I’ve already reviewed Kevin Keller’s excellent new album, La Strada, in Progarchy, and he is now posting some fascinating behind-the-scenes videos of what went into the making of it.
In this one, Keller talks about how influential Genesis, Yes, and Rush (Neil Peart in particular) are to his music. Something Progarchy readers can definitely relate to!
A few weeks ago Facebook friend and prog-rocker jHimm (you can read my review of his debut album here) called my attention to a new band named Built for the Future. B4TF hails from San Antonio, Texas, and consists of only two members: Patric Farrell (all instruments, backing vocals), and Kenny Bissett (lead vocals). This dynamic duo released their debut album Chasing Light on July 28. They are supported by Dave Pena and Chris Benjamin on guitars and Imaya Farrell on cello/violin/viola. The album is dedicated to the late, great Chris Squire.
B4TF sound like a fusion of Yes, Porcupine Tree, and Spock’s Beard. Throw in some Tears for Fears, and I believe that impressive concoction comes closest to describing these alternative prog-rockers. At the end of the day, however, B4TF definitely maintain their own unique sound.
A concept album, Chasing Light is an exciting debut. These songs in particular stand out:
“Arrive” – the opening song bursts forth with energy, setting the tone for the rest of the album.
“Speed of the Climb” – as the title suggests, this piece is a thrilling, fast paced rocker that may remind one of Spock’s Beard.
“Build for the Future” – has a more somber feel to it; similar in sound to Porcupine Tree, but not quite as dark. The title alone suggests hope, and the possibility of a better tomorrow.
“Running Man” – features sensational distorted guitar work. My favorite song on the album.
“Samsara” – echoes of Yes with multilayered synths and acoustic guitars.
“The Great Escape” – the closer; stunning epic on an excellent album.
I am always pleased to find a new album to review, and I highly recommend this one. The influence of some of the best symphonic prog bands is evident, but Farrell and Bissett add their own touch to the album, and what emerges is a distinct style worthy of praise. For the best (and most succinct) description of the album, however, here is Patric Farrell himself:
“This theme was inspired by true events in my life, and each song actually represents real feeling and escapism from that experience. Change in life is a big ordeal, looking for truths, looking for a better place, looking for light is all we can do when we are faced with such a turn.”
You can purchase the album here: https://builtforthefuture1.bandcamp.com/releases
****
Fragile is the fourth in a series of remixed & expanded Yes Classics. The album has been mixed for 5.1 Surround Sound from the original studio masters by Steven Wilson & is fully approved by Yes.
Release date: Oct 30th 2015
image: http://yesworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Fragile-460.jpg
– Album mixed in 24-96 5.1 PCM Surround Sound & in DTS-HD MA 5.1 from original multi-track sources.
– New Album mix in High Resolution Stereo
– Original Album mix (flat transfer) in High Resolution Stereo
– Six additional tracks
– Original Roger Dean artwork expanded & restored with material from the Roger Dean archive & with full approval of the artist.
– Presented as a 2 x digi-pack format in a slipcase with new sleeve notes by writer Sid Smith along with rare photos & archive material.
– Full album instrumental mixes by Steven Wilson
– Two additional alternate takes
– A full album needle-drop of an original UK vinyl pressing
– US promo singles edits as needle-drops.
image: http://yesworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Fragile-460.jpg
– Album mixed in 24-96 5.1 DTS vLossless Surround from original multi-track sources.
– New Album mix in High Resolution Stereo
– Original Album mix (flat transfer) in High Resolution Stereo
– Six additional tracks
– Original Roger Dean artwork expanded & restored with material from the Roger Dean archive & with full approval of the artist.
– Presented as a 2 x digi-pack format in a slipcase with new sleeve notes by writer Sid Smith along with rare photos & archive material.
