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Produced by Ken Fuller, Wayne Hall and Jeffrey Crecelius
This week Mark and I have been considering why Yes wanted Eddie Jobson. He stayed with the band for about as long as a British Prime Minister but there must have been compelling musical reasons why he was asked to join in the first place. So that’s what we are beginning to explore in this episode. While Eddie isn’t very well-known outside the Prog world, he certainly had the capacity to take Yes in a different and perhaps very interesting direction before he was replaced by the returning Tony Kaye. Another parallel with the UK political situation?
- Child prodigy to Prog legend – an amazing story.
- What skills did Eddie have which attracted Yes?
- Did he have the experience to join Yes?
Take a listen to the episode and then let us know what you think below!
Facebook has just changed how pages work which means that I’ve had to establish a new place for us to post and discuss Yes-related happenings. It’s a new group entitled, rather creatively, YMP Discussion Group. For the moment it’s open to anyone to join but I’ll be adding rules and joining requirements when I have time. 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/
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Producers:
- Ken Fuller
- Jeffrey Crecelius and
- Wayne Hall
Patrons:
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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
3 replies on “Why Did Yes Want…Eddie Jobson? – Part 1 – 556”
I feel it is a Yes history loss not to have an album with his playing, writing and musicality imprinted into it. Super talented guy, amazing sounds and playing both on record and live.
Maybe a violin competing with Jon’s vocals would have been a difficult balancing act but on the other hand dueling with a guitar would have been a good mix. Either way 90125 can’t be any better than it is in my eyes, would Big Gen have been a step too far with him on it or been that new different lineup and sound that kept Yes fresh?
Whatever it may or may not have done for Yes, it does add yet something else to the great and complex Yes story.
I’m a huge fan of all of Jobson’s work, and have met him many times since the 70s with Roxy Music, UK, Jethro Tull, UKZ, UK Project, and UK again, interviewing him with UK in ’78 & ’79 on tour, and talking with him in the 2000s & 2010s at various shows and cruises. Yes actually asked Eddie in ’74 to join after Rick left but he declined then. I was told by Yes members that Eddie was also asked to join in ’96 or early ’97 after Rick had left again.
I’m a big fan of the “Night After Night” album, so I hope you enjoy it. I have the original album and audiotape, the cd, and the more recent reissue with restored songs from the tour.
Terry Bozzio is a monster drummer, as Mark said. I’ve seen him in concert with UK, Missing Persons, Jeff Beck, and UK again. Very shy, private man in person. I highly recommend the two Bozzio Levin Stevens albums! Here is one of my photos with Eddie, on the 2014 Cruise to the Edge, having a drink & talking after one of UK’s shows. We are on friendly terms.
I knew nothing about Eddie Jobson until this episode. Given your discussion, it’s a shame he didn’t record anything with Yes