Categories
Episodes

Yes Album Listening Guides – Tales From Topographic Oceans Part 6 – Alan White’s drums with Joe Cass – 603

Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Jeffrey Crecelius and Ken Fuller

This week we are back to the epic in-depth study of Tales from Topographic Oceans. We asked the ever-generous drummer of Yes tribute band Total Mass Retain Joe Cass to join us to talk about Alan White’s contribution to the classic album. You won’t be surprised to hear that Joe managed to help us to uncover a wealth of detail about the percussion on the album and the musical and personal character of the late deeply missed Yes stickman. Thank you to Joe for his insights.

I’ve had no time to do a proper update on all that’s happened over the past week but please do visit the YMP Discussion Group on Facebook and the X.com @yesmuispodcast feed for all the details. However, it’s worth wishing Jon Anderson a very happy 79th birthday and noting that Steve Howe’s damaged finger seems to be sufficiently healed to allow him to play again this evening after having to cancel some shows on the US tour.

  • What did Alan White contribute to Tales?
  • Is that him singing backing vocals?
  • What do we mean by ‘melodic’ drumming?

Let us know if you agree with us!

Total mass retain:

https://www.totalmassretainband.com/

Support the Fundraiser!


Yes – The Tormato Story

Available now!

TormatoBook.com


YMP Patrons:

Producers:

  • Joseph Cottrell
  • Ken Fuller
  • Jeffrey Crecelius

Patrons:

Jim Morrison Jon Pickles Declan Logue
Gary Betts Alan Begg Michael Handerhan
Barry Gorsky Steve Perry Doug Curran
Martin Kjellberg Todd Dudley Rachel Hadaway
Lind  Paul Hailes Craig Estenes
Mark James Lang Steve Rode David
Bob Martilotta John Holden Stephen Lambe
Dem Fred Barringer Scott Colombo
Chris Bandini David Heyden John Thomson
Mark Baggs John Cowan John Parry
Dave Owen Simon Barrow Steve Scott
Terence Sadler Steve Dill Robert Nasir 
Fergus Cubbage William Hayes Geoff Bailie
Steven Roehr Lobate Scarp Geoffrey Mason
David Watkinson Tim Stannard Robert Vandiver
Brian Sullivan David Pannell Jamie McQuinn
Miguel Falcão Paul Tomei Michael O’Connor
Brian HarrisHogne Bø PettersenGuy DeRome
Become a Patron!

Our (not really) new Facebook YMP Discussion Group is open to anyone to join but I’ll be adding rules and joining requirements when I have time (one day…). One of the advantages of the new format is that all members of the group have the same ability to post content, so it’s a bit more egalitarian, or somesuch. Please do search for the group and join in.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/3216603008606331/


Please follow/subscribe!

If you are still listening to the podcast on the website, please consider subscribing so you don’t risk missing anything:

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
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Theme music

The music I use is the last movement of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. This has been used as introduction music at many Yes concerts. My theme music is not take from a live concert – I put it together from: archive.org

Categories
Episodes

Technological Musical Magician, Derek Dearden – 585

Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Ken Fuller, Wayne Hall and Jeffrey Crecelius

Unless you have already read my book, Yes The Tormato Story, you may not recognise the name Derek Dearden. However, you have certainly heard the results of his amazing technical wizardry. This is another deep dive episode but it also contains much of interest to any Yes fan. Derek was a delight to speak to when Mark and I interviewed him a few months ago and I’ve been keeping this fascinating interview under wraps so that early readers of the book had a few surprises to discover. If you don’t like spoilers, then consider coming back to this episode at a later date. I won’t be offended.

Quite a bit of this conversation was used in the chapter entitled The Other Drums in my book but even if you have read that, I’m sure you’ll love hearing Derek explaining how it all came about in his own words. To whet your appetite, Derek was employed at Advision as a technician and then went on to found a company very closely associated with Alan White

  • What did Derek Dearden create for Alan White?
  • How did it all come about?
  • What else did Derek invent?
The chapter in Yes – The Tormato Story about Derek

Available now!

TormatoBook.com

YMP Patrons:

Producers:

  • Joseph Cottrell
  • Ken Fuller
  • Jeffrey Crecelius and
  • Wayne Hall

Patrons:

Aaron Steelman

Dave Owen

Mark James Lang
Paul Tomei
Joost Maglev

David Heyden

Paul Wilson
Martin Kjellberg
Bob Martilotta
Lind
Michael O’Connor
William Hayes
Brian Sullivan

David Pannell

Lobate Scarp
Miguel Falcão
Chris Bandini

David Watkinson

Neal Kaforey
Rachel Hadaway
Craig Estenes
Dem
Mark ‘Zarkol’ Baggs
Paul Hailes
Doug Curran

Robert Nasir

Fergus Cubbage
Scott Colombo
Fred Barringer
David
Geoff Bailie
Simon Barrow
Geoffrey Mason

