NEWSLETTER
Issue 27, July 2006
Editor:
Brian Draper b.d.draper@bigpond.com
Topics
Vale Michele Marie Moore - by Robert Forbes Ý
By now many Yes fans would have heard of the death of Michele Marie Moore. Michele was a huge supporter of Yes fans around the world, but not many people would realise how much she helped make the Yes 2003 tour of Australia a reality. YesFANZ was formed in late 2001 after I had made three separate trips to the USA in the late 1990s and early 2000s to see Yes in concert. It was time for Yes to visit Australia again as at that stage they had only been to Australia once - in 1973. So a small paragraph was submitted to Notes From The Edge inviting fans in Australia and New Zealand to get in touch - and YesFANZ was born.
During my visits to the USA I was amazed at the camaraderie between fans from all over the world. One of the fans I had met was Michele Marie Moore who already had some experience organising fan gatherings. In the early days of YesFANZ we had enthusiasm galore, but we did not have any experience in organising fan meetings at concerts, nor did we have the vital contact details of the various managers and promoters that we would have to deal with. Michele immediately offered us her full support. Through her we were able to make contact with the key players - not so easy when you are tens of thousands of miles away. We would regularly phone her during meetings. As important as the various leads she gave us, was her encouragement to us to persevere with our mission. The rest is history - after a disappointing postponement due to Jon's back injury, Yes and Roger Dean eventually did make it to back to Australia for a triumphant tour and art exhibition in 2003 which brought great joy to thousands of fans from Australia and New Zealand. Thank you Michele for your contribution.
Here is a quote from one of her emails:
As always, I remain willing to do for YesFANZ anything that you think would be beneficial. If there is anything you would like me to do, just let me know
Yes
- solo and collaboration tours 2006
Ý
Rick
and Jon's Quebec concert
On
July 15 Rick and Jon played at the Quebec City Summer Festival in Canada along
with Tony Levin and the California Guitar Trio. Rick has described the evening
as 'the
performing highlight of my career'.
Apart from playing Return to the Centre of the Earth supported by a full
symphony orchestra and choir, Jon and Rick played together, Jon played with the
California Guitar Trio and Tony Levin. Here is a great
review
of what sounds like a once in a lifetime concert. Unfortunately the concert
wasn't officially filmed but you can see brief clips of Jon and Rick on Return
on YouTube here
and here.
There are also clips of Jon and Rick on The
Meeting
and Wonderous
Stories
and then Jon, Rick, Tony Levin and the California Guitar Trio on a fantastic
version of Heart
of the Sunrise.
There is also a version of Jon Anderson's Guitar
Concerto
with Jon and the CGT.
Rick
and Jon UK tour October/November 2006
Well
the rumours were correct - Jon and Rick are performing together in the UK
commencing on October 3 in Folkestone with 20 concerts booked through until
November 1 in Sheffield. It is advertised as including 'acoustic Yes songs and
much more'. At one point it seemed that this tour might reach Australia but at
this stage that seems unlikely. More details are available here.
Steve
Howe in the UK, Canada and the US
What
an unexpected and wonderful way to spend a sunny Wednesday evening in June.
Excellent
venue I thought on Cardiff Bay, in the form of a large converted church. Wooden
floor and rafters, and the original windows depicting Christ appearing to his
disciples…A strong crowd of mixed ages (many young people), and not just males
either. I'd say two thirds male, third female.
Anyway,
Firebird Suite was soon reverberating around the hall, and what looked like a
group of German tourists (bald, or balding men with sunglasses
inappropriately dressed), entered the stage. I was disappointed when they tore
into the opening to 90125 as Yes have done previously, but then to my delight
this gave way to the opening chords of 'Astral Traveller'. The singer made a
late and staged entry, draped in a long gold coat, and I thought, "this fellah
is going to be good", and I think everyone was waiting for the "how much
will he resemble the Master in the vocal dept?"
