The Article
Yes: When A Band Is No Longer ‘Fit For Purpose’
29th December 2017
Title: Topographic Drama
Label: Rhino
During it’s 2016 tour, Yes played its 1980 album Drama in its entirety. The first time it had ever done such a thing. More than that, it also played sides one and four from the 1973 double-album Tales From Topographic Oceans. Startling because these are arguably the two most contentious LPs in the band’s entire discography. The first because Trevor Horn was on vocals for the former original album and nearly ripped his voice to shreds trying to be lead vocalist, Jon Anderson, instead of doing what he did best. Being Trevor Horn.
The latter LP was the symbol of so much prog excess that it, quite possibly, single-handedly forged punk. It was also disliked by many rock fans, some prog fans and even former Yes band members. And now both were being played on stage!
This new triple-LP features live performances from 12 dates recorded on the same tour in February 2017, by the current Yes line-up: Steve Howe (guitars), Alan White (drums), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Billy Sherwood (bass), Jon Davison (vocals, replacing Jon Anderson) and additional drummer for this tour, Jay Schellen.
With the addition of And You And I from 1972’s Close To The Edge and Heart Of The Sunrise from 1971’s Fragile, the elaborate gatefold package also arrives with a full size, 6-page booklet.
Mastering is very nice indeed. Despite revealing the give-away spacious auditorium feel the music has been mastered remarkably quietly, prompting a gain boost, further opening up the detail and midrange insight which is both smooth and very pleasant to the ear.
There are a few irritations. The audience gives a standing ovation when anyone so much as lifts an eyebrow while Davison is a pleasant but weak vocalist – he’s no Jon Anderson. He’s too meek and, fragile (sorry) in his delivery. No, um, drama (sorry, again). The lack of emotional uplift and punch harms the songs, I’m afraid and gives the music a tribute band feel making Davison sound like a young Aled Jones.
End of review.
My thoughts continued beyond it, however.
There is something about the lead singer of any band that forges that band’s inherent personality, don’t you think? Instrumental bands have a much easier time of it, in this respect (stand up Tangerine Dream which features not one original member and yet sounds exactly like TD of yore).
Not bands encumbered with singers though. One such band, Yes, has been through varying guitar players and drummers and keyboard merchants and now a new bass player. You may feel sorry and sad that old instrumentalist favourites have left the fold to explore pastures new or they may have sadly passed away but the band has always felt like Yes because Jon Anderson’s vocal was still there, piercing the upper atmosphere with his strong, impassioned, wholly spiritual and rather high pitched vocal stylings. His vocals have always acted as a sort of spine to the Yes sound. A sunlit core around which the music has been formed.
Anderson doesn’t just sing the songs, he believes in each and every word. His unique vocal approach is – has to be – the very personality of the band. If you hear a few words of his sung on the radio then you immediately think, “Yes!” You hear a solo Steve Howe on the radio or Alan White in a different band and you’d respond with, “Hang on…that sounds a bit like…is it…?” And other delaying tactics before a rough, educated guess can be made.
The late and lamented Chris Squire’s bass sound was iconic in Yes terms but you can just – just – about get away with Billy Sherwood as his replacement. Kinda. If you squint a bit. As long as Anderson’s soaring vocal formed the spine of the band’s sound, then it could cushion the tragic Squire loss a bit. Turn that around, though. When Squire was still with us and Anderson was not singing with him, Yes always sounded odd. Unfinished.
With Anderson, there will always be Yes. Without Anderson, there is no Yes. The equation is as simple as that.
You doubt me? Let me give you examples of other bands who thought they could carry on without their main vocal man. Whether those delusions be based on “Sure, it’ll be fine. The fans are too dumb to notice,” or even “You’ll pay us how much if we carry on?” Whatever the reasons, The Doors thought that they could continue being The Doors without Jim Morrison. Hang on, though, this was the same band except for Jim wasn’t it? In terms of personnel, yes it was, sure. Yet, the heart had been pulled from the core of The Doors. In fact, The Doors was all about Morrison’s personality, his delivery, his articulation. As frustrating and annoying and irritating as these important facts might have been to the other three band members, the band was Mr Morrison.
