Mom's and YES

[mageestout]

Here's another "family" oriented YES story.....

I've been listening to YES all of my life - being that my mother is a fabulous lady and raised me on good music. By time I was old enough to enjoy concerts I was 13 or 14 and I just missed the 90125 tour. The first time I was able to see the boys live was the BIG GENERATOR tour. My mom's best friend was able to get us 2nd row seats!!!!! This meant that along with my buddies, my mom & her friend were going to the concert too. This wasn't an embarassment in my world because I'd been to concerts with my mother and my friends before (David Lee Roth's EAT 'EM AND SIMLE tour comes to mind.... actually as an adult she & I went to Symphonic YES and YES's 35th anniversary tour together). Anyway I digress....

My mom brought flowers with her for Jon. and being that we were in the second row when the boys came on stage she rushed to the stage, we lifted her up as Jon held out his hand. My mom handed Jon the flowers and said "Welcome to Philadelphia!!" and gave him a hug. Being a 16 year old and having your mom on stage with Jon was pretty damn cool.

For the show we were sitting was right in front of "doctor" Chris and his gear. A few times during the show he walked right up to where we were, leaned down and gave is the thumbs up as his played a note. Quite cool. My mom's friend was quoted that night as saying: "Jesus Christ! We were right in front off the bass amp. It was so loud I thought my t--s were going to fall off!"

Another sideline was during that tour we went to YESFEST that week and my mom was standing by the door and literally bumped into Rick Wakeman as he entered the hall.

[Ernie90125]

My mom's friend was quoted that night as saying: "Jesus Christ! We were right in front off the bass amp. It was so loud I thought my t--s were going to fall off!"

:sofunny:
:BassPostIcon:
:gig:

[YesScots]

Great story!

Thanks for sharing...

Ali

[SouthSideGuy]

:dog:

[yeskat]

My son was eleven when he went to his first Yes concert and got to meet Jon, Steve, Chris & Rick. He loves good music today. I believe in getting your kids into good music at an early age... that way you may not have to worry about having to listen to rap or hip hop later on! :note:

[cinderella]

I believe in getting your kids into good music at an early age... that way you may not have to worry about having to listen to rap or hip hop later on! :note:

I took my son Eric to the Union concert back in '91. He always liked Yes music and enjoyed seeing them live.

I drove him to school for 3 years so he listened to my music in the car each day. Now he's introducing his girlfriend to bands she's never heard of like Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Deep Purple..... etc. It's hilarious. :winknudge

[yesanneyes]

I took my son Eric to the Union concert back in '91. He always liked Yes music and enjoyed seeing them live.

I drove him to school for 3 years so he listened to my music in the car each day. Now he's introducing his girlfriend to bands she's never heard of like Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Deep Purple..... etc. It's hilarious. :winknudge

So true!!!!!! My son is 8 and 1/2 and loves YES. He was really looking forward to his first YES concert (row 11 center stage!). He talks about the band members like they're family. I used to play "The Meeting" etc. on my way to work when I was pregnant all the time, and that's one of his favorites.... He asks me all the time, "Mommy, how is Jon? Have you heard anything???". He loves classical music, too, and now has an appreciation for any good, intelligent music. I just love that. I'll be gone someday, but I know that his children are going to listen to YES also. What a great thing it is to be a mom and do good things for your kids that will stay for generations, not to mention the good values etc. we can instill.

[tardistraveler]

Very cool story!

Yes transcends the generations - the true test of great music! ;)

[mageestout]

I believe in getting your kids into good music at an early age... that way you may not have to worry about having to listen to rap or hip hop later on! :note:

Amen to that. My daughter is only 2 but is already singing Beatles lyrics (YES lyrics are a bit difficult at this point, but she listens to them).

I'm pretty open minded to a degree but as for rap & hip hop, that is NOT music. Music is a positive expression of thought & emotion, not the putting down of women, glorification of violence and shallowness of personality.

Then again we all know Jon is the ORIGINAL GANGSTA!!!
Evidence: Listen to the fist 2 minute of THE REVELAING SCIENCE OF GOD. Word!

[tardistraveler]

Amen to that. My daughter is only 2 but is already singing Beatles lyrics (YES lyrics are a bit difficult at this point, but she listens to them).

