Steve Howe int in the Times today

[realprog]

There's a Steve Howe int in the Times today, promoting the Close to the Edge tour, and calling the album a masterpiece that defines prog.

Nothing too new in the article. Band line-up changes are discussed and Howe's quoted as saying:

“I love Jon Anderson and I believe we have an understanding and an immense respect for each other. But the difficulties of trying to work together are too great.”

He also says this:

“Creativity does produce tension, but not all of it is about arguing or fighting, it’s about trying to get your ideas through.”

Conflict is also said to be inevitable, but he makes the point it needn't be disastrous.

Howe denies being the current leader of the band, but it does say about him taking a creative lead in producing the last Yes album. Downes is quoted as saying there isn't a leader, but Howe is "the focal point".

[Digital_Man]

Some of that is surprising. I really thought there was some serious animosity between Steve and Jon A. So what that means is either the online media blows it all out of proportion or the fans assume the worst and blow it out of proportion.

[Steve983]

I think that is the sanitised version of events, remember when Howe had to redact loads of things from an interview when ARW were calling themselves Yes a few years back? There are no doubt lots of issues between them but they've come to accept to 'agree to disagree' and realise they can no longer work together which is probably for the best.

[realprog]

Some of that is surprising. I really thought there was some serious animosity between Steve and Jon A. So what that means is either the online media blows it all out of proportion or the fans assume the worst and blow it out of proportion.

What Rick's said recently comes to mind. He was asked if he'd heard The Quest. His reply:

"No, I haven’t, though I am having lunch with Steve [Howe] in a couple of weeks. That everybody hates each other is a complete myth. There’s a lot of mutual respect between us all."

From: https://www.loudersound.com/features...my-solo-albums

In my view, he's missing out, having not heard the last album! :-))

[Progatron]

What Rick's said recently comes to mind. He was asked if he'd heard The Quest. His reply:

"No, I haven’t, though I am having lunch with Steve [Howe] in a couple of weeks. That everybody hates each other is a complete myth. There’s a lot of mutual respect between us all."

I was surprised at how much distaste Steve showed for Rick's antics and general demeanour in his autobiography. But again, we can't expect to know the exact ins and outs of other people's relationships, business or otherwise. If I put down in writing my honest thoughts of some of the people closest to me, it could seem quite critical. But relationships are more complex than that. If I had lunch with any of them today, it would be a lot of laughing and reminiscing.

[progmatist]

I was surprised at how much distaste Steve showed for Rick's antics and general demeanour in his autobiography. But again, we can't expect to know the exact ins and outs of other people's relationships, business or otherwise. If I put down in writing my honest thoughts of some of the people closest to me, it could seem quite critical. But relationships are more complex than that. If I had lunch with any of them today, it would be a lot of laughing and reminiscing.

After Rick's behavior during their RRHOF induction, Steve's distaste is perfectly understandable.

[moecurlythanu]

After Rick's behavior during their RRHOF induction, Steve's distaste is perfectly understandable.

Really?

[Paulrus]

There are no doubt lots of issues between them but they've come to accept to 'agree to disagree' and realise they can no longer work together which is probably for the best.

I remember an interview with Jon not that far back where he was describing the touring environment in 2004 or so. He talked about how Steve drove in a separate car, and how that was the "grumpy" car or something, whereas the car Jon was in was the "fun, everyone smiling and laughing and having a good time" car. I just thought it pretty rude to publicly go after Steve like that. Criticize his playing, the artistic disagreements, sure. But to sink to high school levels of character barbs was unexpected. I'm sure Steve saw the interview as well and has had to swallow that and all of Jon's other public ramblings about him over the years. I give him credit for not sinking to Jon's level.

[3LockBox]

Really?

maybe he's referring to Rick's Shecky Wakeman comedy routine which allegedly ate up any spare time for others to speak, namely Chris Squier's widow

[moecurlythanu]

maybe he's referring to Rick's Shecky Wakeman comedy routine which allegedly ate up any spare time for others to speak, namely Chris Squier's widow

He is. If you've heard the quips and jokes before, I can imagine the listener/viewer might be tired of them. However, the HoF audience hadn't, and most were genuinely funny. The fact that such a presentation diffuses the whole "po faced art school student" Progger narrative of the British Music Press aside, it was guys having fun. I'm not a stick in the mud (though I know that many furrowed brow Prog-Rock fans are,) so I had no problem with that. As for Chris's widow, Something should have been worked out ahead of time and agreed upon in private. It's possible that they did not because she wasn't a member of the band. I don't know and you don't either.