Queen. Freddie dies and the rest of the band haul…Paul Rodgers (?!) into the front man slot. Rodgers? George Michael would have done a far better job, I have to add but George, for once in his life, made the right decision and exclaimed, something like, “No fear, I’m off.” The Rodgers result? Well it wasn’t Queen. I’m not suggesting that Paul Rodgers wasn’t/isn’t allowed to play music with the Freddie Mercury backing band but that collected group of people should never have been called Queen. Even with all of the other original members in tow. It was not Queen. It can never really be Queen.
I could say the same about Thin Lizzy. I could say the same about…well, the list grows. Even Deep Purple have given their band different names when they change their front man but they sneak a silly appellation to it: Deep Purple Mk.I, Deep Purple Mk.II, Deep Purple Mk.III, etc. These are mere twists to the brand name but the band get away with it in that manner.
The only band who can truly get away with changing their front man every five minutes and retain their original band name is King Crimson. The Mighty Crim are unique, though. Their soul sits on a stool at the side of the stage (sometimes in deep shadow), stares at the floor and noodles on a guitar. Fripp, the true leader of that band, is the sole exception.
This is because Fripp constantly and completely reinvents King Crimson. Compare the 70s KQ with the early 80s version. The two cannot be compared. Hence, if Fripp ever leaves for good. King Crimson will die.
Yes find it difficult to reinvent. They find it much easier to clone.
Generally, when all is said and done and in broad terms, you remove the front man? You kill the band. Once you’ve done that, you have to have the guts to start afresh.
Nirvana ceased to exist artistically but also physically, wholly and completely when Kurt Cobain died, didn’t they? You see? Sometimes bands do the right thing.
So, as much as I respect Jon Davison, he does fine work with Glass Hammer, the only reason that he’s in the band is because his name is also Jon and it saves the other ageing band members, whose memories are tending to fade as they approach or reside in their 70s, having to remember a brand new first name. Surely, that’s the reason he’s in the band?
Oh, and I say that I respect Jon Davison? I do. I really do. Much more, it seems, than Yes itself actually does. Why? Because, all joking side, the Yes establishment has, once again, chosen a new lead singer because he sounds like Jon Anderson. That, my friends, is a complete and total lack of respect to the other Jon, Mr Jon Davison. You bring in an independent artist, a human being with his own thoughts and feelings, his own artistic vision and ambitions, likes and dislikes and the only reason, the ONLY reason he is there is because he vaguely sounds…like…another…guy.
Yes, as an organisation and a band, do this sort of thing over and over (i.e. Trevor Horn, Benoît David and now Jon Davison). The only reason that former lead singer Trevor Rabin got away with singing in his God-given voice was because Jon Anderson was standing next to him, at the time. Goodness knows what despicable medical operation Rabin would have had to endure, in order to reach the highest registers, if Anderson would have left while Rabin was still treading the boards with Yes. You need to watch the contract small print, you know.
If Yes is dead without Jon Anderson, as I postulate, then the band should, by all means, carry on but adopt a new band moniker, bring in a new singer (maybe one that has a deep voice? How about that? Something a bit Johnny Cash perhaps?) and produce new work while, if the old songs must be sung, reinterpret them with the new vocalist in a new fashion and allow that new vocalist to impose his creative will on the band not the other way around.
Jon Anderson had the decency to change the name of his new band when he temporarily split with Yes back in 1988. He called his quartet ABWH. Not Yes 2. Or some bastardisation of a classic Yes song title transformed into a band name or somesuch. Just ABWH. Funny thing was, when ABWH were in action they were, arguably, more Yes than Yes were at that time.