01 Roundabout
02 Cans & Brahms
03 We Have Heaven
04 South Side of the Sky
05 Five Percent for Nothing
06 Long Distance Runaround
07 The Fish
08 Mood for a Day
09 Heart of The Sunrise
10 We Have Heaven (full mix)
11 South Side of the Sky (early version)
12 All Fighters Past (previously unheard)
13 We Have Heaven (acapella) mixed by Steven Wilson
14 Roundabout (rehearsal take/early mix)
15 Mood for Another Day (alternate take of Mood for a Day)
In addition to the main album, Steven unearthed a virtual treasure trove on the multi-track tapes, allowing him to mix full length & acapella versions of “We Have Heaven”, an earlier take of “South Side of the Sky” & – in perhaps the most exciting discovery of this series to date – a previously unheard segment of a piece now called “All Fighters Past” which incorporates ideas that would later form parts of “The Revealing Science of God” (Tales from Topographic Oceans) & “Siberian Khatru” (Close to The Edge) performed in the style of Roundabout! With a further two additional tracks – alternate takes of “Roundabout” & “Mood for a Day” & numerous exclusive to Blu-Ray edition features, including the complete album in instrumental form mixed by Steven Wilson, this is the definitive edition of Fragile.
Jon Anderson: Vocals
Bill Bruford: Percussion
Steve Howe: Guitars, Vocals
Chris Squire: Bass, Vocals
Rick Wakeman: Keyboards
“I wanted to hear something inspiring…”
– Jon Anderson
(from the sleeve-notes)With Fragile – the fourth album by Yes, Jon Anderson’s wish was fulfilled. Recorded in September 1971 following rehearsals a month earlier Yes was, by this point, on something of a roll. The Yes Album had been a chart success in the UK & had started to make inroads in the US album charts following a highly successful tour there. The challenge – to take the band to the next level of success – had to be met quickly to build on that momentum. The Yes Album was both the peak & natural end point of the first period of Yes album recordings.
It had marked the arrival of Steve Howe, the expansion into long-form material & with a final date at London’s Crystal Palace Bowl, the departure of keyboardist Tony Kaye. His replacement, ace session player & Strawbs member, Rick Wakeman, completed what came to be regarded as the first classic Yes line-up. Wakeman brought with him an expanded array of keyboards, including a Moog synth & Mellotron & proved every bit as strong a soloist & arranger as Steve Howe. With this line-up, Yes was ready for the big league.
Released in Late 1971 in the UK & at the beginning of 1972 in the USA, the album reached the Top 10 in both countries (7 UK, 4 USA). With additional impetus from the hit single “Roundabout” in the USA – a track which became a radio staple – the album quickly reached platinum status & went on to sell millions over the past 44 years. The album’s long form pieces were presented in a running order which allowed for the placement of solo led tracks by each of the five members, a novel way of presenting an album that merely enhanced the reputation of the band as a group where each member could be viewed as band member & star soloist in their own right.
Tracks such as “Roundabout” & “Heart of the Sunrise” have rarely been out of the live set-list & the album was performed in full by Yes in venues worldwide in recent years to unanimous standing ovations. Another key factor in Yes’ history was the fact that the album occasioned the arrival of sleeve artist extraordinaire, Roger Dean, a man who would go on to design logos for the band – including the famous ‘bubble logo’ – stage sets & numerous album sleeves & and artist who, despite having provided equally dramatic sleeves for numerous other bands, is always most readily associated with his work for Yes.
In keeping with earlier releases in this series, Steven Wilson’s approach to this album for new stereo & 5.1 mixes is to faithfully retain the spirit & sounds of the original album mix, while applying modern mix techniques to bring further clarity to the individual instrument, vocal & overdubs for each track. The songs, instantly familiar to a multitude of Yes fans, remain so, with the new mixes – especially in 5.1 form – providing a greater sense of space for each voice to be heard, Anderson’s voice seems to join the listener in the room, Howe & Wakeman’s solos glisten with clarity & Bruford/Squire remind all that they were unmatched as a rhythm section during that period.
Cruise: CRUISE TO THE EDGE, the third annual YES fan cruise and ultimate prog rock experience
Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2,394-passenger Norwegian Pearl
Promoter: On the Blue Cruises (otblue.com)
Itinerary: Pre-cruise event on Saturday, November 14 in Miami before setting sail along Bahamian waters Sunday, November 15 through Thursday, November 19, visiting Key West and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.
