I find it implausible that, decades later, both Anderson and Vangelis when asked about this would stick to a complex set of lies about the matter (particularly given Vangelis is no longer speaking to Anderson!) and that no evidence would ever have emerged for the claim. I am familiar with Vangelis' output at the time. While Anderson was inspired by Vangelis, I don't think either of those pieces is very similar to Vangelis' work.Originally Posted by Rufus
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
I have to disagree that his playing on Heaven & He'll isn't disimilar to the compostions & sounds on some Olias !
Didn't Vangelis also play on some Rousoss albums from that time period uncredited ? Artists playing on others albums when contracted to other labels was a legal nightmare in the 70's !
AFAIK Vangelis was thanked because I think he loaned Jon synths and percussion and may have shown him how to use some of it. I don't think it goes beyond that.
Agree strongly on Survival - fantastic stuff thats held up to multiple listens
Revisited Open yesterday, still pretty lukewarm on this one
Definitely worth checking out, but not sure there are 20M worth of ideas there
BG
"When Yes appeared on stage, it was like, the gods appearing from the heavens, deigning to play in front of the people."
He's credited on lots of the Demis Roussos stuff and he's talked about the collaboration, whereas he has explicitly and repeatedly denied any involvement with Olias.
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
According to sites like Vintage Prog, it was a guy named Brian Gaylor.
He is credited with "electronics", I believe. He appears to have been a technician rather than a performer.
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
In those days there were no presets- someone had to know how to turn the dials to get the sounds. That was reportedly Brian's main function; as a programmer. Possibly also engineer.
I had e-mail correspondence with Brian Gaylor a few years ago - now sadly deceased. Gaylor was just the guy who built and operated Anderson's "Mobile Mobile" studio with Mike Dunne. The studio was famously used to record Dunne's side projects with Hugh Hopper and National Health (first two LPs), among others.
I admit that for a long time I was a conspiracy theorist on this one, I was convinced that Vangelis had been heavily involved in the synth playing.
But for the reasons outlined by others above-all this time has gone by, Vangelis and Anderson's stories have never changed-I now believe it's all Jon with some programming assistance from Vangelis.
It really was a hell of an achievement for a non-musician though, even with a l'il help from Vangelis.
In the 70s I found OLIAS far too wimpy and twee for my then-metalhead tastes, but nowadays it's one of my fave Prog albums ever, by anyone.
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
Well, see, the thing about keyboards... they're hard to play like a virtuoso but they're very easy to play in a basic fashion. Anyone without even one shred of musical talent can usually walk up to a keyboard and figure out at least how to peck out Chopsticks or Heart and Soul. Jon may not have had much technical musical ability but he had a great ear and a lot of vision and determination. That, coupled with essentially unlimited time and multitracking capability means he should have had no problems at all producing Olias. Not everyone could have done it, but I have no trouble believing he did it, on his own, just like he said. Jon is clearly the kind of guy who, if you give him an instrument, he'll do something on it. It may not be much, but it will be something.
^ And he certainly took his time over Olias compared to the other solo albums.
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
I would be almost shocked to death if Zamran was better than Olias, amazed if it was equally as good, and still impressed if half as good. I hope in the time taken he transcends his capabilities and creates another (prog) masterpiece. Please save the Circus of Heaven material etc. for another time.
I'll be shocked if it's ever released.
And how is Janeeeeeeeee! going to fit into the story?
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
In 2013, this video was released of "Sing to Me", which is said to be "a preview of Zamran Experience"
Yesterday (7/12/19), the song is once again released on YouTube with a new video (same guy who has been doing his instrumental Opus series) and what sounds like a new mix:
Thanks, Dan. Good spot.
Anderson is putting all sorts of stuff on YouTube currently.
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
I just read in Prog magazine that Jon is 'close to finishing' Zamran. Apparently it will be in four hour long movements but I still wouldn't hold my breath!
I understand that Zamran, in this form, is basically finished. But... yes, I wouldn't hold my breath either! It's seemed like we were close to something being complete before, and then plans evolved. Even if it's finished, the question is how does this get released? Anderson appears frustrated with a traditional record company release model. Possibly that's due to the know inadequacies in traditional record company release models; possibly that's due to Anderson holding on to entirely unrealistic ideas as to his fame and earning potential in today's market. I posit he still thinks he's the big rock star he was in the '70s and '80s and should be paid accordingly.
He's talked about releasing Zamran as an app(!). He's got his (ridiculously over-priced) Patreon now. He's said he'll never release an album again... but then he released more albums... but he then said again he's never going to release another album. He said to Goldmine in 2021:
Jon, for heavens' sake, of course you're not going to win a Grammy! (Maybe you could shoot for a nomination in one of the more obscure categories?) Anyway, if Zamran isn't an album, what is it? And will it be available for less than £90 per month?I'm not going to release another album — I had an album called 1000 Hands — Chapter One [...] that I thought was going to be a Grammy Award-winning album — obviously not [...] you start thinking, 'I'm not going to aim for that ever again.'
Instead, I'm just going to release all the music I've made over the last few years in various formats — downloads, singles, videos and so on.
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
Zamran is not an album, it is a spiritual experience. The experience is already available. The absence of Zamran creates a specific kind of vacuity that may be frustrating to materialistic minds, but it fulfills the souls of those who are ready.
It cannot cost less than £90 per month.
This post is NINE years old.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
http://elsew.com/data/best77.htm
Q: There is an evident kinship between what you do and "Olias Of Sunhillow" by Jon Anderson: the same isolated course, the same in general? What exactly?
A: When the record came out, the people of RCA with whom I am under contract invited me and told me it wasn't very nice to have played on the record, without warning. But that's ever more curious since I haven't played on it and they were convinced of having recognized my sound. I myself was very surprised it had my name on the thank you-list. Maybe I have influenced Jon, I don't know. And it's clear that it's closer to this than you get with Yes. But maybe it's a coincidence. In any case, it's a formidable feat there is such a record when it features like Jon a debutante on keyboards. I believe the record represents more the way he is than what he does with Yes, no offense intended.
includes both Jif and 80s were OK and it wasn't derailed!
Holy god. I mean, holy god.
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
Whoever wants an Olias-like experience should listen to the album "Tales from Sheepfather's grove" by Johannes Luley (the guitarist of Perfect Beings and Moth Vellum).
Yes, Jon still thinks of himself as Jon 'God' Anderson
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