So, as far the current band is concerned, just don’t call it Yes. Don’t pretend that we cannot tell the difference. If you want Jon Anderson. Get bloody Jon bloody Anderson bloody. Please do not rope in some poor sap who is acting like some sort of Jon Anderson puppet. A Jon Anderson impersonator. A Jon Anderson doppelgänger. It surely does nothing for Davison’s self esteem, his reputation, his future career or even his dignity to be constantly compared to Jon Anderson. It’s actually distasteful. Davison will never be as good as Jon Anderson because, well, he’s Jon Davison isn’t he?
A message to Yes? Do import top quality band members who are individuals and talented people who will bring new and amazing ideas to the group dynamic. But stop – I repeat, stop – dragging in sub-standard band impersonators. You’ve heard of Fake News? This is Fake Yes. Now there’s a name for a tribute band. Time for a name change Mr White, Howe et al?
This review is pure garbage and even contains factual and grammatical errors.
Thanks Yes Fan. You are allowed to say such a thing, you know. Your opinion is as valid as anyone else’s here. Please let me know your name, though – or shall I refer to you as ‘None’? (from your email address)
Paul,
I’ve been a passionate Yes fan for over 40 years, and it’s as if you’ve read my innermost thoughts. Yes just isn’t Yes without Maestro Anderson; in fact I find it rather depressing to see or hear them play with a different singer. Nothing in the world has brought as much joy to my life as the music of classic Yes as a whole and Anderson’s voice in particular. If I listen to the current incarnation of the band at all now, I do so only out of curiosity, not because I expect to be pleased or enlightened. And, with regards to what you say about ABWH being “more Yes than Yes” was, those are the EXACT words I’ve also used to describe ARW, a wonderful act in their own right with Anderson at the vocal helm.
You might be aware that Steve’s version of Yes recently relaunched its fanzine. If you read between the lines of the publication’s “mission statement,” you probably won’t fail to notice an attempt to create false propaganda–that is, an alternate reality in which Anderson never existed and Davidson has, in a sense, been the “real” guy all along. Such a slant is insulting not only to Davidson (as you point out) but also to Anderson (though he, fortunately, appears magnanimous enough to not let it bother him) as well as to true Yes fans (“maybe they’ll be too stupid to notice,” as you additionally point out). Steve is also a true maestro–one of the greatest (and perhaps underappreciated) guitarists ever–but I wish to God he would finally get over himself, reconcile his beef with Anderson, and come together with him again. Even at the Hall of Fame Induction he couldn’t resist being a little snarky near the end. He’s 70 years old, for God’s sake. Why is he still acting like he’s 7?! (On a related note, please pardon the pun, Geoff Downes, although talented, is NO Rick Wakeman. He couldn’t even stay in the same room with him. Do Howe and the magazine’s publishers also think true Yes fans wouldn’t recognize that reality??)
As for your point more generally about band leaders being irreplaceable while other members are more expendable, I can think of at least a few exceptions in addition to the Mighty Crim (who, by the way, I just saw perform a stupendous show here in Washington a couple of months ago): Led Zeppelin, who Robert Plant concluded couldn’t go on after John Bonham died, even though Bonham didn’t sing; and Pink Floyd, who were obviously an amazing band for decades after Syd Barrett drifted away. In fact, Floyd even centered what was arguably their greatest album–Wish You Were Here–around that very loss.
Great point re Floyd. Need to think about that one 🙂 Yes, I made a similar comment Led Zeppelin point too elsewhere here in the Comments section. Interesting views there and some enlightening ones too. What exactly *is* the issue between Howe and Anderson, incidentally? I get the impression that Howe believes that Anderson doesn’t do enough song-writing work or offer enough creative input – although that view is based on a single wayward quote that I heard from Howe (which may or may not be true).
