The lead guitartist for Yes, who is still performing and touring with the current iteration of the band, was voted "World's Best Guitarist" by the readers of Guitar Player magazine five years in row baci in the mid-'70's until the magazine retired a trophy in his name and no longer allowed voting for him. His name is Steve Howe. It seems young people do not know his name they way they might know Jimi Hendrix or Eddie Van Halen, which is a crime. When songs like "Roundabout" and "Starship Trooper" hit the airwaves, critics of the band, who thought such elaborate music did not fit the ethos of old time rock-n-roll, claimed there was no way the songs could ever be played live. Then the triple live album "Yessongs" was realeased to sales of over a million copies to prove once and for all, that, yes, Yes could play all their songs perfectly live, with some modifications forced upon the band, mainly upon Howe, where studio versions included a dozen or so different guitars that could not be shuffled quickly enough in a stage performance. Howe also was a notable part of the three-part harmonies featured so often in these songs, droning away holding down the low end while bassist Chris Squire and lead singer Jon Anderson took care of the high parts. Howe really can't sing much, but he harmonized just fine with the other two guys. Interviews with band members showed how much they thought of harmony singing, and cited bands like Crosby, Stills, and Nash, the Hollies, and The Association as being their influences in composing these timeless songs.

Fantastic song from early 1971. Yeah, 1971. But you haven't heard the complex songs created by YES. They have some 18-20 minute long songs that are absolutely epic...Awaken, Close to the Edge, Gates of Delirium. You can go down this rabbit hole for a long time, and you will enter an entirly different and wonderful world that is Yes. Best band...ever. Best music...ever. Thanks !!! for the reaction.

@mattleppard1964

8 ай бұрын

Yes, this one’s quite tame compared with those career-defining masterworks ❤

Ladies and gentlemen Chris Squire and Yes, the greatest show on earth. Beautiful reaction. It's like going to church, uplifting to the Heavens. Enjoy your Yes journey. Finnish this album, the first of two in 71, and then moved chronologically to Fragile. I've seen Yes 36 times. 🙏🍁

If you want to explore Yes chronologically, "Yours Is No Disgrace"and "Your Move/All Good People" are two other tracks from this album that are stellar and also very impressive.

@markwitherspoon1416

8 ай бұрын

I agree. If you like the bass in starship trooper then you need to listen to yours is no disgrace.

@TheAmazingSpaghetti

8 ай бұрын

Yes, though I think Starship and Yours is best live on some of the recordings due to the extended jams and energy.

Top 5 of my favorite Yes songs. The outro still gives me goosebumps every time. ❤

A lot of Yes’ music has unique or unexpected rhythms :-)

1. "Siberian Khatru". 2. "South Side Of The Sky" . 3. "Sound Chaser". ...& a Boatload where that came from!

@robertcussins2807

8 ай бұрын

Dang. The first two are some of my faves of Yes. Well, what's not?

They have so many great songs but if I had to pick only one of theirs it would be "Close to the Edge". In fact if I was only given one song ever to listen to it would be that. It is a masterpiece and will take you on a journey.

@mattleppard1964

8 ай бұрын

The most perfect art ❤

"Yours Is No Disgrace: - mind blowing, like this one

Every Yes song will be your favorite until your hear the next Yes song! You are just scraping the surface right now. Welcome and enjoy!

"Close to the Edge" for sure. Yes is at the pinnacle of the prog rock mountain.

Great fun experiencing your encounter with this amazing YES tune. I'm looking forward to seeing your next encounter. You'll get a ton of suggestions from the comments! Hard to go wrong....

The epic pioneers of Progressive Rock.

Agreed YES, "YOURS IS NO DISCRACE" , "I'VE SEEN ALL GOOD PEOPLE/ YOUR MOVE", " LONG DISTANCE RUNAROUND" , " HEART OF THE SUNRISE", "SOUTHSIDE OF THE SKY", "AIM HIGH SHOOT LOW"... "CLOSE TO THE EDGE"...

complex? every YES record after this one...masters of prog rock...felt like I was the only kid in HS who was listening to ELP

It was the addition of Steve Howe's bitingly imaginative guitar pyrotechnics that finally allowed Yes to find their true identity. The Yes Album is a gigantic leap forward, with extended workouts such as the ethereal "Starship Trooper" emphasizing the band members individual virtues. In Bill Bruford, Yes had a hip, jazzy drummer; in Chris Squire, a bassist willing to dominate the mix with his elephantine lines; and in Tony Kaye, an organist who used his Hammond sparingly, for funkier effect ... Five-stars - The New Rolling Stone Album and Record Guides

@belalugrisi1614

7 ай бұрын

And it doesn't hurt that their lead singer and founder is the coolest, most positive person on the planet!