[malgeo]

He is. If you've heard the quips and jokes before, I can imagine the listener/viewer might be tired of them. However, the HoF audience hadn't, and most were genuinely funny. The fact that such a presentation diffuses the whole "po faced art school student" Progger narrative of the British Music Press aside, it was guys having fun. I'm not a stick in the mud (though I know that many furrowed brow Prog-Rock fans are,) so I had no problem with that. As for Chris's widow, Something should have been worked out ahead of time and agreed upon in private. It's possible that they did not because she wasn't a member of the band. I don't know and you don't either.

Wakeman originally said he would boycott the induction ceremony, then he changed his mind and hijacked the proceedings.

https://www.cleveland.com/entertainm...wakeman_r.html

[realprog]

This was the article yesterday: https://twitter.com/YesSolidMental/s...78564120940544

[Frumious B]

Time is far too powerful an enemy at this late stage to expect anything more, musically speaking, but I hope that Anderson and Howe at least like and respect each other more Waters and Gilmour do.

[Progatron]

Time is far too powerful an enemy at this late stage to expect anything more, musically speaking, but I hope that Anderson and Howe at least like and respect each other more Waters and Gilmour do.

The 'I love Jon Anderson' quote alone suggests to me that they do! Even if they can't work together.

[progmatist]

maybe he's referring to Rick's Shecky Wakeman comedy routine which allegedly ate up any spare time for others to speak, namely Chris Squier's widow

Not to mention it was highly inappropriate.

[IMWeasel]

Yes fans invent more drama (pun intended) between the band members than is actually there, this has kind of been the case forever. I mean I remember everyone saying how much Steve Howe hated Billy Sherwood and would never work with him again, lol

The only constant in Yes' history seems to be sometimes, expect the unexpected, there have been so many twists and turns over the years, at this point Im just along for the ride.

[Digital_Man]

Not to mention it was highly inappropriate.

I initially felt this way too but eventually got over it especially since the whole point for Rick was to not take the whole thing too seriously. He was obviously just having a bit of fun.

[Aquatarkus]

The 'I love Jon Anderson' quote alone suggests to me that they do! Even if they can't work together.

I'm reading between the lines a bit, but I am under the distinct impression it is Steve Howe who can't work with Jon Anderson at this point, not the other way around. Anderson is a founding member, the earliest champion of bringing Howe into the band to replace Peter Banks if I'm remembering my Dan Hedges Yes book from about forty years ago correctly. Anderson has a rep for being a bit of a control freak. Now Howe gets to be that control freak and he isn't about to cede that control by bringing in a fan preferred founding member. I imagine Howe still remembers Anderson nixing the Roger Dean presented cover art for Going for the One (this art would end up being used for the Steve Howe album) not to mention the Magnification project. Howe alludes to control in the interview. Beyond ideas pertaining to cover art there are the musical ideas that go forward and you know Jon Anderson has ideas about what Yes should sound like that may differ from Steve's. Throw in the decades of working together with those frustrations not being forgotten and Howe is going to absolutely do what is best for Steve Howe in this situation. Not Yes. Howe. And who came blame him really? Some of the fans clearly but Howe clearly relishes not having to cede his opinions to anyone anymore, even if Yes is the worst for it. Jon Davison certainly isn't telling Howe that his background vocals or rhythm backing tracks are a bit forward in the mix for the good of the song.

[kilianltia]

I imagine Howe still remembers Anderson nixing the Roger Dean presented cover art for Going for the One (this art would end up being used for the Steve Howe album) not to mention the Magnification project.

I'm pretty sure the art which Roger had prepared for GFTO was in fact the Flight of Icarus painting with the floating islands:

https://www.rogerdean.com/wp-content...680x1050-1.jpg

[Aquatarkus]

I'm pretty sure the art which Roger had prepared for GFTO was in fact the Flight of Icarus painting with the floating islands:

https://www.rogerdean.com/wp-content...680x1050-1.jpg

Quite right! I get my Dean floating islands with water pictures mixed up.

[3LockBox]

you don't either.

The hell I don't! Those jokes are so played.


I wasn't put off by it and wasn't terribly surprised by it either. Of all the people in the band you could put a mic in front of and then there's Wakeman...

[3LockBox]

This was the article yesterday: https://twitter.com/YesSolidMental/s...78564120940544

Article mentions Close To The Edge as maybe the greatest prog album and its accompanied by a pic of Drama lineup. Lazy as hell. At least whatever flunky was tasked with searching for a stock photo lucked out and found one with Howe in it