Steve Howe: Doubt Over Future Yes Albums

[man2god]

http://www.prog-sphere.com/2012/11/2...re-yes-albums/



Steve Howe: Doubt Over Future Yes Albums

November 23, 2012 by Nikola Savić
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Yes guitarist Steve Howe doesn’t know whether the band will record any more albums – because he’s not sure if fans want to hear new music.

They released Fly From Here in 2011, but Howe admits that when it comes to thinking about a follow-up, “it’s something that I kind of fight myself about.”

He tells the Dallas Observer: “You take bands like Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones – bands bigger than anything I’ve been in. They make new records and nobody cares. The people want to hear Satisfaction.

“I think The Who had one of the most disappointing results when they put out that last album. It was practically ignored – and they are The Who.

“That goes with Yes as well – people want to hear Close To The Edge. We love it too. We love the new music but it doesn’t have the familiarity.”

Howe also believes times have changed for the band and the way it operates, not least because his creative partnership with former singer Jon Anderson has ended.

“If we were to come out with something as good as Close To The Edge, that would be a major achievement,” the guitarist reflects. “The collaboration on those early records between Jon Anderson and I was amazing. There was a remarkable sense of teamwork. I don’t know how we did it back then – it doesn’t work the same way now.”

He’s also unsure whether Yes and Asia will team up for another tour together. “It wasn’t an easy thing to pull off,” he reports. “There were some complications, but, musically, it was a successful tour.

“My wife was not very happy when I decided to do those tours – she thought I was taking on too much. She thought it was going to drive me into the ground.

“But I’m very organised. The max time I was on stage with Yes was two and a half hours. I told my wife it wasn’t any different dividing that time up between two bands. Instead of having an interval and coming back with the same band, I was having an interval and coming back with a different band.

“It helped her understand what I was doing, and it helped me understand that I wasn’t working any longer.”

[bondegezou]

Another example of the poor state of online music journalism, if you ask me! That article is simply taking quotes from this new interview, http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/dc9/..._all_about.php , which puts things in slightly more context.

While Howe is expressing a sentiment, as far as I know, Yes are, nevertheless, actively working towards recording a new studio album in 2013. Squire/Davison/White have been particularly busy writing material.

Henry

[ItalProgRules]

I'm really hoping they do an album with Jon Davison on vocals, so here's hoping this isn't true.

[man2god]

Wow, the article I posted is a hack job, wish I knew about the original source, I never would have posted the article here.

As far as I care, and because the article was misleading, I wouldn't mind at all if this thread is pulled/closed.

[Ridge]

Thanks a million for the link to the proper interview Henry. It does put things into context.

[Sean]

"Perhaps we can rustle you up some barbecue."

LOL!

[Squids]

The big difference to me is whether they want to make a YES record or they want to make their latest music, whatever that may be, and just called it "YES". They have invented what a "YES" record is time and time again (woops wrong band haha). So if "Close To The Edge" is the example of a GREAT Yes record then that's the 'standard' of quality to go for if they want to make another "GREAT" Yes record. If they don't know how they did it then that could be a problem getting there. This is where outside help comes in handy. An objective point of view. I believe another great Yes record could be made. But, I don't think any of them really want to do that. They'd rather make the record they want to make and call it Yes regardless. Fair enough. I don't blame them for doing that. It's their right (whoever has control of the band name that is). But, it would be interesting if some of these 60's & 70's artists WERE to make an album as good as their iconic classics if that would get noticed or ignored just the same... maybe it wouldn't make a difference! Then I suppose it really doesn't matter. But, if more people bought the last Who album because it was 'up there' with "Who's Next" that would be interesting to see. Too bad we can't see if that would be the case as none of these bands are making records as good as they used to. I like Fly From Here mind you but it's not Going for the One or Close To The Edge... it's not Drama either. My opinion of course.

[polmico]

A Grounding in Numbers is as good as anything VdGG did in the 70s.

[Rickenbacker]

Interesting that Howe even thinks this. Gives us a bit of insight as to how the band perceives the fans.

[meimjustalawnmower]

But, if more people bought the last Who album because it was 'up there' with "Who's Next" that would be interesting to see. Too bad we can't see if that would be the case as none of these bands are making records as good as they used to.

There's a lot more to it than that. Endless Wire was 1000 times better than anything The Who did after 1978 (and I would argue even earlier) with possibly the exception of some of Pete's solo stuff. You have to take into account the decrease of brick and mortars, radio, the godawful focus of the recording industry, and all kinds of other stuff. The average band has maybe only one great song, much less an album or two. We're too spoiled, and now they are too. So now Howe says that they can't recapture the old magic? Wow. Color me surprised.

[man2god]

Yes needs to talk Eddy Offord out of retirement to produce the next (last?) Yes album. The best songs/albums Yes did were when he co-produced and engineered for them. If they can't work with Anderson anymore, Offord is the person to bring back into the fold. IMO.

[bRETT]

The question for me is why Howe releases plenty of music as a solo artist, largely for the sake of being a musician, and knowing that it won't sell platinum. Don't understand why he thinks Yes should be held to a different standard, that they shouldn't make an album unless it can compete with the ones that really sold. For that matter Asia probably guessed that their third reunion album would do about as well as the two previous ones, yet they went for it-- made an album that fans liked, probably turned a modest profit, and reminded the punters they were still around. Why should Yes be any different?

