Yes 40 yrs ago JFK Philly

[Mister Triscuits]

Well, that still only shows two multi platinum albums(one of which was after their so called hey day). A super huge or super big band would have sold more imo unless they had a massive cult following like the Grateful Dead(and who knows maybe Yes did have a GD like following back then.

Remember when you're looking at gold and platinum certifications that those represent cumulative sales. Thats not necessarily a good way to see how popular a band was at the time, which is what we were talking about here. Yes was a top band in the '70s, as their chart placings and concert figures show. But they went out of fashion afterwards, and don't enjoy the sustained sales of a Floyd or a Zeppelin. Also remember that those certifications don't just happen. Somebody has to request the audit and pay the hefty fees. Since Yes is no longer associated with Atlantic, who at the label is going to care enough to do that? Se we don't know if those figures are really up to date.

For an idea of what a distorted view platinum certification can give you of a band's popularity at the time, look at AC/DC. Before Highway to Hell, they couldn't get arrested in America. Their early albums didn't even crack the Top 100, if they got released here at all. But now even those albums are platinum or multi-platinum. And even their phenomenal success with Back in Black didn't happen all at once: the second best selling album of all time didn't even make #1 when it was released.

[Nearfest2]

If it hasn't already been posted, the setlist and some good stories are here:

http://forgotten-yesterdays.com/date...70&qdateid=509

[JJ88]

Remember when you're looking at gold and platinum certifications that those represent cumulative sales. Thats not necessarily a good way to see how popular a band was at the time, which is what we were talking about here. Yes was a top band in the '70s, as their chart placings and concert figures show. But they went out of fashion afterwards, and don't enjoy the sustained sales of a Floyd or a Zeppelin. Also remember that those certifications don't just happen. Somebody has to request the audit and pay the hefty fees. Since Yes is no longer associated with Atlantic, who at the label is going to care enough to do that? Se we don't know if those figures are really up to date.

For an idea of what a distorted view platinum certification can give you of a band's popularity at the time, look at AC/DC. Before Highway to Hell, they couldn't get arrested in America. Their early albums didn't even crack the Top 100, if they got released here at all. But now even those albums are platinum or multi-platinum. And even their phenomenal success with Back in Black didn't happen all at once: the second best selling album of all time didn't even make #1 when it was released.

All very rational, and factual- the kind of posts I like!

Someone- it may have been you- put all the Genesis certifications on another thread. The majority of their catalogue had not been re-done for new certification since 1990. This was before the so-called 'Definitive Remasters' of the mid 90s, for instance.

ELP, for instance, have had a mindboggling number of reissue campaigns- their catalogue has done the rounds on various labels. That to me suggests that their catalogue is still selling pretty steadily. If it wasn't, why bother putting it out again and again.

[Digital_Man]

[All very rational, and factual- the kind of posts I like!]

Not really and not any more than my posts. He said one of the top bands. Top as in top ten? Top twenty? That sounds rather vague to me. I can spit out numbers too. Big whoop. They had a few albums in the top ten. Whoo. Hey let's party!

[JJ88]

I simply don't know what point you are trying to prove and here I bow out.

[JeffCarney]

Not really and not any more than my posts. He said one of the top bands. Top as in top ten? Top twenty? That sounds rather vague to me. I can spit out numbers too. Big whoop. They had a few albums in the top ten. Whoo. Hey let's party!

The point that eludes you is that nobody here really cares how popular Yes were in the seventies besides you. Anybody who has even the slightest clue about the seventies knows that Yes were very fortunate to be extremely successful and play to thousands of people wherever they travelled. That they were able to do this by playing such adventurous music was extraordinary.

The reason people are even pointing out the obvious is because of your bizarre crusade to somehow make them just slightly above a "cult" band. This is asinine. And your reasoning for this perception has ranged from a couple of people with whom you discussed Yes to arguing that breaking a record for sellouts at Madison Square Garden is nothing "special." Even a slightly slow 3rd grader could understand that such records are the very definition of "special."

When people read nonsense, they tend to feel it reasonable to point out that it is nonsense.

Unfortunately, with you, it doesn't take. I think we're all out of gas, but sometimes I guess many of us feel compelled to call BS when we see it. And I think it fair to assume that EVERYONE in this thread can see your BS coming a mile away.

[Rye-Ergot]

[All very rational, and factual- the kind of posts I like!]

Not really and not any more than my posts.

Obviously I skipped the class where my college professors discussed how Descartes' grandmother's and eighth grade teachers anecdotes became the building blocks of rationalism.

[Digital_Man]

Obviously I skipped the class where my college professors discussed how Descartes' grandmother's and eighth grade teachers anecdotes became the building blocks of rationalism.

WTF?

[Rye-Ergot]

Like many others, I'm through here.

Besides, all this bickering has made me late for my weekly meeting of the surviving members of the Secret Cabal of Yes fans from NY and Philadelphia who managed to fool the rest of the world into thinking they were more than a cult band for so many years.
Ah yes, those were heady times indeed...chart manipulation nonpareil where a band barely more recognizable than Manikin in 95% of the US were cunningly launched into the Top Ten 6 times in 10 years....

