I don't mind Magnification. But I was absolutely staggered how good Mind drive was.
So we must keep on listening to Yes and enjoy some of the best music around. Even if the lyrics can be completely unfathomable.
Watch out for your Total Mass Retain because I've seen all good people dancing at The gates of Delirium, but please don't tell the MoonDog or the March Hare.
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AlanOB
Forum Groupie
Joined: February 29 2008
Status: Offline
Points: 40
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 10:20 |
The lyrics to Siberian Khatru are the worst.
"Beauty begins at the foot of you. Do you believe the manner?"
Pardon?
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NickTFTO
Forum Newbie
Joined: April 29 2009
Location: Preston
Status: Offline
Points: 2
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 10:51 |
Oh the joy of Jon Anderson. How does he write this? And sing it with a straight face!
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fuxi
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 08 2006
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 2459
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Posted: April 29 2009 at 12:13 |
Chicapah wrote:
You'd think after four decades I'd be sick of hearing them but that's just not the case. They still sound fresh. |
Just the same with me! Although I must admit that "Close to the Edge" (the 18-minute piece, not the album) has lost its lustre for me - even though it used to be a firm favorite of mine. But I'll enjoy Starship Trooper, South Side of the Sky, Siberian Khatru, the first Side of TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS, all of RELAYER and most of DRAMA any time of day, in any season.
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