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Thread: Jon Davison talks new Yes album, new band in new interview

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    Jon Davison talks new Yes album, new band in new interview

    A new 40-minute interview with Jon Davison proved to be a pretty good listen - he talks about his background with Taylor Hawkins, doing 8 shows with a Yes tribute band as a hobby, recording with Glass Hammer, the new Yes album, the story on how he joined Yes, and feeling integrated with the band, meeting Jon Anderson at the R&R Hall of Fame induction, and Yes carrying on without the "classic" members. :

    https://rockmusicalliance1.podbean.c...inger-for-yes/

    Some of the highlights:

    On a new Yes album:

    "Yes are writing a new album...exchanging files and composing for a new album in that way"
    "The material is very strong and everyone is generating a lot of camaraderie and enthusiasm."
    "We have about half an album's worth of strong material...all in the early demo stages"

    He gets in to how the exchange of material and ideas is happening and his role in the process.

    On the new band and album he has with Sherwood and Schellen:

    "We (Sherwood and Davison) have our own side project band with Jay Schellen, who has been drumming along side Alan for the last few years in Yes, and the name of that band is Arc Of Life. We've got the album all ready to go through Frontiers Records and should be coming out the last point of this year or early next year."
    Last edited by Dan Roth; 08-01-2020 at 11:29 AM.

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    Very interested to hear what Arc Of Life is like.

    Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk

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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve983 View Post
    Very interested to hear what Arc Of Life is like.

  4. #4
    Ok, after logging in AGAIN! I find that I like quite a bit of Jon's work and singing. But with Yes, not so much, sorry.

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    I'm curious about Arc of Life. I expect since Sherwood is involved it'll have a derivative sound to it probably leaning more towards the Yes West sound. That seems to have been the way his career has progressed all the time he's been associated with Yes. That said, I'll still give it a listen. If it's comfort prog, I'm ok with that.
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    This is great news to hear about the side project with Billy S and Jay. I want to hear what these guys can put out without sounding like Jon Andersonless Yes.

    I'm also curious about a new Yes album. I have a feeling the time off for everyone due to not being able to tour, and the personal emotions that come with this worldwide disruption to our way of living, will perhaps bring a freshness to their music.
    Yes is a tour driven machine, and it seems like the guys never take any time off to recharge. So a forced shutdown can possibly be good for each individual and the band's music.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Top Cat View Post
    This is great news to hear about the side project with Billy S and Jay. I want to hear what these guys can put out without sounding like Jon Andersonless Yes.

    I'm also curious about a new Yes album. I have a feeling the time off for everyone due to not being able to tour, and the personal emotions that come with this worldwide disruption to our way of living, will perhaps bring a freshness to their music.
    Yes is a tour driven machine, and it seems like the guys never take any time off to recharge. So a forced shutdown can possibly be good for each individual and the band's music.
    It might be good for a new album but it wont be good for the band's income since I would imagine touring is where all their money comes from. Also a lot of albums these days are sold at live shows so it's not good from that angle either.

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    I would rather see everyone focus on getting the best music possible from the mothership instead of all these side projects. Sherwood also told us he's got a new Circa coming, so that's two projects now with other Yes members. And there is only so much good music that these folks can compose in a limited amount of time.

    ARW flubbed their return to recording in part by being distracted with everyone's side projects. I would hate to see that happen again with Howe's Yes.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Squids View Post


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    Quote Originally Posted by arturs View Post
    I would rather see everyone focus on getting the best music possible from the mothership instead of all these side projects. Sherwood also told us he's got a new Circa coming, so that's two projects now with other Yes members. And there is only so much good music that these folks can compose in a limited amount of time.

    ARW flubbed their return to recording in part by being distracted with everyone's side projects. I would hate to see that happen again with Howe's Yes.
    Yes, it will indeed be interesting to see how a new Yes album compares with any of these other projects. Steve just released a solo album, too. Sounds like the Yes album is still a ways away, though.

    Add to the list of side projects for Billy: Days Between Stations, which is a "prog duo" of guitarist Sepand Samzadeh and keyboardist Oscar Fuentes. Billy is a guest on their upcoming third album, but essentially he's a full third member as he plays bass, drums, sings lead vocals and produced (and helped write!). Comes out mid-September. It's a really good album from the first listen I've had, and possibly more exciting than any of these other projects may turn out to be - we'll see!

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    Quote Originally Posted by fiberman View Post
    Ok, after logging in AGAIN! I find that I like quite a bit of Jon's work and singing. But with Yes, not so much, sorry.
    Yeah, I was excited when I heard he was writing a lot of Heaven and Earth, and incredibly disappointed with the outcome. The two songs he wrote on Glass Hammer's Cor Coridium (Salvation Station and Dear Daddy) were absolutely top shelf prog tunes both musically and lyrically. Not sure why that didn't translate - he's a super talented musician... just have to listen to GH to hear it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by julioscissors View Post
    Yeah, I was excited when I heard he was writing a lot of Heaven and Earth, and incredibly disappointed with the outcome. The two songs he wrote on Glass Hammer's Cor Coridium (Salvation Station and Dear Daddy) were absolutely top shelf prog tunes both musically and lyrically. Not sure why that didn't translate - he's a super talented musician... just have to listen to GH to hear it.
    The problem with Heaven & Earth is that they had some (not all) good songs but they didn't add the 'Prog'!