In
fairness, I thought the guy was bloody good. Obviously not as polished and
angelic as Jon, but lets be sensible here, and not ask too much. He occasionally
descended into pub singer mode when some notes got a little too demanding, and
on other occasions during a rendition of 'Soon', used some of that Chris
Martin/Keane type of vocal (forgotten the classical term for it) which he
carried off rather well. The bassist didn't use a plectrum like Chris which I
thought was interesting, but still gave us that Chris feel, but he disappeared
towards the middle and end, and appeared very Bill Wyman style in his approach.
I thought the opportunities for him here were endless, but he appeared to miss
the boat slightly. The keyboard player did an excellent job, and although he had
a full mop of hair - he didn't need to look like Vic Savage from Spinal Tap.
The
lead guitar player was superb I thought, and this chap really did have his work
cut out. He was very much like Steve in his mannerisms too - calm and focussed
at times, with sudden dashing dipping movements (well done). The drummer was
also fine - more Alan than Bill, and appeared to me to be the one that
everyone played around, the leader perhaps. In addition they also had a rhythm
guitarist who looked like he'd just escaped from Broadmoor.
Son,
I was well impressed as they competently tackled Perpetual Change, CTTE and
Yours is no Disgrace.
After
the break, the drummer introduced us to "one of the greatest guitarists in the
world", and on he strolled, waving and smiling like a man who utterly enjoys
his work. Bev worked her way to about a meter from him to take photos, as I
tried to remain calm and adult like in the middle. He had to tune his guitars
first and chatted to us as he did so, acclaiming the quality of the band, and
specifically how it was pleasing to hear 'Astral Traveller', which I thought
was a nice thing to do given Peter Bank's opinion of Steve's attitude to
that period of Yes.
Off
he went, thrilling us with Topographic (I heard a million voices singing), Mood
for a Day, To Be Over, Clap, and finished by singing Nine Voices very pleasantly
indeed, accompanied by his 'Portugese' mandolin. By this time I was
thinking, "this is by far and away the best £15 I have ever spent or am
likely to spend in my entire life". Indeed, if Maria Sharapova had offered to
take me home and have fun, fun, fun with her for the same price, I would have to
make my apologies, and walk into this auditorium instead. And there was more - much more! He agreed to remain on stage with the band, and they tore into Khatru
with some style. "this is a dream for us" said the singer, and "what's
it like seeing the boss close up". How we cheered back our delight. We then
had South Side of the Sky (unbelievably good), Starship Trooper, and they
encored with you know what. The lead guitarist looked totally intimidated, but
his respect was obvious for all to see, and Steve exchanged a few nods and
smiles to reassure him. He constantly watched Steve's fingers and tried to
politely play around him.
The
years haven't been that kind to Steve, and he is increasingly beginning to
resemble Norman Bate's mother in that particularly horrid scene at the end.
However, he is without doubt a truly outstanding musician, completely dedicated
to his craft, and professional to the last. He mentioned Jon on numerous
occasions - "when Jon and I wrote this, when Jon and I wrote that…"
he is also surely one of the most underrated writers in the history of
rock music. Thank you Steve for having the humility and respect to come to this
small venue and thrill us!
Steve
has also announced three concerts with Martin Taylor in Quebec Canada starting
on September 29 through to October 1, followed by a solo performance on October
3 in Toronto and on October 7 in Rochester NY.
More
details at Steve's website.
Asia
Reunion US Tour - September 2006, UK tour November/December 2006
The
original Asia line-up - Steve Howe guitars, Geoff Downes keyboards, John
Wetton bass/vocals and Carl Palmer drums have announced dates for a 25th
anniversary US tour. It commences on August 29 at Rochester, NY and finishes on
September 24 at Palm Desert, CA.
Then
on November 28 their UK tour will commence in Liverpool finishing in London on
December 3.
More
details can be found here.
