Jun 042012
It’s your moment of Yes. In the spirit of keeping it nice, let’s take a few moments to appreciate rock’s most affirmative band.
Following is an early ’70s promotional video I’d never seen before. People who don’t know or care much about Yes, like myself, tend to think that the high-energy image the band put forth as they fell under the direction of the Trevors, Horn and Rabin, was contrived. Maybe even longtime Yes fans felt that period reeked of SELL OUT. I don’t know. The following video, however, is almost New Wave in its lighting, framing, and musical miming. Heck, they always had it in them. Enjoy…after the jump!
Holy crap. I’m watching this and and at the start see the footage of the guy walking and my first thought is “Why did that guy escape from a Magritte painting?” My mind is blown.
Totally digging Chris Squire’s flying squirrel jumpsuit.
No word on whether this guy is a Yes fan: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/may/24/wing-suit-skydiver-gary-connery-video
I was not expecting the Dylan cover that appears at 1:07:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIUQl3e7NyM&feature=related
“Astral Traveller” is one of the best cuts from the 1970 Time and a Word album, where Yes hit their sophomore slump. Much of the album was filled with ill-advised orchestrations (apparently Jon Anderson’s idea), but “Astral” avoided the sonic pollution. Guitarist Peter Banks hated the idea of orchestras and he ended up being pushed out of the group as soon as recording was finished. This was not altogether a bad thing for his replacement was the excellent Steve Howe. One thing that’s a little odd about the song is how they stretch “astral” into three syllables: “as-ter-ral”.
As for the two Trevors, Horn (with help from Geoff Downes) did a damn good job of reviving the dead Yes for Drama in 1980. My theory is that the absence of Jon Anderson unleashed Steve Howe and Chris Squire, making for a powerful and muscular album. Trevor Rabin was the sellout – he turned the band into (gag) a Journey soundalike.
Ok, loved it! I spent the whole time thinking, “Is Magritte banker guy going to turn around with an apple in front of his face?” Yes!!! BTW, Magritte’s dude there makes an easy and fun Halloween costume. This is a picture of Mr. Royale last Halloween doing the Yes thing:
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=spgnet&s=6