Tag: Jon Anderson

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Solo songs that could have been Yes songs – Part 2 – Jon Anderson – 706

Jon Anderson Olias
Jon Anderson Olias Portrait

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

This week, Mark and I continue our mini series about solo songs that could have been Yes songs and this time it’s Jon Anderson’s turn. As we did last week with Steve Howe, we listened to Jon’s first three solo albums – Olias of Sunhillow, Song of Seven and Animation. We chose just one song from each record that we think could have worked on a Yes album and discussed our reasons. It was very interesting, once again, to note the dramatic differences in approach that Jon went through from 1976 to 1982. In some ways, I think Anderson went the opposite direction to Howe, as you’ll hear.

  • How does Jon Anderson’s solo approach change over the years?
  • How easy is it to spot songs that could have been on yes albums?
  • Who collaborated with Jon on these three records?

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The episode featuring Jeremy North that we mention contains recollections of seeing Jon Anderson and the New Life Band in 1980

From the Discogs page for the 2006 double CD, Jon Anderson With The New Life Band – Live In Sheffield 1980:

  • Barry De Souza
  • Christopher Rainbow
  • Dick Morrissey
  • Joe Partridge
  • John Giblin
  • Lee Davidson
  • Morris Pert
  • Ronnie Leahy

Barry Plummer 2026 Calendar is still available!

ORDER HERE

YMP Listener discount code – KVKBKC8Z

Enrich your Prog year with iconic images of Yes in the 1970s, taken by the legendary rock photographer, Barry Plummer.

Enjoy 12 beautiful colour and black and white photographs of Yes in the studio and live, capturing the essence of the world’s greatest progressive rock band. With this limited-edition calendar on your wall throughout 2026, you’ll agree that Barry Plummer is, indeed, the Master of Images!

(A flat shipping fee will be added at checkout depending on your location.)

ORDER HERE

Yes – The Tormato Story & Tales from Topographic Oceans – Yes Album Listening Guide

Available now!

YesMusicBooks.com

YMP Patrons:

Producers:

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

Patrons:

Aaron SteelmanLind
Al Dell’AngeloLobate Scarp
Barry Gorsky
Mark Baggs
Bill WhittakerMark James Lang
Bob MartilottaMark Slater
Brian HarrisMartin Kjellberg
Brian SullivanMichael Handerhan
Chris BandiniMichael O’Connor
Craig EstenesMiguel Falcão
Dave OwenPaul Hailes
DavidPaul Tomei
David HeydenRachel Hadaway
David PannellRobert Nasir
David WatkinsonRobert Vandiver
Declan LogueRonnie Neeley
DemScott Colombo
Doug CurranSimon Barrow
Fergus CubbageStephen Lambe
Fred BarringerSteve Dill
Gary BettsSteve Luzietti
Geoff BailieSteve Perry
Geoffrey MasonSteve Rode
Guy DeRomeSteve Scott
Henrik AntonssonSteven Roehr
Hogne Bø PettersenTerence Sadler
Todd DudleyThomas DeVries
John CowanJohn Thomson
John HoldenJohn Viola
Jamie McQuinnTim Stannard
Douglas Caldwell
Become a Patron!
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Episodes

Yes Indeed – Yes without Jon Anderson – with author, Preston Frazier – 704

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

This week Mark and I welcomed our longstanding friend, Preston Frazier, onto the show to talk about his (relatively) new book, ‘Yes Indeed – Yes without Jon Anderson’. It’s a fascinating and very different kind of Yes book, as you’ll discover. As always, Preston was full of fun, even when we posed him some of the most difficult questions we have ever asked on the YMP. He took these in his stride, of course and I’m sure you will enjoy the conversation as much as we did.

  • Why did Preston write this book?
  • What was his approach?
  • Is this book similar to any other books about Yes?

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

In “Yes Indeed: Tales from Yes Without Jon Anderson,” music journalist Preston M. Frazier delves into the transformative eras of the legendary progressive rock band Yes during the times when their iconic frontman, Jon Anderson, was absent.

