Jon Anderson: The More You Know
European and South American Tour Dates
Recent Advertising and Publicity
Yes on Mark and Brian on KLOS in Los Angeles
Yes' music used in PBS "Great Performances" promo!
Yes/Jon Anderson Dutch Interview
Progression Magazine / Online Ordering
Annie Haslam Update / Moraz Photo
Mark Griffin on @Music- author of Vangelis biography
Jon Camp - His main influence confirmed
European Tour Trouble/Igor's not so excellent adventure
Partly Pink Purely Progressive Rock
Yes Magazine - Yes Returns to North America
Jon Anderson/The More You KnowFrom Gary Davis (artshop@artist-shop.com) (2/12): "For any of you looking to find Jon Anderson's forthcoming CD, "The More You Know," you'll now find it listed in The Artist Shop's pre-order section at http://www.artist-shop.com/catalog/imports/preorder.htm.
From Peter Smith (2/23): "Here are the new sound bites from the new Jon Anderson CD, TMYK, Tell us if you like what you here: http://members.aol.com/opiowrld/music.html
February
26 Manchester, England Apollo
27 Newcastle, England City Hall
28 Glasgow, Scotland Armadillo Theatre
March
1 Nottingham, England Royal Concert Hall
3 Bournemouth, England Bournemouth International Centre
4 London, England Hammersmith Apollo
5 London, England Hammersmith Apollo
6 Paris, France Palais de Congres
8 Utrecht, Holland Muzickcentrum Vredenburg
9 Utrecht, Holland Muzickcentrum Vredenburg
10 Frankfurt, Germany Jahrhunderthalle
11 Dusseldorf, Germany Philipshalle
13 Zurich, Switzerland Kongresshaus
14 Milan, Italy Linco Theatre
16 Berlin, Germany ICC 1
17 Dresden, Germany Kulturpalast Dresden
18 Mannheim, Germany Rosengarten
19 Geneva, Switzerland Arena
20 Stuttgart, Germany Liederhalle
22 Hamburg, Germany CCH 1 Hall
23 Hannover, Germany Music Hall
24 Bayreuth, Germany Obertrankenhalle
26 Warsaw, Poland Sala Kongresowa
27 Katowice, Poland Spodek
29 Poznan, Poland Arena Hall
31 Budapest, Hungary Korscarnok
April
1 Trieste, Italy Palasaport Di Chiarbola
2 Vienna, Austria Music Hall
3 Munich, Germany Circus Krone
5 Strasbourg, France TBA
6 Brussels, Belgium Forest National Theatre
7 Lille, France Zenith Arena
8 Luxemborg, Luxemborg Differdange Centre Sport
14 Cardiff, Wales International Arena
15 Plymouth, England Plymough Pavillion
16 Birmingham, England Symphony Hall
17 Edinburgh, Scotland Playhouse Theatre
19 Liverpool, England Empire
20 Sheffield, England City Hall
21 Brighton, England Brighton Dome
24 London, England Hammersmith Apollo
By Robert Murray (rwm@uci.edu)
February 2, 1998
I attended to NAMM show (National Association of Music Merchants - http://www.namm.com/) last Saturday (1/31) at the LA Convention Center, and thought I would share a few memories....
The Show
I had not been to NAMM since I was a real music merchant. circa 1980. I was 18. I was invited at the last minute on Friday by a friend of mine (Thanks, Steve!) whose company (that shall remain nameless) had a booth there. Now it used to be that only merchants could go, but I think that's changed. I read something about 'non-members' going for $50. I was lucky to get free admission. It's nice having friends in high places. :)
Now, I don't know if you have to be a musician to really appreciate the show or not, but for me, I was like a kid in a candy shop... a dog in a boneyard... you get the picture. I tried nearly every guitar and keyboard I could get my hands on, given the time. It was larger than I remembered from 20 years ago, but I would expect that. Fender, Gibson, and Roland had their own separate rooms, as well as a couple of piano manufacturers, like Yamaha. The Martin acoustics and Fender electrics where still the best players for me. I played lots of lesser-known axes that just didn't do anything for me. I looked for a 9' concert grand piano to play, but couldn't find one. I settled for playing a 7.5' - beautiful! Beats the heck out of my upright. Now all I have to do is get rid of all the dining room furniture, and I'll have the room for it. But of course I'm dreaming - it was a $40,000 instrument.
If you're a drummer, you would have really loved it. It seemed like the show was 75% drums and percussion. Now I figure this might be in part because drums take up more room that guitars do, but holy cow! They really had some BIG drums there! It was truly a percussionists paradise.
I also went to Stick Enterprises and checked out the Sticks. They're pretty neat, I'm thinking about getting one if I can locate a teacher somewhere. Watch out Tony! :)
The show was really too big to see it all in one day. There are only six convention centers in the country big enough for NAMM. I could have spent another day there easily. I skipped a lot of the lesser-known exhibitors that I would have stopped at if I had more time. As you would expect, it was pretty noisy in there, but it seemed like my ears adjusted to it well, since it didn't bother me at all.
The best 'attraction' was at the Sony booth. She was giving out Sony 'tattoos' to most all the male passers-by. Eat your heart out, Pamela Anderson!! Yow!!
So there we are, my friend and I, sitting in the bar having a beer about 1:30, and in walks Alan White. He sits down and orders a beer. After about 10 minutes I gathered the guts to go and introduce myself while trying not to look too star-struck. He was very polite. I talked with him for about 5 or 10 minutes about the up coming European tour (and subsequent return to the US this year!! :), Igor, golf, and other members at NAMM. He told me to check the Rickenbacker booth for Chris. I asked him for an autograph (I wanted proof that I saw him), and he politely agreed, telling me to come by the Ludwig booth at 2:00 for a poster. I thanked him and said I'd see him over there.
I was the first in line for Alan's signing at 2:00. As I was waiting for him to get ready, a guy walked out and handed him about 6 or 7 CDs for him to pass out. Apparently that was all they had, since he made the comment that he was saving them for 'pretty girls', and 'this guy here' (me!). I left with an autographed CD, poster, and 8x10 glossy. Way cool! BTW, the CD was a single of 'New State of Mind' that contained 4 different versions.