Lineup: Legendary progressive rock bands YES and Marillion will lead an all-star lineup of over 25-plus bands
Booking: Cabins aboard the full-ship charter are now only $499 USD per person. For booking and more information, visit: CruisetotheEdge.com and connect on Facebookand Twitter.
On course to sell out for the third-year-in-a-row, the 2015 CRUISE TO THE EDGE–the annual YES fan cruise and ultimate prog rock experience sailing the Caribbeanthis November 15-19–announced a few updates today (8/6), including: the addition of Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse Band and Haken to the artist line-up; confirmed an all-star tribute and musical farewell to beloved bassist and founding member of YES, the late Chris Squire; and two new payment options designed to make it affordable for prog rock enthusiasts to attend this historic event. Fans may secure their spot aboard the cruise for only $499 USD per person (details outlined below).
The third annual five-day, four-night cruise will feature multiple stages of progressive rock music from the iconic and GRAMMY-winning rock band YES, special guest Marillion and 25-plus bands, aboard the NCL Pearl. A new addition to this year’s cruise itinerary is a special pre-cruise event, complimentary to all cruisers, on Saturday, November 14 at Magic City Casino in Miami, before setting sail to crystal clear Bahamian waters, visiting Key West and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. The special pre-cruise concert will feature an IPA beer tasting, artist meet and greets, performances from Martin Barre of Jethro Tull, Three Friends and Lifesigns, as well as an after-hours “Electric Prog Jam,” where passengers become the stars, playing instruments to selected prog rock songs.
Legendary progressive rock bands YES and Marillion will lead an all-star lineup aboard this year’s cruise (with most artists playing at least two sets), including the just-added acts (iconic drummer Mike Portnoy; Neal Morse Band and Haken), plus Anathema; Allan Holdsworth; Three Friends; PFM; Saga; Martin Barre, Caravan; Spocks Beard; Nektar; Änglagrd; Lifesigns; IO Earth; Airbag; Casey McPherson; Messenger; Dave Kerzner; Moon Safari; Barracuda Triangle; Jolly; Enchant; Thank You Scientist; Steve Rothery; Bad Dreams; and AHEPJ. It will all be hosted by UK journalist and preeminent YES expert, Jon Kirkman.
Portnoy will act as official “music director” for an all-star tribute to beloved bassist and founding member of YES, the late Chris Squire. Portnoy will be joined on stage by many friends of Chris in this musical farewell to one of Progressive Rock’s Greatest Performers.
Besides the great musical performances, prog-rock music fans will get a chance to participate in special events and activities, including: “Storytellers” style concertsfeaturing behind-the-scenes stories from select bands, showcasing their writing/recording style and process, band history; Prog Panel Q&A Sessions; Meet & Greets; Bon Voyage Sail-Away Concert and more. In addition, Multiple Performance Stages throughout the ship will keep the action going into the wee hours with a surprise or two along the way. Finally, cruise attendees will be able to enjoy the ship’s 13 bars and lounges, various eateries, casino, spa, fitness center, basketball and volleyball court, bowling alley and more.
CRUISE TO THE EDGE has announced two new payment options (beyond the standard payment plan):
– EZ PAY PLAN: This special no interest installment plan is designed to assist fans who need an extended installment option in order to attend. While supplies last, fans may secure their spot aboard the cruise for ONLY $499 USD per person down (double occupancy), with the remaining balance payable over twelve equal monthly installments beginning the month after the initial reservation is completed and debited on the 15th day of each month (or next business day). Click here for more information.
– PAID IN FULL PLAN: For those who prefer to pay their cruise fully in advance, a 5% discount off the base fare is available. Fans will save money and have the peace of mind of knowing that their cruise is squared away and fully paid for.
CRUISE TO THE EDGE has been carefully designed to meet the discriminating requirements of the most avid music fan/cruise vacationer, producing a true fan and artist experience in a surreal and relaxing setting. Produced by On the Blue Cruises, CRUISE TO THE EDGE is a playground for the serious fan where music and a luxury cruise hook up for the vacation of a lifetime. For more information, visit CruisetotheEdge.com and connect on Facebook and Twitter.
