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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.
7 replies on “6 reasons why Drama is a great Yes album – 656”
You are quite right. Jon Anderson & The Band Geek’s album True is completely out of stock. I myself have been waiting for the LP since September, but I was told just before Xmas by the record store that it’s out of stock, and there was no information about more pressings being made.
I was able to get an unopened copy of the LP at the store’s second hand department, but for those who haven’t got a physical copy yet: You are out of luck. I don’t know if this means the album sold so well that they sold out, and that there is a huge line at the pressing plant or something has gone sour between artists and the label.
Nice show, I also like Drama quite a bit. It was a huge improvement, audio- and sound wise from Tormato.
Great show. I always liked Drama and considered it a significant Yes album notwithstanding the change in personnel which upset many. Interesting comments re Howe’s use of distortion which can often be a key component of a “ heavy” sound. I wonder whether Yes were already heading in that direction? There is less distorted tone, certainly, on Tormato – but still plenty of ferocity and “ heaviness” – eg Future Times, Silent Wings and Release, Release. So perhaps the continuation of a journey rather than a sudden conversion? Thanks again for your great output.
Those who know me know that I love Drama. I have a strong connection to it. I got an early promo copy of the album at my radio station in Aug. 1980, played it in its entirety on release day, and played songs from it regularly on my radio shows until ’85. I love the music, the vocals, the production, and the artwork by Roger- one of my favorites for being different than his other Yes covers. I saw 5 concerts on the US tour, and met & interviewed band members at each show. It’s an old saying, but Horn swears like a sailor! Despite what others saw & heard, Trevor only had trouble singing “And You & I” at the shows I saw, otherwise the band sounded strong, and Drama the in-the-round shows were fantastic, albeit shorter than on previous tours. I was very happy when Yes decided to play all of Drama on tour in ’16 & ’17, and was very glad to finally see them perform the songs that they didn’t do in ’80. To me, Drama is a great Yes album. Not a classic but it ranks very high to me.
Hi Kevin and Mark and others
Hope all had a wonderful Christmas and great start to 2025 with their loved ones!
Great show team – and interested to read the breadth of opinion.
For myself Drama was a landmark because it was the first contemporary Yes Music album I bought. Previously I had bought CTTE which was played on repeat, TFTO and TYA. I remember finding newly released ‘Drama’ in a record store, being amazed by the cover art and taking it home to play. I loved the album then and still do now.
But to be honest I cannot rank it a great Yes recording. It is brilliant by the standards of other bands, and a technological step forward for the musicians at the time, but I reckon that in a hundred years from now when scholars of music are writing their PhDs on the extraordinary symphonic structures and harmonic cadence of Yes Music, they won’t be looking to Drama in the same way as CTTE, TFTO, GFTO or Relayer.
I agree with Mark that the palette of sounds that Geoff and Trevor bring to the album was new and refreshing. I remember being struck by that in 1980.
But many of us today have sophisticated DAWs and and advanced Synthesizer tools on our computers and in our home studios. But this does not make any us of Rick Wakeman or Chris Squires. Having advanced music technology at hand is one thing, being a virtuoso and compositional genius is quite another.
Drama definitely brings an elevated level of energy to Yes music (I completely agree with the ‘Power Trio’ analogy) and the influence of contemporary post -punk and New Wave is writ large across the album. There are some striking runs with Squire Howe and Downs doubling each other, whereas on the previous album keys bass and guitar had often counterpointed each other in faster, more complex, but occaisionally discordant arrangements. Lyrically and vocally, Trevor is no Jon Anderson. But Jon can’t produce like Trevor, they are just each better at different things.
My favourite song on the album is ‘Run through the Light’ where Trevor plays simple bass and Chris is hitting chords on piano but it’s really a Geoff showcase of the incredible Fairlight sounds!!!
Chris plays remarkably across the rest of the album with the outro solo on ‘Does it really Happen?’ outstanding. The ‘Tempus Fugit’ riff too of course…
Alan is on form and Steve gives makes his closest dalliance to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. I think I recall seeing a clip of him performing in striped tight pants…
In my view Drama is a wonderful, groundbreaking album for the band, fresh energetic and exciting, but lacks the symphonic musicality of the greatest Yes Music.
Six reasons why Drama is a great Yes album:
1. Machine Messiah
2. White Car
3. Does It Really Happen?
4. Into The Lens
5. Run Through The Light
6. Tempus Fugit
I love it. Terms such as “best” or “favourite” are slippery and subjective, but Drama is the album I’ve always most felt like championing, defending and celebrating. I feel no “if only” cravings about it. These six tracks, in this order couldn’t be bettered for me, and I wouldn’t swap any of them for the other two new songs in the band’s live repertoire.
I think it fits smoothly in the evolution of Yes. You can feel this is the album after “Release, Release” and before “Hold On”. I love the change of sensibilities, with chintzy embellishments and mythological stories giving way to solid team playing and (mainly) Horn’s lyrics, just as gnomic as Anderson’s but drawing on a totally different lexicon.
There’s no song by Yes called “Man In A White Car”. Apart from that, this episode was PERFECT!
Thanks for covering “Drama”, and for always finding something to celebrate and appreciate in whatever aspect of Yes you cover.
Drama is a great YES album. Of course it’s not CTTE, but Machine Messiah, Into the Lens, Does It Really Happen & Tempus Fugit are all fabulous mini-epics.
And you are right to point out that YES is rocking hard(er?) than in some previous releases. Alan & Chris are bringing plenty of thunder, and the addition of Steve’s newly-revived distortion pedal helps a lot.
However, if Mark is going to pick on Trevor Horn for his multi-syllabic lyrics, he might have to reconsider his devotion to his favorite band, RUSH. “…put aside the alienation/Get on with the fascination/The real relation/The underlying theme.” also note that Limelight and Into the Lens share the metaphor of the camera lens.
Hi Brian,
Great to hear from you.
Thank you for your support and your comment.
As for picking on Trevor…haha..I think he did a great job..it’s just a few words that I found “interesting”. And of course it won’t be a surprise that I find Limelight perfect in everyway…miles better then anything on Drama. And Neil Peart is quite possibly one of the best lyric writers of all time. Far better then Jon Anderson or Trevor. I’m sure that will go over well with Yes supporters.