Stephen Lambe
Guy R DeRome
Steve Dill
Henrik Antonsson
Steve Perry

Hogne Bø Pettersen
Steve Rode
Declan Logue
Steve Scott
Todd Dudley
Jim
Jamie McQuinn

Steven Roehr

John Parry
Keith Hoisington
Alan Begg
Terence Sadler
John Holden
Barry Gorsky
Michael Handerhan
Tim Stannard

Jon Pickles
John Thomson
John Cowan
Tony Handley
Robert
Gary Betts
Jim Morrison

Our (not really) new Facebook YMP Discussion Group is open to anyone to join but I’ll be adding rules and joining requirements when I have time (one day…). One of the advantages of the new format is that all members of the group have the same ability to post content, so it’s a bit more egalitarian, or somesuch. Please do search for the group and join in.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/3216603008606331/




Please follow/subscribe!

If you are still listening to the podcast on the website, please consider subscribing so you don’t risk missing anything:

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Google Podcasts

Theme music

The music I use is the last movement of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. This has been used as introduction music at many Yes concerts. My theme music is not take from a live concert – I put it together from: archive.org

Categories
Episodes

“Po…confirmed it was me!” – YMP speaks to Rob Brimson, YES photographer and the guy on the cover of Tormato – 548

Produced by Ken Fuller, Wayne Hall and Jeffrey Crecelius

Mark and I had a great time speaking to photographer Rob Brimson this week. He was with Po from Hipgnosis when the photos of YES band members on the inner gatefold sleeve of Going For The One were taken and he took the shot of Yes Tor which adorns the cover of Tormato. He also did a bit of informal modelling work… Rob was open and generous about the days when he was based at Hipgnosis’ studios in London as well as his trip to Mountain Studios in Montreux and the story about the helicopter and the escape of the flying pig. Listen out for that one later. More Yes revelations are included in our conversation.

Rob’s website:

https://www.robbrimson.com/

Also this week around the social media hotspots, I have been posting some adverts for my new website which is supporting the Tormato book I announced last week on the YMP. To keep it nice and simple, I’ve called it https://tormatobook.com and if you’d like to sign up to receive regular updates on the progress towards the publications of the book, then add your details to receive the email newsletter.

Not final artwork – just me messing about with one of Jeremy North’s photos
  • Is that really you on the cover?
  • What was it like working for Hipgnosis?
  • What happened to the escaped pig?

Take a listen to the episode and then let us know what you think below!



YMP Patrons:

Producers:

  • Ken Fuller
  • Jeffrey Crecelius and
  • Wayne Hall

Patrons:

Aaron Steelman

Dave Owen

Mark James Lang

Paul Tomei

Joost Maglev

David Heyden

Martin Kjellberg

Paul Wilson

Bob Martilotta

Lind

Michael O’Connor

William Hayes
Brian Sullivan

David Pannell

Miguel Falcão

Lobate Scarp

Chris Bandini

David Watkinson

Neal Kaforey

Rachel Hadaway

Craig Estenes

Dem

Paul Hailes

Mark ‘Zarkol’ Baggs

Doug Curran

Robert Nasir

Fergus Cubbage

Scott Colombo

Fred Barringer

Gary Betts
Geoff Bailie

Simon Barrow
Geoffrey Mason

Stephen Lambe

Guy R DeRome

Steve Dill

Henrik Antonsson

Steve Perry

Hogne Bø Pettersen

Steve Rode

Declan Logue
Steve Scott
Jamie McQuinn

Steven Roehr

Alan Begg
Terence Sadler

Michael Handerhan

Tim Stannard

Jim

Todd Dudley

John Cowan

Tony Handley

John Holden

Joseph Cottrell

John Parry

Keith Hoisington

John Thomson

Barry Gorsky


Robert and David

Please follow/subscribe!

If you are still listening to the podcast on the website, please consider subscribing so you don’t risk missing anything:

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Google Podcasts

Theme music

The music I use is the last movement of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. This has been used as introduction music at many Yes concerts. My theme music is not take from a live concert – I put it together from: archive.org

Categories
Episodes

Why did Yes want…Alan White? Part 2 – 547

Produced by Ken Fuller, Wayne Hall and Jeffrey Crecelius

This week Mark and I have enjoyed listening to Alan White in a rather different context to normal – adding his remarkable talents to John Lennon’s classic album, Imagine. We present our thoughts and then get together to have a chat about the music and the musicians involved. Please do add your own thoughts below and see if you agree with Mark and me.

This is the image from our conversation with Alan

We also found time to consider a two pence topic around Jon Anderson’s plans for live concerts next year with The Band Geeks. Stay tuned for our thoughts on that.