I went to the Richenbacker booth, but no Chris. The receptionist said he was here yesterday (Friday) but wasn't planning to be here today, unless he 'drops by'. Bummer. :( I checked out the instruments anyway, since I used to have a Rickenbacker bass that I *loved* - until it got stolen. >:[ I noticed the Carvin booth had 8x10 glosseys of him too, so I guess he uses those, too. I don't know if he was signing there.
Then, about 5:30-ish, as we were making out way out, I saw somebody from the back that I immediately recognized by his hair - Billy Sherwood! I dropped all three bags I was carrying and went over to say Hi. He was with a bunch of people, so I just asked him for his autograph and commented on the shows I'd seen in LA and San Diego, and said I was glad to have him in the band. He thanked me and shook my hand, and I let him go on his way.
All in all it was a day I shall not forget. Also in attendence that I saw was Bob Weir (singer of the Grateful Dead), the guitarist from Black Sabbath (I don't remember his name - I was never a fan). Steve Wonder was there, tho I didn't see him. And Jennifer York was rumored to be there, too. But unfortunately I didn't see her, either. (Sorry, you probably have to live in So Cal to know her.) I'm sure there were many others that I didn't even notice or recognize. It was a gas! It made me wish I had tried to attend more often in the last 20 years, but you can bet I'll be going more often in the future. I would have gladly paid a $50 admission for the show. I would highly recommended it (unlike Comdex).
Bill wrote:
>What did Alan have to say? Does it sound like Igor is on the verge of permanent membership? Tell all when you can.
Robert replied: "No. I asked him that very same thing - the possibility of him joining as a permanent member. His immediate comment was 'I like him where he is'. Which, in the context of my question, implied to me that he's not overly anxious to have him join. I didn't want to press the issue, so I left it at that.
I was thinking about telling him about 'all the people on the Internet' who have said positive things about him and were hoping he'd join, but I resisted. I thought if I let it out that I was an Internet weenie, he might resist talking. You know, kinda like those nosey reporters that will blab too much or distort his comments.
Also, the individual that he was with at the time made a comment about 'those Russians' that sounded a bit sarcastic or prejudice to me. I don't know who the guy was nor did I care, but he seemed to know Alan pretty well. My guess is he was either a roadie or maybe a Ludwig representative. Although, he just might have been some other aquaintance (since I don't know why a roadie would be at NAMM with him).
Needless to say, it wasn't the answer I'd hoped for."
From Steven Sullivan (2/5): "Two of them in a week. First, in an edition of the Washington Post last weekend, Mark Jenkins reviewed club god Goldie's newest release, a 2-CD set of long tracks, by comparing it to Yes 'Tales from Topographic Oceans'. It was not meant as a compliment. Drum'n'bass, anyone?
"Second, discussing Olympic snowboarding in this week's New Yorker, Robert Sullivan writes 'Style sets them apart, too. The best-dressed male snowboarders, for instance , use boards decorated like the covers of old Yes albums and dress like members of Speed Racer's pit crew.'"
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From Rhea Frankel (2/5): "Also, there's a picture of Jon Anderson in the latest WXPN Xpress newsletter. It was taken when he visited XPN's studios last October when Yes played Philly."
From: Ian (ian.boyd@virgin.net) (2/2): "I spotted a couple of interesting things in the new Q. First of all there's an advert for the tour, which says that Manchester and Nottingham are sold out. Good news!
"Secondly, in one of the small ads at the back (where the mail order CD shops advertise), the 'KTA' video is advertised, saying that it's been re-issued and is now glitch-free."
From (blj@xmission.com) (2/5): "C Daigle asked: Does anyone here know of any advertising having been put into 'OYE' or 'Keys2.' Other than the Xerox 4x5 scrap of paper that were handed out at the concerts, I have seen nothing. If they could not afford to do it themselves, perhaps they could have asked us and we could orchestrate a grass roots campaign."
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Bryan responded: "Before the December show in Denver, I noticed 'OYE' promo posters put up EVERYWHERE in shops and record stores around the auditorium. In fact, I snagged one from the wall of a coffee shop that was closing (with permission of course). It wasn't the greatest poster in the world, but it was free, and it was about Yes."
Steve Howe at Hilton HeadFrom Dian Lau (YesTor@aol.com) (2/4): "I went to the (Washington) DC thing last Wednesday. It was in a small but nice auditorium at the Smithsonian Museum of American History (250 seats, sold out). Story behind the event (entitled "Blue Guitars"): The Chinery Collection, a guitar foundation based in Toms River, NJ, commissioned twenty-one archtop guitars by individual guitar makers. The instructions were to create an "acoustic archtop guitar eighteen inches wide and in the color blue." The resulting guitars are on display at the Smithsonian until October 1st. Martin Taylor and Steve Howe were the artists selected for the first of a series of concerts at the museum utilizing these "Blue Guitars."
"There was a preconcert talk with two of the guitar makers. Then, Martin Taylor came out and played for about 40 minutes on one of the guitars - bluesy type stuff, I enjoyed it. Then, he went off and Steve came out to play on his own for about an hour! Didn't write down the order, but among other things he played 'Ram,' 'Clap' (of course!), 'Mood for a Day,' 'Masquerade,' 'The Valley of Rocks,' 'Sketches In The Sun,' 'Diary of a Man Who Vanished,' 'Bareback,' 'Ancient' excerpt (solo leading up to 'Leaves of Green,' and 'Leaves of Green') - basically all the stuff he had been playing/rotating during the tour. He talked a bit between songs, introducing them and such. He only "sang" on one tune, a short piece in which he vocalized some sounds, not singing any recognizable words.
"The thing was... despite the intent of the concert, which was to showcase the "Blue Guitars" (three of which were prominently displayed on stage), he played his OWN YELLOW MARTIN for the whole first hour!! My friend in DC who I was there with (not a Yes fan), turned to me after three songs and said, "But he's not playing a blue guitar." Yeah, I wasn't exactly sure why he did that but hell, I enjoyed it anyway. :-)
"After his acoustic set, he then played several pieces on an electric, again, one of his own instruments. Then Martin Taylor came back out and they did a few pieces together. For these Steve did finally play one of the featured instruments - it was a beautiful brilliant sky blue, sounded great too. I didn't recognize any of the things they played together. The last piece they did, they have apparently recorded (using vintage guitars from The Chinery Collection) for an upcoming release on MusicMasters (?) entitled "Masterpiece Guitars." The concert was over at about 10 PM... then it was a long drive back to Philly for me... had to get up early for work the next day.