New
Yes and Yes solo releases
Ý
Yes
Rhino
have released a Yes compilation entitled Rhino
Hi-Five: Yes in their new Digital series of downloads. It contains the
remastered versions of Yours is no Disgrace, Siberian Khatru, Dear Father and
Every Little Thing along with the single edit of Sound Chaser. The tracks are
available as WMA downloads for Windows users only. The cost US $0.99 each or
US$3.61 for the lot
Chris
Squire
The Conspiracy Live DVD featuring Billy Sherwood and Chris Squire was released in the US on March 14 on Purple Pyramid Records. The DVD includes songs from Conspiracy's CD 'The Unknown' as well as the first self titled CD Conspiracy. Also included are "The More We Live" and "Universal Garden" and two songs from Chris Squire's Fish Out Of Water ('Hold out your hand' and 'You by my side'). You can view the DVD on Billy Sherwood's website. There are also previews of Conspiracy III available on Billy Sherwood's site.
Rick
Wakeman
Rick's
most recent release is RETRO that came out on March 27 on President
Records.
This album features Rick playing keyboards 25-35 years old and promises a blast
from the prog past with the keyboard sounds of the 70s. According to Henry
Pott's website the album has sold out its first pressing and there are plans
for Retro 2.
The
track list is Just Another Day (11.14); Mr. Lonely (3.47); One In The Eye
(5.32); Men In Suits (8.05); Leave The Blindfold (3.02); Waveform (6.01);
Retrospective (6.35); Homage To The Doctor (9.04); Can You Smell Burning?
(6.30); and The Stalker (8.45).
Patrick
Moraz
Voiceprint
has just released a series of Patrick's
albums
from the 70s and 80s - The Story of I, Out
in the Sun, and Coexistance/Libertate.
Progressive Rock in Australia Ý
Ø
Robert Watson sent me the
following about the Marshall Brothers
Band.
The
album Marshall Brothers Band has recently been re-released as a CD by
Radioactive Records RRCD115. The band used to be regulars at Souths Leagues Club
in Newcastle playing on Friday/Saturday nights. I went to school with David
Hinds and used to talk to him during their breaks. Apart from their own songs,
they used to play Yours Is No Disgrace. I am 90% certain that he told me their
keyboard player Robert Scott had studied keyboards directly from Rick Wakeman
himself. I am also pretty certain that they played excerpts from Six Wives and
Journey. David Hinds now owns the HINDSONG recording studio in Port
Macquarie and I think a music store too. The band was named after Marshall
amplifiers.
Ø
In the past few months I have
acquired a copy of the 2-CD compilation from Raven Records 'Golden
Miles -
Australian Progressive Rock 1968-1974'. This is a really
fantastic album that I highly recommend.
Most
of the leading Australian prog bands of this era are represented - Spectrum,
Tully, Blackfeather, Pirana, Tamam Shud, Mackenzie Theory, Madder Lake,
Galadriel, Kahvas Jute and Buffalo. In addition are tracks from well-known
groups that verged on being prog such as Daddy Cool, Master's Apprentices,
Jeff St John and Copperwine and Dragon. While both CDs are very good,
undoubtedly CD 2 has the superior prog tracks. My favourites are Superbody by
Spectrum, Long Legged lovely by Blackfeather, Shake Off by Tymeplace, 12lb
Toothbrush by Madder Lake and Extra Terrestrial Boogie by Mackenzie Theory.
YesFANZ Progressive Rock Survey RESULTS Ý
With
a few reminders we eventually got quite a reasonable response with nearly 40
contributors. Thank you to all that responded. The results are presented below
but I have a few general comments. Probably the most interesting finding to me
was the large range of bands, musicians and music that YesFANZ like. Although it
was a prog rock survey many included classical, jazz, fusion and even straight
rock/pop in their selections. Predictably Yes dominated most categories (well I
mean to say, we are YES fans). I also noted that quite a few YesFANZ (who shall
remain nameless) nominated themselves or family members for various categories.
Now that is self-confidence for you - a pity that the nominations were
unsupported by others!
So
here are the results. I allocated 3 points for your first selection, 2 points
for the second selection, 1 point for third and nothing to any others named
beyond that. Some respondents nominated less than three in a category or
didn't make selections in certain categories - I just compiled whatever you
sent. I have tried to list the top 5 in each category but in some categories the
data was too sparse to list that many and so the minimum points required to be
mentioned is 6.
Top
Prog Bands
32 nominations
1.
