What's the best official live recording of Yes?

[Q]

i recently obtained a copy of Yesshows and found it wasn't as horrible as i had been told. in addition, i read a protest elsewhere on the site that An Evening of Yes Music Plus isn't considered a Yes album - which is technically true but a little nit-picky.

So i began wondering how i myself felt about this issue, and thought it would be worth some discussion ...

[RobAdams]

I voted for YESSONGS - the performances are incredible. However, I find that all the live Yes CDs are wonderful.

YESSONGS was the most generous live album of its' time. A very elaborate package, and three records containing most of the band's greatest songs at the time. Seemingly a daring move at the time, YESSONGS has a live version of every song on their previous album, CLOSE TO THE EDGE, as well as most of the songs on THE YES ALBUM, and a few from FRAGILE. Many of the YESSONGS versions are even better than the originals.

[Q]

I agree - lots of the Yessongs tracks are more exciting there than on the original albums

In addition, the album is an engineering miracle. It was far superior sonically to any other live album of that era, as important among live albums as Alan Parsons' work on DARK SIDE OF THE MOON was among studio albums ...

[RobAdams]

Actually I enjoy all of the live YES stuff.....GATES OF DELIRIUM and RITUAL make YESSONGS a treat. CHANGES, SI, SOLLY'S BEARD and WHITEFISH certainly are great moments on 9012LIVE. The CLASSIC YES cd has what is still my favorite I'VE SEEN ALL GOOD PEOPLE - the only released version with Jon introducing everyone for their solo riffs. YESYEARS has some interesting 1988 versions of AND YOU AND I and HEART OF THE SUNRISE.
And although I'm guilty of nit-picking, I'm willing to call ABWH almost Yes. AN EVENING OF YES MUSIC PLUS has top notch versions of BIRTHRIGHT, THEMES, AND YOU AND I, CLOSE TO THE EDGE and HEART OF THE SUNRISE. It's interesting to hear Jeff Berlin's interpretation of these classics. Not to mention, we finally get to hear Bill Bruford playing live with the guys for more than three songs. KEYS TO ACSENSION wins my heart immediately by offering us a very well played AMERICA, and long overdue live versions of REVEALING SCIENCE OF GOD and AWAKEN. And the unexpected ONWARD is a treat as well. KEYS 2 is a bit less amazing, but it's still a winner. TURN OF THE CENTURY is my favorite here, and the version of TIME AND A WORD is killer. HOUSE OF YES feeds my live Yes cravings well, with a slightly too careful YOURS IS NO DISGRACE, a slightly reworked PERPETUAL CHANGE, another decent AWAKEN, as well as LADDER songs like HOMEWORLD and IT WILL BE A GOOD DAY.

Nice to love a band that has good live albums.

[charl8e]

I voted for KEYS 1 & then regretted it, once i remembered how tarted up are those "live" recordings... i agree that Yessongs is the best, on reflection... like Q, i remembered it as muddy & messy but on a recent listen this didn't seem to be so... maybe an effect of comparing vinyl memories to a remastered CD? also, Yessongs has those great Bruford tracks... no disrespect to AW, but the feel on Perpetual Change and LDR/The Fish is special, as only BB can pull off.

[Flo]

I voted for Yessongs (though I have never listened to An evening of ABWH, nor the House of Yes). Yessongs covers Yes'first period (one of my favourite) with really stunning versions of Close to the Edge, The Yes album and Fragile. There's a lot of energy on that album. Jon is at his best and so is Steve. Besides, that was the first time I ever saw a triple vinyl album.

[BredYes]

I voted for Yessongs, because it includes most of the best songs they ever made. It's been recorded in one of their best periods. Young musicians full of energy playing new songs. There was a very possitive, succesful atmosphere around the band at that time. Although it was intended as a special 3-album for die hard fans, it became a big commercial succes.
I agree with some other people here that some songs are even better than the studio versions. Everybody is playing very well on this album. Steve is at his best, his solo on Yours is no disgrace is one of his finest ever.
I like Yesshows too, however it is somewhat unbalanced in the choices of songs. Gates of delirium and Ritual are the best songs. Chris is at his best on this album, but he is very loud in the mix, probably because he was very involved in the producing process.
9012live gives a good picture of Yes in the eighties, but is not one of my favorites.
I don't understand that ABWH live was recorded at a show Tony Levin was not present. I remember the concert I saw and I was very impressed by his playing. Especially the collabiration with Bruford was excellent. I did not miss Chris Squire at that moment.
On the OYE-tour I changed my view about this, when I saw how important Chris is on stage.
On the recorded show Tony Levin was ill and was replaced by Jeff Berlin. I can imagine how difficult it is to play the complicated bass lines. So he simplified many parts (for example Heart of the Sunrise).
The live songs on Yesyears with Rabin playing Howe parts (Heart of the sunrise) I don't like very much, because I prefer Howe playing his parts and Rabin playing Rabin parts. Beside this Tony Kaye is not capable enough to play some Wakeman lines.
Keys 1 and 2 had some very good moments (America, RSOG). On he other hand, some songs lacked the energy in comparission with Yessongs. The keyboard sound is not always good.
House of Yes is a nice recording, with a mix of 70,80 and Ladder songs. I especially like Homeworld and It will be a good day on this recording.
Now it is waiting for a new live album from the DVD Live in Amsterdam.

