Arc Of Life, new band featuring Davison, Schellen, Sherwood, Kerzner and Haun

[popeyebonaparte]

d3beddfee1650d1fce894fc2528e7212.jpg

Today has seen the announcement of a new band, Arc Of Life, featuring Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood, Jay Schellen, Jimmy Haun and Dave Kerzner.
The line-up as well as the fact that they are singed to Frontiers Records makes the connection to Yes undeniable.

Thoughts?

[Scott Bails]

It's a very interesting lineup, with potential to do good things. I imagine that this could be seen as a logical progression of Yes, which some will no doubt carp about.

[arturs]

It's a very interesting lineup, with potential to do good things. I imagine that this could be seen as a logical progression of Yes, which some will no doubt carp about.

In five years, this could *be* Yes...

[rickm]

Are they going to sound any different that the current Yes?

[Scott Bails]

In five years, this could *be* Yes...

Was waiting for this comment.

Are they going to sound any different that the current Yes?

If it doesn't have Howe, it won't sounds like current Yes. I know that Haun can approximate him, but Howe's style is pretty unique and identifiable.

[Top Cat]

In five years, this could *be* Yes...

I hope not! sometimes you have to just let go.
I would rather revisit their back catalogue of material, concerts and enjoy them at their best.
I'm soooo over this version, after buying almost every release they've put out since Jon left, hoping and hoping it would have some magic..but not for me.

I was browsing on Amazon today, listening to samples of new music from bands, and gave the new Live Yes a sample and I couldn't take it anymore after 2 song samples.
It's the same material I've heard a million times, but just not as good.
I did hear some of Downes Braide Association samples and it was much more inspiring and enjoyable to me than later Yes. Now that's the Geoff Downes keyboard playing I remember. Vocals and lyrics are also A plus.
Might even pick up a cd of theirs after Christmas*oh boy gift card..lol

That being said, if it still gives you pleasure and enjoyment, I'm not putting anyone down..just no longer my cup o tea.

[Scott Bails]

I hope not! sometimes you have to just let go.
I would rather revisit their back catalogue of material, concerts and enjoy them at their best.

This is what I never understand.

Let's say, for argument's sake, that Arc of Life morphs into Yes (highly unlikely, but I'm just riffing). You would still be able to revisit their back catalog of material, concerts and enjoy them "at their best." Unless Sherwood, Davison, et al, make the original recordings unavailable, of course.

[calyx]

Wonder Howe might react to the news. "Oh no, it's like 1991 all over again - they're replacing me with Jimmy Haun !"

Just kidding. The project is hopefully its own thing rather than an alternate Yes, but then again it's hard not to pay attention (maybe too much) to the Yes connections involved.

[Top Cat]

d3beddfee1650d1fce894fc2528e7212.jpg

Today has seen the announcement of a new band, Arc Of Life, featuring Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood, Jay Schellen, Jimmy Haun and Dave Kerzner.
The line-up as well as the fact that they are singed to Frontiers Records makes the connection to Yes undeniable.

Thoughts?

Dave posted the teaser with the photo on his FB page, but didn't give any names.
I guessed Billy, Jon, Jimmy and Dave. I love the fact that Jimmy is in the band, he is very underrated in my opinion, and I love his playing with Circa.
Thanks for posting this, I didn't see any update on my FB feed this morning.

[JKL2000]

Dave posted the teaser with the photo on his FB page, but didn't give any names.
I guessed Billy, Jon, Jimmy and Dave. I love the fact that Jimmy is in the band, he is very underrated in my opinion, and I love his playing with Circa.
Thanks for posting this, I didn't see any update on my FB feed this morning.

Is a release date mentioned for a first album>

[bondegezou]

Is a release date mentioned for a first album>

12 Feb 2021. See http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wnyesm.htm#arc for details.

Henry

[miamiscot]

I'm psyched. I love Squids!!!

[bigbassdrum]

Camples?

I kid ....

[bigbassdrum]

No Dial Up; No AOL ...

So sorry ...

[JKL2000]

I'm psyched. I love Squids!!!

I'm kind of looking forward to hearing him just play keyboards (and some backing vox I'm guessing), without having to steer the ship. It will be interesting to hear an album where he's just contributing that way. I think he's a really good songwriter, and judging from the first single, they'll need his songwriting chops on a sophmore album, but for now he just gets to hang out , and sometimes get his chance to wail.