YES
92 points
2.
Genesis
34 points
3.
Pink Floyd
15 points
4.
Rush
14 points
5.
King Crimson
11 points
Top
Prog Guitarists
38 nominations
1.
Steve Howe
68 points
2.
Dave Gilmour
20 points
3.
Steve Hackett
19 points
4.
Robert Fripp
11 points
5.
Jimmy Page
10 points
Top
Prog Vocalists
49 nominations
1.
Jon Anderson
74 points
2.
Peter Gabriel
25 points
3.
Greg Lake & Ian Anderson
9 points each
Top
Prog Bass
28 nominations
1.
Chris Squire
88 points
2.
Geddy Lee
25 points
3.
Tony Levin
20 points
4.
Greg Lake
9 points
5.
Roger Waters
8 points
Top
Prog Keyboards
41 nominations
1.
Rick Wakeman
87 points
2.
Keith Emerson
33 points
3.
Patrick Moraz
16 points
4.
Tony Banks
14 points
5.
Geoff Downes & Jon Lord 6
points each
Top
Prog Drums
26 nominations
1.
Bill Bruford
62 points
2.
Alan White
49 points
3.
Neil Peart
33 points
4.
Phil Collins
16 points
5.
John Bonham
10 points
Top
Prog Woodwinds 27
nominations
1.
Ian Anderson
67 points
2.
Mel Collins & Chris Wood
7 points each
Top
Prog Composers
55 nominations
1.
Jon Anderson
25 points
2.
Peter Gabriel
15 points
3.
Anderson/Howe
14 points
4.
Mike Oldfield
9 points
5.
Frank Zappa
8 points
Top
Australian Prog Artists 35
nominations
1.
Sebastian Hardie
71 points
2.
Coda
10 points
3.
Ayers Rock
7 points
Most
Overrated Prog Artists 38
nominations
1.
Dream Theater
12 points
2.
Rush
10 points
3.
King Crimson & Moody Blues
9 points each
4.
Marillion
7 points
Top
Live Prog Bands
27 nominations
1.
Yes
78 points
2.
Pink Floyd
32 points
3.
Genesis
27 points
4.
ELP
11 points
5.
Rush
10 points
Top
Prog Bands Last 10 years 33 nominations
1.
Yes
32 points
2.
Porcupine Tree
27 points
3.
Dream Theater
18 points
4.
Radiohead
9 points
5.
The Mars Volta & Tool 6
points each
Top
Prog Record Producers 31
nominations
1.
Eddie Offord
54 points
2.
Trevor Horn
18 points
3.
Alan Parsons
8 points
4.
Steve Lillywhite & Bruce Fairbairn 6 points each
Top
Prog Albums
49 nominations
1.
Close to the Edge
55 points
2.
Tales from Topographic Oceans
19 points
3.
Dark Side of the Moon
18 points
4.
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
12 points
5.
Relayer
11 points
Top
Prog Videos/DVDs
41 nominations
1.
Yessymphonic
40 point
2.
An evening of Yesmusic plus…
12 point
3.
Yessongs
9 points
4.
Yesyears
8 points
5.
Rush Live in Rio; Pink Floyd @ Pompei; & 9012 Live
7 points each
Top
Prog Album Covers
49 nominations
1.
Tales from Topographic Oceans
44 points
2.
Relayer
29 points
3.
Close to the Edge
14 points
4.
Yessongs
10 points
5.
Fragile
9 points
Top
Prog Songs
57 nominations
1.
Close to the Edge
36 points
2.
Awaken
33 points
3.
And You And I
24 points
4.
Gates of Delirium
18 points
5.
Suppers Ready
12 points
Top
Prog Concept Albums
48 nominations
1.
Tales from Topographic Oceans
41 points
2.
The Lamb lies Down on Broadway
30 points
3.
Dark Side of the Moon
16 points
4.
Thick as a Brick
15 points
5.
Close to the Edge
12 points
Top
Prog Epics
49 nominations
1.
Close to the Edge
34 points
2.
Awaken
22 points
3.
Tales from Topographic Oceans
19 points
4.
