Back in the 1970’s I was quite impressed with the musical innovation of the group Yes. I haven’t followed them for decades. Tonight, to my surprise, I see that they were still performing as recently as 2003 (and the band is still performing 40 years after its start, though with some line-up changes). The following video contains a tune called “And You and I,” just a tad laid back from the original version. The musicians include Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Alan White. If you’d like to follow the lyrics in writing, click through to Youtube and listen.
Now THAT brings back some memories. Back in high school, the Yes "Close to the Edge" was one of my cruisin' tapes.
Thanks for this! YES has been a touchstone for me since adolescence. I wrote a lengthy piece about them here: http://marktiedemann.com/wordpress/?p=6
This was the first band I ever heard that opened up all the possibilities of music for me. For some it was the Beatles, for other the Stones; for many it was jazz or classical; but for me, these guys pointed the way in all directions and to this day I can still listen to them with deep, resonant pleasure.
Thank you.
Ahhh…memories. Yes was the band of choice for nerdy teens of a certain age. Of course I also like the darker side of prog rock as well, like King Crimson. But nothing can bring back those high school years like Yes.
So much about this performance of Yes I found compelling. Jon Anderson somehow kept enough of his high range to sing the tune in the original key. Rick Wakeman was still using the original Moog, rather than emulating the Moog sound on a newer keyboard. The fact that this song still works so well (at least for many of us) after so many years . . .
To a synth purist digital emulation falls slightly short of the old analog synths, Wakeman's Minimoog is in fantastic condition.
Erich, I played this tune for the class in Mrs. Mickens' music class in high school. Then I played James Brown…felt good! You hadda remember this vaguely as you scarfed this video down from YouTube, eh?
I hit all the "Yes" concerts in St. Louis at the same time I was going to see the Temptations. Poco and Yes played the best concert I remember, ever (I know, even better than The Who [#2]!). I'd rank the Temptations, Eric Clapton, the Boss and Steely Dan as next. Best small venue concert was when I saw George Clinton at Mississippi Nights years later. I must've lost 20 lbs from dancing!
Thanks for the reminders, dude! Rock on!
I remember that Poco Yes concert—1972, Kiel Auditorium. I wrote a review for the school paper. For a couple of years I thought Yes and Emerson Lake & Palmer were the only music worth listening to.