"I'm really glad I made the trip. I wasn't sure what to expect, although I *did* think that I would run into some fellow Yesfans there. The only person I recognized there was Lane Seiger, Steve's assistant and driver. The crowd seemed to be a mixture of regular Smithsonian-goers and guitar buffs/musicology folks. Some of the preconcert discussion was pretty technical as it related to various aspects of guitar-making - at least it sounded pretty technical to me. The audience was very polite, reserved - they did not seem familiar with Steve's repertoire, although there *was* a smattering of applause at the beginning of 'Mood for a Day.' For the most part people were very quiet and clapped only between pieces. (Flashback that just sprang to mind: The Beacon shows where you could barely hear Steve's set amid all the shouting and racket from the audience.) It was definitely a different kind of event.
"Well, I've gone on long enough. I feel fortunate that I was able to attend. Overall it was quite a pleasant evening. And get this... tickets were only $16! What a deal!!"
Steve's Hilton Head showFrom Mark Cudilee (MECLEC@aol.com) (2/17): "'The Howester', none other than Steve Howe himself, played to a near capacity crowd (about 300 fans) last night at the Elizabeth Wallace Theatre in Hilton Head, SC. The show was technically a sellout however there were some 'empty' seats (no-shows) on the main floor. Steve, donning comfortable attire...a brown vest sweater over a black collarless long sleeve and khaki pants, brown socks and shoes and played a solid 2 hour show (not including a 15 minute break) to a generally enthusiastic crowd of fans, though I thought they were a little "too polite" or reserved at times.
"Facilitated by the intimacy and acoustical ambience of the theater, Steve's stage presence and playing was very warm and inviting, making the concert that much more accessible and listener friendly. He not only demonstrated his virtuosic playing ability but personalized it with his brand of wit and humor and overall friendly body language. 'The Howester' was clearly enjoying himself at this show, especially as he foot stomped his way through his country/ragtime numbers. Steve also shared thoughtful reflections on his musical career (past and present) but didn't elaborate on the future of Yes, other than that they will be touring stateside again from mid-June to late August later this year.
"On the technical side, Steve's playing was exceptionally solid as usual despite some occasional 'fret buzzing' in certain places. Steve's gear included his Martin Som 45 6-string acoustic (1977 model) and a slightly customized 1949 Telecaster, each amplified through a Roland Jazz Chorus amp. The following is the setlist:
Encores:
"Close To The Edge: I Get Up I Get Down, Seasons Of Man (Steve's singing showed signs of strain on this one. I was still very pleased with this selection and the arrangement he used...what a treat!
"Roundabout (ahh yes, the obligatory encore. A very nice acoustic version not unlike the version on 'Not Necessarily Acoustic'. I always find myself humming Jon's part so I can harmonize with Steve on this one!)
"Well that's about it for now. I'll share some more post-concert reflections later in the week."
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New Tony Kaye Web Page!From: Eric Jordan (erjent@sunline.net) (2/7): "Check out my new Tony Kaye web page. It has pictures, sounds, news, discography, biography, and his own restaurant information in New York. http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/8909/tonykaye.htm" |
From (Rcktrpolis) (2/9): "YES - "Open Your Eyes" Cybercast, Thursday, Feb. 12, 8 p.m. (EST)
The renowned progressive rock band reunited in 1997 for a triumphant world tour. This show, recorded at L.A.'s Universal Amphitheatre, features material from their latest album "Open Your Eyes" and such classic works as "Roundabout," "And You And I," "Siberian Khatru," and "Owner of a Lonely Heart." http://www.rocktropolis.com
New Prog Comp with YESFrom: Nic Caciappo (nicbeat@earthlink.net) (2/9): "I notice that there is a new prog compilation coming from the UK label 'Recall' called 'Rock Progression', a 2 CD set which will include a track from YES, Marillion, ELP, Tangerine Dream, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Family, Nazareth, Jefferson Starship, Curved Air and more. Usually compilations like this do not include YES due to licencing difficulties, so it's nice to see YES on the same CD as Marillion and ELP.... don't know about Starship or Nazareth though." Marillion |
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London YES ContestFrom: JCB (juddb@ix.netcom.com) (2/10): "I damn near went off the road on my way to work this AM.
"The opening bits of 'New State of Mind' came on the radio as a lead-in to a contest spot on KQRS Minneapolis. Seems they are giving away an all expenses paid trip to see YES in London!
"But that's not all. They claimed that joining YES will be the London Philharmonic.
"I want to win, but I don't want to listen to the radio."
From Donald Taylor (from Aberdeen, Scotland) (donald.taylor@virgin.net) (2/11): "My 9 year old son informed me that YES album cover designer Roger Dean was on BBC TV's Tomorrow's World programme this evening, talking about his current architecture designs."
From: Edward Jerlin (edj@garban.com) (2/20): "A friend of mine in L.A. taped Yes on the Mark and Brian Show on KLOS radio. Here's a review of what transpired. (Keep in mind, much of this is paraphrased):
"After the obligatory hellos, thank you's, and credits they do 'Owner.' It sounds like Yes unplugged. Alan is on an acoustic set, no samples triggered. The sound is very dry, and it sounds like the guitars are acoustic. Most of the cool parts (both guitar and samples) are being PLAYED (not triggered) by Igor. Where are the guitar parts? The guitar solo blows, I've heard zillions of local guitarists who could play this better. Am I actually missing Rabin here?! It generally sounds like they're holding back, the place they're playing in must be awfully small. They blew off the spot after "no NO" when the OOWW comes in and went right into the guitar solo. There was a short but cool piano solo at the end that was drowned out by some lame acoustic rhythm guitar. Where the heck is Steve? I've never heard such lousy guitar playing ever from Yes! Must be way too early in the morning for him. (I'll explain later.)