Suppers Ready
12 points
5.
Gates of Delirium & The Lamb Lies Down.
11 points each
Top
Prog Albums with Orchestras 30
nominations
1.
Magnification
51 points
2.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth 30 points
3.
Five Bridges Suite
11 points
4.
Symphonic Music of Yes
10 points
5.
Works Volume 1
9 points
Top
Prog Keyboard solos
46 nominations
1.
Close to the Edge
18 points
2.
Awaken
13 points
3.
Roundabout
9 points
4.
Karn Evil 9
8 points
5.
6 Wives Henry VIII excerpts
7 points
Top
Prog Guitar Solo
48 nominations
1.
Yours is no Disgrace (Yessongs)
13 points
2.
Awaken
12 points
3.
Sound Chaser
10 points
4.
To be Over
9 points
5.
Starship Trooper
7 points
Top
Prog Drum Solo
33 nominations
1.
Ritual
14 points
2.
Any Neil Peart solo
9 points
3.
Perpetual Change (Yessongs)
8 points
4.
Moby Dick 7
points
5.
In the air tonight 6
points
Top
Prog Bass solo
23 nominations
1.
The Fish
34 points
2.
Heart of the Sunrise & Ritual
10 points each
Top
Prog Websites
26 nominations
1.
Yesworld
28 points
2.
YesFANZ
14 points
3.
Prog Archives
11 points
4.
Yesfans
9 points
5.
Notes from the Edge
8 points
Progressive
Rock Newsletter
This
is a truly impressive German
website that
has plenty of pages in English and the most comprehensive list of prog group
biographies, interviews and CD reviews and links on the web.
Delicious
Agony Progressive Rock Radio
Well
this is the best site on the net to listen to progressive rock 24 hours a day. Delicious
Agony
specialises in 48-hour marathons of various prog stars including Yes.
Strawberry
Bricks -
the Guide to Progressive Rock
Strawberry
Bricks has a
timeline of prog rock albums from 1968 - 1979 thus indicating that it is only
about the classic era.
The
Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock
This
website goes
beyond the bands and includes excellent descriptions of the instruments
and has links to other prog sites.
European
Progressive Rock Reviews
This
archive site
covers Progressive Music and also Singer Songwriters, Classic Rock, Pop, Rock
with a touch of Gothic.
ProgressiveRockers.com
ProgressiveRockers.com
is your online guide to classic and contemporary rock artists helping to make a
difference. Whether through charity performances, CDs, or active involvement
with progressive organizations, the artists showcased on this website use their
fame and influence to bring attention to important social and environmental
causes.
The
Progressive Rock Bibliography
This
site
currently features bibliographical data to books and articles and is intended to
provide information for the fan who wants to get a deeper understanding of the
music (s)he likes, but also as a source for academic research.
Progressive
World
Another
site
from the US - tends to focus on recent music.
Calyx
- the Canterbury website
Calyx
- The Canterbury Website
was created in February 1996, with the aim of eventually providing Internet
users with the definitive source of information on the Canterbury Scene.
Planet
Mellotron
Andy
Thompson constructed Planet
Mellotron
to list everything about the mellotron. In his own words 'Get a life
Thompson!'
Progressive
Ears - 21st Century Progressive Rock
Progressive
ears
is a message board where you can also download samples of a wide range of prog
music from the early days to current bands. There is also a wide range of
interviews.
Prog
Archives
According
to this website, 'PROG
ARCHIVES
intends to be the most complete and powerful progressive
rock resource.
You will find progressive
rock
music discographies, progressive
rock bands, albums (LP, CD and DVD) reviews, forum
and related links.' The discography lists over 11,500
titles from nearly 2400 bands.
Yes news on the web Ý
For those of you
that can read French, here is an interview with Rick
Wakeman in
mid-July.
An in-depth article
about Jon Anderson will appear in the September 2006 edition of Guitar
Player due
out in early August.
There is a great
film clip of Rick
Wakeman with Gordon Giltrap,
on YouTube
Don't forget to listen to Rick Wakeman on Planet Rock radio show on Saturday evenings at