Throw away your life journey blog

Friday, February 18, 2022 11:36 PM

[Translated from Japanese]

I think Yes was the first to come to Japan as a rock band this year. After this, Uriah Heep, David Bowie, Humble Pie, Beck, Bogert & Apis will be in Japan again this year.
In particular, Uriah Heep's arrival in Japan was about the same time as Yes, so it was said that there was a confrontation between "God vs. the Devil", and he was enthusiastic about music magazines.
However, Uriah Heep's live performance was far from the splendor of Jesus, and if it was a match, it was a crushing victory of Yes at 10: 0.

Yes had released a three-disc live album on an analog record called "Yessongs" the previous year. The live album was so great that the performance in Japan was highly anticipated.
In fact, the performance was almost a reproduction of "Yessongs", and I was able to get a glimpse of the detailed techniques of each member. There are five members in Japan, vocal: Jon Anderson, guitar: Steve Howe, bass: Chris Squire, keyboard: Rick Wakeman, drums: Alan White.
Looking back at my memory at the time, I think I had the impression that it would have been better if the drums were Bill Bruford. I think Alan White had the impression that it smelled like a studio musician and didn't smell like rock. Even with that discount, Yes' performance was wonderful and was a narration until later.

Stravinsky's "Phoenix" flows as the lights in the hall fade out. By the time the song gradually got excited, five members were standing by on a dark stage.
Suddenly the opening was "Siberian Khatru" without counting. Reproduction of "Yessongs" at all. The appearance of the live members playing was completely unimaginable from the record. Jon Anderson is petite and has thin lines. Chris Squire is extremely tall and is likely to be 190 centimeters tall. Rick Wakeman wears a sequined cloak that's just dragging. Steve Howe is nervously playing the guitar on his stoop. Steve has a jazz-like semi-acoustic guitar, but he has three guitar stands in front of him, and he plays in the middle of the song.
The performance will be perfectly calculated. On tape? It's the same as "Yessongs". The solo parts of each member are included in the key points, and Rick Wakeman's solo is magnificent and exaggerated, and it feels like a progressive rock. Steve Howe was one of "Mood for a Day" in "Yessongs", but he also performed "Clap" and showed his skill in classical guitar.
The playing time is approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes. It was a perfect Yes world with no gaps in each member's solo part.
There are many irregular time signatures in Yes' songs, but there is also a truly divine one in which the bass is played in 7 time signatures and the guitar is played in 5 time signatures, which made me fully enjoy the real thrill of progressive rock.

As you know, after this Yes became too crazy and went in a more esoteric direction, forcing him to disband for the classic rock band reason of the difference in musicality between the members.
In the 1980s, as a new Yes, I got a lot of attention for a moment, but I think it was during this period that I was able to greatly appeal the meaning of Yes' existence.

I think I was able to experience a really good time.

■ Performance ■ -Opening

(Firebird)
-Siberian Khatru
-I've Seen All Good People
-Heart of the Sunrise
-Colours of the Rainbow
-Jon Anderson Solo-Sakura Sakura
-Steve Howe Solo
~ Mood for A Day ~ Clap
-And You And I
-Close to the Edge
-Rick Wakeman Solo ~ Hallelujah
-Roundabout

Encore:
-Yours Is No Disgrace
-Starship Trooper