PROGARCHY EXCLUSIVE
An Interview with Yes’ Alan White (August 3, 2015)
Prog Rock’s quintessential super group, Yes, will be heading out on an American tour again this summer/fall, including the third annual Cruise to the Edge in mid-November. The most notable change in the line-up, of course, will be the absence of Chris Squire on bass—the first time ever for a Yes tour.
PROGARCHY’s Kevin McCormick recently spoke for with Yes drummer extraordinaire, Alan White, as he prepared for rehearsals for the upcoming tour.
____________________
PROGARCHY Thank you so much for taking time to talk with us. I think I speak for all of the members of Progarchy.com in offering our condolences after the recent and sudden death of your colleague and friend, Chris Squire. Obviously he was such an essential part of Yes, founding member and the only person to appear on every Yes album. Are there plans to honor his memory in some way on the upcoming tour?
Alan White Well, we’re going to start rehearsals on Monday and we’re going to put our heads together. We’ve got numerous ideas and we’ve got to work out something to honor Chris. Just how we’re going to do it, we haven’t really decided.
PROGARCHY On your website, you wrote a touching note in his memory. As a musician, I know how unique the musical relationship between the drummer and bassist is and how crucial it is to forming a solid foundation for the band’s sound. Can you put your finger on what made your collaboration with Chris work so beautifully seamlessly?
AW Well yeah, it’s a question of similarity with each other. And over the years it became a more brotherly kind of relationship. Chris was almost part of my family. We shared a lot of experiences together and we played together for 43 years. So when you play together with someone for that long you get to know all of the facets of their playing and visa versa, him with myself. So it made it easy for us to work out some kind of flow in the rhythm section in what Yes was creating. And it was a special relationship. It probably never will be the same. All the same, he did ask that we keep this going, and that I keep it going. He said just do whatever you can do. And that’s a good insight, to just keep things very much forward.
PROGARCHY I imagine it must have been difficult to choose to continue with the planned tour. Was there a deciding factor for you?
AW That was what Chris wanted. He didn’t want everything to come to a halt just because he was ill. And while he was ill he had a very positive outlook to the future. He said, “Well, I’ll go into hospital for four to six weeks, I’ll get rid of this and I’ll be back on tour next spring.”
PROGARCHY Well, the fans will certainly miss him and I know the band will too. Any hints on the set list for the upcoming shows or will that be decided at the rehearsals?
AW Well we’ve put a set list together, but we’ve not rehearsed. We’ve got a few things to try out and see if they’ll work out or not. That will determine how we approach the set list. It’s not confirmed yet, but we have a good idea the type of set we want to do, because we’re touring with Toto who are probably going to do a lot of their [popular tracks]. We’re not going to play whole albums like we’ve done in the past few years. We’re just going to do a great selection of Yes music that people love to hear in concert.
PROGARCHY At first glance, Yes and Toto doesn’t seem like the most obvious double-bill. How did it come about?
AW Well it sounded pretty good to me. Maybe … because we know the guys in the band so well. Steve Porcaro and all the them, I’ve known those guys for years. They’re all super-nice guys and we get along really well.
PROGARCHY Any chances that you might join forces?
AW I doubt it. You know, once you get on the road you have a set list to get into and a time line you keep to. There’s not really time to work that kind of thing out. But I’ve played with Steve Porcaro and Billy Sherwood [on the Pink Floyd tribute album, Back Against the Wall].
PROGARCHY So is it Yes with Toto or…?
AW It’s going to be Yes and Toto. They’ll be opening for us every night, but it’s really more of a kind of double-billing.
PROGARCHY It’s amazing to me how much energy you bring to your live performances. When I saw Yes perform in Austin in 2013, I was impressed with the power in your playing. For you in particular, it must be extremely physically demanding.