"Then they take questions from the audience.
Q: Why did you only play two songs from the current album on the tour?
Squire: We're reforming/combining/integrating Steve, Billy, and Igor so we figured we'd play it safe, and play songs people want to hear. You'll be hearing more new stuff next summer.
Q: You guys sound great today!
CS: Now the soundman is putting in for a raise!
Q: Wish I was taping this so I could bootleg it! Jon, are you still in SLO?
JA: Yes, I'm working on a project with the local dance company in SLO, but since we're on tour, that's kind of on hold. There's so much local talent.
ALBUM PLUG
Q: Which album is your best one? I love them all?
JA: The next one is always our best! (lots of laughs)
Q: What do you think is the key to your success?
JA: We'll let Alan answer this one.
CS: He'll say it's the drumming! (more laughs)
AW: We're always moving forward, doing something new, pushing the envelope.
Then they play 'OYE.' Sitar opening is played on acoustic guitar. Again, the sound is very dry. Vocals are a little ragged in places, but to my ears they sound fresh. It kind of sounds like they're playing in your living room, if that makes sense. The guitar parts sound kind of empty. Not a lot going on. Man, I've never heard Steve play so bad! Igor is covering most of the instrumental work, and doing a good job.
After the song, they apparently do the "Beatle Bow".
JA: We've been practicing that for the radio! (lots of laughs)
Q: How did you hook up with Billy and Igor?
BS: (Tells the story we already know: a mutual friend, worked with Chris on the "More We Live (Let go)" -> backed up on 'Talk' tour -> produced 'KTA' -> wrote and produced 'OYE' -> they asked him to join the band.)
At this point we're informed that it's Rita's birthday. Apparantly, Rita is someone who works with Mark and Brian. [She's the engineer/producer] Then Jon (accompanied by Igor), belts out an amazing (and amazingly high) 'Happy Birthday.' For those of you who think JA sings falsetto, you're wrong - this was FULL VOICE. For those of you who assume JA can't ROCK, this proves it wrong. The way he sang, it sent chills up my spine. As much as I've always LOVED his voice, I've never heard him BELT IT OUT like that before; maybe on 'I'm Down.'
Q: Whose idea was it to play "in the round?"
JA: Chris's idea. I thought he was crazy. We can't play while we're spinning around.
CS: I got the idea because I wanted better sound, so everyone is closer to the band, no one needs binoculars, and the sound doesn't echo off the back wall.
Q: Why did you cancel the Portland show? I waited in line for front row seats!
JA: You were the only one who bought a ticket! (laughs) We're sorry. But it's probably a good thing, because of what happened with the ice storms in Canada in January.
Q: After all these years, it must be nice to realize that people are bringing their families and children to see you.
JA: We're amazed we're still here.
Q: How are the past members of Yes doing?
JA: Pat Moraz (called him 'Pat') is playing in people's living rooms. (lots of laughs). No really, that's what he's doing. Dinner sessions.
CS: It's a good gig.
JA: Free lunch.
(I thought this was really mean and condescending here. I thought the CHAT tour Moraz did was amazing. I wish more artists did this kind of thing.)
CS: Trevor (Rabin) is doing soundtracks. Right now, he's Mr. Armagedon.
They play 'All Good People'. Opens with a brief acoustic guitar strumming from JA. All of the little nuances that Steve usually puts into 'Your Move' are played by Igor on piano. Igor also adds in quite a few tasty licks in and around the melody. This guy is the real deal. They really should hold onto him if Rick doesn't come back. The organ and drums don't kick in at the end of Your Move as powerfully as usual. Again, it feels as if they're holding back. The 'All Good People' section rocks because of Igor. He is a monster player. Where's Steve? The guitar sounds, well, terrible! A lot of fumbling. The solo is ragged and disjointed like he's not even sure what key he's in! Very tentative. Sounds like a guitar from an average garage band. Really! Of course, Chris, Alan, and the vocals are spot on. (What would you expect, how many times have they played this song?
Q: I've heard rumors about some BBC material being out.
JA: Yeah, it's the B-side, er BBC-side to our new single! (lots of laughs, gee, Jon is downright funny today! No talk about Mother Earth, or Opio!) It's available in your local black market shop! (more laughs)
They talk about the upcoming tour of Europe and plans for a summer U.S. amphitheater tour.
JA: We're starting the tour in Portland! (more laughs)
They play 'Roundabout.' They blow off the guitar intro. Igor is covering the guitar parts on piano. There is no guitar on the verse. Something must be wrong with Steve. You know, this actually sounds good! I like it with piano! The organ in the chorus sounds a little cheesy. They play two verses and out, right into the 'da-da-da-da-DA DA DA' at the end. The final guitar part after the 'da das' is played as a bass solo by Chris! Cool! Then the chord flourish at the end.
JA: We really should rehearse that song!
ALBUM PLUG
Q: 'OYE' is your 1st album in how long?
CS: Three years since the 'Talk' album. (WHAT?! WHAT ABOUT KTAI and II?! I CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S BLOWING KTA OFF!!! WHAT IS HE THINKING? AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLUG ALL 3 ALBUMS, AND HE BLOWS IT OFF. AND THE REST OF THE BAND DOESN'T CORRECT HIM!!! ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGH!)
It's great to have Steve back. Oh, but he's not here today, he's got a classical concert in Carolina. Billy's trying to fill in. As you can hear, he didn't quite make it at the end of 'Roundabout'.'
BS: I'm supposed to double Chris there.
(Aaah, that explains everything! Really, either we caught him on a bad day, or this guy can't play.)
This is followed by another 'OYE' plug and numerous thank you's and group hugs. The crowd is very appreciative. I may not have made it clear earlier that there was a studio audience. Some of the questions came from the audience, some from people who called in the radio station, and some from Mark and Brian.
