Save the Tales

**Firth** · 12-31-2015

I noticed this thread in a surround forum:
Save The Tales(Tales From Topographic Oceans)!!!
This thread is dedicated to supporting a release of YES - Tales From Topographic Oceans in 5.1.

Some ill winds have been blowing from the North and have settled in this thread:

http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/foru...Wilson)/page12

This thread is to accentuate the positive and perhaps provide the powers-that-be with notice that Tales From Topographic Oceans would indeed sell many units and is worthy of a release, post haste!

Taking stock of what this wonderful forum has enlightened us with:

The Tales 5.1 mix is mostly done apparently, so the remix is not a potential hold-up(no missing tapes or poor tape conditioning, etc...).

Steven Wilson is a HUGE fan of Tales, which certainly doesn't hurt!

The publishing rights for Tales have reverted back to YES, LLC... So no record company can stop this project! This is HUGE! Cause IMHO, most 5.1 mixes that are killed are due to music business greed or lack of understanding from a "corporate" perspective".

YES want Tales released in surround. Jon Anderson has stated so and Steve Howe co-wrote the bloody thing, so he wants it out as well! YES have never been shy to release product(much to my sheer personal joy!) A release would be a monument to both Jon & Steve, so right there is tons of momentum for a release!

In addition Tales has transformed from "that obscure YES over-reach" as it was known back in the 1970s to "essential and a revered musical composition" by the likes of Steven Wilson and other modern music industry types!

The heart of the sunrise(matter) here is:

YES own Tales, and it has been mixed(it was reported that SW was contracted for all YES; 1970-1974)). So all that is required is for a publisher to put it out. This is a relatively small step given that ALL of classic King Crimson has been published, some esoteric Tull(Passion Play) and basically all classic Tull will get published, etc... Point is: YES - Tales is not at all "too vague" or non-commercial to get released! 5.1 sales are brisk and doing well in general. No reason to cancel based on poor projected sales!

A "niche" publishing sub-industry exists by the likes of Panegyric, etc... So a publisher shouldn't be too much trouble. Tales is not being held up by a conglomerate like Universal. THANK GOD.

Tales is such a deeply personal recording for me that when the rumors of its release first came to light I refused to believe it since I would be utterly devastated if it didn't come out, however, objectively, I see no reason that it would be cancelled. All prior YES 5.1 releases have done well and to much critical acclaim.

YES - Tales From Topographic Oceans has many supporters. Be one of them and show your support for its release, here in this thread!

Tales From Topographic Oceans has many supporters! That may surprise a lot of people!

ProgRules has suggested a KickStarter campaign. I will be buying at least 5 copies if Tales comes out. So I would have no prob contributing $100 to any campaign. Any KickStarter experts here?
http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/foru...t.php?p=269417

**Sean** · 01-01-2016

Isn't this already done by Wilson and coming soon anyway?

**Steve983** · 01-01-2016

I would love this too but according to Steven Wilson's recent newsletter:

Steve Howe of Yes recently mentioned that you were also working on “Tales from Topographic Oceans”?

Steve heard some work-in-progress mixes I was working on in 2013 of that album, including my first attempt at a 5.1 mix, but as things stand, there aren’t any more Yes releases planned. There was talk about me doing “Drama”, an album I really love and that would sound great in 5.1, but not all the members of that line up are keen for the album to be remixed—which is totally understandable—and I wouldn’t want to do something without the band being behind it.

SW is very busy this year so if this happens either its a long wait or someone else will have to do the mix.

**JKL2000** · 01-01-2016

Does anyone who was on CTTE remember if this was mentioned in the Yes Q & A? I feel like 5.1 releases came up in some context.

Seems (IMO) like this would happen eventually even without crowd funding.

**JJ88** · 01-01-2016

RE; Drama. Geoff Downes recently made some barbed comments about Wilson remixing Drama on his Twitter account. More details here:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thread...#post-13421723

He's made other comments about Wilson on Twitter, if you look around.

**Firth** · 01-01-2016

Originally Posted by Sean

Isn't this already done by Wilson and coming soon anyway?

It's in the can, yet some are fearing that it won't be published.

**bondegezou** · 01-03-2016

^ It's unclear if Wilson's mixes were completely finished. Howe heard something, but Wilson described this as "some work-in-progress mixes".

The question is, why isn't scheduled? Yes seem all for it. Wilson would be happy to do it. So that would appear to leave Panegyric as the obstacle. Yet earlier releases in the series appear to have sold well, so why not do Tales too?

Henry

**Frumious B** · 01-03-2016

Owning the publishing rights isn't the same as owning the tapes which are still owned by WMG. Maybe WMG is withholding permission for TFTO. They saw some success of their own from vintage Yes with Progeny. Maybe that release was a pleasant enough surprise for them from a sales standpoint that they want to do more Yes stuff in house rather than licensing the tapes to other labels like Panegyric and Audio Fidelity.

**JKL2000** · 01-03-2016

Originally Posted by JJ88

RE; Drama. Geoff Downes recently made some barbed comments about Wilson remixing Drama on his Twitter account. More details here:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thread...#post-13421723

He's made other comments about Wilson on Twitter, if you look around.

If he's flush, I guess he doesn't care.

**Frumious B** · 01-03-2016

Geoff Downes likes to take shots at folks who are arguably more talented and successful than he is...Steven Wilson, David Gilmour, U2, Springsteen...

**Progatron** · 01-03-2016

A Wilson-mixed 5.1 Tales is what I've been patiently waiting for ever since these reissues began... don't tell me now that it may not happen!

**Grimjack** · 01-03-2016

Patience. News, announcements and scheduling updates will occur when the involved parties determine it is appropriate to say something. Armchair music industry role play with statements like "the publishing rights have reverted to Yes and no record company can stop it blah blah blah" are silly, misleading and inaccurate, demonstrating only that the folks making them don't know what the hell they're talking about.

**bondegezou** · 01-03-2016

Originally Posted by Frumious B

Owning the publishing rights isn't the same as owning the tapes which are still owned by WMG. Maybe WMG is withholding permission for TFTO. They saw some success of their own from vintage Yes with Progeny. Maybe that release was a pleasant enough surprise for them from a sales standpoint that they want to do more Yes stuff in house rather than licensing the tapes to other labels like Panegyric and Audio Fidelity.

That seems unlikely. WMG have a model where they do some things in house and license tapes out for other stuff. And they must know how well the Panegyrics sell from looking at what the earlier releases sold: Progeny's sales won't have told them any more.

Henry

**JKL2000** · 01-03-2016

Originally Posted by bondegezou

That seems unlikely. WMG have a model where they do some things in house and license tapes out for other stuff. And they must know how well the Panegyrics sell from looking at what the earlier releases sold: Progeny's sales won't have told them any more.

Henry

I won't buy anything directly from that WMG filth!

(Shhh... I'm just trying to force their hand... Who the hell is WMG anyway? Warner Music Group?)

**2steves** · 01-04-2016

Originally Posted by Frumious B

Geoff Downes likes to take shots at folks who are arguably more talented and successful than he is...Steven Wilson, David Gilmour, U2, Springsteen...

Does seem that way although I'm sort of sick of U2 and real sick of Springsteen---but let's face it--Steve Wilson is doing great things but maybe its just we have to have a prog god and right now he's about it.