First of all, many thanks to Dan and Steven Shinder for last week’s April Fool swap around – it was great fun and we look forward to doing some more sensible Yes conversations in the future.
Oliver Wakeman is always one of our favourite guests on the YMP and this time we talk about Yes and his latest release – the Collaborations box set which is available from Burning Shed. It’s another engaging and insightful chat so do let us know what you think.
What’s in Oliver’s new box set?
What would Oliver want to play if he returned to Yes?
What does Oliver think of the change from Relayer Live to Close To The Edge Live?
Take a listen to the episode and then let us know what you think below!
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
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
It was great to speak to Dave Watkinson once again on the show this week. Some time ago he published an article on Yesworld.com all about the variety of music Yes have used to open their shows over 50 years and more. Mark and I very much enjoyed finding out more from Dave and here is the article – http://yesworld.com/yesshows-the-opening-music/yes-opening-music-year-guide/
After that conversation, there is a contribution from Daniel and Amanda Krohn with a different spin on the change from Relayer to Close to the Edge on the upcoming tour – do stay tuned for that.
What kinds of music have been played before and after Yes shows?
Isn’t it always The Firebird?
Have the band ever played their own music as an introduction?
Take a listen to the episode and then let us know what you think below!
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
Mark and I just about manage to stay in control of the ‘spirited’ Fernando Perdomo this week. Ask him about guitar tech and he will literally talk for hours – which is exactly what we want on the YMP of course. What we were left with are many fascinating insights into Steve Howe’s guitars and approaches, all based around the greatest Yes album, Tormato. Stay tuned for that hurricane of enthusiasm.
How did Howe get those sounds for Tormato and why?
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
I was on the road this week but still managed to catch up with Mark and Henry Potts to discuss the news that Yes will not be playing Relayer on the upcoming tour but have opted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Close To The Edge instead.
I was in a hotel room with just my laptop but this news was clearly too important to miss.
Why has Relayer been shelved?
Will we ever hear the full album live?
Is it too soon to play Close To The Edge in its entirety again?
Listen to the episode and let us know what you think!
PRESS RELEASE:
50th Anniversary Celebration
of Close to the Edge
for UK
The Album Series Tour in June
8th March 2022: Progressive pioneers YES have announced a change to their forthcoming The Album Series Tour 2022 as they will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their iconic album Close to the Edge. This tour, twice rescheduled due to the Covid pandemic was intended to showcase YES’s 1974 classic Relayer album but will now feature Close to the Edge, performed in full, along with other classic tracks from YES’s extensive catalogue. An announcement regarding the European dates will be made shortly.
The tour line-up features Steve Howe (guitars), Alan White (drums), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (vocals), Billy Sherwood (bass guitar and backing vocals) with additional drums and percussion by Jay Schellen. All tour dates are as previously announced and all tickets remain valid. A full performance of the Relayer album will now be featured in a future tour in The Album Series.
The show will comprise full production and a high-definition video wall directed by Roger Dean who will also be joining the tour with an exhibition of YES related art.
Following the release of The Yes Album and Fragile, in 1971, YES released what is widely considered one of the most defining albums, not only for YES but for the whole progressive movement. Close to the Edge became an inspiration for their contemporaries and for successive generations of musicians.
“We reached a real high, doing ‘Close to the Edge’,” said Steve Howe. “We valued the musicianship, the artistic ideas and the vocalising that people bring and that’s why we’re still doing it, because it’s exciting to do! ‘Close to the Edge’ was voted the most-proggy album possibly ever made. It was very experimental. We had already done 10-minute epics but with ‘Close to the Edge’ we just took it a stage further and I’m very pleased we were brave enough to do that.”
YES 2022 UK Tour Dates Are:
June 2022
15th June Wednesday Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
17th June Friday Manchester Bridgewater Hall
18th June Saturday Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
20th June Monday Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
21st June Tuesday London Royal Albert Hall
22nd June Thursday York Barbican
24th June Friday Birmingham Symphony Hall
26th June Sunday Newcastle O2 City Hall
28th June Tuesday Dublin Eire Vicar Street
29th June Wednesday Cork Eire Opera House
Tickets remain valid for the rescheduled shows. For full details and to book tickets for all shows go to venue website or http://yesworld.com/live where you can also book Meet and Greets with the band.
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