Through meticulous research and insightful analysis, Frazier chronicles the band’s resilience and evolution, shedding light on the albums, tours, and lineup changes that defined these pivotal periods. This compelling narrative offers readers a deeper understanding of Yes’s enduring legacy and their ability to innovate beyond expectations.

Amazon UK – https://amzn.eu/d/3JAepSr

Amazon US – https://a.co/d/8pQIRP9

Barry Plummer 2026 Calendar is still available!

ORDER HERE

YMP Listener discount code – KVKBKC8Z

Enrich your Prog year with iconic images of Yes in the 1970s, taken by the legendary rock photographer, Barry Plummer.

Enjoy 12 beautiful colour and black and white photographs of Yes in the studio and live, capturing the essence of the world’s greatest progressive rock band. With this limited-edition calendar on your wall throughout 2026, you’ll agree that Barry Plummer is, indeed, the Master of Images!

(A flat shipping fee will be added at checkout depending on your location.)

ORDER HERE

Yes – The Tormato Story & Tales from Topographic Oceans – Yes Album Listening Guide

Available now!

YesMusicBooks.com

YMP Patrons:

Producers:

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

Patrons:

Aaron SteelmanLind
Al Dell’AngeloLobate Scarp
Barry Gorsky
Mark Baggs
Bill WhittakerMark James Lang
Bob MartilottaMark Slater
Brian HarrisMartin Kjellberg
Brian SullivanMichael Handerhan
Chris BandiniMichael O’Connor
Craig EstenesMiguel Falcão
Dave OwenPaul Hailes
DavidPaul Tomei
David HeydenRachel Hadaway
David PannellRobert Nasir
David WatkinsonRobert Vandiver
Declan LogueRonnie Neeley
DemScott Colombo
Doug CurranSimon Barrow
Fergus CubbageStephen Lambe
Fred BarringerSteve Dill
Gary BettsSteve Luzietti
Geoff BailieSteve Perry
Geoffrey MasonSteve Rode
Guy DeRomeSteve Scott
Henrik AntonssonSteven Roehr
Hogne Bø PettersenTerence Sadler
Todd DudleyThomas DeVries
John CowanJohn Thomson
John HoldenJohn Viola
Jamie McQuinnTim Stannard
Douglas Caldwell
Become a Patron!
Categories
Episodes

YesKit Part 4 – Jon Anderson Edition – 697

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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

The Dark Days Of Yesterday – Projekt Gemineye – the new album by our own Mark Anthony K!

Mark says: “This is the 10th studio album! Wow…if you would have told me that id release 10 albums..I’m not sure if I would believe it.
This is a rather personal album for me….lyrically speaking. Its talks about some of the darker times in my life….i dont get too specific about things..not only because they are difficult memories…but also so that they can be relatable other people as well.
Musically and production wise.. I’m very pleased with it and i hope you enjoy it as well.”

https://projektgemineye.bandcamp.com/album/the-dark-days-of-yesterday

From a tiny idea I had about Jon Anderson’s use of instruments live with Yes, Mark and I managed to bang on for ages again this week. Hopefully, you will find the discussion as interesting as we did, particularly as I noticed some definite links between the band’s sonic changes over the decades, Jon’s development as a musician and the instruments he used.

In order to create some kind of helpful structure to the conversation, I managed to find the earliest examples of each kind of instrument Jon uses live in the photos on the amazing Forgotten Yesterdays website and I have embedded them into the show notes here – do take a look at those and add a comment if you can think of any other Yeskit Jon used live with the band – or add a comment even if you can’t.

  • What are all the instruments Jon used live with Yes?
  • When did he start playing tuned instruments?
  • What can we glean about the band amd about Jon from his choice of instruments?

See if you agree with us and then leave a comment below.