I'm pretty open minded to a degree but as for rap & hip hop, that is NOT music. Music is a positive expression of thought & emotion, not the putting down of women, glorification of violence and shallowness of personality.

Then again we all know Jon is the ORIGINAL GANGSTA!!!
Evidence: Listen to the fist 2 minute of THE REVELAING SCIENCE OF GOD. Word!

I disagree with you about your definition of music. I think music, like any art, is just a sonic expression of the artist. Whether or not I like it has no bearing on whether it's music or not.

I agree with you that much rap and hip-hop glorify a lifestyle that I don't think is productive, and the lyrics are demeaning to many people. It's not my thing as a genre, but by my definition, it IS music, just not music I like . . . :rolleyes:

And I love your comparison of the beginning of RSOG to rap! If all rap was THAT cool, I'd be a fan! :winknudge

[mageestout]

And I love your comparison of the beginning of RSOG to rap! If all rap was THAT cool, I'd be a fan! :winknudge

Yeah, could you see Jon with a baseball cap on sideways with some bling jewlery hanging around his neck while his size 36 waist jeans shorts are hanging off his butt...Then there's Steve with a big gold tooth in place of the area where he's now missing one....ahhh and Chris wearing a "wife beater" T shirt and shouting "Onward...to da BOOTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[tardistraveler]

Yeah, could you see Jon with a baseball cap on sideways with some bling jewlery hanging around his neck while his size 36 waist jeans shorts are hanging off his butt...Then there's Steve with a big gold tooth in place of the area where he's now missing one....ahhh and Chris wearing a "wife beater" T shirt and shouting "Onward...to da BOOTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Shudder . . .

NOT a pretty image to conjure . . . :rolleyes:

But funny . . . lol!

[AmyK]

My Mom is a big Genesis, Peter Gabriel and Jethro Tull fan. My Dad was the Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Genesis, Steely Dan type. Both liked Yes, but neither were big fans. They did have Fragile in the LP collection.

The apple does not far from the tree. There are probably yet to be discovered mixing of various rock genes that create a Yesfan :)

[Scooty]

My Mum, Gawd bless her, just doesn't get it. Jon's voice is like nails on a chalk board to her, the music is too cacaphonic to her ears. She does, however, respect my love of their music and can name every member in and out, I think once she told me that she likes Wonderous Stories and the Wurm section of Starship Trooper, but that's about where it ends.

[yes372]

I was lucky. I had a very cool Mom. She bought me the 'Meet the Beatles' album when it came out in 1964 and she always had an interest in the music I liked. After I got married in 1974, I was surprised that she went out and bought many albums for herself that she knew I was fond of, including several by Yes. She particularly enjoyed lots of Rick Wakeman's solo work. In 1976, kinda as a joke at first, I asked her if she would like to go with me and my wife to a Yes concert. To my surprise, she said, "sure, why not?" So together we went (Mom was 49 at the time) to the Yes solo tour (opening act was the Pousette-Dart Band). She had a great time (though a bit disappointed that Rick wasn't in the band at the time) and we would often talk about that show as the years went by. I lost her in 2004, but I will always remember how she encouraged my love of music. I miss her every day.

[Mae1]

On the other end of the spectrum...I'm the big "Yes" fan. I live with my 83 year old mother. I'll call to check in on her from work and she'll sometimes say, "Yeah...I'm playing the `Keys to Ascension' double CD," or "I've got Yes Classics," on...She's watched endless DVDs and loves "Symphonic Yes," esp. Roundabout. When Jon had his attack, she would get up in the morning and ask, "Have you gone online yet? How's Jon doing?" It's pretty funny.
She's also started to like Foreigner and a couple of my other groups but she's really gotten into Yes the last few years.:headset: :headset:

[Steve Mahoney]

That a cool story , thank you for sharing it with us.

[yesanneyes]

On the other end of the spectrum...I'm the big "Yes" fan. I live with my 83 year old mother. I'll call to check in on her from work and she'll sometimes say, "Yeah...I'm playing the `Keys to Ascension' double CD," or "I've got Yes Classics," on...She's watched endless DVDs and loves "Symphonic Yes," esp. Roundabout. When Jon had his attack, she would get up in the morning and ask, "Have you gone online yet? How's Jon doing?" It's pretty funny.
She's also started to like Foreigner and a couple of my other groups but she's really gotten into Yes the last few years.:headset: :headset:


That is the sweetest thing I ever heard - your mom is very cool I see. Welcome to Yesfans!

