Windy! An earworm indeed, although one that for my taste is a bit too twee, as the Brits would say. Lesser-known fact: when Jon Anderson and Chris Squire formed Yes, they saw it as a kind of progressive/experimental analogue of The Association with lots of vocal harmonies. Thus by association I'm playing the first Yes album to wash out that earworm!
A couple of their ballads definitely hit as twee for me; and apologies (kinda) for the earworm.
Interesting connection with Yes. I was surprised to see that Terry Kirkman had played with Frank Zappa before cofounding The Association. All that cross fertilization made the music that much better.
Yes had two albums before Steve Howe joined: "Yes" from 1969 and "Time and a Word" from 1970. Their guitarist at that time was Peter Banks, who was amazing in a different way. There have been many, many lineup changes in the band since then...
I got into Yes when I really began learning guitar, and it was the Steve Howe connection that brought me into the fold. These earlier albums are great is a different way, I have expanded my musical universe, and it is good!
Browsing my digital music library has become a double-edged sword: I see band names and think of songs I've not heard in ages, which seems kind of a cheat for choosing music to feature here. I want it to be more organic than that, if that makes sense. Fortunately, my library is on an external drive, so it's enough of an inconvenience that I don't do it often (I do have my regulars on my laptop; Rush and Yes are among them).
Windy! An earworm indeed, although one that for my taste is a bit too twee, as the Brits would say. Lesser-known fact: when Jon Anderson and Chris Squire formed Yes, they saw it as a kind of progressive/experimental analogue of The Association with lots of vocal harmonies. Thus by association I'm playing the first Yes album to wash out that earworm!
A couple of their ballads definitely hit as twee for me; and apologies (kinda) for the earworm.
Interesting connection with Yes. I was surprised to see that Terry Kirkman had played with Frank Zappa before cofounding The Association. All that cross fertilization made the music that much better.
Well, listen to "Sweetness" from the first Yes album for another dose of twee!
There was something special about (roughly) 1967 to 1972. So much mixing and cross-fertilization, before genres and styles hardened into labels.
Listening now ... lovely harmonies, but yeah, my pancreas is working overtime.
For something less sweet from that first Yes album, check out Beyond and Before, I See You, or their great cover of Every Little Thing.
I have the full album but don't think I've ever listened to it, so I'll correct that oversight.
How did I not know that this album existed?
Is it pre Steve Howe?
It is, according to Wikipedia, which lists the band personnel as: John Anderson; Chris Squire; Bill Bruford; Peter Banks; and Tony Kaye.
Pre-Wakeman too. Wow.
As a side note, Rick Wakeman has about a billion (slight hyperbole) solo and collaboration recordings out there. Ditto Steve Howe. All of it is great
Do look up the "Steve Howe Trio" for some jazzy adaptations to Yes classics
Yeah, I caught that too. I've heard that about both Wakeman and Howe ... need to find some time for it!
Yes had two albums before Steve Howe joined: "Yes" from 1969 and "Time and a Word" from 1970. Their guitarist at that time was Peter Banks, who was amazing in a different way. There have been many, many lineup changes in the band since then...
I got into Yes when I really began learning guitar, and it was the Steve Howe connection that brought me into the fold. These earlier albums are great is a different way, I have expanded my musical universe, and it is good!
Excellent! I love the proto-prog experimental sound of those early Yes albums. As you put it: great, but different.
My god, I haven't heard this in probably 40 years if not a lot more.
Now I am thinking of Peter Paul and Mary
Any particular song(s)?
Browsing my digital music library has become a double-edged sword: I see band names and think of songs I've not heard in ages, which seems kind of a cheat for choosing music to feature here. I want it to be more organic than that, if that makes sense. Fortunately, my library is on an external drive, so it's enough of an inconvenience that I don't do it often (I do have my regulars on my laptop; Rush and Yes are among them).
My mom played "Puff the Magic Dragon" a lot when I was a wee lad.