yes - holy lamb (song for harmonic convergence) (studio-1987) big generator was weak, BUT ...

[mr_lebowski]

I absolutely love the last song on it.

I know what you're thinking ... with a title like holy lamb (song for harmonic convergence) ... it's gotta be cheesy, right?

Well, I'm here to tell ya ... you're not wrong.

But ... it's also pretty damn beautiful AND super catchy.

And tell me it doesn't sound like a lost Hi Infidelity track?

[Haggis for Breakfast]

1. Back in the day,

I was a H U G E Yes fan. Seen them - old line up, new line-up, combined line-up - lots of times. Have all of the albums. I even remember the Harmonic Convergence Festival. Jon Anderson has always lived on another plane from the rest of us, but that voice. OMG, that voice ! And he can STILL nail all of those old tunes. (He's one of the few alto-tenors of our times.)

Ok, closet confession. At one time, I knew ALL THE WORDS to "Topographic Oceans." The record that forced Rick Wakeman from the group, claiming he didn't understand ". . . what the Hell that was all about."

Thanks for the stroll down Memory Lane, mr. lebowski.

[mr_lebowski]

2. You got me, I only saw 90125 (twice), Big Generator, and Union tours ...

They were all awesome though. Very cool seeing everyone on the Union tour.

And of course I love The Yes Album, Fragile, CTTE, Relayer, GFTO, and 90125. Listened to all those so much in High School. I also rather like the ABW&H record from 1988 I think it was. Some solid stuff on there. Oh, and Yessongs of course ...

The rest of their albums for me are more hit and miss, some great songs, some not so great songs ... like Ritual is the only song on Tales I've put on in the last 25 years at least.

Happy to brighten your evening

[Haggis for Breakfast]

3. Not just my evening,

You started my weekend.

Got me digging through the albums. Got "Fragile" in the CD player right now.

I was always amazed at Chris Squire's bass playing. He really elevated the bass. Took it out of the rhythm section and put it front and center. Made it a solo instrument. What an inspiration he was. Folks who wonder where Geddy Lee (and I am a SERIOUS fan of Rush - got all of their CDs, too.) got some of his inspiration from, need look no further. In fact, when Yes was FINALLY inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of (in)Fame(y), Squire was gone, having died in AZ a year earlier of a rare form of an even rarer form of Leukemia. So, Yes asked Geddy Lee to play Squire's parts on the songs they sung at the induction ceremony.

When it was announced that Yes was going to be inducted, my spouse turned to me and asked who would play bass. I said, "There's only one man alive qualified." Geddy Lee said it was an honor, and he didn't deviate one bit from the master's work.

Too bad, "Topographic Oceans" was never released on CD . . .

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. "Too bad, "Topographic Oceans" was never released on CD . . ."

Not sure what you mean. Please explain.

[mr_lebowski]

6. Well, I certainly don't see how anyone could like ONLY one of the two bands ...

I love them both too

I was ecstatic when they finally made it into the Hall. Way overdue.

I cannot argue one bit about Squire, he was a freaking virtuoso and an incredible writer as well. Gone way too soon, felt like part of me died when he died.

Great that Geddy was around still to fill in for the Hall, but there's at least a COUPLE other bassists I wouldn't have exactly looked askance at ... for example ... this man ...

[Haggis for Breakfast]

7. Oh, don't get me wrong,

there are some FINE bassists out there, I just thought that Geddy was the best fit for Yes.

Great bass players -- Les Claypool (Have you seen some of the work he did with Sean Ono Lennon ?), the late Cliff Burton (What incredible licks !), Jaco, Flea (One of my absolute favorites. That man's head must be on a swivel. If he could bottle and sell his energy, I'd be his best client.), and some older guys too : Jack Bruce, Bootsy, The Ox (There's a biography of him on the way.), JPJones, Geezer, Mel Schacher, Stanley Clarke, "Duck" Dunn and Lemmy. Can't leave out Larry Graham (slap, slap).

Yeah, I'm a rhythm-section kind of soul. But I confess, I don't recognize the gentleman in your photo.

[mr_lebowski]

8. That would be ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Levin

I agree Geddy was THE perfect choice. Jaco, Les or Flea were the other people I was thinking of when said I could think of some others who'd have also been very able replacements as well.

But Tony Levin was the first other person I thought of.

Among the 500+ albums he's been on ... he was the bass player in Anderson Bruford Wakeman & Howe. And somewhat strangely, appeared on the Yes - Union album as well (at least some song(s)). I'd guess on the songs with Bruford on the drums.

He's also the bassist on every Peter Gabriel album. And on 80's and 90's King Crimson albums (with Bill Bruford). And on Still Crazy After All These Years. And Welcome to My Nightmare. And Double Fantasy. And Momentary Lapse of Reason. And Lou Reed's Berlin. And Robbie Robertson's 1987 eponymous debut ... Etc ...

[Haggis for Breakfast]

9. THAT is one impressive resume !

In his wiki page, it says that Levin played with (Oh be still, my musician's heart) BUDDY RICH. Now THAT is one hellova stat. I love(d) Buddy Rich. I've never tried to be a drummer, because once I saw Buddy Rich (for the first time on the old Johnny Carson show), I knew I could never get even close to being that good. What an amazing man, larger than life.

It's funny, but I have many of the albums/artists that you enumerated on Mr. Levin's LONG resume of playing. I never realized that was him. He's damned good. I don't think he's ever gotten the recognition he deserves.

Thanks for the back n' forth. A musician since I was four, I love talking music with others. Music is like air to me.

[mr_lebowski]

10. Absolutely brothah ...

Yeah, now you see why I mentioned him as 2nd after Geddy, some real Yes connections with Tony ... plus he's a badass. Pretty sure Christopher would've approved

Buddy is a legend fo sho too.

Til next time, see you 'round

[Haggis for Breakfast]

11. Look forward to it.

[Ferrets are Cool]

4. Ditto what you said...

and, I always thought Magnification was very under appreciated.