What planet is Roy on? Where on Earth did he get this garbage that Yes are creating false propaganda? Nowhere has Steve tried to deny the history of Yes. ” Steve is also a true maestro‚Äìone of the greatest (and perhaps underappreciated) guitarists ever?” What rubbish! Steve has been voted many times in the Guitar HOF as the best guitarist in the world. Who on this planet under-appreciates his playing????? And as for that rubbish about Steve’s reaction at the HOF shows Roy has no knowledge on what was going on there. The behaviour of Anderson and Wakeman towards the members of Yes. BTW, it isn’t Steve’s version of Yes. Chris started Yes with four others (not just Jon as some would think). Before he died he asked Steve and Alan to keep the band going. That band is still going. Anderson and Wakeman and Rabin are doing their own thing. They can play Yes music but they can’t call themselves Yes. As for Howe and Anderson and the whole “that Howe believes that Anderson doesn‚Äôt do enough song-writing work or offer enough creative input ‚Äì although that view is based on a single wayward quote that I heard from Howe (which may or may not be true)” is untrue. Maybe you meant where Jon was boasting he wrote all the Yes songs in an Rolling Stone article last year, and Steve on his own FB page countered that by showing examples of some of his lyrics he wrote for some of their popular albums like CTTE and TFTO.
Thanks for that Paul. And thanks for the clarification. Very kind of you to pitch in.
PS You also seem to have read my mind with regard to what you said about Punk arising as a rebellion to Yes. I once had a girlfriend who was much younger than I, and, when I tried to explain this very piece of music history to her, she literally laughed at me. She was a very smart, talented, sophisticated young lady, but on this point she just wasn’t buying it. Well, now you seem to have vindicated me: Prog rock as a whole, Yes in particular, and Topographic Oceans most of all were indeed the unwitting inspirations for punk (along with English cultural alienation itself).
That said, I’m decidedly NOT among those who disdains Topographic. On the contrary, while it has its flaws (side 2, for example, seems to contain some filler), I’ve always felt it to be a beautiful, sonorous album to which I never tire of listening, especially sides 1 and 4 (4 most of all) and Howe’s acoustic solo on side 3. And isn’t it funny how Eddie Vedder, a famous punk-inspired singer himself, eventually remarked that he wished he could make an album as perfect as Tales from Topographic Oceans…
I’m with you on the TO album, Roy. Thanks for your comments.
Tales was a masterpiece, only surpassed by the Tales live performance.
Thanks for you comment, Victor.
Here’s more irony… seeing as though squire passed away is Steve Howe’s yes really yes at all or is it jons? Jon and Chris were the only two original members left with the rights to the name. Now that Chris is gone that leaves Anderson with sole rights. That is why he reclaimed the name. Just proves that wherever Jon goes yes goes and i for one wouldn’t want it any other way.
Indeed, Mike. Although I believe that Alan White is the only official Yes band member with rights to the Yes trademark.
both of u need to do some homework. White, Howe and Squire’s estate own the name. Howe owns the main logo with Roger Dean. Anderson is only allowed to use the name, at all, because he still owns 1/5 of the Yes UK Touring Co Ltd (or something of that almost exact nature). It’s utterly ridiculous and shameful for Anderson to steal the name from his fallen mate’s band which is the real Yes. ARW is just ex members who keep quitting Yes and shall never be in Yes again. Rabin is the only one from ARW with any cred left.
There is lots of confusion here. I believe that Howe has a share in the LLC but not the Yes name. Anderson, the Squire Estate and White own the name. The problem here is that the rights issue is splintered all over the place, causing lots of misinformation.
https://appliedmarks.com/browse/domain_names/trademarks-number-73266222/yes-trademark-owned-by-jon-anderson-chris-squire-and-alan-white
Great article Mr. Rigby. I have been a Yes fan since the beginning and have seen and heard every different variation of the band over the years and have determined that you cannot under any circumstance, replace Jon Anderson and Steve Howe is a bit daft in thinking that true fans don’t notice or don’t care. He thinks we just want to hear his guitar and the fillers are just there to keep the beat.