Chris Squire was such an innovator on the bass, he was the first to wire his Rickenbacker with a stereo jack, to run the neck pickup to an Ampeg SVT with two 8x10 cabinets and the bridge pickup to a Marshall Stack. He had a separate low frequency system for the Moog Taurus Pedals. His technique used a pick and his thumb to strike the strings, and he wrote wonderful bass lines ascending to the heavens and back. Truly a most musical GIANT!

I believe "time signature change" is what you're thinking of. I'm not a musician but I did stay in a flea-bag motel last night.🙂

True musicianship.

I can remember back in '74 when I was 12 talking with my older brother about the 3 studio albums of which this is one, saying "Surely they can't play this stuff Live' He reached into his album crate, and pulled out YESSONGS and placed it in my hands. YES, yes they can play it all Live. And YES, this is not nearly as complex as Close To The Edge.😁🙌

@belalugrisi1614

7 ай бұрын

Yup, sometimes every night for weeks on end back in the day! They sound like they are just jamming, but every note is accounted for. Best to ya, Michael!

Bringing in Steve Howe took their songwriting to a new level. He brought with him one heck of a lot from previous bands. Most notably on Starship Trooper the outro Würm which is based on a piece called Nether Street. He wrote that whilst in a band called Bodast and can be heard on The Bodast Tapes. In that collection of songs there's all sorts of other riffs and licks which make their way into Yes tracks over time. Finish off this album and explore Fragile more. Enjoy 👍

Far and away the longest-lasting and the most popular of the 1970s progressive rock groups, Yes proved one of the lingering success stories from that genre. The band, founded in 1968, overcame a generational shift in its audience to reach the end of the century as the definitive English progressive rock band. Where rivals such as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis and King Crimson altered their sounds so radically as to become unrecognizable to their original fans, Yes consistently retained the same sound, a mix of powerful yet delicate lead vocals, cosmic (often mystical) lyrics, virtuoso playing, and vast musical tapestries topped off with heart-stoppingly gorgeous melodies and sealed with a rock & roll kick. - All Music Guide

Can't Miss Album , quite frankly . Over the Target.

Welcome to the world of Yes...enjoy the trip...it will take a lifetime, but it is well worth it. "All in all the journey takes you all the way. As apart from any reality that you've ever seen and known." ✌😎

Do " And You And I" Next you got to work in to "Close To The Edge" You'll find all their songs are just amazing pieces of work(ART). Great Reaction keep them coming.

It's about different time signatures, common in English Progressive Rock, these are masterpieces done by some of the smartest and most dedicated musicians since Bach.....very complex stuff....

Yeah, just about anything from YES from 1970 though the early 1980's is EPIC! You already have a plethora of great songs listed, so I won't bother adding mine. Welcome to the club! Prepare to be "impressed" beyond impressed.

oh yea…,buckle up Bunky!!! This is always great… but you ain’t heard nothing yet … cut out the time for “Close to the Edge”…(just hold your breath for the first several minutes) …the whole album is amazing “And You And I” and “Siberian Khatru” you won’t be disappointed…overwhelmed, YES… but wonderfully so. Other Epic Yes track that should be experienced are: “Awakening” “Gates of Delirium” and for it’s sheer beauty “Turn of the Century”….. You can’t go wrong at least between “The Yes Album” and “Going for the One” album…earlier and after are cool too but the personnel changes and other factors make these a little more “niche-ee” more your personal taste thing… Enjoy the ride my friend… truly enjoy your reactions!!! Keep having FUN!!!

Most every Classic YES song is impressive in its own way. I would suggest you go thru the Fragile album and the Yes Album and get into the classics on those before jumping into the epics. I believe you will appreciate the epic Close to the Edge, Awaken, Gates of Delirium, and even In The Presence of much more. On the 2 albums mentioned, there are classics like Yours is no Disgrace, Southside of the Sky, Heart of the Sunrise, I've Seen All Good People, Perpetual Change. Great reaction! Keep it going!

Well warranted, your wows. Similar reaction to when I first heard this song (especially when they harmonize the word "follow").

You mentioned the bass at the end, when the guitar solo started, sounded nasty. Play back the last section and listen down low in the mix. Starting about the 5th go around with the guitar the bass comes in underneath with lots of distortion and reverb. It sounds like a thunder clap with reverb. If you thought the end was nasty, then this is filthy! It's the bass in the background subtley pushing the song forwad as he climbs the scale all the way up the neck of the bass adding the anticipation and intensity leading into the guitar solo. Once the solo starts he drops a few octaves and uses low notes to create a firm footing for the guitar solo. Chris Squire was always experimenting with his Rickenbacker bass. If you want to hear Squire at his prime "go off" on the Rickenbacker, I recommend 'The Fish" off the YesSongs live album. A bass solo like you never heard before. It has to be the YesSongs version. Yes changed drummers and Squire never duplicated that sound again.

thanks for the vibe brother I appreciate it

I love watching first time reactions to this song.

See them live and be amazed

At least as complex as a symphony. This is true progressive rock in its early days.

