RIP Alan White of Yes

[bondegezou]

I got the impression they pretty much didn't perform live anywhere, let alone in the US, and that this was more or less a "rehearsal band", some of whose repertoire ended up on White's solo album three years later.

That's what I've never been clear about. Was Ramshackled (partly or entirely) music that Simpson's Pure Oxygen had already? Had they been playing this music live? Or was Ramshackled written for Ramshackled?

[bondegezou]

Ah, but there's this Craddock interview at https://archive.robertianhawdon.me.u...s/ivkc97p1.htm where he says...

"I've missed a period out, because just after Airforce a whole bunch of us went to live in Suffolk to study music and generally check things out. There were seven of us in this band called Simpson's Pure Oxygen (a Colin Gibson idea) and we did two gigs, which were both in Newcastle; but that wasn't a problem because we'd lived and played together for nearly a year and we had nearly all made enough money before that to sustain us during that period. If money ran short there was always someone nipping into London to do a quick session and any money went into the communal pot. Somebody out there may remember us - let's see, we played at 'Change Is', which I think was a club run by Bob Monkhouse of all people, and at The Corner House in Heaton and both gigs were packed, we went down a storm. It was a great band; three horns, piano, two guitars, Colin on bass and Alan White again, on drums.

"Anyway, Colin Gibson and myself went off to the States with the Marc/Almond Band - Jon Marc and Johnny Almond, Danny Richmond on drums, this was another great learning period - and meanwhile Alan White, or 'Whitey' as we called him, he joined Yes and became very rich, very quickly. He bought a big house and a couple of Bentley's and we were all incredibly jealous! Pretty soon he was in a position to record a solo album, thanks to his success with Yes and to help him record it we basically put Simpson's Pure Oxygen back together plus a few other session players. It sold very well, in fact as far as royalties go I'm still getting the odd trickle from it now"

So, probably Gibson is confused and is misremembering the Marc/Almond band tour?

[Aquatarkus]

I love this clip and White totally rocks. He was very consistent in his praise for Talk.

I enjoyed the Talk album and tour very much at the time. I saw them at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles and remember walking to my seat just as the band were playing an instrumental Perpetual Change. The whole band were great that night. I've not seen this clip from Chile but I don't remember seeing Billy Sherwood on stage with the band in LA. I think I would remember that. I remember feeling at the time that Yes with Trevor Rabin were reaching new heights as a band. I wish they had continued on with this band for a while longer.

[bondegezou]

(I've never been clear if singer Marc Almond was aware of the Mark-Almond band.)

[calyx]

Gibson's obituary for Craddock, https://www.theguardian.com/news/200...dianobituaries , says, "he was a member of the seven-piece Simpson's Pure Oxygen, which also included White, Kirtley and myself, and toured the United States in 1972."

Well, I guess there's bad editing there ("toured the US" only applied to Craddock) and the band that toured the US was, indeed, Mark-Almond, not SPO. (Note, btw, that White was the drummer on Johnny Almond's 1969 album "Patent Pending".)

[bondegezou]

So, probably Gibson is confused and is misremembering the Marc/Almond band tour?

OK, here's another Craddock obit by Gibson http://www.johnpearsonblues.com/kenny.php where he correctly differentiates Simpson's Pure Oxygen from the 1972 Marc/Almond tour, so I think maybe we blame Guardian sub-editing for mangling what Gibson wrote.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

I first heard him on Yessongs and didn't like it much. But on Topographic and so forth, he is more than brillant!

Agreed; in fact, he's the best part of TFTO.

[Polypet]

Whoa. Definitely a legend. I've loved his worked throughout his career and was especially pleased and surprised when he joined Yes, knowing his earlier work. He nailed it though especially on Tales and Relayer but really, just an amazing drummer. So sorry to hear this.

[yodathedog]

Now that is a pairing I would have never expected! What venue?

The old Municipal Auditorium downtown Atlanta near the Ga State University campus.

[Guitarplyrjvb]

Watching some YES videos in honor of Alan and stumbled across this gem:

[ThomasKDye]

He and Squire were also on the first side of Criminal Record, of course.

And he added drums to Wakeman's already recorded parts! Paraphrasing, Wakeman said White called him "a certain part of the woman's anatomy" for not using a click track or being able to keep proper time.

[the winter tree]

Watching some YES videos in honor of Alan and stumbled across this gem:

What a great band!

[Steve983]

Here's a new restoration of the Wembley '77 footage - thanks to Hed G.

[the winter tree]

^ this was the tour when I got onboard. I saw them When i was 15 at the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, MA. I remember I was playing basketball the day before and a kid slammed his knee into the side of my thigh giving me an intense Charlie horse. I was in a lot of pain during the whole show. My biggest memory of the show was being surprised now much taller Squire was than Anderson when they first walked out on stage and also the huge train wreck during Close To the Edge. I then realized they were not Gods but mere mortals, as great as they are ;-). None of my friends, who were all none-musicians, noticed the train wreck. It was shortly before the "I get up I get down" quiet section and one of the players must have jumped the gun and for about 10-15 seconds their was complete musical chaos. They all turned around and looked at each other , it seemed like no one knew who to follow. Finally it was just Alan playing and he stopped and they went into the quiet section. I would love to hear a bootleg of this.

