For Yes Fans - what happened?

I pretty much stopped following them after 90125 even though Talk was quite good. I did enjoy their more recent Fly From Here, but the whole Union incarnation did absolutely nothing for me. As an aside, I’m a fan of the self-titled album from ABWH.

 

Topographic Oceans should have been cut down to a single disc. It would have been a great album. (4 sides is too self indulgent). After that there's nothing
that holds my interest. The exception being 90125, which isn't too bad. Most bands lose their way after so many albums.ELP, Gentle Giant, Genesis, even
Crimson after Starless. To me anyway.

 

The last Yes album that I actually liked and gave enough time to was The Ladder, and it had some definite clunkers. After seeing reviews and comments, and having generally lost interest over the years, I never got or listened to Heaven and Earth. I saw tours for Open Your Eyes and Magnification, but wasn't overly impressed by either, and I did not like OYE as an album at all and really didn't like the Magnification orchestra thing, though there were the basics of a few good songs in there. I admit to liking 90125 and Talk and both tours, plus some select tracks from Big Generator, but for me the core of Yes will always be the Yes Album, Fragile and Close to the Edge ... the next three as well to a lesser sense. I loved Drama too and that tour was my first Yes concert at age 13, so there is a sentimental fondness there. The debut and Time and a Word are more novelties to me ... some good songs and arrangements, but kind of a band finding itself, and again those damn strings

 

I think Wakeman's return to the Yes fold in 1976 was, in hindsight, probably a mistake. Although he was doubtless seen as 'box office', he seems to have been a divisive figure in Yes over the years and it is noticeable that after the initial euphoria of 'Going for the one' things went downhill fairly quickly both creatively and in terms of personal relationships.

To me, Wakeman sounds like an uber-talented session musician on GFTO. Some lovely flourishes and nice touches but it all feels a little 'bolted on'. By 'Tormato' his tinny synth (and equally tinny harpsichord) contributions really miss the mark. Surely Moraz was worth at least one more album after his freewheeling, superlative contribution to 'Relayer'.

To answer the OP's question, I just feel that Yes took the wrong turn in 1976 -- the safe, obvious option -- and it ultimately backfired on them. A different keyboard player may have made less immediate commercial sense, but worked better for them in terms of moving the band forward creatively and keeping relationships on a more even keel.

 

A 40 minute Tales may have been a stronger more cohesive album than an 80 minute Tales, but it was 45 years ago...at this point, to continue to criticize it seems pointless. I'm glad we have that extra 40 minutes of music from the band, it's not as if the 1970s went on for four decades; all we got is what we got. Tales represents a time when artists could stretch out and be experimental and hope that the audience would go along for the ride. I'm not upset that Yes released about 360 minutes of music in that decade, instead of a tighter 320 minutes.

 

Yes was the first band I ever saw live shortly after being introduced to them by a friend via Close To The Edge. I became an instant fan of their music, album and especially their live shows from then on. I always got the most out of them from those live shows. The Tales tour, Big Generator tour and the Union tour are way up on my top ten list of all time best live shows that I've seen over the years and through them gained much more pleasure from their catologue than I might have just being exposed to their still great catalogue. Every album they released has something to offer and they remain THE prog rock band of all time and back in their prime, they were an act not to be missed!
I haven't seen them since 1994, but a friend just saw them this month and they seem to be only a shadow of their former selves. It seems they've splintered again into two bands with Howe heading up the current "Yes" lineup and the Anderson, Wakeman, and Rabin making up ARW. My friend says ARW offers the better show of the two current versions. For me, the loss of Chris Squire, the heart of any version of Yes, is too much to overcome and I'd rather hold on to my fond memories of seeing the at their best than venture another look.
Also, having seen them with both Bruford and White separately, then together on the Union tour, it is amazing to watch two great drummers with such opposing styles. I can still see Bruford relaxed, sitting upright at his kit and White down low, hunched over his...WOW is all I can add. What a run they had!

 

I wouldn't go that far, but the recent RSD reissue is a great way to hear it, and it's a fine album.

I still don't have Time And A Word, and was always content with Yesterdays summing up the first two albums.

It is true that for most Yes fans, The Yes Album is so strong and enduring that the first two get short shrift.

 

Yes.

Hypothetical situations where Bill stayed in Yes remain hypothetical. He was done. I don't understand why people continue to bring it up.

 

That was more like midlife crisis Bruford... the equivalent of buying a convertible that breaks down before you get it home from the lot.

 

I listened to a little of the "Topographic Drama" album recently and was very disappointed with Howe's playing. He was dragging severely during the fast part that opens "Machine Messiah". I understand that many musicians lose their chops as they get older, but maybe it's time to hang it up, or at least not attempt to play the songs he's not capable of playing anymore.

 

The whole premise of this thread is hypothetical

 

As the drummer, that's what he would have been doing, playing his bit and then letting the writers and producer deal with it. That doesn't mean he had any negative feelings about the music. Ringo spent the Sgt. Pepper sessions the same way.

Bruford left Yes because he wanted to play more freely and improvise. Only one major band in the prog world could have given him the freedom to do that.

 

may have said this before but I really wish they'd hung it up after Fly from Here. That would have been a very strong album to go out on.

 

If you like Drama, make sure to check out the re-recorded Fly From Here with Trevor on vocals. It's not quite as good as Drama, but still well worth listening to since it's the same lineup.

 

I want another album with Horn as producer. FFH to me wasn't just a strong album, it was the best thing Yes had done in three decades.

 

Bob Ezrin might be another good one.

 

An album with who?

Should Howe just throw in with Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman? I can’t see Alan actually being able to record another album.

 

Tormato and Drama were great. I loved the Rabin years, and think they held their own after that. Chris Squire is irreplacable. That and all of the ridiculous infighting.

 

I'd prefer Jon Anderson, but if that's not possible, I want another album with Horn as *singer* too. Would it really be Yes? I don't know but I'd bet my Song of Seven wall poster that it would be better than Heaven & Earth.

 

ARW are no longer a going concern. Besides that, I cannot see Howe and Wakeman ever working together again after the acrimonious departure of Wakeman's son from Yes. (Though strangely, Oliver himself seems genuinely OK with how things went down. It's Rick that cannot get over it.) And there's no reason for Howe and Rabin to be in the same group.

IMO, if Anderson is to ever work again with Howe, it'll be with Schellen, Sherwood and Downes. Those will be Steve's terms.

 

And Bill should've left...upon hearing the clunky "Perpetual Change" drum solo from Yes Songs. Ouch.

 

To my mind the Drama band was Yes. And to my mind another reunion of that band (with one major guy missing of course) is more likely to produce great music than a reunion of the classic band. And it's fine with me if either Davison or Horn sings; I like the Horn and David versions of FFH about equally.

 

Possibly, but I think Horn would do a better job producing Yes than anyone, due to his understanding of the band and what makes it work. Even a great 70s producer wouldn't necessarily work for Yes-- Heaven & Earth proved that.

 

I always wondered why Briford left to join King Crimson until I started listening to the 72-74 live stuff then it all made perfect sense.

 

Except Alan can't play that way, or really any way, anymore. He was monster on Drama.

I thought Drama was tremendous at the time, and still love it. Awesome seeing that band live too, but it didn't sit well with lots of Yes fans.