I don't think this needs to be a referendum on the merits of Howe vs Rabin. Both are highly skilled. To me it's apples and oranges. Unfortunately when I am baking an apple pie, I don't wish to include oranges.
"So it goes."
-Kurt Vonnegut
Yep, I caught that. If you think about his 1989 album Can't Look Away, there isn't much there that would sound in place on an 80s Yes album apart from maybe a Yesified version of "Can't Look Away".
I assumed that would be similar with his new solo album but could see that he might want to put more on the ARW album if out this year. I think it is good news that there won't be an ARW album until next year since a better chance to be a mini-classic among Yes fans*.
* (who don't hate Rabin)
Last edited by yamishogun; 08-05-2016 at 12:51 PM.
Possible Worlds http://www.possibleworldsband.com
wait. What?
"Why is it when these great Prog guys get together, they always want to make a Journey album?"
- fiberman, 7/5/2015
I agree. But I did want to address the question posed earlier regarding "who is this for?" And my answer led me to think about why I, a Yes fan from 1970, would choose to pay to see ARW over the current Yes. And to the fact that, while recognizing that the whole has always been greater than the sum, when taken individually Howe has never been my favorite Yesman. (It was always Squire for me, then Bruford, Wakeman, and Anderson.)
I particularly don't enjoy the steel guitar. I actively dislike "Going for the One." So a Howe-less YesWest was less anathema to me than perhaps it was to other fans.
While IMO it's juvenile to argue over questions like "which one is more Yes" or "who's a better guitarist," we can surely discuss what music satisfies and speaks to us, and what's disappointing or makes us sad. The Yes concert I saw last year made me sad.
I've thought about it. That was only Sherwood's second show as Chris's replacement; the venue (the Borgata in AC) was not particularly conducive; the crowd seemed particularly boorish (no surprise for a summer weekend in Atlantic City with a famous pop band opening the show). But with the only "classic" member (with White sidelined) being the one I least enjoy, and with a Squire-less Drama on the setlist, I decided to pass.
I think ultimately I'd rather hear this music played by people who, lacking the imperative of having to try to actually be Yes, can treat it like it's still alive, not sacred and carved in stone.
^I wouldn't say you 'need' to go again. To be honest the YouTube clips from this latest Yes tour haven't exactly deviated from your opinion of the early show you saw IMHO. I can't really believe there's that much mileage left now.
We will see whether ARW lives up to the hype...interesting times ahead.
You're probably right about GFTO, but AYAI has plenty of pedal steel too and Rabin's played that. Since they're likely doing material Wakeman's never played before (which covers most of YesWest), I can imagine they'd do something new for Rabin as well.
As of yesterday though, rehearsals hadn't started and the setlist was still up in the air.
If they run out of material for their new album, they can always take a page from Yes and extend "I'm So Straight I'm a Weirdo" into a twenty minute suite!
More details revealed...
http://teamrock.com/news/2016-08-17/...l-rick-wakeman
"Always ready with the ray of sunshine"
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