AW [laughing] Well it all depends on what part of the tour you go to when we’re on the road! You know, none of us are spring chickens anymore, obviously. And traveling is really what gets you. If we didn’t have to travel on a daily basis we’d be in relatively good shape every evening. But sometimes you’re just really tired when you get to the evening and the last thing you want to do is share music. But it’s really funny how the body turns around and rises to the occasion. I guess when you walk out on stage and see all of the people out there, the body just shrugs all that off and gets to it.
PROGARCHY Has your relationship with Yes’ music changed over time? Are there any songs that you enjoy more now than when they were recorded?
AW Not really. All of Yes’ music is pretty challenging to play. Each song has got its own demands on what to play, and how to play, and the way to play it. So you have to readjust yourself to all of that framework….I have played some of them quite a few thousand times. So it’s about getting back into the mold and making it work.
PROGARCHY Are you surprised at all to still be playing with Yes after so many years?
AW [laughs] Well, I mean, yeah. Eventually, when I joined the band I said, “I’ll give you guys three months and see if I enjoy it and you give me three months and see if you enjoy it as a band.” And I’m still here forty-tree years later, so there must be something working.
PROGARCHY You had commented a while back about the current line-up of Yes is one of the best there’s been and Jon Davison’s working out well. Are you still feeling that?
AW Jon Davison is an excellent vocalist and all-around musician. He’s a super nice guy and very easy work to with.
PROGARCHY It’s amazing to me that Yes is still touring after 40 years. Is there an element to progressive rock that allows it to reach across decades and generations?
AW I guess the main thing is that everybody strives to make Yes a well-respected, high-standard-of-musicianship kind of band. When we perform, everybody gives 110 percent. If one part of the band isn’t clicking on all eight cylinders or whatever, you can tell, because it affects everybody else and their whole performance.
When we’re all firing on all cylinders, there’s no other band like it.
PROGARCHY Indeed! Thank you so much for all of the great music over the years and good luck on the upcoming tour.
AW Alright, man.
And so another giant of the genre passes.
I’ve found it difficult to put into words how I truly feel about this. When someone you’ve regarded as a musical hero for 35 years of your life is suddenly gone, there is bound to be shock and numbness, but I’ve been trying to reach beyond that and think about what Chris meant to me and how he fits into the pantheon of rock’s greatest musicians.
The thing that always struck me on the sadly relatively few occasions that I saw Yes live was just how imposing a presence Chris Squire was. Partly, this was physical; he was a big guy, after all, and he prowled the stage like he owned it, in a manner befitting his stature. Of course, the other part of it was entirely down to how he handled a bass guitar.
Playing Fragile’s The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus) for the very first time was, for me, an ear-opening, revelatory experience, as I’m sure it was for many other fans of the band. That multi-layered sound was simply astonishing. And he made that Rickenbacker growl and scream, made it do things that few other rock bassists had dared to try. Back then, when I began my exploration of progressive music as a wide-eyed lad of thirteen, I had a complacent attitude to the instrument, content to think of it as something in the background, lending structure and texture to the overall sound but not being of particular importance melodically. Chris Squire was one of two people who changed that view irrevocably. The other, you’ll be unsurprised to learn, was Geddy Lee. But of the two, I think it was Chris who affected my view the most profoundly.
In a band with a complex and convoluted history of line-up changes, Chris was the singular fixed point: the axis about which The Roundabout turned. The Yes family will miss him sorely, and Yes, whatever form it might take in future, will be a very different beast without him.
Shortly after getting up this Sunday June 28, I received some bad news. You see, the most recent launch of the Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 was a failure, with the rocket exploding about two minutes into its flight. Being a space geek and an unabashed fan of Musk’s vision to create a spacefaring civilization (not to mention, his putting his money where his mouth is to make it happen), this was definitely a disappointment for me. If only that could have been the worst news of the day.
Not long after that, I heard about the passing of Chris Squire. Now that was a real punch to the gut. Rockets are replaceable. Chris Squire is not. It seems like it has only been a few months since we were informed that he was undergoing cancer treatments (leukemia, specifically). You would have thought he would have had longer, and maybe even had a chance for full recovery. And while age 67 is not usually associated with the term “spring chicken”, it seems way too young for someone to be dying.