[AmyK]

On the other end of the spectrum...I'm the big "Yes" fan. I live with my 83 year old mother. I'll call to check in on her from work and she'll sometimes say, "Yeah...I'm playing the `Keys to Ascension' double CD," or "I've got Yes Classics," on...She's watched endless DVDs and loves "Symphonic Yes," esp. Roundabout. When Jon had his attack, she would get up in the morning and ask, "Have you gone online yet? How's Jon doing?" It's pretty funny.
She's also started to like Foreigner and a couple of my other groups but she's really gotten into Yes the last few years.:headset: :headset:

This is such a sweet story...inspirational as well. I plan on rocking on many decades from now, and I'll remember this. Have you ever played Symphonic Led Zepplin for her?

[Mae1]

I think the dancing orchestra members on the DVD are part of the appeal...but here's another cute story about the first time I realized she was becoming a yes fan...

About four or five years ago, we were watching television and some nameless band was playing and the guitarist broke into a solo. She looked at me, sighed and said, "Well, he's no Steve Howe."

[yesdre]

Before my son was born he had listend to Tales of Topographic Oceans a lot! When he was was born he recongnized the music. And became very calm and satisfied as the album played. He is three years old now, and i can confess...that trick doesn't work anymore!!!! LOL.
On his birthcard was the text "soft as a dove" of the Magnification album. Those words are so pure and full of love to me.

[yesyadda]

That is such a neat story. Welcome to the site.
(I love Tales!)

[Steve Mahoney]

Before my son was born he had listend to Tales of Topographic Oceans a lot! When he was was born he recongnized the music. And became very calm and satisfied as the album played. He is three years old now, and i can confess...that trick doesn't work anymore!!!! LOL.
On his birthcard was the text "soft as a dove" of the Magnification album. Those words are so pure and full of love to me.

Awesome

[All Good People]

In June 1976 my girlfriend and I had just broken up. I ended up taking my mother to see YES (w/Moraz) in Nashville, center stage 4th row. During Roundabout, she got up on the chair and began clapping. Very fun!

[crotale2112]

In June 1976 my girlfriend and I had just broken up. I ended up taking my mother to see YES (w/Moraz) in Nashville, center stage 4th row. During Roundabout, she got up on the chair and began clapping. Very fun!

Yup.............. same kinda thing. I had an extra ticket to see jon anderson with kitaro at radio city music hall. WOW!! What a show. Now that I think back she saw an amazing show.They played hearts from 90125. It sounded like yes dipped in soy sauce. Sence she know's howe much I love yes, we both look back and know how cool of a night that was. She thought it was a bit silly that jon had some kind of fluffy pillow thing to stand on throughout the show. Years and years of pounding drumming in the house and she was very cool about it. I love my mommy.
:drummer:

[yesanneyes]

Yup.............. same kinda thing. I had an extra ticket to see jon anderson with kitaro at radio city music hall. WOW!! What a show. Now that I think back she saw an amazing show.They played hearts from 90125. It sounded like yes dipped in soy sauce. Sence she know's howe much I love yes, we both look back and know how cool of a night that was. She thought it was a bit silly that jon had some kind of fluffy pillow thing to stand on throughout the show. Years and years of pounding drumming in the house and she was very cool about it. I love my mommy.
:drummer:

You're so sweet and adorable I bet your mommy loves you so much! That's really a nice story. I would liked to have seen Jon with Kitaro.

[Surely! Surely!]

I think the dancing orchestra members on the DVD are part of the appeal...but here's another cute story about the first time I realized she was becoming a yes fan...

About four or five years ago, we were watching television and some nameless band was playing and the guitarist broke into a solo. She looked at me, sighed and said, "Well, he's no Steve Howe."


How can you not love an 83-yr-old Mom that's a Steve Howe fan?! She is wise beyond her years!!

Michelle

[CloseToTheHedge]

I'm vaguely jealous of you people who have parents/children whom you get along with in terms of musical taste - I don't have any problem with what my mum likes, of course, but she basically stopped listening to pretty much any new music since she was 25 I think, and she only remembers it if it's the Beatles or Simon and Garfunkel etc. But she's never heard of progressive rock, and from the bits of classic Yes she's heard while I'm listening, I can tell from her face she thinks it's that strange drug-inspired 70s stuff that makes no sense and should therefore be disregarded.


