Wakeman WILL attend RRHOF Induction; snubs Howe, White, Bruford in the process

[Paulie]

Mountains out of molehills fall out of the sky and they stand there.

[Impman]

So who's playing bass?

Billy Sherwood's Asia gig ends on 4/4, so he can still theoretically play the Induction Ceremony on 4/7. But... WILL HE?

[Scott Bails]

So who's playing bass?

Billy Sherwood's Asia gig ends on 4/4, so he can still theoretically play the Induction Ceremony on 4/7. But... WILL HE?

....and now, here's our latest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Yes! Playing their hit, "Heat of the Moment"

[infandous]

Well, I looked at the RIAA database, and it appears Drama isn't even listed there. Certainly not an authoritative source for album sales, but it does show that Big Generator sold more than Relayer in the US anyway, with Big Generator being Platinum and Relayer "only" Gold. It's odd to me because Wikipedia shows Drama as Gold in the US, but no listing in RIAA database. However, "HIGHLIGHTS: THE VERY BEST OF YES" (Gold) and "CLASSIC YES" (Platinum) are listed. Go figure.

[Impman]

Anybody have "final" sales figures for Fly From Here or Heaven and Earth?

[Mikhael]

Completely off the topic, but I just found that the fellow who built Chris Squire's green bass, Jim Mouradian, has passed away. What got me was I found out that the odd shape of that bass is actually based on Chris' signature; when being played, the body is shaped like "CS". I never noticed that before.

[Scott Bails]

Completely off the topic, but I just found that the fellow who built Chris Squire's green bass, Jim Mouradian, has passed away. What got me was I found out that the odd shape of that bass is actually based on Chris' signature; when being played, the body is shaped like "CS". I never noticed that before.

Interesting

[Mister Triscuits]

Well, I looked at the RIAA database, and it appears Drama isn't even listed there. Certainly not an authoritative source for album sales, but it does show that Big Generator sold more than Relayer in the US anyway, with Big Generator being Platinum and Relayer "only" Gold. It's odd to me because Wikipedia shows Drama as Gold in the US, but no listing in RIAA database. However, "HIGHLIGHTS: THE VERY BEST OF YES" (Gold) and "CLASSIC YES" (Platinum) are listed. Go figure.

Probably an error in Wiki. My copy of Joel Whitburn's The Billboard Albums (2006 edition) does not show a certification for Drama.

[yamishogun]

Probably an error in Wiki. My copy of Joel Whitburn's The Billboard Albums (2006 edition) does not show a certification for Drama.

I bet it is very close to Gold if not there already. Drama charted at #18 in the US but Tormato wasn't so far above at peaking at #10 and went gold a few weeks later. Tormato had a successful tour and Jon Anderson so went platinum a year later in November 1978.

Drama must have had very good sales to reach #18 even if not stellar by Yes' standards then. No Jon Anderson and not a blistering tour but sales must have gone up some after 90125 was huge and a bit more with reissues.

Would we know if Drama reached 500,000 in the last ten years? It must be at least at 300,000 to just under 500,000.

[Proghound]

+Peter Banks

+ Moraz.

[Impman]

I bet it is very close to Gold if not there already. Drama charted at #18 in the US but Tormato wasn't so far above at peaking at #10 and went gold a few weeks later. Tormato had a successful tour and Jon Anderson so went platinum a year later in November 1978.

I remember reading that the record company shipped ~2m copies of Tormato during its release, and when the album stiffed, large numbers of copies ended up in the cutout bins. Perhaps Henry has more details...

[JJ88]

^I dare say word spread that it was a bit of a turkey!

[Mister Triscuits]

I remember reading that the record company shipped ~2m copies of Tormato during its release, and when the album stiffed, large numbers of copies ended up in the cutout bins.

Yep. It returned platinum.

[arturs]

I remember reading that the record company shipped ~2m copies of Tormato during its release, and when the album stiffed, large numbers of copies ended up in the cutout bins. Perhaps Henry has more details...

Tormato didn't "stiff" at all. It went platinum legitimately and very quickly. But yes Atlantic's expectations were too high. There were many many copies in cutout bins in 1980-81. After becoming a Yes fan due to Drama I saw Tormato at a local record store for $2.99. I was 13 and knew nothing about cutouts. I assumed it was damaged. I made the record store guy promise me I could return it if the vinyl was scratched.

[JJ88]

The initial high shipment may have been based on the huge success of Going For The One, so demand was obviously high for the follow-up. That was a UK Number 1- a year in which we are still emphatically told that Yes were 'blown away' by punk rock!- and did great business worldwide.