[Squids]

I'm kind of looking forward to hearing him just play keyboards (and some backing vox I'm guessing), without having to steer the ship. It will be interesting to hear an album where he's just contributing that way. I think he's a really good songwriter, and judging from the first single, they'll need his songwriting chops on a sophmore album, but for now he just gets to hang out , and sometimes get his chance to wail.

I think anyone who knows me knows that I really do like to "steer the ship" so to speak. I mean, that's what I normally do. People don't know this but before we got Marillion's manager for SOC, I was the manager of the band and even got us our record deal! Although I don't like being a band manager and I have to say it's fun being in a band with Yes's management QEDG! Plus an agent and a record deal ready to go and seasoned players with way more road experience than I have (plus they're cool guys and friends I enjoy hanging out with). So, for a change, I get to walk right into it... AND walk right into this endless YES controversy stuff too and man... it can make one's head spin! Now I know why Juano doesn't even bother going on line! He's smart! Billy gets way too much flack and for as hard as he works and as great a job as he does at filling Chris's shoes in Yes (and what he's done other projects including mine whenever I've hired him) it's a bummer to see that. It's sad seeing people pounce on any musician because, as some kinder more respectful people have pointed out, music artists are just doing what THEY like and putting it out there for whoever lines up with it. You might not but others will! As for me, well, I do like poppy stuff sometimes but I actually prefer it when things are more proggy. It depends. To understand my taste, really, all you have to do is listen to my songs.

But, I love Yes and I love these guys so I hope it does evolve into something where I can contribute creatively. I keep imagining what this band will be like live and I think it could be powerful. Any Yes tune we play would kick full and complete ass (that's such an non-Yesish thing to say!!! Haha. Peace and love. Sorry! All we are saying is give Squids a chance!). Sometimes songs are modified a bit in the live version of a band. Kind of like the way Thud played "Joytown" live vs. how it sounded on Kevin Gilbert's album Thud. It got Proggy with lots of new keys. Well... you think I've changed that much since then? I still have my Mighty Wurlizer and Mighty Mellotron. We just need to get rid of this annoying Covid first!

Oh by the way speaking of Covid, have you heard the song Steve Porcaro put together called "Covid Kid"? That has Billy singing lead and I think he did a fantastic job too!

[Top Cat]

I think anyone who knows me knows that I really do like to "steer the ship" so to speak. I mean, that's what I normally do. People don't know this but before we got Marillion's manager for SOC, I was the manager of the band and even got us our record deal! Although I don't like being a band manager and I have to say it's fun being in a band with Yes's management QEDG! Plus an agent and a record deal ready to go and seasoned players with way more road experience than I have (plus they're cool guys and friends I enjoy hanging out with). So, for a change, I get to walk right into it... AND walk right into this endless YES controversy stuff too and man... it can make one's head spin! Now I know why Juano doesn't even bother going on line! He's smart! Billy gets way too much flack and for as hard as he works and as great a job as he does at filling Chris's shoes in Yes (and what he's done other projects including mine whenever I've hired him) it's a bummer to see that. It's sad seeing people pounce on any musician because, as some kinder more respectful people have pointed out, music artists are just doing what THEY like and putting it out there for whoever lines up with it. You might not but others will! As for me, well, I do like poppy stuff sometimes but I actually prefer it when things are more proggy. It depends. To understand my taste, really, all you have to do is listen to my songs.

But, I love Yes and I love these guys so I hope it does evolve into something where I can contribute creatively. I keep imagining what this band will be like live and I think it could be powerful. Any Yes tune we play would kick full and complete ass (that's such an non-Yesish thing to say!!! Haha. Peace and love. Sorry! All we are saying is give Squids a chance!). Sometimes songs are modified a bit in the live version of a band. Kind of like the way Thud played "Joytown" live vs. how it sounded on Kevin Gilbert's album Thud. It got Proggy with lots of new keys. Well... you think I've changed that much since then? I still have my Mighty Wurlizer and Mighty Mellotron. We just need to get rid of this annoying Covid first!

Oh by the way speaking of Covid, have you heard the song Steve Porcaro put together called "Covid Kid"? That has Billy singing lead and I think he did a fantastic job too!