All images from the wonderful Forgotten Yesterdays website:


Screen capture from video 1969 Wiesbaden DE – Tambourine
Screen capture from video
11/23/1969 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre FR –
 
Tambourine with skin
11/26/1969 Basel CH
Benito De Juan Dolio –
 
Claves
1971 Photo by Michael Putland –
 
Dewtron Mr Bassman pedals
Jill Furmanovsky 1971 –
 
Cowbell
07/31/1971 London UK. Geoffrey Mason –
 
Maracas
02/14/1974 Uniondale NY
Photo by RDZK –
 
The ‘bus stop’ percussion kit for Ritual
02/10/1974 Columbia SC – Benito De Juan Dolio –
 
Acoustic guitar
05/10/1975 London UK
 
Sound Chaser
Daniel Potvin –
 
Flute (or is it a piccolo?)
05/17/1975 Stoke UK
 
Photo by Dick Barnatt –
 
Electric guitar
06/18/1976 Boston MA
 
Photo by Barry Rogoff –
 
Large harp
08/20/1977 Buffalo NY
 
Steve Wehner –
 
10-string Cuatro
06/18/1984 Berlin DE
 
Thomas Holland-Cunz –
 
Small keyboard
03/04/1996 San Luis Obispo CA
Laurel Renz –
 
Small harp
03/03/1998 Bournemouth UK
Cengiz Varlik –
 
Newer version of the ‘bus stop’
09/18/1999 San Pedro CR
 
Carlos Chacón Cambronero –
 
Keyboard
12/01/1999 Pittsburgh PA
Brian King –
 
Percussion ‘sticks’
08/18/2001 Atlanta GA
Rick Glover –

Martin Backpacker modified MIDI controller

Barry Plummer 2026 Calendar is now available!

ORDER HERE

YMP Listener discount code – KVKBKC8Z

Enrich your Prog year with iconic images of Yes in the 1970s, taken by the legendary rock photographer, Barry Plummer.

Enjoy 12 beautiful colour and black and white photographs of Yes in the studio and live, capturing the essence of the world’s greatest progressive rock band. With this limited-edition calendar on your wall throughout 2026, you’ll agree that Barry Plummer is, indeed, the Master of Images!

(A flat shipping fee will be added at checkout depending on your location.)

ORDER HERE

Yes – The Tormato Story & Tales from Topographic Oceans – Yes Album Listening Guide

Available now!

YesMusicBooks.com

YMP Patrons:

Producers:

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

Patrons:

Aaron SteelmanLind
Al Dell’AngeloLobate Scarp
Barry Gorsky
Mark Baggs
Bill WhittakerMark James Lang
Bob MartilottaMark Slater
Brian HarrisMartin Kjellberg
Brian SullivanMichael Handerhan
Chris BandiniMichael O’Connor
Craig EstenesMiguel Falcão
Dave OwenPaul Hailes
DavidPaul Tomei
David HeydenRachel Hadaway
David PannellRobert Nasir
David WatkinsonRobert Vandiver
Declan LogueRonnie Neeley
DemScott Colombo
Doug CurranSimon Barrow
Fergus CubbageStephen Lambe
Fred BarringerSteve Dill
Gary BettsSteve Luzietti
Geoff BailieSteve Perry
Geoffrey MasonSteve Rode
Guy DeRomeSteve Scott
Henrik AntonssonSteven Roehr
Hogne Bø PettersenTerence Sadler
Todd DudleyThomas DeVries
John CowanJohn Thomson
John HoldenJohn Viola
Jamie McQuinnTim Stannard
Douglas Caldwell
Become a Patron!
Categories
Episodes

Yes (sort-of) Unplugged – 696

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

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

As you will hear, I was looking at one of the amazing photos in the Barry Plummer Calendar (available now from YesMusicBooks.com) recently, when I noticed something peculiar about Chris Squire. I think what Barry has captured is a unique moment in Yes concert history. I don’t think Chris ever did this in any other situation than the shows on the 1975 Relayer tour – and maybe not all of those performances. I have watched the QPR video many times but I hadn’t realised exactly what was going on until I saw this photo and then re-watched the QPR performance.

After watching that QPR version, Mark and I also took a careful look at a much later version, from the Yes Acoustic video. It’s very different.

I’ve included a heavily watermarked version of the Squire photo below but if you want to enjoy the full-quality version, you know what to do. Order the calendar now while there’s still time to receive it before the New Year.

So, what do you think I’m on about? Stay tuned for the full rabbit hole exploration with Mark.

