Intelligent Life On Planet Rock
Solo Yes
Posted by Steven C on 26 November 2009 - 4:57pm.
No doubt I'm still a little punch drunk from last night's Yes gig, and bound to regret it in (what Jon Anderson might call) the metaphorical morning, but is any of the solo catalogue worth investigating?
- More from Steven C.
- Login or register to post comments
-
Fish Out Of Water
FOTW could have been a Yes album; they even played some of it live.
Some like Olias Of Sunhillow - it's a bit twee for me.
Alan White's is quite varied and sounds nothing like Yes.
Steve Howe sings (badly) on some of his, so approach with caution.
Trevor Rabin made some good rock albums.
My thoughts are:
Olias Of Sunhillow is exactly what you'd expect a Jon Anderson solo album to sound like
His Song Of Seven shows a wider range of influences - soul, doo-wop, 50's crooning but, given the nature of Anderson's voice, never quite convinces.
Alan White's album was OK in itself but you wouldn't give it a second listen if it weren't a Yes solo album.
Wakeman's catalogue is too large and varied to go into here :-)
BUT... the cream of solo Yes. The artist who, as a solo performer, has equalled his music within the band is undoubtedly Bill Bruford.
His 'Bruford' albums with Dave Stewart and Allan Holdsworth are wonderful - especially 'Feels Good To Me' with the Annette Peacock vocals.
Seconded - 100%
Bill Bruford's solo material is all superb. The jazz-rock albums are great (and introduced me to Jeff Berlin's playing) but the straight jazz albums are wonderful too!
Get a best of Jon and Vangelis...
there will be some good tunes on there.
Alan White
There is an Alan White solo album on Spotify. Very un-Yes-like.
He had a band called White and their album was quite good.
Also worth checking out Badger, featuring early Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye, or some Patrick Moraz. Quite Yessy
Wakeman has done at least 100 solo albums - of mixed quality and styles.
But how about trying Yes-like bands with no connection at all? PFM from Italy for example.
Yes and No
I was never a Yes fan, but got coerced into going to see them in the mid-70's at Newcastle City Hall.
All I remember is being down the front for what seemed like astral weeks, choking on dry ice.
Hoooever, I heard Fish Out of Water and was blown away - still give it a whirl occasionally and it still stands up pretty well.
Had to post this aswell, audio atrocious but by jove what has that man got between his legs.......?
Bargepole summarises
Wakeman - Six Wives, Journey,King Arthur are well worth investigating.
Anderson - very hit and miss, more miss than hit to be honest although there is some good stuff hidden away! Jon and Vangelis work much more palatable - find their 'best of' cd.
Howe - ok if you like that sort of thing - the 'Homebrew' albums are interesting if you're a big Yes fan as they often contain early versions of their stuff.
Bruford and White - not for these ears I'm afraid.