Hi Squids, what a great post, thanks for hanging around today.
I love and respect every member of present day Yes, and for the most part, and as I've written here before, I have always been a big Billy Sherwood fan, but I can understand and respect other's view of not getting in to his music or performance. It's when comments are personal in nature towards a musician, I get a little upset, because as you've noted, many are hard working, trying to make a living and for the most part put the best product out there. It's also part of a musician's nature to express those emotions of either a personal or creative and artistic expression.
In doing so, you connect with some and others may think it pure rubbish, but in the end, it's usually a personal opinion and a matter of what one likes and doesn't like. That line sometimes becomes blurred when people comment about an artist, a song, album, etc.

In the course of this thread I've read the suggestion that because the musicians in this are Yes related(and the marketing DOES promote that), that it should have some Yes similarities, and also a new Yes type band should sound like Yes.
I wouldn't want to see that. Writing music because you are influenced by Yes, that's fine, but any new progressive Yes like band, should be fresh and not copy or try to sound like Yes unless you're a tribute band.

I've watched the video(not the whole thing, I think it's too long with similar chorus, etc), but the beginning is rather catchy, and I can hear that thing Billy does with his voice, and his phrasing that is unique, but it's got a bit too much processing for me to hear it. But everyone is different.
I, like others can barely hear if at all your keys, and I wish they would revisit the mix and bring you up a bit.
I haven't heard any other songs, but hope Jimmy H's guitar is more present and his talent on guitar gets to shine more than I heard in the middle break.

I have the concert on DVD that Billy, Jimmy H, Tony Kaye and Alan did for the Circa show. It's a bit raw DVD, but the energy on that is off the charts, and they play a 20 minute balls to the walls Yes melody that would make any YES fan pee their pants.
So I can really see this band in a live setting kicking butt, Billy seems to really shine when he's playing live.

Best to you Dave, and looking forward to seeing you with Arc if you come to the Gulf area.

[moecurlythanu]

I'm psyched. I love Squids!!!

I really like Calamari, but I need cocktail sauce to go with it. Or something similar.

[Squids]

I really like Calamari, but I need cocktail sauce to go with it. Or something similar.

I don't if it's grilled. Have you ever tried a grilled giant Squid in the Mediterranean or at a Japanese restaurant with a great menu? It's really good!

[adap2it]

I don't if it's grilled. Have you ever tried a grilled giant Squid in the Mediterranean or at a Japanese restaurant with a great menu? It's really good!

Love grilled Calamari the Greek way...
20200518_132202-01.jpg20200518_132202-01.jpg

[JKL2000]

Love grilled Calamari the Greek way...
20200518_132202-01.jpg20200518_132202-01.jpg

This reminds me, Dave Kerzner, when you played at ProgDay, did anyone take you to the seafood restaurant called "Squids" there? We almost always eat there one night on ProgDay weekends! Ha-ha.

[Boceephus]

Looks like an impressive line-up!
Is their going to be a kickstart campaign?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Top Cat]

Looks like an impressive line-up!
Is their going to be a kickstart campaign?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't believe it's necessary. They are signed to Frontiers records according to the OP's photo.

This is not a Dave Kerzner project per se, he's the keyboard player, and I assume contributes either in songwriting or musical parts.

[popeyebonaparte]

According to Henry's website:

Davison described it in a Jul 2020 interview, saying he and Sherwood "[ha]ve written a lot of music together. We've got our own side project band [...] we've got the album all ready to go [...] It should be coming out at the last point of this year [2020] or early next year [2021]."

[Paulrus]

According to Henry's website:

Davison described it in a Jul 2020 interview, saying he and Sherwood "[ha]ve written a lot of music together. We've got our own side project band [...] we've got the album all ready to go [...] It should be coming out at the last point of this year [2020] or early next year [2021]."

Huh. All kinds of questions. 2/5 of Yes writing for a project that's not Yes, but includes 3/5 of Yes (4/5 if you count Haun as an honorary member.) One would assume the idea is to not tread on Yes' creative turf, which raises all kinds of expectations for what this will sound like.

That photo seems like a nod to the "Leave It" video, so could that be a hint about their musical intentions?

I'm jazzed about Squids being involved, but less jazzed if he's just a sideman. Although, if Billy is investing himself creatively into this does this mean he won't be as invested in the next Yes album, which means it may be more of a Howe/Downes effort?

Being a Yes fan is f-ing torture!