Yes

[Milestones]

Any thoughts on Yes, since they are in the news for being elected into the Rock Hall of Fame?  I was a fan of Yes before I was into jazz, and maybe those long pieces with frenzied solos helped set me up to be a jazz lover a few years later.  Clearly many members of Yes love jazz--witness Bill Bruford's extensive work in the field.  Steve Howe seems pretty deep into it as well, with several records that sound like a traditional guitar/organ/drums trio.

 

[mjzee]

I have a soft spot in my heart for Yes.  Intricate solos, but great melodic structure and non-preachy lyrics too.  I liked them in high school, then when I got to college in 1973, they were blasting from all the dorm rooms.  At the time, I preferred the darker, more ominous forms of prog-rock, such as King Crimson, but at this remove I can appreciate the sweetness in Jon Anderson's vocals and their songs' bright melodic bounce.  BTW, while Phish is generally considered a descendent of the Grateful Dead, I think their true antecedent was Yes.  Am seriously considering buying the studio box:

[jlhoots]

Never did it for me. 

[mjazzg]

No, not for me either. The epitome of why Punk was a good idea from my then teenaged perspective and not a lot has happened to change my mind four decades on I'm afraid

[Joe]

Yes remains pretty underrated as an actual "rock band," I think. Chris Squire for me is the key to the whole thing working. Such a huge, often rude -- dare I say punkish? -- bass sound, especially on those first three records. He and Bruford made a great rhythm team. Diminishing returns after CLOSE TO THE EGE, sure, but I would agree with the assessment that, of all the so-called prog rock groups, they were actually the least pretentious and most capable of spinning out memorable melodies.

[JSngry]

I started out not liking or caring, moved into liking that little window around the Topographic Ocean thing, that was more or less Fusion (and determined Fusion at that, no halfass posing!), and have long since set up shop in Good But Not At All Relevant To Me Land. Seems like I can get every part of what they do (that I like, anyway) in better/fuller form more efficiently and effectively elsewhere.

Having said that, yeah, good band, great players. Just not one I feel. But HOF material, yeah, definitely!

[jazzbo]

Amazing band. For me I like their works up through Tormato. Bruford and Howe were big draws for me, White did okay and to be honest I haven't really liked Bruford AFTER Yes. Saw them several times. Been enjoying the '72 tour box.

Edited December 21, 2016 by jazzbo

[catesta]

I have neutral opinion of YES. I don't dis-like their music and yet I don't really love any of it either. But like JS said, hell yes, total HOF material. I think they're a popular and very deserving band. Kind of like Depeche Mode, The Zombies, The Cars, Jane's Addiction and Steppenwolf but hey, Tupac made it in.

[Tom 1960]

That's funny that I come across this thread after ordering earlier from Amazon "Going For the One" which features the track "Awaken" easily the standout track off this album. Rick Wakeman featured on church organ really adds something to the proceedings. He's also featured on church organ on "Parallels". I also purchased the Wakeman solo album "Criminal Record".

Edited December 21, 2016 by Tom 1960

[Milestones]

I'm thinking we have more King Crimson fans around here. 

[rostasi]

Though my favorite radio show growing up played them more than a few times,
the band's uber-seriousness about their abilities was a real turn-off for me.
But, I'll say that if I had lived outside of truly free-form radio and just relied
on the standard rock stations, then I could see how some people would be
drawn to their musical hyperkinesia.

[Guy Berger]

I think the band w/Tony Kaye was underrated, and the band w/Rick Wakeman (after Bruford left) overrated - I would rather listen to Time and a Word than to Tales from Topographic Oceans or Going for the One, though I enjoy those two albums too.  And my opinion on 90125 has softened over time - not necessarily my cup of tea, but not bad either.

Also, I recently picked up the debut album - mostly of historical interest but also some good music on there.

[StarThrower]

Still love Fragile. A great sounding record with excellent compositions and musicianship. Bought it 40 years ago, and it put me on the path towards other accomplished music leading to jazz and classical.

[felser]

'Yes', 'The Yes Album', 'Fragile', 'Close To The Edge', and 'Yessongs' all have places in my heart, and I have gotten plenty of enjoyment from later material.  Watching the 'Live at Montreux' video really nailed for me how, as previously mentioned, Squires' bass playing drove the whole thing.  I still get chills hearing "Heart of the Sunrise" and some other material of that vintage.  The box set is a great deal BTW.

[jazzbo]

Squire fans should check out the Steve Wilson remixes if you haven't. I only listen to the 2 channel, but Wilson really brings out the beauty of Squire's playing especially, and on the whole these new versions are great windows into the music. Tales from Topographic Oceans especially is well-presented, Squire is very richly portrayed. I bought the Blu-ray editions of all released so far.

[Tom 1960]

I know I have posted on this before, but this is highly recommended. A performance from Wembley Arena 10/28/78. Why this hasn't been made available in it's entirety is puzzling to me. Yes is in top form here. Give a listen and judge for yourself.

 

[Aggie87]

Big Yes fan here.  

I pretty much agree with Guy's comment above that the Kaye era is underrated compared to what came later with Wakeman.  I like Wakeman (and loved him when I was 15), but as talented as he is, he seems somewhat of a one trick pony to me.  

I've generally found something to like in most every lineup/configuration that has made up Yes.  Only 1-2 albums that I really don't care for, each of which are too monochrome in style to me (Open Your Eyes, and Heaven and Earth).  Everything else is at least moderately interesting, though with very different sounds and styles.  To be expected in a career that has spanned almost 50 years now.  