  • What’s unique about the QPR live situation?
  • What is that guitar?
  • Which is the ‘better’ version?

See if you agree with us and then leave a comment below.

Barry Plummer 2026 Calendar is now available!

ORDER HERE

YMP Listener discount code – KVKBKC8Z

Enrich your Prog year with iconic images of Yes in the 1970s, taken by the legendary rock photographer, Barry Plummer.

Enjoy 12 beautiful colour and black and white photographs of Yes in the studio and live, capturing the essence of the world’s greatest progressive rock band. With this limited-edition calendar on your wall throughout 2026, you’ll agree that Barry Plummer is, indeed, the Master of Images!

(A flat shipping fee will be added at checkout depending on your location.)

ORDER HERE

Yes – The Tormato Story & Tales from Topographic Oceans – Yes Album Listening Guide

Available now!

YesMusicBooks.com

YMP Patrons:

Producers:

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

Patrons:

Aaron SteelmanLind
Al Dell’AngeloLobate Scarp
Barry Gorsky
Mark Baggs
Bill WhittakerMark James Lang
Bob MartilottaMark Slater
Brian HarrisMartin Kjellberg
Brian SullivanMichael Handerhan
Chris BandiniMichael O’Connor
Craig EstenesMiguel Falcão
Dave OwenPaul Hailes
DavidPaul Tomei
David HeydenRachel Hadaway
David PannellRobert Nasir
David WatkinsonRobert Vandiver
Declan LogueRonnie Neeley
DemScott Colombo
Doug CurranSimon Barrow
Fergus CubbageStephen Lambe
Fred BarringerSteve Dill
Gary BettsSteve Luzietti
Geoff BailieSteve Perry
Geoffrey MasonSteve Rode
Guy DeRomeSteve Scott
Henrik AntonssonSteven Roehr
Hogne Bø PettersenTerence Sadler
Todd DudleyThomas DeVries
John CowanJohn Thomson
John HoldenJohn Viola
Jamie McQuinnTim Stannard
Douglas Caldwell
Become a Patron!
Categories
Episodes

Deep Cuts outside Yes – 687

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

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

Mark and I spent some time this week searching through both our memory banks and our shelves of Yes related records. We wanted to uncover and promote some lesser-known deep cuts on albums that Yes men have been involved with outside the main group.

We each came up with 3 songs you may not have heard or you may have forgotten about. We hope you enjoy revisiting them or discovering a little more of the breadth and depth of what Yes musicians have been involved with over the decades.

Of course, we would be delighted to have your own suggestions of what other deep cuts we can all benefit from hearing – leave your suggestions on the show notes for this week’s episode below.

  • What are your favourite solo deep cuts?
  • What do Mark and Kevin choose?
  • Do you know all these songs already?

Steve Nardelli on the YMP

The Syn biography on Prog Archives

Details of the Chagall Project on Henry Potts’ website

Yes – The Tormato Story & Tales from Topographic Oceans – Yes Album Listening Guide

Available now!

YesMusicBooks.com

YMP Patrons:

Producers:

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

Patrons:

Aaron SteelmanLind
Al Dell’AngeloLobate Scarp
Barry Gorsky
Mark Baggs
Bill WhittakerMark James Lang
Bob MartilottaMark Slater
Brian HarrisMartin Kjellberg
Brian SullivanMichael Handerhan
Chris BandiniMichael O’Connor
Craig EstenesMiguel Falcão
Dave OwenPaul Hailes
DavidPaul Tomei
David HeydenRachel Hadaway
David PannellRobert Nasir
David WatkinsonRobert Vandiver
Declan LogueRonnie Neeley
DemScott Colombo
Doug CurranSimon Barrow
Fergus CubbageStephen Lambe
Fred BarringerSteve Dill
Gary BettsSteve Luzietti
Geoff BailieSteve Perry
Geoffrey MasonSteve Rode
Guy DeRomeSteve Scott
Henrik AntonssonSteven Roehr
Hogne Bø PettersenTerence Sadler
Todd Dudley
John CowanJohn Thomson
John HoldenJohn Viola
Jamie McQuinnTim Stannard
Become a Patron!