Yes or no? (1 Viewer)

[Wheels]

Up until a few years ago, I had always avoided listening to Yes, as their reputation for purveying the most pretentious kind of prog rock always put me off. The music of bands like Genesis/ELP/King Crimson etc; seemed to be concept nonsense played by ridiculously over the top English toff virtuosos. There's nothing punk rock about studying, and Yes were one of the few bands that John Peel flatly refused to suffer. So that was reason enough for me to stay clear. Then I heard 'Heart of the Sunrise' and Fragile and realised the similarities with so much other stuff I'm into now. I can hear their influence in stuff like Max Tundra, Cardiacs, Mars Volta, TRM, a load of the Chicago post rock acts..

I'm still not sure about them. Close to the Edge has it's moments but pisses me off intermittingly, and I haven't heard the Yes Album. I'm told not to venture past the early 70's records.

 

[ratmonkey]

The man from Del Monte likes them.

 

[ernesto]

si

 

[santa claus]

 

[photon]

Up until a few years ago, I had always avoided listening to Yes, as their reputation for purveying the most pretentious kind of prog rock always put me off. The music of bands like Genesis/ELP/Rush etc; seemed to concept nonsense played by ridiculously over the top English toff virtuosos. There's nothing punk rock about studying, and Yes were one of the few bands that John Peel flatly refused to suffer. So that was reason enough for me to stay clear. Then I heard 'Heart of the Sunrise' and Fragile and realised the similarities with so much other stuff I'm into now. I can hear their influence in stuff like Max Tundra, Cardiacs, Mars Volta, TRM, a load of the Chicago post rock acts..

I'm still not sure about them. Close to the Edge has it's moments but pisses me off intermittingly, and I haven't heard the Yes Album. I'm told not to venture past the early 70's records.

Believe it or not, 90125 is actually a great pop album. They are a couple of duds on it, true, but most of it is pretty damn good. "Owner of a Lonely Heart", "Leave It", "It Can Happen"...good stuff. However, it sounds like no other album in their catalogue, being very pop-orientated and not particularly prog at all.

Of the earlier stuff, as you say, each album has its share of highs and lows. Fragile is the only one where the former outnumber the latter (although only just).

Others will disagree, obviously: I know Portrid is something of a fan.

 

[c0De_n1NjA]

i hear you wheels. I'm leaning towards no.

 

[c0De_n1NjA]

but then again, i actually don't really like music in general.
I don't know why i post here, i'm more into sports.

 

[Lefty Frizzell]

Believe it or not, 90125 is actually a great pop album. They are a couple of duds on it, true, but most of it is pretty damn good. "Owner of a Lonely Heart", "Leave It", "It Can Happen"...good stuff. However, it sounds like no other album in their catalogue, being very pop-orientated and not particularly prog at all.

Yeah it has its charms. Named after its catalogue number and the cover is hilarious.

The last tune, 'hearts' is gas.

 

[hermie]

i think the prog-rock stereotypes are mostly justified.it always happens that music that falls out of fashion always becomes cool again for reasons of kitsch, trend, irony, elitism,as a joke.
i've heard fragile.it's supposed to be their best and i have to say i thought it was utter wank.a couple of good ideas don't justify the snowstorm of bollocks that surrounds them

 

[Wölflinge]

czech out Mochipet's " Yes vs Nomeansno"

floors me every time. .|..|

 

[P. Littbarski]

i say yes to yes...early yes in anyways...get yourself The Yes Album, Time and a Word (which has possibly one of the most ludicrous yet brilliant opening 30 seconds ever on No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed..later on in the song it manages to turn into Wild West theme tune music for 15 seconds before morphing back into 70's prog rock...its stupendous ! - see link below for a live performance...although it sounds *better* on the album), Relayer and Close to the Edge.

and hey, if you don't like their albums they only cost around 7 blips anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZML3DMyZ10&search=YES%20footage

 

[Unclealo]

Yes to yes.

It strikes me that alot of people who slag off prog blanketly listen to contemporary music that is just as wanky as anything King Crimson or Yes did. Good prog is good, bad prog is bad.

 

[ernesto]

i thought it was utter wank.a couple of good ideas don't justify the snowstorm of bollocks that surrounds them

says the sonic youth fan.
see ye later

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

i was forced to listen to "close to the edge" a week or so ago (it was a friends way of getting me back for playing all of "the lamb lies down on broadway" while we were boozing) and it was much better than i expected. the instrumental bits were cool - pretty lively and exciting - but the singing bits werent great at all and let the whole thing down badly. anybody who has written off genesis would do well to check out TLLDOB. its fantastic, more pop than prog.

oh, and "the snow goose" by camel is rubbish. i found that the prog archives were no help in discovering good prog at all and actually recommended all sorts of muck.

 

[photon]

Good prog is good, bad prog is bad.

If it's good, it's "art rock", if it's bad, it's "prog rock."

 

[SONYMEGADRIVE]

the snowstorm of bollocks that surrounds them

do you live in 1972 or something?

anyway, Yes

the lamb lies down on broadway is amazing

 

[Lefty Frizzell]

I watched the BBC Rock Family Trees on Yes last week. Its got some great footage/interviews. Well worth getting.

 

[snakybus]

In Holland, they're called Yesh.

 

[george mcfly]

Fragile is prog rock as it should be played

bass furiously hunched over pumping at fist
spurting dynamics!
one of my favourite albums ever

 

[Lefty Frizzell]

In Holland, they're called Yesh.

Focush ripped them offsh.