YES - The Ultimate Hippy Band

Any YES fans out there? YES was regarded by many in the seventies as the ultimate hippy rock band - brilliant musicianship, spectacular concerts and lyrics that spoke of love, peace and light. Perhaps some people might not realize that YES is still active today and playing just as well as ever. Check out the new book “The Extraordinary World Of YES” by Alan Farley that tells the whole incredible YES story from 1968 to the present day. Details are at the web site www.farley.ozefamily.com . Recommended for keen YES fans and newcomers alike.

 

Yeah, there is even that one album that got into lyrics that spoke themes of Nagualism (a la Casteneda)...in a really self-conscious way....it's hard to fit the term "second attention" easily into a song...they gave it the old college try, though... it sounded pretty lame, actually...they did that in the 80's right? What was the name of that phucking album?

 

Jon Anderson, the lead vocalist of YES, released a solo album in 1996 called "Toltec" that was based around the writings of Castenada. The piece called "Second Attention" was probably also influenced by Casteneda and it appeared on the "Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe" album released in 1989. At the time there was a dispute over who owned the name "YES", so four of the most famous members of YES went ahead and made their own self-titled album. The ABWH album tends to be well regarded by a lot of YES fans but of course, it is a matter of personal taste. During the ABWH world tour in 1989/90, the fans went crazy every time a YES song was played!

 

Yes rocks. I've seen them twice. The first time they were touring with a symphony. The last time I saw String Cheese, they busted out a wonderful rendition of Roundabout. Hopefully some young heads get turned on to the classics from cool cover songs like that.

 

i saw yes over the summer they kick some serious ass, but they're getting kinda old. my dad said it wasn't the same as it was in the 70's when he saw them... oh well

 

Yes is awesome

 

You're right, YES do kick serious ass and great that you saw the band in action! They certainly proved last year that age is no barrier. I saw YES at Madison Square Garden in May 2004 and the crowd of 15,000 erupted with such spontaneous enthusiasm in a noisy mass standing ovation during the performance of "And You And I" that YES had to stop playing for several minutes until order was restored! Just goes to show that great musicians like YES can go on to have long successful careers whereas age can be a big problem for pop stars who are more reliant on the current fashion trends.

 

Any Yes fans?
Of course Yes are brilliant one of the greatest Prog bands bands around in the 70's Bill Bruford was their best drummer same with Steve Howe, he was definately their best guitarist.
Any one up for naming their favourite album?
Mine would have to be either Time And A Word or....erm.....

 

Tales and Realyer is what it all comes down to my friends

 

Others might say "Close To The Edge" or "Fragile". Any other thoughts?

 

ummm i think my favorite is Yessongs
Fragile and Close to the Edge are obviously right up there tho

 

all my YES was on LP vinyl from way back when, so last year I had to get that 3 disc set that came out. Such awesome music, and they're as good as ever now live, I hear. Would love to see them again.

 

HELL YES they r by far 1 of the tightest bands of all time

 

im tellin ya, its all about relayer, close to the edge: the title speaks for itself, except for and you and i, thats a classic, and siberian rocks, but the title track, eh, i'm really only into the beginning of the song, the rest is OK, and fragile is awesome too, except for roundabout, man i hate that fucking song! got to love south side of the sky though.

 

I love everything they did up to and including Relayer.
Sound Chaser and Gates Of Delirium still blow my mind.
I saw them twice in the 70s. Dont remember anything about the first time... but stayed relatively straight the second time and it was one of the best shows Ive ever seen by anyone anywhere at anytime.
I saw them in the 80s during the trevor rabin era... (not so good) and saw them in the 90s...
There's so many Yes songs that evoke very strong images and memories of specific times and places ..
Definately one of my all time fave bands.

I agree that the studio version sounds quite dated and slow now, but I have a live version from 1978 that is just mind boggling.
It's got much balls... starts with Howe on electric going straight into the song without the gut string harmonics opening of the studio version.
It just rips from start to finish!
Squire is just thundering on bass , some of the best live drumming Ive ever heard and Howe and Wakeman trade lead fills that raise the hair on my neck!
I think its from Oakland in 1978...

 

damn, that does sound pretty tight. i only like the end, the da da da da da da part, with steve exiting on mandolin, got to admit it's definitely classic, but the chours just drives me nuts!

 

You know whats going to be a TRIP. Yes is in the studio right now working on a PINK FLOYD tribute album. Man! I cannot wait.


Close to the Edge is my favourite Yes album, hands down.

 

YES is a very groovy band. I love the song 'Owner of a Lonely Heart'....

 

the best one ive seen up is velvet, but what about the doors? what about the beatles? don't ever leave those two out, they changed a lot of shit, even if you don't like their music. anybody think elliot smith's up there? nirvana anyone? how about bob dylan? woodie guthrie? john cougar mellancamp? got ya. haha.

 

I love Yes; for me, it's always been about The Yes Album, as great as Close To The Edge and Fragile are. Also, I love Tales Of Topographic Oceans, but I have a long attention span....