Jon Anderson's unfinished & unreleased projects

[Frankk]

I was wondering which of these projects will ever be finished and/or released? Has Jon Anderson given any clues in recent interviews?
- The Big If
- Zamran
- The lost tapes box set
- Anderson Wakeman Rabin

[Scott Bails]

Don't know if it was ever a "project," per se, but he's long talked about doing a symphonic Tales from Topographic Oceans, too.

[Supersonic Scientist]

Is Zamram the supposed follow-up to Olias?

[jrw]

Son of Olias, True You True Me, Uzlot

[TheH]

Not really a Project but this was done..

[Frankk]

Is Zamram the supposed follow-up to Olias?

Yes. That would be great since Olias is Jon Anderson's most beloved album among prog fans. Some years ago, a song of the Zamran project was officially uploaded on YouTube. I don't remember the name, but it was quite good.

[Paulrus]

Since Henry is probably fast asleep I'll post a link to his site for him. Everything you ever wanted to know can be found here.

[wilsoib]

Maybe the rest of the lost tapes box set will be released in 2016, the 10th anniversary of the release of the first part, or maybe not.

Maybe all the projects Jon claims to have been working over the years will result in a new, massive boxset funded via Kickstarter.

[calyx]

It is ALL a "big if", actually...

[Frankk]

It is ALL a "big if", actually...

I know, but I'm hoping that maybe, after Chris Squire's death, Jon will become more focused. He can still do a couple of good records or, at least, finish those aborted projects.

[Scott Bails]

I know, but I'm hoping that maybe, after Chris Squire's death, Jon will become more focused.

Not sure what one would have to do with the other....

[Proghound]

California Guitar Trio announced some years back they were doing an album with Jon Anderson. They did a few gigs together and CGT did a few of those tunes, sans vocals, on one of the many tours I have seen them. Using a guitar to do the vocal lines, I believe. It sounded like very nice stuff. Haven't heard anything about that release since then.

[2steves]

Not really a Project but this was done..

This was so good--I've seen it a few times--it's sort of like what Hackett did with Genesis
I really hope Howe does this and gets rid of current band. Could be so powerful like this was.

[Frankk]

Not sure what one would have to do with the other....

That happens sometimes. When Jeff Hannemann (Slayer) died, Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) said that he realized he didn't have too much time left himself and felt the urgency to record a new album.

[Scott Bails]

I would have thought that Anderson's own health scares would make him realize that.

[Frankk]

I would have thought that Anderson's own health scares would make him realize that.

Not necessarily, because he is an extremely positive person. Usually, when he recovers after a bad experience, he will tell you that he feels better than ever. For instance, a couple of years ago, when he injured his back seriously, he said that, after that event, he figured out how to play the piano properly.

[ronmac]

For instance, a couple of years ago, when he injured his back seriously, he said that, after that event, he figured out how to play the piano properly.

Upright?

[jot]

I know one project he won't be finishing and that's the Anderson/Khoroshev CD

[Scott Bails]

I know one project he won't be finishing and that's the Anderson/Khoroshev CD

I was really looking forward to that one, too.

[Dan Roth]

I know one project he won't be finishing and that's the Anderson/Khoroshev CD

Yeah, sadly. That and his collaboration (Festival of Dreams) with Sherman Hemsley.

[the winter tree]

Does he really start all of these projects or are they all just pipedreams? There's the CHAGALL musical he used to always talk about. This one, that one. What's the deal??

I tend to start one project and see it through until the end. I have a friend like Jon who always has 6 or 7 things going at once but never seems to complete anything.

[JB Horwitz]

I have a copy of Chagall. Double CD. Studio mix stuff that could have been. I played a cut from it a few weeks back on The PM Show. I'll find the show & place it in a dropbox for you if you'd like.


Anderson chagall.jpg


I understand he's working on a project with Jean Luc Ponty too. (Jon & Jean?)


jon & Jean.jpg

[JKL2000]

The APB DVD that was supposed to come with the CD.