Tormato has to still count as one of the most disappointing follow-ups in history IMHO.

[Impman]

Tormato didn't "stiff" at all. It went platinum legitimately and very quickly. But yes Atlantic's expectations were too high. There were many many copies in cutout bins in 1980-81.

This is semantics. One man's "it didn't live up to expectations" is another man's "it stiffed." Point being, it underperformed and ended up in cutout bins... it was even (if memory serves) the last Yes album to be released on CD (Japan-only for many years).

[2steves]

This is semantics. One man's "it didn't live up to expectations" is another man's "it stiffed." Point being, it underperformed and ended up in cutout bins... it was even (if memory serves) the last Yes album to be released on CD (Japan-only for many years).

Who cares how many copies of something sold---some of the greatest shit releases sold millions of copies----total accessibility in what I think good prog is---usually isn't a great sign----but in those cheepo sales bin I am more likely to find Yes west releases than anything Yes from 70 to 1980.

[Impman]

Who cares how many copies of something sold---some of the greatest shit releases sold millions of copies----total accessibility in what I think good prog is---usually isn't a great sign----but in those cheepo sales bin I am more likely to find Yes west releases than anything Yes from 70 to 1980.

May I suggest fewer dashes and more reading comprehension and context?

[yamishogun]

The initial high shipment may have been based on the huge success of Going For The One, so demand was obviously high for the follow-up. That was a UK Number 1- a year in which we are still emphatically told that Yes were 'blown away' by punk rock!- and did great business worldwide.

Tormato has to still count as one of the most disappointing follow-ups in history IMHO.

I just looked it up, and it is the opposite.

Going For The One reached gold in a month in summer of 1977 but then never went on to platinum.

Tormato reached gold and then platinum within two months of being released in late 1978.

Drama never went gold but charted #2 in UK and #18 in the US in 1980.

[Rufus]

Tormato didn't "stiff" at all. It went platinum legitimately and very quickly. But yes Atlantic's expectations were too high. There were many many copies in cutout bins in 1980-81. After becoming a Yes fan due to Drama I saw Tormato at a local record store for $2.99. I was 13 and knew nothing about cutouts. I assumed it was damaged. I made the record store guy promise me I could return it if the vinyl was scratched.

That's how I bought my Genesis album 'Live'. It wasn't rare to see big selling albums in the cutout bins, that's also how I bought PF's 'Relics' and KC's 'Three of a Perfect Pair' and 'Thrak'!

BTW, I think Tomato has some great stuff on it despite it's faults, which is mainly production!

[Mister Triscuits]

This is semantics. One man's "it didn't live up to expectations" is another man's "it stiffed." Point being, it underperformed and ended up in cutout bins... it was even (if memory serves) the last Yes album to be released on CD (Japan-only for many years).

It may have underperformed Atlantic's overly optimistic expectations, but it's absurd to say that an album that charted in the Top 10 "stiffed."

[JJ88]

That's how I bought my Genesis album 'Live'. It wasn't rare to see big selling albums in the cutout bins, that's also how I bought PF's 'Relics' and KC's 'Three of a Perfect Pair' and 'Thrak'!

Budget-priced albums to begin with. So not a like for like comparison.

I just looked it up, and it is the opposite.

Going For The One reached gold in a month in summer of 1977 but then never went on to platinum.

Tormato reached gold and then platinum within two months of being released in late 1978.

I don't see how this is 'opposite' at all, or contradicts anything I posted...that is, there was momentum from GFTO that helped Tormato. When I spoke of 'disappointing follow-ups' I was talking about its artistic merits, not its sales. It helped that they went on to successfully tour the album...unlike ELP and Love Beach.

Also interesting that some have accepted that Drama wasn't as big as they'd thought.

[Impman]

It may have underperformed Atlantic's overly optimistic expectations, but it's absurd to say that an album that charted in the Top 10 "stiffed."

Maybe taking it a tad far, but if they shipped ~2m copies based on expectations, but had to eat ~1m of those, it's hardly a success either. Financially, anyway. Creatively is a different matter (or is it?)

[Rufus]

Budget-priced albums to begin with. So not a like for like comparison.



I don't see how this is 'opposite' at all, or contradicts anything I posted...that is, there was momentum from GFTO that helped Tormato. When I spoke of 'disappointing follow-ups' I was talking about its artistic merits, not its sales. It helped that they went on to successfully tour the album...unlike ELP and Love Beach.

Also interesting that some have accepted that Drama wasn't as big as they'd thought.

Thrak and Three of a Perfect Pair where released as Budget priced albums?, I learn something new every day!

[JJ88]

^The ones I bolded were.