Well, that's it. Sorry if this was too long, but I thought it was relevant. I couldn't resist the editorial content, but really, keep Billy as a producer. He did a whale of a job producing 'KTA' and 'OYE.' He's not a bad writer either - I think the potential for integrating Billy's more 'commercial' tendencies with the rest Yes's more progressive sensibilities is an exciting prospect. But as a guitar player, I've personally played with many locals who would blow him away. I realize he's really a bass player, but... ah, I should just let it go. Even Wakeman had many great things to say about Billy, so he must be there for a reason. "
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From: YESFAN1046 This is not a detailed report....I just wanted to jot down the songs they did *live online* as it happens...somewhat acoustic sound..... Sisko were you the Michael in the audience?
" While introducing the band Mark (or Brian??) said 'Steve Howe on lead guitar and vocals' you could hear Chris in the background saying 'no he's not'
"Chris explained at the end of the set that Steve was 'in Carolina, doing a Classical Guitar show'"
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From: subprime1@aol.com (Subprime1) (2/12): "Yes, minus Steve Howe, played four songs on the Mark and Brian show today. Chris, Alan, Billy and Igor were there. Mark and Brian obviously introduced the members from a list because they introduced Steve Howe, who wasn't even there and failed to mention Igor. They were about to move on and Jon piped in that Igor was playing keyboards. Brian then made a comment that a large black limo from the Russian consulet would be taking Igor away soon. No *!@%!@! comment from Igor.
"The band started off with 'Owner of a Lonely Heart.' The sound coming over my receiver was very fuzzy, made the music less than enjoyable. I live in Simi Valley [north of L.A.] and the reception is sometimes hit and miss. Jon's voice sounded as good as ever, but Chris and Billy sounded like they were having an off morning. It was shortly after 9 AM, not the best time to be singing, I guess. They followed that with 'Open Your Eyes.'
"During the show they took questions from people at the station and also over the phone. Someone asked the group what they attributed their longevity and success. I believe Chris said that if you ask Alan, he will say it's the drumming. Laughed a little at that one. Some other person asked why they cancelled the Canadian tour. Jon quickly answered that it was cancelled because the caller was the only one who bought a ticket for it. The crowd at the studio laughed loudly at that remark. He apologized to the caller and everyone else who bought tickets. He said they were lucky they did not attempt the tour because of the ice storms Canada experienced during the period they would have been touring.
"They also played 'Your Move/Seen All Good People' and closed with, surprise, 'Roundabout.' Again, the sound of the broadcast, at least at my end sounded very fuzzy, especially when the music was supposed to be at it's loudest."
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From mgourley@nospaminreach.com (Marshall ) It was mentioned that Steve was playing a classical concert on the east coast. Mark and Brian get artists to play their 'amphitheater' which is basically a room at the radio station that can fit about 30 people. Guests do some on-air self-humilating bits in order to gain admittance. It's all in fun, but imagine being one of 30 people, in a 'very small' venue to see Yes, albeit without Steve.
"The audience members that asked questions were falling all over themselves thanking Yes for doing the thing.
"Fun and frivolity, which is what Mark and Brian are all about."
From:Mike Schwartz (msautosports@earthlink.net) (2/14): "I don't usually follow this newsgroup so this may be old news. I was watching Ch. 13, the PBS station in New York City, tonight when a promo for the 'Great Performances' series came on. The images were of scenes from various episodes, and the background music was strangely familiar. By the time the spot ended, I had it. They were using 'Shoot High Aim Low' from 'Big Generator'!
"Does anyone know if this was a national spot, or one created by the New York station?"
Yes/Jon Anderson Dutch InterviewFrom: Peter Koks (music.minded@wxs.nl) (2/18): "This message is for all eyes, but specially for the Dutch fans:
"Music Minded magazine (Holland) is doing an interview with Jon Anderson and we give you the opportunity to ask your question to the frontman of Yes. The most original questions will be passed to Jon and published in Music minded no. 5 (May '98) E-mail your question to: music.minded@wxs.nl"
From: Progression Magazine (Progzine@aol.com) (2/19): "This message is to inform you that 'Progression Magazine' now has the capability of online subscription and back issue ordering. The order form is a secured form so there is no danger of your confidential information being intercepted. Just click on the "Online Ordering" selection on the menu bar on our website.
For more information about Progression, The Journal of Progressive Music, please visit http://progressionmagazine.com.
From: Roy DeRousse (relayer@iname.com) (2/21): "Annie Haslam just posted an updated message to her fans at: http://www.annie-haslam.com/message.html
"In addition to describing her upcoming touring and recording plans (including the latest on the Howe/Haslam project!), there is a photo of Annie with her brother and Steve Howe before their show in Philly last September. Check it out!"
Vangelis - The Unknown Man
A Biography by Mark J. T. Griffin
Vangelis' mission has been to explore sound through electronics and push back the bounds of musical knowledge. This book traces his career from his prodigal beginnings and formation of Aphrodite's Child. It examines his work in television, including his contributions to Carl Sagan's Cosmos series and scores for director Frederic Rossif. It details Vangelis' classical compositions for ballet, theatre and orchestra and his platinum selling work with Jon and Vangelis. The biography focuses on his Oscar winning score for 'Chariots of Fire' and his other sound-tracks for 'Blade Runner,' 'Bitter Moon,' 'Antarctica' and '1492 - Conquest of Paradise.' It reviews his live performances and work on over thirty five albums such as 'Heaven and Hell,' 'Albedo 0. 39,' 'Direct,' 'The City,' 'Voices' and 'Oceanic.' "Vangelis: The Unknown Man"presents Vangelis' work, life and influences and showcases his breathtaking range of talent and achievement.
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This is the second edition of this biography just released in 1997. It covers Vangelis' history from his birth to the release of 'Oceanic.' The final pages include a Workography that details Vangelis' album releases, singles, work with other artists, film scores, bootlegs, unreleased albums, scores for ballet, theatre and opera and much more. This book is absolutely essential for the Vangelis fan and collector and profits from sales go to various charities in the UK.
From: Roy DeRousse (relayer@iname.com) (2/21): "There is an interview with Jon Camp, ex-bass player for Renaissance, in the Nov. 1997 issue of 'Opening Out.' It is reprinted at: http://user.mc.net/jtl/nlights/lib/reviews/camp97.htm
Here are his comments on his main influence:
Q: Your bass playing has always been melodic and exciting. Who were your influences and how do you think you came to develop this style of playing?