I thoroughly enjoyed your reaction. Unlike anything you ever heard. Those moments when you looked totally lost and confused were real and entertaining. I'm glad you enjoyed it and you should listen to it again. You'll enjoy it more.

@frankhoulihanfh4972

8 ай бұрын

This is correct. Yes music rewards repeated listens about as much as any music I can think of. Decades, nay! Half a century later I find myself loving Yes music more than ever.

This band’s members are master musicians who have incredible imagination and a abilities to make what they dreamed come true!So many more to go. Try reacting to their adaptation of the Simon and Garfunkel tune America. Perpetual Change is another brilliant tune!

@babylonsister118

8 ай бұрын

This song is SO under-rated! So glad you mentioned it! (America).

@joelliebler5690

8 ай бұрын

@@babylonsister118 My pleasure, sister! Happy Thanksgiving!🦃

@babylonsister118

8 ай бұрын

@@joelliebler5690 Same to you! Hope your holiday is spectacular!

@joelliebler5690

8 ай бұрын

@@babylonsister118 Thank you 🙏

@belalugrisi1614

7 ай бұрын

Agree! Ace would love it. One of my fave guitar solos ever~ Best to you! @joel @babylon sister

I guarantee that YES will become your favorite band if you choose to continue on your journey!

Nice reaction love it

Young man, welcome to the music of my youth...... you're welcome

Ah, basement tape days. Some of the greatest music from my youth.. Thanks for reacting to this,

Wow 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Check into the entire album,bro---it's FIRE! T

YES!

You are listening to genius music from the past that has stood the test of time, and will continue to do so

@dannywachowski5880

7 ай бұрын

Also, the musicianship and production quality is outstanding!

One word: Yes!

Love your reaction!!!! So cool.

To say that everyone in the last four decades has learned/stolen from Yes would be an understatement.

''It sounds like early 2,000 rock'' you say. Where have you been? Those panning and flange productions have been going on since the 1960's. Young music lover, you have a lot to learn and you'll enjoy an amazing journey of great music from the past, I promise you

Oh gosh boy the hair line on flick

Great review my good man. Now explore The Going For The One album. Superb harmonies by Chris and Jon on Turn Of The Century, then melt your face musicianship on Awaken.

👍Nice. 🖖❤

Far more interesting than todays computer driven blocks of rhythm. Humans.

Before backing tracks and just the four of them.

Next: *Yours Is No Disgrace* STUDIO VERSION

Learning your tastes for music as we go along I was one of the many who was commenting on previous reactions that you needed to add this special song to your library of experiences - again now you are ready for one of the bands influenced by YES and songs like this. RUSH 2112 will meet your expectations and more. 1000%

Take your audio out of surround sound. Go to 2 channel stereo sound. Anderson sometimes sounds like he's singing in a different room. Otherwise, loving the tune.

1971. All of their stuff was THIS GOOD. You should check out the opening scene of this season's "Fargo" (TV show). The song is "I've Seen All Good People." It is both exhilarating and hilarious at the same time - a riot at a PTA meeting.

@shortaybrown

2 ай бұрын

Great YES song, but the last and 5th season of Fargo was horrendous. Definitely the worst season yet. The newest season of True Detective in Alaska was even worse. People are just mailing it in now.

@neshobanakni

2 ай бұрын

@@shortaybrown Thought the Fargo season was good. Didn't even bother with T.D. It seemed pretty lame.

plenty more to come from the greatest band ever

I would suggest moving on to Close to the Edge, and, if you dare, Gates of Delirium. Just be sure and pack a lunch and get ready for an adventurous trip.

Heart of the Sunrise, Tales from Topographic Oceans 2 albums, Close to the Edge, Roundabout are my favorites, but you need to try other progressive rock bands like early Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, they are as impressive to my musical tastes.

are you ready for Close to the edge? bro, might be the best song ever written

That's why I say the aliens got to them for this and all albums after. Before this album they were just a good band.

If you can understand YES you're life improves +40 points

Ah, but Grasshopper, you haven't heard Close To The Edge, yet. Some say it's their best song, some say it's the best song EVER. Of course, there's Awaken......and actually, I've Seen All Good People/Your Move.....and....

welcome to prog rock!

Styx is much like this

Too me Awaken is the greatest song they have done.

More impressive...everything off the Close To The Edge album. It will change you!

More impressive? Hmmm. This song is good. But you have to do Close to the Edge, Awaken, and Gates of Delirium. These make this seem sort of tame and predictable ❤ Celestial music like manna from above 😊😊 I’ve subscribed so I can wait for your total amazement ❤

It sounds like a musical composition. So, don’t listen to Classical Music, you might hurt your brain. And never listen to Jazz. You can have a stroke from the improvisation.

What can I say, it’s YES, you think this is good, no haven’t heard anything yet .

so I'm supposed to care what a nobody thinks of a 53 year old song.