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    Judging by the new Steve Howe album, I don't have high hopes for a new Yes record. His playing has lost its fire. The writing is way less adventurous. All of this, to my ears, of course!

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    ^ I'll bet you hate puppies too!

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    Quote Originally Posted by julioscissors View Post
    Yeah, I was excited when I heard he was writing a lot of Heaven and Earth, and incredibly disappointed with the outcome. The two songs he wrote on Glass Hammer's Cor Coridium (Salvation Station and Dear Daddy) were absolutely top shelf prog tunes both musically and lyrically. Not sure why that didn't translate - he's a super talented musician... just have to listen to GH to hear it.
    This is what leads me to believe that he wasn't the reason H&E turned out the way it did.

    For what it's worth, I like H&E. But I was expecting something pretty different, going by what Cor Cordium sounded like.

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    I'm intrigued by the Davison-Sherwood-Schellen project. For those who believe Yes can (should?) continue beyond the old-timers, it may be an indication of what the future band might sound like.

    Or they might just want to wallow in some funky disco to blow off steam.
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by arturs View Post
    I would rather see everyone focus on getting the best music possible from the mothership instead of all these side projects. Sherwood also told us he's got a new Circa coming, so that's two projects now with other Yes members.
    And Prog Collective 3 with Davison and Moraz among the guests.

    Sherwood is very productive and just pours stuff out. I'm not worried the faucet will run dry. What matters is Yes (or Arc of Life or CIRCA: ) selecting the good ideas from the mediocre ones.

    Henry
    Last edited by bondegezou; 08-04-2020 at 05:37 AM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by julioscissors View Post
    Yeah, I was excited when I heard he was writing a lot of Heaven and Earth, and incredibly disappointed with the outcome. The two songs he wrote on Glass Hammer's Cor Coridium (Salvation Station and Dear Daddy) were absolutely top shelf prog tunes both musically and lyrically. Not sure why that didn't translate - he's a super talented musician... just have to listen to GH to hear it.
    Exactly my reaction as well. Maybe the negative reaction to "Heaven & Earth" will cause a positive direction in any new music they do.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    Exactly my reaction as well. Maybe the negative reaction to "Heaven & Earth" will cause a positive direction in any new music they do.
    It's hard to know. Yes albums often vary from release to release. Heaven & Earth was a fair few years ago now. It's not even the same band with Squire having passed away. Indeed, Yes have released From a Page since then as well, although that was put together by Oliver Wakeman and only has two band members in common with the band today.

    So, I don't know how much H&E can tell us about what a new Yes album will be like, but I do agree that the negative reaction to the album, and perhaps more importantly Howe's own unhappiness with the release, may be a driver for the band to do things differently, not least in terms of taking their time compared to the rush H&E was done in.

    If there are indicators to what a new album will be like, they may lie in the more recent work of Howe (Love Is, New Frontier), Downes (DBA), Sherwood (Valley of the Windmill, Arc of Life when we get to hear it) and Davison (Arc of Life again).

    Henry
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    Quote Originally Posted by bondegezou View Post
    So, I don't know how much H&E can tell us about what a new Yes album will be like, but I do agree that the negative reaction to the album, and perhaps more importantly Howe's own unhappiness with the release, may be a driver for the band to do things differently, not least in terms of taking their time compared to the rush H&E was done in.
    I know Frontier Records weren't very happy with H&E, and I'd think they'll be loath to get anywhere near a new Yes release -- even with a mask.

    But I have a feeling there will be other small prog labels that would be happy to add Yes to their roster.
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Paulrus View Post
    I know Frontier Records weren't very happy with H&E, and I'd think they'll be loath to get anywhere near a new Yes release -- even with a mask.

    But I have a feeling there will be other small prog labels that would be happy to add Yes to their roster.
    It's worth noting that since a while before H&E, Yes have been recording albums themselves and then just licensing a release to a label on a short-term contract. That's what they did with H&E and FfH, and it's what I expect they'll do again. Since those two albums, however, they've moved to self-releasing as well with Return Trip and From a Page, so that's another option.

    I also note that their live albums moved from Frontiers to Rhino, so my first guess would be that they'll look to release with Rhino.

    Henry
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  22. #22
    PS: I think I recall hearing that Yes weren't very happy with Frontiers either, so perhaps unlikely we'll see a release through them.

    Henry
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  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Squids View Post
    Subtle.

    I know you're on this album, Squids, and I am genuinely more excited to hear it because of that.

    Henry
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    Quote Originally Posted by bondegezou View Post
    Subtle.

    I know you're on this album, Squids, and I am genuinely more excited to hear it because of that.

    Henry
    I also feel the same way Henry.
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  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Top Cat View Post
    I also feel the same way Henry.
    Ditto!

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