[proggy_jazzer]

Watching some YES videos in honor of Alan and stumbled across this gem:

Yes, Virginia, there once was a band that would dare to play music like this live without a net. Warts and all, it warms my heart, puts a smile on my face, and even gives me goosebumps at times.

[calyx]

^ this was the tour when I got onboard. I saw them When i was 15 at the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, MA. I remember I was playing basketball the day before and a kid slammed his knee into the side of my thigh giving me an intense Charlie horse. I was in a lot of pain during the whole show. My biggest memory of the show was being surprised now much taller Squire was than Anderson when they first walked out on stage and also the huge train wreck during Close To the Edge. I then realized they were not Gods but mere mortals, as great as they are ;-). None of my friends, who were all none-musicians, noticed the train wreck. It was shortly before the "I get up I get down" quiet section and one of the players must have jumped the gun and for about 10-15 seconds their was complete musical chaos. They all turned around and looked at each other , it seemed like no one knew who to follow. Finally it was just Alan playing and he stopped and they went into the quiet section. I would love to hear a bootleg of this.

You can hear the show here :
http://ia902608.us.archive.org/29/it...ldMA.mp3?cnt=0

But the passage you describe is around the 25 minute mark, and I don't hear a train wreck at all.

[the winter tree]

You can hear the show here :
http://ia902608.us.archive.org/29/it...ldMA.mp3?cnt=0

But the passage you describe is around the 25 minute mark, and I don't hear a train wreck at all.

Thanks! I must have the shows mixed up. It was 45 years ago ! ;-). I'd forgotten how on fire Steve Howe was back then. I did witness a big train wreck during Gates of Delirium during the Symphonic tour at an outdoor park in Connecticut. The conductor kept his cool and got them out of it. Other than that they were always remarkably spot on every time I saw them which is very impressive considering how challenging the music is.

[Guitarplyrjvb]

Here's a new restoration of the Wembley '77 footage - thanks to Hed G.

The section where they do Awaken is pretty damn cool. I was at a show on this tour at the Capital Centre in Largo, MD and it was flat out amazing. Alan is a monster here! Wasn't Donovan the backing act? I have the tour program somewhere; I'll have to check.

[calyx]

Thanks! I must have the shows mixed up. It was 45 years ago ! ;-). I'd forgotten how on fire Steve Howe was back then. I did witness a big train wreck during Gates of Delirium during the Symphonic tour at an outdoor park in Connecticut. The conductor kept his cool and got them out of it. Other than that they were always remarkably spot on every time I saw them which is very impressive considering how challenging the music is.

Your memory of where they got it wrong was so specific, I was curious to see how the actual performance sounded. It may well be the show is mislabelled and your memory is correct. It was fun doing a bit of investigation anyway.

[Digital_Man]

I just came across this on youtube. I'm glad at least one news outlet mentioned his passing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25sfcQ45GdA

[Steve983]

The section where they do Awaken is pretty damn cool. I was at a show on this tour at the Capital Centre in Largo, MD and it was flat out amazing. Alan is a monster here! Wasn't Donovan the backing act? I have the tour program somewhere; I'll have to check.

Yes, Donovan supported.

[calyx]

Yes, Donovan supported.

And his band included keyboardist Ronnie Leahy, who later backed Anderson on his "Song Of Seven" album. (Incidentally, he'd also played with Steve Howe in 1972 when, just after Les Harvey tragically died, Howe played a couple of gigs as guitarist with Stone the Crows.)

[Paulrus]

And his band included keyboardist Ronnie Leahy, who later backed Anderson on his "Song Of Seven" album. (Incidentally, he'd also played with Steve Howe in 1972 when, just after Les Harvey tragically died, Howe played a couple of gigs as guitarist with Stone the Crows.)

Ooo... Steve Howe in his prime with Stone the Crows would have been great. Even if he was just improvising around the changes, that would have been fun to see.

[Aquatarkus]

Here's a new restoration of the Wembley '77 footage - thanks to Hed G.

This was the era to see them. So much energy. I am glad I got to see this lineup in 2002 but even as great as that show was, things were slower than they were in 1977. I was too young to see that tour, but my best friend at the time had an older sister whose boyfriend took her to the GFTO tour at the Forum in LA and she didn't know much about the band so I lent her my Yessongs, Relayer and GFTO albums. Her first comment was how cool the artwork was. I remember the night of the gig sitting in my room listening to my Yes records wishing I could be at the show. The next day when I asked her how it was her first comment was what a monster drummer Alan White was.

[Steve983]

And his band included keyboardist Ronnie Leahy, who later backed Anderson on his "Song Of Seven" album. (Incidentally, he'd also played with Steve Howe in 1972 when, just after Les Harvey tragically died, Howe played a couple of gigs as guitarist with Stone the Crows.)

I saw him with Jon on that tour, he also guested on The Steve Howe album.

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