Unless the answer is that Yes simply dont enjoy making music together, which I wouldn't think is the case with this unusually harmonious lineup.

[AncientChord]

Lack of leadership and direction is the problem with YES. They need the dictator back...yup...Jon Anderson is who I'm talking about! Jon always guided the band in the RIGHT direction, and the fruits of his labor always paid off. Their energy batteries have been worn out for quite some time now, and they've become a sad shadow of their former selves. I NEVER EVER thought that the band would stoop so low since the demise of Anderson/Wakeman. Fly From Here was a sad and desperate attempt to bring the band back, using an old theme surrounded by soulless, spiritless and lack-luster lyrics. I won't argue with those that disagree, but IMO to me YES will never be YES without Jon.

[Paulrus]

The best songs/albums Yes did were when (Eddie Offord) co-produced and engineered for them.

Guess what? They would have been the best songs/albums no matter *who* was producing them.

I do agree that without Jon on the writing team the chances of producing another CTTE or "Awaken" are close to nil. This is because 1) Jon was responsible for most of the cosmic flights of fancy in the arrangements, and 2) IMO he was responsible for most of the unpredictable edginess in the music. Even if he wasn't personally responsible for the magic on record, it was his guiding spirit that gave the others tacit permission to push beyond their comfort zones. Everything they've done without him has usually been technically solid and harmonically interesting, but it's never matched the classic stuff in terms of inventiveness.

By the same token, Jon's tastes in music have evolved to where his interest in rock has dropped to almost zero while his proclivity for airy-fairy, new age fluff has skyrocketed. In the good old days the two were much more balanced in his writing. Unfortunately the rest of Yes seem to have little interest in the kind of music Jon writes these days, and he's no longer content with being a mere co-equal contributor. My read is that the process of making music with the other guys is so painful and the rewards so small that unless Jon can have creative control it's just not worth it to be involved.

This is all my read on the situation. FWIW.

[meimjustalawnmower]

Your move...

[Moonchild_deleted]

I miss Jon. Yes died when he left. Fly From Here is god-awful pap. i don’t even consider it a ‘yes’ album, just sub-par Asia/Buggles sounding crap.

[bondegezou]

Yes needs to talk Eddy Offord out of retirement to produce the next (last?) Yes album. The best songs/albums Yes did were when he co-produced and engineered for them. If they can't work with Anderson anymore, Offord is the person to bring back into the fold. IMO.

Offord did recently come out of retirement to produce a (non-prog) band called The Midnight Moan. I don't think Offord producing is going to change Yes's chances of making a great album much.

Wow, the article I posted is a hack job, wish I knew about the original source, I never would have posted the article here.

It's all too common nowadays. Some sites feel they have to generate new blog posts all the time and one way to do that is to turn someone else's interview into an article.

Henry

[bondegezou]

The question for me is why Howe releases plenty of music as a solo artist, largely for the sake of being a musician, and knowing that it won't sell platinum. Don't understand why he thinks Yes should be held to a different standard, that they shouldn't make an album unless it can compete with the ones that really sold. For that matter Asia probably guessed that their third reunion album would do about as well as the two previous ones, yet they went for it-- made an album that fans liked, probably turned a modest profit, and reminded the punters they were still around. Why should Yes be any different?

Unless the answer is that Yes simply dont enjoy making music together, which I wouldn't think is the case with this unusually harmonious lineup.

Well, Yes are, as far as I know, making music together and are planning an album for 2013. They seem to be getting on better with each other than they have for years, although I think that means a professional relationship rather than being bosom buddies. I think you have to understand Howe's comments in that context. He seems to me to be expressing frustration at how many fans react to an old band's new album. I don't think that's simply about sales either (and Fly from Here sold well for a modern prog album).

Henry

[NotTheMama]

You gotta love this:

"I'm not one of those guitarists that wants to be noodling all of the time. Even with Yes, there were places where I wasn't even playing."

[Scott Bails]

Lack of leadership and direction is the problem with YES. They need the dictator back...yup...Jon Anderson is who I'm talking about! Jon always guided the band in the RIGHT direction, and the fruits of his labor always paid off. Their energy batteries have been worn out for quite some time now, and they've become a sad shadow of their former selves. I NEVER EVER thought that the band would stoop so low since the demise of Anderson/Wakeman. Fly From Here was a sad and desperate attempt to bring the band back, using an old theme surrounded by soulless, spiritless and lack-luster lyrics. I won't argue with those that disagree, but IMO to me YES will never be YES without Jon.

Right, right. Because Union and Open Your Eyes were masterpieces!!!!


They're MUCH better off without Anderson. Let both factions do their own thing - they're both better for it.

[Frumious B]

Said it before, but they all need to stop dicking around, Jon Anderson included, and think about their legacy and the profound debt that they owe each other for the lives they have been so fortunate to lead.

[Scott Bails]

Very wishful thinking, Frumious. They're all too ego-driven and self-centered to ever consider any "personal debt that they owe each other for the lives they have been so fortunate to lead. "

[Frumious B]

I can't generate much in the way of enthusiasm for the prospect of yet another "one and done" Yes reboot with the second replacement singer in four years.

[Scott Bails]

Can't say I'm surprised.

But, y'know, some of us like to keep an open mind and actually hear it before we dismiss anything.


Crazy thought, I know.

[meimjustalawnmower]

Right, right. Because Union and Open Your Eyes were masterpieces!!!!