Sadly there is no hope of getting my mum interested in Yes - although she might like stuff like Wonderous Stories, she won't catch herself showing any interest in anything I introduce to her. She wants to insist she's "beyond getting trapped into new attachments" (strictly speaking I can understand her viewpoint, I guess)

I might mention she does give me very strange looks when I'm watching clips of people her age jamming in live performances, though... I need to remind her that not every 55~65 year old is like her and her acquaintences ;)
Helps having parents around the age of the Yesmen though, I stopped being shocked every time I thought about Chris's size when I remembered those photos of my dad in his twenties!

[Steve Mahoney]

You're so sweet and adorable I bet your mommy loves you so much! That's really a nice story. I would liked to have seen Jon with Kitaro.

Kitaro is very clever , very clever to work with Jon.

[yeskat]

I'm vaguely jealous of you people who have parents/children whom you get along with in terms of musical taste - I don't have any problem with what my mum likes, of course, but she basically stopped listening to pretty much any new music since she was 25 I think, and she only remembers it if it's the Beatles or Simon and Garfunkel etc. But she's never heard of progressive rock, and from the bits of classic Yes she's heard while I'm listening, I can tell from her face she thinks it's that strange drug-inspired 70s stuff that makes no sense and should therefore be disregarded.


Sadly there is no hope of getting my mum interested in Yes - although she might like stuff like Wonderous Stories, she won't catch herself showing any interest in anything I introduce to her. She wants to insist she's "beyond getting trapped into new attachments" (strictly speaking I can understand her viewpoint, I guess)

I might mention she does give me very strange looks when I'm watching clips of people her age jamming in live performances, though... I need to remind her that not every 55~65 year old is like her and her acquaintences ;)
Helps having parents around the age of the Yesmen though, I stopped being shocked every time I thought about Chris's size when I remembered those photos of my dad in his twenties!


Wow, that's kinda sad. When I was a teenager my mom was pushing 60 and she even kinda liked YES. She said they had a nice melody. It was a far cry to when the Beatles first appeared and she was convinced they were of the Devil!

[rmig68]

I can't believe my mother would let me crank Sound Chaser on the living room stereo. This was the mid-late 70's and that was the only real good stereo in the house. I was like, 10 years old.

She must have thought I was whacko, because I'd also have a Gene Simmons poster of him spitting out blood on my bedroom wall.

I've always had a broad range of musical interests, but those two things (a study in contrast) back then, surely pointed to a son who was "a little weird."

[rmig68]

Helps having parents around the age of the Yesmen though, I stopped being shocked every time I thought about Chris's size when I remembered those photos of my dad in his twenties!
:dog:

Yeah, I'm 42 and I am quite often shocked when I see pictures of myself from my 20's.

Even at my age, nature, through evolution, reminds us that clogged arteries and fat is a way to "cull the herd," so the next generation can have plenty of resources, so they can live and reproduce. (As was meant to be when humans were less techno) In other words, our metabolism slows for a reason. Eat too much and die, (i.e. taking food from the young= death) For some reason, food tastes better too when you're older.

I think God wants my stank ass soon.

I'm the classic now. I look at food. I'z a gonna git fat, yo.

[Surely! Surely!]

:dog:

Yeah, I'm 42 and I am quite often shocked when I see pictures of myself from my 20's.

Even at my age, nature, through evolution, reminds us that clogged arteries and fat is a way to "cull the herd," so the next generation can have plenty of resources, so they can live and reproduce. (As was meant to be when humans were less techno) In other words, our matabolism slows for a reason. Eat too much and die, (i.e. taking food from the young= death) For some reason, food tastes better, too when you're older.


I think God wants my stank ass soon.

I'm the classic now. I look at food. I'z a gonna git fat, yo.



LMMMAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I know what you mean!

[rmig68]

LMMMAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I know what you mean!

It's true. I start remembering the big picture every time I eat a cheeseburger. Enjoy it now, because the grand design (that nobody wants to admit) is that the more a drag you are on the herd (again, in the natural scheme of things) and eat food meant for "the next ones", the faster your ass is outta here.