For those that haven't checked out Yes from this century, have a listen to Magnification.  It was the last album to feature Jon Anderson, but it also happened to have no keyboard player on it (instead an orchestra accompanied the 4 man lineup).  I think shaking up their lineup like that produced some great music for so late in their career, in fact I pimped the album in the first post of the Viva Prog Rock thread on this board, back in 2003.    

I'm glad Yes is getting into the RRHoF, because they're certainly worthy, but otherwise it's just an overly commercial award designed to get foot traffic in the museum in Cleveland, I think.

[CJ Shearn]

I get the feeling "90125" is probably one of the least loved b/c of "Owner of A Lonely Heart", but "Changes" is a great tune.  My friend got me onto it the past few years

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

13 hours ago, mjzee said:

I have a soft spot in my heart for Yes.  Intricate solos, but great melodic structure and non-preachy lyrics too.  I liked them in high school, then when I got to college in 1973, they were blasting from all the dorm rooms.  At the time, I preferred the darker, more ominous forms of prog-rock, such as King Crimson, but at this remove I can appreciate the sweetness in Jon Anderson's vocals and their songs' bright melodic bounce.  BTW, while Phish is generally considered a descendent of the Grateful Dead, I think their true antecedent was Yes.  Am seriously considering buying the studio box:

 

 

exactly, yes and zappa- although they do love jerry

 

 

i

[A Lark Ascending]

The reputation of Yes fell foul of the critical orthodoxies that began to emerge in the early 70s and became standard writ from about '76. I'm always amused when I read younger 'critics' in The Guardian etc parroting this line...uncritically! 

As a 16 year old hearing them for the first time in 1971 (on record) they were so fresh (I was only aware of rock, pop and an endless stream of Radio Two M.O.R./light classics at the time) - this was a world where the 'album rock' area was dominated by plodding blues bands. What appealed to me were the constant and unusual key changes, the fragmented structures where themes would emerge, vanish and then reemerge, often transformed later on (I knew bugger all about classical music at the time but the relatively simple way they did that was easy to hear). But above all, there was a poppiness to their songwriting that offset the flashier side (I can still recall waking up the morning after buying 'The Yes Album' with all these wonderful bits of tune buzzing round my head and putting the record straight back on) - I half suspect that came from Broadway/Hollywood musicals as much as 60s pop.   

The run from their first album to Tales of Topographic Ocean was marvellous and I still get great pleasure from those records. I heard two or three in passing after that but they were missing what I'd liked - but I did like 'Magnification' from 15 or so years back. Strong poppy songs (or song fragments, stitched together into suites, which is what they really did) again. 

I'm always astonished they continue to find new listeners as I'd have thought they were very much of their time. A bit like my Dad's Vera Lynn records which I used to mock mercilessly until he gently said to me once 'If you'd been around in the war you'd think differently'. Hell is other people's musical enthusiasms. 

Edited December 22, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

are we all talking about yes cause of the HOF news ok well i have seen them 19x and consider them some of the true heroes of my life and of our time.  2 weeks ago was ARW, it was not a normal experience, by any means, by this point, or was it ever.  was in the front row, but then And You And I started, and im all f-this seat it still wasn't good enough so i moved 3 feet closer and sat indian style directly beneth rick.  i was sitting on top of some kind of subwoofer- so here i am sitting on floor being completly vibrated by the subwoofer, rick is playing And You and I directly over me,i have full view of his hands playing the melltron part.  did i know what was happening?  you better freaking believe it i knew i was sitting on the floor directly beneth rick playing the mellotron part of and you and i.  you better believe i knew what was happening.  something stranger happned pre show.  i had just walked up to the theatre.  1hr before show.  i had just turned the corner and walked up.  i stop to chill by the alley, no ones milling about yet everything is just regular and i had just walked up to the place and not more than a min. after i had walked up BOOM the metal backstage door swings open and i look at him, and he looks at me and it seemed like 5 min but it was only 5 seconds and i just couldnt believe it, it was JON.  so i thumbs up and waved and said hey jon! and hey said hey and was goin across the street.  that happened to no ones else there. it happend to me.  i had JUST walked up to the theatre for the night and not a minute later im standing in front of Jon Anderson.  That happened to me for a REASON.  I dont care about the HOF im just happy if it allows them to be recognized and allows them to have  special moment they deserve so much

Edited December 22, 2016 by chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez

[John L]

Like many here, Yes is a band that I can only admire from a distance.   They don't move me. 

[Dan Gould]

3 hours ago, John L said:

Like many here, Yes is a band that I can only admire from a distance.   They don't move me. 

Or if you are like me, you just keep them at a distance.  A long distance. <ducks and covers>

[Scott Dolan]

21 hours ago, JSngry said:

I started out not liking or caring, moved into liking that little window around the Topographic Ocean thing, that was more or less Fusion (and determined Fusion at that, no halfass posing!), and have long since set up shop in Good But Not At All Relevant To Me Land. Seems like I can get every part of what they do (that I like, anyway) in better/fuller form more efficiently and effectively elsewhere.

Having said that, yeah, good band, great players. Just not one I feel. But HOF material, yeah, definitely!

It's almost as though I typed that post. It sums up my feelings about Yes so perfectly that I can't add anything more. 

[Milestones]

I never had much Yes in my collection, and only album (so far) in my digital collection.  It's a group I had largely forgotten, but I can see value in re-exploring their best work.  

Was it a group of its time?  Is there a certain timeless quality?  Opinions will vary.