A: In one word: Chris Squire. What happened was that I had just got
married and believe it or not on our honeymoon we happened to drop into
a pub where Yes were playing. I saw Chris and I thought, "Wow!"
I was a guitar player first of all and I think that's probably where the
melodic style came from. It was kind of a transitional period; there was
a band that I wanted to play with locally when I lived in London and they
wanted a bass player. I was playing guitar at the time. I remember going
up Shaftsbury Avenue, which is like the London mecca of music stores, in
a taxi cab. I bought a Gibson EBO 3 and a gigantic Vox amplifier and put
it all in the cab. A little known fact is that Renaissance toured with Return
To Forever for nearly a month and what we used to do is split the headlining
each night. I spent a lot of time with Stanley Clarke and he can knock spots
off me, but once we were sitting on a plane and he said to me, "I might
be faster that you, but I could never be as melodic as you." I thought
that was really nice and we had a wonderful time together.
Q You were one of the pioneers of the Rickenbacker bass sound. What drew you to using this particular bass guitar?
A: Well we go back to Chris Squire. He was the man. I just saw that guitar and heard the sound. For me the Rickenbacker was the best cross until I started playing Vigier, between the sound of a guitar and a bass. It had the depth but it also had a very strong high end which really appealed to me because I wanted to actually cross that line. I wanted a guitar/bass.
Fans have always noticed the similarity between Squire and Camp, but now it's confirmed!"
European tour trouble?From: Henry Potts (2/25): "I have heard that Igor "Ivan" Khoroshev is still in New York with the European leg of the Yes tour due to begin on the 26th in the UK. This is apparently due to immigration problems.
This is clearly very bad news. I don't know what will happen, although perhaps someone will fill in for him - certain candidates seem obvious."
It seems that Khoroshev cannot get a visa to work in the UK. Like most countries, the UK has restrictions on foreigners working here. One can obtain a work visa by demonstrating that you are an expert in a particular field and that no-one else could do your job, thus you are not taking employment away from a local. I would guess that this would be a line the band could be taking to get Khoroshev in. It also seems possible that it is Khoroshev's status as a *Russian* citizen only resident in the US (if I'm correct on that) which is causing problems. I don't know about work visas specifically, but others visas are easier to obtain between the UK and US than between the UK and Russia.
Once he can get into the UK, I presume he can then work in any EU country, which would cover most of the European tour. (The first non-EU date is not until 13 Mar in Switzerland.)
Yes appear to be looking for someone to fill in at short notice until they can get this sorted out. It is not going to be Rick Wakeman, so who?
More from Henry Potts "Well, fortunately, Khoroshev *has* made it, so we won't find out what would have happened, but, had he not have made it, Yes were planning on going ahead with Adam Wakeman filling in. I think it unlikely that they would have postponed any shows as that can be financially very difficult and there isn't any time in their schedule to move a postponed show to."
From (SoulQuest7) (2/27): "From Igor's website: Igor joined Yes Thursday evening (Feb. 26th) in Manchester, England for the first gig of their 1998 European tour... but not without a bit of panic. Due to some misunderstandings, as of Wednesday Igor was unable to get the proper paperwork to enter the UK.
Faced with the prospect of having no keyboard player for the first few shows of the tour, Yes hastily recruited Adam Wakeman (son of Rick) to fill Igor's slot. Adam takes quite a bit after his dad - he's a very talented keys player! The young Wakeman rehearsed with Yes for three days as the band awaited word on Igor, who was still stuck in the States.
But, much to our relief, the red tape was cut at the last minute and Igor arrived in England the morning of the show. By all accounts, the tour opener was a great success. And, much to the crowd's delight, Adam took the keys for a rousing encore of "Starship Trooper" (a song which his band, "Jeronimo Road", had performed on the Yes tribute album on the Magna Carta label, titled "Tales From Yesterday").
Yes, with Igor, will continue to take Europe by storm through April. See the Igor Live page for Yes tour dates.
From: Henry Potts (2/26): "It seems Dylan Howe has become a bit of a sex symbol through his work on Channel 4's superb show 'Light Lunch' (soon to become 'Late Lunch')! Check out the links I've added at http://www.bondegezou.demon.co.uk/wh_now.htm#dylan
From Steven Sullivan (2/26): "In the most recent issue of 'MOJO' to hit the stands here (Bob Dylan on the cover), there's an interesting article tracing the career of Todd Rundgren. Todd went through a 'prog' phase in the mid-to-late 1970s, kicking off with 'Utopia', the name of his new band and the half-live half-studio LP which came out in 1974. His record company, Bearsville, was not happy with this stylistic turn of events, which turns out to have been Yes-influenced. According to to the disgruntled testimony of one of his then-companions (glam-rock hanger-on Bebe Buell), during the time leading up to Utopia's formation, Todd would 'play fucking 'Roundabout' by Yes every day' - obviously a sign of things to come. While the Yes influence isn't at all surprising, this was the first explicit recollection I'd read that fingered Todd as a Yesfan.
"
Anyhoo, interested parties here can
check out 'Todd Rundgren's Utopia ' (the one with the cool eyeball on the
cover), 'Another Live', or 'Ra' to hear for themselves how Todd channeled
Yes. I've always kinda liked that first one, but I've not listened to the
other two since the 1970's. More fervent Todd fans than me could perhaps
offer some more in-depth comment here.
"The etc. in the header has to do with another bizarrely Yes-related media find I made yesterday while reading the 'Post.' There was a 'situation' in Kentucky a few days back involving a deranged man who barricaded himself and his wife in his house and ultimately cut his own throat when the police raided the place. This fellow had a history of delusional behavior, but what was germane here (if you stretch the term) was that he first began showing signs of trouble in the 1970's, when he was arrested for repeatedly firing a gun into the ceiling of his apartment (obviously not a happy event for his upstairs neighbors). The 'Post' quoted an news clip from that era, wherein a friend of the man's said that his delusions of grandeur and feelings of being on a higher spiritual plane began in 1974, after he read a book called.......'Autobiography of a Yogi.'"
From: Torrellan Millithor (torrellan@mcmail.com) (2/26): "Well once again the guys have outdone themselves!