While Squire has influenced countless other musicians, one did not need to have any musical skill whatsoever to realize how incredibly talented he was. It was blatantly obvious to anyone who even remotely paid attention. It certainly wasn’t lost on me on that fateful night in 1979 when Squire and his band mates converted me into a lifetime prog fan and Yes fan. Before that, I had always thought of a bass player as just somebody sort of in the background, there to “thicken up” the music a little bit. On that night, Squire taught me that the bass could be so much more, a melodic instrument, a lead instrument, a driver of musical innovation.
And good God, what a body of work. Go listen to The Yes Album … phenomenal bass work, from the subterranean driving bass on Yours Is No Disgrace to the counterpoint on Perpetual Change. Then there is, on Fragile, the “snake eating itself” bass line of Roundabout. There is also The Fish, built on multiple bass parts of which each, by themselves, are a testament to his skill. Together, they make up a singularly unique piece of music (it’s also the first song my son could identify by name, although he at two years old referred to it just as “Fish Song”). And who, pray tell, ever played bass the way Squire did on The Gates of Delirium, especially in the “battle” section? Nobody, that’s who. There are so many other wonderful pieces of Yes music that feature Squire at his best that I could go on for much longer than you could continue reading.
To be sure, Squire wasn’t the first virtuoso bassist in rock. I’m thinking of guys like Paul McCartney and John Entwistle. But Squire took bass virtuosity to a whole new level. He turned it up to 11. And for the decade of the 1970’s, I have no problem calling him the best bassist of that era. While others, such as Geddy Lee, may have passed him up in the 1980’s, in the 70’s, Squire was the king of the bassists. I can think of many other good ones of that era, but I can think of few that I would even put in the same league as him, and none that I would put even, much less above him. That’s not a slight on the others. That’s just a testament to a monumental talent. In the 1970’s, Chris Squire was to the bass guitar what Steve Jobs was to the personal computer, and later to the smart phone.
In our current era, we have a number of supremely talented bassists, such as Steve Babb of Glass Hammer and Mariusz Duda of Riverside, among others. I’m sure if you ask any of them, they will all say that Squire was a huge influence. While Squire may have been taken from us way too soon, his influence will be felt for generations – not only in the way he played bass, but in the example he set for other bass players in expanding its possibilities. In fact, the latter part may be where the most lasting impact resides.
As I sign off from this post, I’m going to leave as one last tribute to this most amazing musician, Squire’s own rendition of Amazing Grace. I assume it was performed on his trademark Rickenbacker. Listen to the whole thing and see if you can keep your eyes dry throughout. I, for one, failed.
Rest in Peace, Chris.
I am terribly sad to see that Chris Squire (1948-2015) has passed away.
And, yet, it’s hard not to think: what an incredible life. The man brought so much art and humor and personality to every single thing he did. Certainly one of the greatest bassists of our time, Squire also possessed a beautiful voice. And, though often overshadowed by the song writing due of Anderson/Howe, Squire’s compositions within and for Yes were just heavenly.
Back in the era of mix tapes, I made a mix tape for the ages—all of the Yes songs by Chris Squire, with On the Silent Wings of Freedom being my absolute favorite.
His one solo album, 1975’s FISH OUT OF WATER is a prog classic. Some have called it a missing Yes album, and yet it highlights just how much Squire did contribute to Yes. His distinctive bass, his distinctive vocal lines, and his distinctive personality make FISH OUT OF WATER a wonder to behold.
Squire has been the heart of Yes from its founding, even as countless numbers of others have swirled around him.
No more. Our loss, but Heaven’s gain. Godspeed, Chris Squire. As a man and as an artist, you changed the world. What more could we ask of anyone? We have all benefitted from you and your life’s witness to beauty.
I would guess he has already had some good chats with Hendrix, Davis, Coltrane, Wagner, Beethoven. . .
There’s a great article from David Rowell of the Washington Post about an epic session listening to all seven shows of the Yes Progeny release, back-to-back:
Definitely worth a read!
A review of YES, PROGENY: SEVEN SHOWS FROM SEVENTY-TWO (Rhino, 2015).