Salts, fats and sugars were extremely important for the early human scavengers, so, whoever was "getting up there" in years and ate too much of those (elements beneficial to the young human, still growing but in reproductive maturity) bought a QuikPass down the slippery slope.

Nature has a way of "correcting" gluttony.

...and a reason.

[Relayer_KC]

It's great reading these posts about Moms & Yes. My mom is also 83. She LOOOOVES Phil Collins! Thinks he's great! She can tolerate YES music, but her fav is Frank Sinatra (I think?). She's from the big band era. But i've explained to her the difference between going to a Yes show and going to a Black Sabbath or Van Halen, (insert headbanger band) show.

In my early, musically formative years, my older bro had Jimmy Hendrix, Cream, Iron Bfly, BEATLES albums, Beatles were his fav. Also Mr. Zappa was a fav! So i got an early education in music! Plus, i had to take piano lessons! Picture an 8 yr. old w/those old headphones on, listening to "are you experienced" on the turntable! LOL!!!

My son, definitely knows most the words to Yes songs. He's met the boys too at meet & greets & at Yestival. Was schooled early on about Music, who's who & what's what. He was into Punk, but still likes other stuff. And i forced him to take piano lessons too!

kc

[sam]

My mother is 52 and despite being in the age group that would have been the "original" fans of Yes preferred The Bay City Rollers. My father, on the other hand, is/was a fan of Floydy Pink.

[Billy Sherwood HQ]

My Mom shelled out the bucks for me to Fly from Las Vegas to LA so I could see YES in 79. Of course I had to have the t shirts, programms, great seats... I will never forget how she made that dream a reality !! Thanks Ma !!

Later in life after I joined the band I gave my Mom a huge care package of YES swag from the tours and said "I knew one day I would be able to return the favor" hehe...

She also taught me how to play drums, thanks again Ma !!

Cool thread :appl[1]: , always great to honor our parents and loved ones !!

[ToBeOver]

My mother loved Yes music... but, she really didn't have a choice because it was played pretty much non-stop when I was younger by my brother and me!

My father was also a big fan of Yes music and I remember right before he died, I was wearing my Relayer t-shirt and he said, "Yes...." as I was walking away and he saw the design on the back of the t-shirt. It made me cry that he remembered....


:keyboard:

[yesanneyes]

Yesterday afternoon, my mother-in-law who is visiting from Russia (she's 73) was sitting with me in the family room when I got an idea to put on the Montreux DVD to see what she thought. She generally has good taste in music, and a big heart, so I thought - what the heck.

I went through and selected songs that I thought would be more accessible to the ear. I started out with Magnification, In The Presence Of, Show Me, and Steve's solos. She kept putting her hand over her chest and saying, "That's music from the heart....." and making happy sounds. I moved on to Siberian Khatru, and she was hooked.

She also said, "Jon is very good looking".

Is that cool or what?????

[ToBeOver]

Yesterday afternoon, my mother-in-law who is visiting from Russia (she's 73) was sitting with me in the family room when I got an idea to put on the Montreux DVD to see what she thought. She generally has good taste in music, and a big heart, so I thought - what the heck.

I went through and selected songs that I thought would be more accessible to the ear. I started out with Magnification, In The Presence Of, Show Me, and Steve's solos. She kept putting her hand over her chest and saying, "That's music from the heart....." and making happy sounds. I moved on to Siberian Khatru, and she was hooked.

She also said, "Jon is very good looking".

Is that cool or what?????

That's very cool, Anne! There's always a little something for everyone as far as Yes music is concerned.


:keyboard:

[AmorReal]

My mom had never heard of Yes until I started getting into them. She knew a few of their songs, but didn't know who did them. When I was in high school and Yes were touring, we both went to the concert, and she absolutely loved it. She now loves Yes as much as I do.

[Fragyle Ladder]

My dad had me listening to the music he loved before I was even old enough to talk so I can only blame/credit him with the electic taste I have in it today. I don't think I even listened to anything from 1990 on until I was about 20. Some of my favorite memories of being a teenager were the nights when my dad would pull out his old LP's or even his crank up his reel to reel and we'd sit in the living room and listen to music for hours. His tastes range in everything from John Denver to Simon and Garfunkel to ELP to Ravi Shankar to Mussgorsky so I was exposed to a little bit of it all. It was awesome!! So parents..."teach your children well..."