"I thought they couldn't get much better than the Chicago Rosemont, but they did tonight! Hats off to Igor - for a guy who just got off a plane from the States this morning, his playing was, to use words he would appreciate, 'something !!*@??!!* else!'
"Chris was fantastic, and despite the technical problems, Steve performed excellently as usual. Just a pity about the nobhead in the crowd who had to be told in broad Manc brogue to 'shut up you fucing dickhead!!' which elicited a round of applause from the rest of us. Steve's new piece, 'Corkscrew', showed just how creative the guy still is with an acoustic guitar, and the performance of 'From the Balcony' with Jon was a joy to hear too.
"I only have one very small complaint - the only set changes from the North American shows were the two pieces just mentioned. I for one wouldn't mind seeing a few more tracks from their recent studio endeavours.
"All that said, the guy who absolutely stole the show was definitely Adam Wakeman. He came on during the encore to replace Igor for 'Starship Trooper', and without wanting to seem sentimental or biased, his solo spot was the highlight of the evening. I was stunned, in awe of this lanky, long haired prodigy who evokes thoughts of Rick in his youth - same build, style, energy and complete fucking genius. What a guy!!
"America - pray Adam comes over next summer to guest at a few shows. He IS that good. I just hope he turns up at Nottingham on Sunday!!"
From Andy Kirk"(a.c.kirk@x400.icl.co.uk) (2/27): "It was quite one of the best Yesshows I've seen in 20 years despite the first night technical probs. I thought Chris was in absolutely awesome form and really played to the crowd. It appeared to take a couple of numbers for Steve to get into the groove and he seemed to go missing a couple of times in the opening 'Siberian Khatru' but he was soon up to speed and dancing around like a spring chicken. I thought he coped marvelously with the problems at the start of his solo spot and the new number 'Corkskrew' went down really well. The ovations for 'And You and I' and 'The Revealing SOG' were tremendous and well deserved, and Jon looked quite taken a back by the reception for the latter.
"The encore was quite incredible especially with the introduction of Adam Wakeman. I can't recall 'Starship Trooper' played any better ever ! Adam was absolutely magnificent though credit goes to Igor as well for a) putting in an excellent performance himself and b) for generously making way for Adam on 'Starship Trooper.'
"What really made the show for me was how much more personal it felt in the relatively small Apollo Theatre. I've been to shows at Wembley and Birmingham NEC where the arenas are so large that unless you are up close you just don't feel part of it. I felt part of the show last night, and it was an absolutely fantastic experience, and what's more the boys on stage seemed to be enjoying it as well with the small stage really bringing them together as a unit.
"I'm now looking forward to repeat performances at Nottingham and London next week - can't wait!"
From Peter Anderson (p.anderson2@ukonline.co.uk) (2/27): "Here is a peice from today's Scotsman newspaper, (Scotland, surprise, surprise)
"Yes who play Glasgow on Saturday, reformed recently in an ill-fated bid to be taken seriously. Radiohead may have made progressive rock fashionable again, but some of us would rather not be reminded of the fact."
"For your information, the e-mail address for 'The Scotsman's' correspondence is Letters_ts@scotsman.com"
From: Donald Taylor (donald.taylor@virgin.net) (2/27): "An arcticle appeared in today's (Friday 27/2/98) 'Scottish Daily Record' newspaper, with a picture of Steve and Jon (from OYE promo), thus:-
LET'S DO THE TIME WARP
Dust down your Afgan coats, flares and army surplus jackets - Scotland is set for a prog-rock spectacular this weekend. Genesis minus Collins and YES have shows within 24 hours of each other. And for fans of these two bands it's a chance in a life time to see them play back to back gigs. YES -- featuring the classic line up of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White are joinned by Billy Sherwood -- will play the Clyde Auditorium on Saturday night.
But the band revealed they were almost stopped in their tracks when American customs officials refused Russian keyboard player Igor Khoroshev a US passport. Igor, who moved to to the US five years ago, has applied for American citizenship, but is still waiting for his papers to be approved. Now legendary keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman's SON Adam has stepped in to bail the group out. He took over at the band's Manchester show on Tuesday (?) - and could take Igor's place if the big Russian's travel plans continue to flounder. Singer Jon said, "It's fantastic to have Adam play with us. It's a little strange, particularly as he looks so like his father. But very exciting for all of us. It's going to be a great show."
"That's it - obviously compiled on Wednesday or Thursday before the BIG Russian arrived!"
London Concert Contest in L.A.From subprime1@aol.com (Subprime1) (2/27): "Be advised KLOS, 95.5 in Los Angeles, is going to give some lucky person tickets to fly to London to see YES (with tickets to the concert of course and $955.00. All you need to do is submit a card or letter by Sunday. On it you must state what time you heard a YES song played and the name of the song.
"Feel free to use the following information. I was listening today at 6:30 PM and they played "Open Your Eyes". Maybe they will accept email submissions. Go for it!"
Partly Pink Purely Progressive RockFrom Cynthia G. (GaleForce1@msn.com) (2/28): "Yes fans in Atlanta should listen to Z-93's Partly Pink Purely Progressive Rock Weekend on February 28 -March 1. They are giving away copies of Yes' CD "Open Your Eyes" and a chance to win a lithograph of the 'Relayer' album cover artwork that has been autographed by Roger Dean. My lucky streak in winning Yes-related items continues! I won the CD today and hopefully they'll be calling my name on Monday when they give the lithograph away. I've won something - CD's and/or concert tickets - in every Yes-related radio contest in Atlanta since the 'Big Generator' tour.
"It's hard to believe that Yes is finally getting some long overdue promotion for 'OYE' on the radio here in Atlanta. The CD has been released for months now, yet this was the first time that I have heard anything from 'OYE' on the radio. They've played 'New State of Mind' from 'OYE' and lots of 'classic' songs - 'Southside of the Sky,' 'Heart of the Sunrise' just to name a few. It's about time, Z-93!"