[Q]

The point is made above, and correctly so, that Bill Bruford's work on "Perpetual Change" and "Long Distance Runaround" makes all the difference on those tunes.

Though I love most of the live work represented on the Yes live albums, Yessongs and ABWH stand out for me (though some of the Keys II tracks surprised me). I guess Bill Bruford's presence on ABWH Evening of Yes + is what made me vote for it ...

[Jackaranda]

For me it's not close--YESSONGS!! That was the album that made me a Yes fan and they've never topped it.

Keys was spotty for me. I loved RSOG, and the rest was OK, but not that great.

ABWH live is excellent. Especially the ABWH songs.

Yessows, again, is spotty, although Ritual made the album for me. Gates can't be captured properly on a live record, although that version of Soon is another great moment on Yesshows.

9012Live was diappointing because it could have been so much better. Why not put the whole show out? They didn't even do that on the video.

What I wish would happen--I mean REALLY wish would happen, is that they release both CD's and videos from every major tour. Make them available over the internet or something....Jack..

[RobAdams]

Just for the sake of completion - or at least taking us closer to completion - I'd like to see at least something from the DRAMA tour officially released. I hated DRAMA at first, but looking back, it has some great moments.

Originally posted by jack gowen
What I wish would happen--I mean REALLY wish would happen, is that they release both CD's and videos from every major tour.

You are exactly correct Jack. That this has not occurred is a shame and a sin. There is just no excuse for this not having happened. For the solo tours as well. Why is there no video of Jon's Animation solo show? Or his tours with Vangelis? Why are there no videos of Steve's solo shows? What are/were they thinking? People want them. I want them and I want them right now. And I don't care how much they cost. Get them to me.

[Jackaranda]

Originally posted by yessiree


You are exactly correct Jack. That this has not occurred is a shame and a sin. There is just no excuse for this not having happened. For the solo tours as well. Why is there no video of Jon's Animation solo show? Or his tours with Vangelis? Why are there no videos of Steve's solo shows? What are/were they thinking? People want them. I want them and I want them right now. And I don't care how much they cost. Get them to me.

Pat!!!We agree!!! It's a miracle!!! (You know I'm kidding!!!).
Anyway, that's exactly right and I predict someday it'll happen. Maybe not the solo tours, but the Yes tours will all come out someday, I think, but it may be years down the road. I KNOW they have the recordings, because they've said so!!! Be patient.........Jack..

But video recordings too? That's what I want most. And why not solo shows? I want them too and I don't think I'm being greedy! Ok maybe just a little tiny bit, but I still want them!!! And Now!

[Jackaranda]

I want it all and I want it now! That was a Queen song wasn't it?
Be patient, for good things come to those who wait...

Originally posted by jack gowen
Be patient, for good things come to those who wait...

All good things?

[Jackaranda]

Originally posted by yessiree


All good things?

Most do, anyway. Just stick it out a few years. My personal phone psychic told me!!

[RobAdams]

I think it would be a fun idea if someone brilliant would compile a live YES album with a twist. In the spirit of Frank Zappa and the guy who made the 2 CD extended version of the Grateful Dead's 'Dark Star" (GREYFOLDED is what I believe that was called)

By using edits, one could make composite versions of various Yes songs by piecing together different parts from different line-ups. For example, AND YOU AND I could have part 1 from the 72 tour, part 2 from the 91 tour, part 3 from the 79 tour and part 4 from the 96 tour. It would be interesting if at least one song could be put together with as many band members as possible. HEARTS could be a composite of the 84 and 99 tour versions. RITUAL could be edited together from 73, 76 and 00. How about a version of THE FISH with Chris playing 3 or 4 bass solos simultaneously? Maybe not through the whole track, but here and there.

I wonder if Moraz ever played TIME AND A WORD with Yes? That one could be the one that almost all Yes members could be together on. I'd have to check the setlists again.