All bands have gone through changes over the years and it only works in certain cases. Santana is one. Carlos knows he can’t sing, but he never said he could. He would write classic music and the find the voice that suited it and no one said a word because it worked for him. Hearing someone try and be Jon Anderson is the most insulting thing you could do to a Yes fan, the same applies to replacing Steve or Rick or Chris. Tony Kaye was a good keyboard player at the time, but, I cannot even imagine him playing Close to the Edge on his one piece keyboard.
I wish all these different bands would just suck it up and remember that the fans put them in the financial comfort position they are in and play together. They don’t have to talk to each other, just get on stage, give us what we deserve and go about your business. It’s frustrating that most of Yes are still there and would sound amazing together, but petty crap has to get in the way.
Super trump is another one with an idiot screwing it up. Get off the pot Rodger isn’t playing the casino tour getting tiresome? Suck it up, get back with the boys and you’ll pack a stadium in a second……… Sorry, just had to say that……. Great article again Paul.
Good point and a timely reminder to turn the spotlight back to the fans. I know that Yes fans are split in terms of their support or otherwise with the current Yes line-up. Twas ever thus with any band, of course.
That said, it’s difficult for any fan to have a cogent and coherent debate, when the Yes management brings in Anderson clones. We should be talking about the relative merits of real artists and their God-gven talents and how those unique abilities add (or otherwise) to the Yes view of prog rock. We should never…ever…be discussing how Singer A sounds more like Jon Anderson and Singer B sounds less like him. To return to your point. It is, indeed, an insult to the fans.
Great points raised, some of them I have been thinking myself. I think you are correct that the only reason they picked Jon Davison was his resemblance in looks and sound to Mr Anderson Having listened to the new album I can’t help but feel that there’s something missing, a bit like making a pasta sauce without Garlic it almost tastes right but the flavor is not quite right.
A valuable gastronomic metaphor Paul!
YES will never be YES without Jon Anderson,if YES featuring Howe wants to stand on their own merits then why don’t they produce new music,they simply preform songs that are attributed to mostly Jon Anderson they offer nothing new except Fly From Here that totally fell flat,I just don’t see the logic in what Steve is doing these days,no Chris no Jon how on earth is that YES,to play Tales without Jon, Chris or Rick there I find well insulting to a TRUE YES FAN and why Roger Dean still keeps doing their covers,guess money talks but that a piece for a later date,thanks for letting me vent sir
Yes, it comes back to money Joseph. But also I wish that peace was made and the guys would get back together (i.e. Yes and ARW). They surely don’t have that many years left. Let’s be realistic here. If they continue to snipe at each other (I read Howe take a poke at Anderson recently) then they will lose their magic for good.
ARW is the fake Yes. Zero releases and zero cred and zero class. That’s why Dean won’t work with them but DOES still work with the real Yes.
Yes is Jon Anderson…plain and simple. While I have listened to Heaven and Earth and Fly From Here, I do like the music. But I can’t watch Davison. He tries to hard to emulate Anderson and it irritates me.
Thanks for you thoughts Fran.
I d rather have them than not. Chris was yes. He is the only one to have played on every studio album. He also hand picked his replacement and gave his blessings. I’m just enjoying all of these talented people still with us.
I’d rather have them than not too. I agree with you, Rich. But I’d rather that they stopped this childish in-fighting, got back together like good little boys, grew up a bit (how old are they again?) and did what they did best. My piece was a moan and a groan but also a plea for sanity.
Well done, sir. But you do fail to mention Yes indeed exists with Jon Anderson: “Yes featuring ARW” just recently changed its name from the shorter, and less succinct, ARW. That’s the Yes band currently touring. I saw them earlier this year, and they bloody are yes, as you might say.
The Steve Howe lineup is indeed the Tribute band.
Cheers!
Thanks Sean – well I did mention ABWH to make a point and I thought that, bringing in ARW would be to only labour the same point. Thanks for your message, though. Appreciated.