I rediscovered studio tracks Keys to Ascension

[BredYes]

The last year I listened most of the time to classic Yes albums from the seventies and Magnification.
I thought it was time to listen to something else and I put CD 2 from Keys to Ascension I and CD 2 from Keys to Ascension II in my CD player in my car, so I could listen to all the tracks of Keystudio.
I must say I really enjoyed listen to these tracks I almost forgot. I think the studio tracks are among the most underestimated Yes recordings, even ignored by the band by not playing in live. But songs like That, that is, Be the one and Mind drive really have great moments (for example the duel between Steve and Rick in Mind Drive, and some really strong playing from Chris and Alan).

Yesfans, if you don't know this songs: check it out!

[Byroan]

I know how you feel, I've recently re-discovered the Ladder ,as well as some of the tracks to Keys. I really expected them to play some songs from Keys. I was somewahat disappointed that they didn't. Anybody know why ? Oh yeah, something to do with record company politics wasn't it ? They are touring for the boxed set, more than the Keys cd's. Well I sure hope they record a couple of them live at some point.

[SonicDeath10]

i like the keystudio album a lot.

[Earl Grey]

A fantastic, ignored album: on all levels. I think it's a shame that YES has never even tipped their hat to KEYS Studio.

I, for one of many, would LOVE to hear Mind Drive live. They didn't even play it at San Louis Obispo's Freemont Theatre.

This is one track I think the common consensus says YES on. We would love to hear Mind Drive live... It should be on the Boxed Set. It should be on next year's set-list.

Thank You!

:ele:

[Dragonfly]

As I've stated on other threads about this material, many YesFans still think of the (studio) KEYS TO ASCENSION songs as "the new Yes album". It never really got toured (other than "Children of Light" being played on the OPEN YOUR EYES tour). Rick's good about saying, "if you didn't hear your favorites on this tour, you'll probably hear them on the next." Well, I don't think that includes any of this stuff.

"Mind Drive" wouldn’t be among my first picks. I’d have to say "That, That Is", "Footprints" and "Bring Me To The Power" first. But even "Mind Drive"would be really fun to hear. I could say the same about songs from other albums, but with KTA, this is the same lineup! C’mon guys! Let’s hear ‘em!!!

Dragonfly :fly:

[Timmo]

As I've stated on other threads about this material, many YesFans still think of the (studio) KEYS TO ASCENSION songs as "the new Yes album". It never really got toured (other than "Children of Light" being played on the OPEN YOUR EYES tour). Rick's good about saying, "if you didn't hear your favorites on this tour, you'll probably hear them on the next." Well, I don't think that includes any of this stuff.

"Mind Drive" wouldn’t be among my first picks. I’d have to say "That, That Is", "Footprints" and "Bring Me To The Power" first. But even "Mind Drive"would be really fun to hear. I could say the same about songs from other albums, but with KTA, this is the same lineup! C’mon guys! Let’s hear ‘em!!!

Dragonfly :fly:Glad we finally got our wish! "Mind Drive" live RULES.

TIM
Venice, CA

[jimtim45]

I like you have earlier this year rediscovered the Keystudio material when I burned the studio tracks from KTA 1+2 on to a CD.These tracks for some reason are a lot more enjoyable when they are removed from the classic live material.I consider Keystudio to be one of YES' better "new" albums yet it was nearly overlooked by me?I am looking foward to see them perform Mind Drive live this summer.

[Orbert]

I find it interesting, even suspicious, that the KTA I and II studio tracks total just under 74 minutes. When they first came out, I added them up to see what size tape I'd need (didn't have CD in the car yet), and when I got 74 minutes, I remembered seeing 74-minute cassette tapes in the store and thinking what an odd length that is. Why go with something less than the classic 90-minute cassette?

Because at the time, 74 minutes was the maximum you could put on a single CD. This limit was later bumped up to 80, but it seems to me that the only reason for the existence of 74-minute tapes is because CDs held 74 minutes. Still, why do the seven tracks just happen to fit on a 74-minute CD or tape?

Then I remembered reading an interview, I think it was with Chris, and he said something to the effect that they'd worked with the tunes a bit to get them to total a certain length, something like the way painters of old were commissioned to create a painting with certain dimensions, to fit a certain space on a wall.

So... even though they were released separately, it seems that there was an intention from the start to create a single new studio disc.

Or am I seeing conspiracies where there are none?

Orbert

[RJE]

Did you check to see whether the new songs on each KEYs CD ran 37 minutes or so. This would suggest that they wanted to balance the Live with the New as equally as possible and would lean against the conspiracy theory but would lend it self to a new disk worth of material. Then again, they may simply have had a CD's worth of material but the marketing gods thought mixing in live material and spliting it into two disk was a better strategy. As with all potential conspiracies.....we will never know for sure.....

Roland