[Digital_Man]

[Like many others, I'm through here.]

Me too. I'm going to pick up my baseball mit and go play with the cool kids.

[JeffCarney]

Obviously I skipped the class where my college professors discussed how Descartes' grandmother's and eighth grade teachers anecdotes became the building blocks of rationalism.

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[Fracktured]

This wasn't professionally recorded was it? The show at RFK which was broadcasted on the radio has made its rounds. Performing open air gigs of this magnitude was very hard to pull off especially in the heat. Wish I would've been there. I still have the original recording I made of the RFK show on reel to reel tape with Yessongs recorded on the other side.

[thos]

This wasn't professionally recorded was it? The show at RFK which was broadcasted on the radio has made its rounds. Performing open air gigs of this magnitude was very hard to pull off especially in the heat. Wish I would've been there. I still have the original recording I made of the RFK show on reel to reel tape with Yessongs recorded on the other side.

I believe you might be thinking of Roosevelt stadium which was broadcast and circulates as a boot. I don't know whether the JFK or RFK shows are out there...

[Fracktured]

I believe you might be thinking of Roosevelt stadium which was broadcast and circulates as a boot. I don't know whether the JFK or RFK shows are out there...

Yeah I was thinking of the Roosevelt show.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[helix]

The point that eludes you is that nobody here really cares how popular Yes were in the seventies besides you. Anybody who has even the slightest clue about the seventies knows that Yes were very fortunate to be extremely successful and play to thousands of people wherever they travelled. That they were able to do this by playing such adventurous music was extraordinary.

The reason people are even pointing out the obvious is because of your bizarre crusade to somehow make them just slightly above a "cult" band. This is asinine. And your reasoning for this perception has ranged from a couple of people with whom you discussed Yes to arguing that breaking a record for sellouts at Madison Square Garden is nothing "special." Even a slightly slow 3rd grader could understand that such records are the very definition of "special."

When people read nonsense, they tend to feel it reasonable to point out that it is nonsense.

Unfortunately, with you, it doesn't take. I think we're all out of gas, but sometimes I guess many of us feel compelled to call BS when we see it. And I think it fair to assume that EVERYONE in this thread can see your BS coming a mile away.

I read his posts as if they were someone on the scale. a bit removed and detached, a'la JIF

[tom unbound]

Anyone who wasn't there in the '70s is completely clueless about the scene back then.

All you have is an opinion without a shred of experience.

Quote all the numbers you want, in music, statistics only influence idiots and record company executives.

Yes was big.

[Digital_Man]

I read his posts as if they were someone on the scale. a bit removed and detached, a'la JIF

And yet you are still more detached than me.

[Digital_Man]

Anyone who wasn't there in the '70s is completely clueless about the scene back then.

All you have is an opinion without a shred of experience.

Quote all the numbers you want, in music, statistics only influence idiots and record company executives.

Yes was big.

I never said they weren't big.

[miamiscot]

Yes was too great, too advanced for the common man. It's shocking they sold as many albums and concert tickets as they did in the 70's.

The reason they didn't have the staying power of PF or LZ is simple: they were way better and way over the average listener's head.

This is why Justin Beiber is bigger than Steven Wilson today.

Like I said, it's shocking they did as well as they did. ELP too.

(No knock on either PF or LZ, both of whom I love, love, love.)

[happytheman]

I believe you might be thinking of Roosevelt stadium which was broadcast and circulates as a boot. I don't know whether the JFK or RFK shows are out there...

Sugarmegs has it..

Yes
JFK Stadium
Phila., PA
USA
June 12, 1976

lineage: cassettes (maybe 2nd gen or more) > PC > SoundForge > CD > FLAC > you

lineup: Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Patrick Moraz, Alan White

Disc 1
1. Intro / Apocalypse
2. Siberian Khatru
3. Soundchaser
4. I've Seen All Good People
5. Gates Of Delirium

Disc 2
1. Clap
2. Long Distance Runaround
3. Moraz solo
4. Olias excerpts
5. Heart Of The Sunrise
6. Ritual (incomplete)

Enjoy!

Relayerman

[tom unbound]

I never said they weren't big.

I was just spouting off in general , that wasn't to you or against you.
I was actually surprised that a band that good could be that popular.
Any kind of quality is usually the kiss of death for a band back then.

[raconteur troubadour]

Sorry for the late to the thread, I was at this show and camped out in the parking lot the night before, no food water or blanket. somebody broke into a tractor trailer on the lot which was full of those 1/2 pint orange drink containers which got tossed to the assembled till the trailer was empty. I remember the mummers being booed on stage and tried to convince my friends it was Yes in costume and they were about to break into starship trooper any minute. The trash fires looked like some end of the world party to me from the bleachers with Yes's green lasers shooting into the sky along with the flames. Don't know who plans these things but there was a circus at the spectrum, a Phillies game and the JFK show which all let out at the same time onto basically local roads, major fustercluck.