As I’ve mentioned a number of times, I was born in the summer of love, 1967. The youngest of three boys (eight years younger than the oldest and five years younger than the older), I inherited my music tastes at a very early age. Our house always had music playing—whether classical, jazz, rock, or pop. I especially loved the first three, though I could belt out most of the words to Three Dog Night with the best of three year olds. Crazily, I was able to sneak out of the crab, crawl downstairs (duplex), and put my favorite records on the turntable at 3 in the morning. No, I’m not exaggerating. I wanted the entire house to listen!
My favorites, though, even as a little kid were the songs by Yes, the Moody Blues, and Jethro Tull. Soon, of course, bands such as Kansas and Pink Floyd would join this august company.
Sometime in 1973, one of my brothers purchased YESSONGS on LP. Three albums, complete with huge gatefold and lots of pictures (indeed, a really great book that came with it). I loved every aspect of YESSONGS. I loved the music, I loved the Roger Dean paintings, and I thought the pictures of the members of the band (including Eddie Offord) hilarious.
Not too many hippies hung out in central Kansas, so these guys looked really weird, mystical, and Tolkienesque to me.
Anyway, I spent a considerable amount of time as a small kid poring over the lyrics and the Dean images. How did those islands float? How did the deer get from one to the other. Of course, it all had been written about in C.S. Lewis’s Perelandra, but I’d yet to encounter that brilliant novel.
I can state with certainty that the entire package of YESSONGS—from lyrics to music to image—shaped my own imagination fundamentally.
So, when I heard that Yes would be releasing a fourteen disk live set from 1972, PROGENY, I couldn’t resist. I didn’t want the abbreviated version (the two disk highlights), I wanted the full thing.
Two things almost stopped me. First, I’m no longer a huge Yes fan. I was as a kid. Obsessed for quite a while. And, in college (1986-1990), too. Admittedly, I’ve purchased every single album—live or studio—Yes has produced. But over the last twenty some years, I’ve purchase the music out of habit more than out of love. There’s no doubt that every Yes album has something good on it, but the goods—at least to my mind—have become increasingly sparse. I don’t’ say this to ignite a flame war. But, from my very subjective viewpoint, Yes just isn’t as good as it once was. Some bands, such as Rush, get better and better. Others simply fade, and still others merely linger.
Second, I’m generally rather skeptical about these kinds of packages. If I’m shelling out over $50 for music, it better be amazingly good—music as well as art. I have, however, spent lots and lots of money on Rush (R40) and Tears for Fears (the Steven Wilson box set of SONGS). So why not for the work that really immersed me into prog.
“Dear God,” I thought as I hit the purchase button on amazon, “let PROGENY be worth the money.”
And, it is. This is the mother lode. This is the touchstone, the very source material, for YESSONGS. It’s pure, it’s raw, it’s flawed, it’s genius. At one point, during the beginning of a Wakeman solo, a local radio station playing Chuck Mangione, comes across the loudspeakers. Oh, Spinal Tap, how wise you are. Anderson makes a joke about it. Anderson and Howe even get along, making jokes from time to time.
I mentioned on facebook that PROGENY is an “outrageous Yes overkill live package.” It is. And, I love it. Pure over-the-top prog. Seven concerts, fourteen disks, seven sleeves, a glorious booklet, a firm and tasteful box, and, of course, 10 hours/31 minutes/32 seconds of music. Phew.
Despite a similar playlist for each concert, each performance is unique. For those of us who have listened to YESSONGS so very much it’s been grafted onto our very DNA, PROGENY is a brilliant revelation. Mistakes as well as fascinating solos (long, short, punctuated) predominate. While at this point in my listening, I couldn’t state the guitar solo on Roundabout is better at the Toronto show than it is at the Knoxville show, but I certainly hear every difference. This is a young, confident, happy Yes. This is a Yes that wants to change the world and do so through love, not through corporate dominance and lawsuits and bitter relations.
This is the Yes that taught me to love prog.
This is prog. This is love. This is Yes.
[Corrected two things: It’s Eddie Offord not Eddie Jobson (thanks, Duane Day); and I was off on time.]
Progarchy 