[Q]

I think that sounds like incredible fun! In fact, I would venture that some enterprising fan has the equipment/software to undertake such a project ...

[Jackaranda]

I thought side 6 of Yessongs to be the best side of album music ever made by anyone, period. Those 2 songs still make for a great ending to a great CD....

[mrgone3]

I don't care for the live albums too much.I bought Yessongs a billion years ago.And as someone stated above.They seemed to be full of energy.Ready to play their new music.Me,I like to see them live and be part of the live experience.JOE

[YesNY]

The albums I would never vote for are the Keys recordings... Overall, Keys is just too sloppy. Howe is definitely not in his best form. Chris bass has the snap, and some crackle, but no pop (too thin, in other words). Alans drum sound, for this particular recording, is not to my liking either. Jon is in good form but too often his voice is filtered and synthesised in misguided attempts expand the sound of the harmonies (big pet peeve of mine). Even "America" was a disappointment, which was a song I was really looking forward to having live on CD.

Stick with Yessongs.

[Q]

Really? I think some of tracks are pretty good, and a couple of them are terrific - but some are also very sloppy, as you say. I guess the lack of consistency is, in itself, a black mark on those albums ...

[RobAdams]

We weren't born yesterday. There is NO WAY you bought YESSONGS a billion years ago.

[mrgone3]

OKAY i and i,I bought Yessongs about 1975.This was during my Yesazoic era.Scientists commonly refer to it as the high school years.I got turned on about then and bought a slew of their stuff to catch up.I'm not the biggest greatest Yes fan out there.But I love these guys as much as you. JOE

Originally posted by mrgone3
I don't care for the live albums too much.I bought Yessongs a billion years ago. Me,I like to see them live and be part of the live experience.JOE

I'm with you on this one mrgone3 though live recordings are very popular on this site. I always prefer the studio versions. Now regarding seeing them live, that's another story entirely.

[Safe]

Well, for what it's worth, I naturally went for Yessongs.
As has already been stated above, it's represents the band at its zenith, full of youthful energy, in context, and with terrific material.

I have to say that I prefer all the live versions on Yessongs over the studio originals. Maybe this has something to do with me being no fan of Bruford's prissy drumming.
For me, White was the missing piece of the jigsaw, really binding the rhythm section together, and allowing the space required, with Howe certainly benefitting the most, for the other members to stretch out.

I don't think that Yessongs is the most cleanly produced live album ever, but this adds to the beauty of the beast.
What is lost in clarity, is more than made up for with sheer energy and an incredible density.

Compare this to the SLO sessions for Keys. Those live versions sure are clean, but give the impression a) that a lot of overdubbing has gone on and b) the clarity of the mixes ulitimately leaves huge holes in the overall sonic picture.

Yessongs is without peer in the Yes canon.

[RobAdams]

YESSONGS gets an awful lot of play in my cd walkman. A wonderful album to take with you while running errands.
Most of the tracks still remain the DEFINITIVE LIVE VERSIONS.

[RobAdams]

If I were to compile a YES LIVE box set collection using only officially released tracks, here's what I'd put together:

FROM 'YESSONGS':
Opening (Firebird Suite); Siberian Khatru; Heart Of The Sunrise; Perpetual Change; Mood For A Day; Six Wives; Long Distance Runaround / The Fish; Close To The Edge; Yours Is No Disgrace; Starship Trooper

FROM 'YESSHOWS':
Parallels; Going For The One; Don't Kill The Whale; Ritual; Wonderous Stories

FROM 'CLASSIC YES':
I've Seen All Good People

FROM '9012LIVE' and single B sides:
Hold On, Si, Solly's Beard; Amazing Grace; It Can Happen (single B side); City Of Love (single B side)

FROM 'YESYEARS':
I'm Down; Changes

FROM 'KEYS TO ASCENSION':
The Revealing Science Of God; America; Onward; Awaken; Roundabout

FROM 'KEYS TO ASCENSION 2':
Time And A Word; Turn Of The Century

FROM 'HOUSE OF YES':
Homeworld; Lighnting Strikes; The Messenger; And You And I; It Will Be A Good Day; Face To Face; Cinema; Owner Of A Lonely Heart

[JL]

This thread came up in 3 days posts. I guess that's a mistake. It would be interesting to see how this question would come out with The Word Is Live in the mix.

I'm really pleased with TWIL, but I still think I would go with Yessongs. I have a twenty five year relationship with that album, and it will always be one of my twenty desert island discs. That said, TWIL is a real treat, especially disc 2.