February 28, 1998
Tickets for the North America leg of the 1998 tour should be on sale as soon as late March. Yes will generally play larger venues this time, and the tentative opening act will be Alan Parsons. YesWorld Network (Notes From The Edge and YES Magazine) will again be offering tickets prior to their on-sale date, but in a different manner to where YesWorld members will choose the seat location and pay for them in advance. More details coming soon. Be sure to check the websites (http://www.yesmag.com http://www.yesworld.com and http://www.nfte.org) for the latest info. All available info will be posted the moment we have more info - no need to email us. ;-)
YESSHOP Closing March 31, 1998 - Last Call
YESSHOP merchandise supplies are running low, and many items are now out of print. We *do* now have a small stock of 'Views' and 'Magnetic Storm' - the Roger Dean art books. We have acquired the *last remaining copies* from the publisher. This is the last call for anyone interested in these books! The cost is $29 in the U.S. (US $39 elsewhere) for each title.
Posters 1366 and 1281 are also out of print, but we still have a limited supply in stock. Did you miss the official Yes 1997-1998 ('Open Your Eyes') tourbook? We have a limited supply available in the Yesshop for $18 (US $24 elsewhere).
We regret that Yes' 'Greatest Video Hits' and 'Morning Dragon' poster 1277 are no longer available and cannot be reordered. Most of the other shop items will be gone shortly.
The YESSHOP itself will close for good no later than March 31, or whenever our existing stock is depleted.
For the complete catalog of available items, please visit the YESSHOP on our website at http://www.yesmag.com/yesshop/yesshop.html
YES Magazine Update
The editors of YES Magazine wish to humbly apologize for the delay in publication of volume 7, issues number 2 and 3. A variety of personal circumstances have forced us to delay publication. Paid subscribers to the *print* edition of YM volume 7, will receive the remaining 2 issues of their subscription. We expect v7n2 to be published in the spring. The final issue will follow. We regret that this, our tenth, and final year of publishing the print version of YES Magazine has been a bumpy one. We appreciate your understanding and patience. We will discontinue publishing the *print* magazine after volume 7 is completed this summer or fall. Back issues are available in the YESSHOP.
YES MAGAZINE - the official Yes fan magazine. For the latest Yes news, tour info and official Yes and Roger Dean merchandise, point your browser to http://www.yesmag.com. Email us at yesmag@yesmag.com
Like the last 20 years never happened... Yes, pioneers of all things progressively rock-like, are still with us. Despite varied attempts to kill off both band and genre (deeds better left to the protagonists themselves), here are two offerings, fey album sleeves and lengthy opuses intact, from what is perceived as their classic line-up.
'Keys to Ascension 2', like part one, features one side of live old faves, and a side of new tracks. The former includes the lengthy 'Close To The Edge' and the more raucous 'Going For The One', while the latter opens with 18 minutes of 'Mind Drive', ensuring that only the hardiest tree-loving hippy would progress to the other four tracks. **
'Open Your Eyes' is the 'official' new studio album, prior to which caped keyboardist Rick Wakeman departed. Equally twee but with shorter songs, it's marginally easier to stomach, but still chock-full of spiritual nonsense. ***
At some point, even hard-core Yes fans must demand an end to the madness. The group's latest project, billed as a work of "epic proportion," is an epic bore, and indicates that this once-empyreal band long ago exausted its progressive talents. The irony (or is it tragedy?) is that Yes played proudly as a group of supreme instrumentalists, particularly guitarist Steve Howe, and in 1972 created a symphonic masterpiece in "Close to the Edge." While listeners can't dwell in the past, they need to be critical and demanding of true artists who promise innovation. Yes tired long ago.
The team has gone nowhere but down in the last decade, and "Open Your Eyes" is a little more than cosmic rambling - the songs riveted together with mechanistic rhythms, hollow lyrics, circuit-tripping power surges and vapid displays of virtuosity.
Jon Anderson still retains a glimmer of his ambrosial vocals, the foundation of a group formed in England 30 years ago. Bassist Chris Squire makes his presence felt with growling undercurrents, and drummer Alan White offers an elusive, painterly touch on the skins. Howe is the big disappointment, as his playing reveals none of the subtle creativity found on "Fragile," "Edge" and "Tales of Topographic Oceans."
There's little point in detailing the 11 songs here because the formula is the same: Blow weak material out of sonic proportion. Discerning listeners will quickly sense a lack of thematic direction. When Yes performed in Tampa a few years back, we viewed it less as a pure element of rock than a frigid isotope. That pretty much sums up this recording.
The good news is that Yes has made a creative comeback and a commercial one at the same time. The bad news is that it has done them on separate albums.
The classic lineup of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, and Alan White shows its mettle on 'Keys to Ascension 2', which, like the first 'Keys, 'combines live tracks from a 1996 reunion gig with new studio material. But this time the studio sessions cover a full CD, and it's the best Yes disc since 1977's 'Going for the One'. At long last, the band throws commerciality to the wind and mines the cosmic epic style it perfected in the Seventies. The 9-minute "Foot Prints" and the 18-minute "Mind Drive" are complex pieces that hold together as songs, alternating Anderson's melodic musings with thrilling guitar/keyboard outbursts. The live disc is a nice but unnecessary bonus, since most of the songs have been on concert albums before and these faithful versions offer nothing new.
Recorded not long after, 'Open Your Eyes' marks another personnel change-Wakeman is out (again), guitarist/singer/writer Billy Sherwood is in-and another change of course. Sherwood helps steers [sic] the band in the same radio-friendly directon Trevor Rabin did. It works fine in the first few tracks: "New State of Mind," the title song, and "Universal Garden" retain the grandiosity of prime Yes, with enough layers of vocals to make up for the lack of keyboards. But then a slick adult-contemporary approach takes over, as Anderson's lyrics descend into the trite feel-goodisms of recent years. Pleasant, yes; progressive, no. ––Brett Milano
From Chip Palmer (2/17): The new issue [of Stereo Review magazine] has a review of both albums. Gave 'Keys 2' studio disc 4 stars, live disc 3 stars, and 'OYE' 2 stars."
Truckers NewsFrom Jim Captfire91 (2/25): "I just was looking thru a copy of a
magazine at a truck stop today, and guess what? In this month's Truckers
News there is a review of 'Open Your Eyes.' Things are really going down
hill."