In other news, I’m excited to announce that I am part-way through writing a book about Tormato which will include all the aspects we’ve covered on the YMP as well as copious illustrations and a myriad of other things. It will be in paper and online format and I’ll be announcing all kinds of other news about it as we approach the publication date – which is still a long way off. However, you can already go to tormatobook.com to find out more and to sign up to an email newsletter to keep up-to-date with progress. The book will be published by Five Per Cent For Something Publishing (see what I did there?) and is to be called, ‘Too Close To The Edge? The surprising and instructive story of TORMATO, the final YES album of the 1970s’. Good title eh?

Not final artwork – just me messing about with one of Jeremy North’s photos
  • What does Alan’s drumming on Imagine sound like?
  • Does he play appropriately?
  • Can you tell it’s him?

Take a listen to the episode and then let us know what you think below!



YMP Patrons:

Producers:

  • Ken Fuller
  • Jeffrey Crecelius and
  • Wayne Hall

Patrons:

Aaron Steelman

Dave Owen

Mark James Lang

Paul Tomei

Joost Maglev

David Heyden

Martin Kjellberg

Paul Wilson

Bob Martilotta

Lind

Michael O’Connor

William Hayes
Brian Sullivan

David Pannell

Miguel Falcão

Lobate Scarp

Chris Bandini

David Watkinson

Neal Kaforey

Rachel Hadaway

Craig Estenes

Dem

Paul Hailes

Mark ‘Zarkol’ Baggs

Doug Curran

Robert Nasir

Fergus Cubbage

Scott Colombo

Fred Barringer

Gary Betts
Geoff Bailie

Simon Barrow
Geoffrey Mason

Stephen Lambe

Guy R DeRome

Steve Dill

Henrik Antonsson

Steve Perry

Hogne Bø Pettersen

Steve Rode

Declan Logue
Steve Scott
Jamie McQuinn

Steven Roehr

Alan Begg
Terence Sadler

Michael Handerhan

Tim Stannard

Jim

Todd Dudley

John Cowan

Tony Handley

John Holden

Joseph Cottrell

John Parry

Keith Hoisington

John Thomson

Barry Gorsky


Robert and David

Please follow/subscribe!

If you are still listening to the podcast on the website, please consider subscribing so you don’t risk missing anything:

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Google Podcasts

Theme music

The music I use is the last movement of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. This has been used as introduction music at many Yes concerts. My theme music is not take from a live concert – I put it together from: archive.org

Categories
Episodes

Why did Yes want…Alan White? Part 1 – 546

Produced by Ken Fuller, Wayne Hall and Jeffrey Crecelius

While we wait for Yes to begin their tour in Japan in September and following the end of Jon Anderson’s Close To The Edge tour, it’s comparatively quiet in Yes world at the moment. That certainly doesn’t mean we don’t have anything to talk about, of course. So this week Mark and I have been thinking about why Yes wanted the late and already desperately missed Alan White.

We have discovered or perhaps rediscovered some aspects of Alan’s early career which made him the perfect fit for Yes following the departure of Bill Bruford, very shortly before the beginning of the original Close To The Edge tour. It was an excellent discussion reminding us just how multi-faceted Alan’s abilities were so do keep listening for that.

  • What about Alan White attracted Yes?
  • What did Alan spend his teenage years doing?
  • What recordings can we hear pre-Yes Alan playing on?

Take a listen to the episode and then let us know what you think below!

Peter D’Amore, featuring Billy Sherwood:

John Michels mentioned this video:

…and here are his photos:

Griffin featuring Alan White:



YMP Patrons:

Producers:

  • Ken Fuller
  • Jeffrey Crecelius and
  • Wayne Hall

Patrons:

Aaron Steelman

Dave Owen

Mark James Lang

Paul Tomei

Joost Maglev

David Heyden

Martin Kjellberg

Paul Wilson

Bob Martilotta

Lind

Michael O’Connor

William Hayes
Brian Sullivan

David Pannell

Miguel Falcão

Lobate Scarp

Chris Bandini

David Watkinson

Neal Kaforey

Rachel Hadaway

Craig Estenes

Dem

Paul Hailes

Mark ‘Zarkol’ Baggs

Doug Curran

Robert Nasir

Fergus Cubbage

Scott Colombo

Fred Barringer

Gary Betts
Geoff Bailie

Simon Barrow
Geoffrey Mason

Stephen Lambe

Guy R DeRome

Steve Dill

Henrik Antonsson

Steve Perry

Hogne Bø Pettersen

Steve Rode

Declan Logue
Steve Scott
Jamie McQuinn

Steven Roehr

Alan Begg
Terence Sadler

Michael Handerhan

Tim Stannard

Jim

Todd Dudley

John Cowan

Tony Handley

John Holden

Joseph Cottrell

John Parry

Keith Hoisington

John Thomson

Barry Gorsky


Robert and David

Please follow/subscribe!

If you are still listening to the podcast on the website, please consider subscribing so you don’t risk missing anything:

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Google Podcasts

Theme music

The music I use is the last movement of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. This has been used as introduction music at many Yes concerts. My theme music is not take from a live concert – I put it together from: archive.org