[Frankk]

Does he really start all of these projects or are they all just pipedreams? There's the CHAGALL musical he used to always talk about. This one, that one. What's the deal??

I tend to start one project and see it through until the end. I have a friend like Jon who always has 6 or 7 things going at once but never seems to complete anything.

Some of them, like Chagall & Anderson/Khoroshev, do exist in recorded form but have not been released yet. I suspect that others, like The Big If & Zamran, only exist in Jon's mind. However, there's no question that he has plenty of unreleased solo music, collaborations, live recordings and miscellaneous stuff (like his 1979 opera Ursprung). He could easily put out another 10-cd box of Lost Tapes with all those things!
Let's see what he does when he finishes that Anderson/Ponty thing. Solo, Yes, who knows? He's always moving on.

[bondegezou]

Since Henry is probably fast asleep I'll post a link to his site for him. Everything you ever wanted to know can be found here.

*yawn* *stretches arms* Ah, I am awake now. Thanks for posting that link.

I was wondering which of these projects will ever be finished and/or released? Has Jon Anderson given any clues in recent interviews?
- The Big If
- Zamran
- The lost tapes box set
- Anderson Wakeman Rabin

So, yeah, this is complicated. Anderson has stopped talking about "The Big If". I think he used that phrase is a somewhat fluid manner, so it's not always clear what he is referring to. A chunk of new songs appeared on the "Tour of the Universe" DVD and I suspect that's the nearest thing to a "Big If" release, but Anderson has also said that "The Big If" has evolved into "Zamran".

"Zamran" remains an ongoing work. Promo for the Anderson Ponty Band described Anderson as still working on it. Best I can tell, a lot of material has been prepared (to various degrees of completion), but it seems much has also been junked and will not be used in any final work. A release has seemed imminent several times in recent years. When something actually will emerge... who knows.

As I hear it, The Lost Tapes isn't dead and may yet re-start. Watch this space.

Anderson Wakeman Rabin: they've been sporadically working on ideas for some years, other musicians have been approached to round out the band, but the project has been perpetually stalled by the participants' being busy with other projects. I've not seen any of the three talk about it this year.

Is Zamram the supposed follow-up to Olias?

Yes, although Anderson at different times has described it as a sequel and as a prequel to the story of the original album.

California Guitar Trio announced some years back they were doing an album with Jon Anderson. They did a few gigs together and CGT did a few of those tunes, sans vocals, on one of the many tours I have seen them. Using a guitar to do the vocal lines, I believe. It sounded like very nice stuff. Haven't heard anything about that release since then.

CGT performed some of their collaborative work with Anderson live, but I get the sense this project died a while back.

Yeah, sadly. That and his collaboration (Festival of Dreams) with Sherman Hemsley.

As I understand it, the Hemsley collaboration never really even got started. Hemsely wanted to do it. Anderson made some positive noises, but didn't commit any serious effort to it.

Does he really start all of these projects or are they all just pipedreams? There's the CHAGALL musical he used to always talk about. This one, that one. What's the deal??

"Chagall" has been finished, but not released. A version was leaked and bootlegged, much to Anderson's anger. It's unclear whether that version was a demo or pretty much the version Anderson wants to release. Anderson has talked about the bootlegged version as a demo and about wanting to work more on "Chagall", but he's talked more recently about sending the work to a label for release and he doesn't seem to have done any more work on it during the interim. What's happened since, I don't know. I'd guess this may have been caught up in the collapse and bankruptcy of Voiceprint (see also The Lost Tapes).

All of which is not to say that he doesn't manage to release some material. There's been a steady trickle of releases, often guest appearances on others' projects, but also digital singles and material just stuck up online. While it is hugely frustrating as an Anderson fan to hear him go on about all this work but never to hear it, he is at least still more prolific as an artist than some!

Henry