Talking about Alan for a bit

[Dances w/PURPLE]

We don't have a thread on Alan to my knowledge. There is a lovely profile that Dexter took on his photos thread of the show in.......Rotterdam I think.

So I can't say I know much about Alan myself. What is his bio?

[Q]

Played for Lennon, played for Cocker, roomed with Eddie ... and he has a brain that can absolutely split down the middle ... brilliant player ...

[Yes Oz]

Alan for me is the "quiet achiever". He has done some solo stuff but did not achieve and/or receive the accolades that the rest of the guys have when they have ventured into this area. I personally have never heard his solo stuff except for a short extract on Yesyears video.

What I have read from various fan reports when meeting the band is that Alan is a real gentleman (must say he comes across that way on video interviews) . Next to Jon he would be the one i would love to meet and talk to.

he has been the yes drummer for 30 yrs so whilst I was brought up on Bill Bruford I am not one of the fans who would welcome Bill back at Alans expense.

can't wait to see him in Oz and just hope I get the opportunity to meet the great man. If I do I won't be slow in letting you all know what he is like.

[Dragonfly]

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :drummer:

It's almost like calling him "the George Harrison of Yes”. It’s not true, really. He's very congenial and easy to talk to. He lives in Seattle, WA (where his wife's from). That makes him one of three West-Coast YesMen as Jon lives in San Louis Obispo, CA and Chris is somewhere down around Los Angeles. (And Tony Kaye's down there, too, right? That would make it four!)

Alan was always "The Cute One"; a very photogenic, Peter Frampton-type, young, blonde guy when he joined the band, but always a professional and a consummate musician. Can you imagine playing an entire evening’s set of YesMusic for the first time, in front of thousands of fans, after only two rehearsals?!

Alan's been writing YesMusic since he joined. He's not “just the drummer”. His first instrument was the piano. I thought it was terrific that he started "In The Presence Of" on the Amsterdam video by playing the keyboard. Jon even made the comment that Alan plays Stravinsky; no easy feat!

It’s not unusual to see him hanging around the bar the night before a gig. He was sitting at the counter in a small bar off the main hallway at Konocti, CA., all by himself. Fans were constantly coming up to him and talking and shaking hands etc., myself included, but it wasn’t like he was “holding court” or anything. He was just hangin’ out. Nice guy. In Tahoe, he was out on the casino floor (actually, they all were at some point.) I've had the pleasure of saying "Hi" a few times, in fact, and he's just as polite as everyone says, but he’s no bull----ter. He’s very straight-forward. Actually, he can be a bit sarcastic, answering, "Sound check? We've been playing for six weeks. We don't need a sound check!" to an inquiry.
"We don't need no stinking badges!" :wacked:

I had a friend that was a die-hard Bill Bruford fan (specifically at Alan’s expense). I said, “Listen to this!” and put on the beginning of “Sound Chaser”. After he stood there with his mouth hanging open for a few seconds he said, “Oh, yeah, I have heard this. Hmmm. You’re right. He is really good!” It’s sometimes confusing to think that he can play something like “Sound Chaser”, live, but has trouble with other songs. “State of Play” was, I believe, one of the first songs dropped on the TALK tour. There was something about that rhythm track that was difficult for Alan to replicate. (Perhaps it was originally composed on drum machines. Anyone?)

I’m trying to remember where I heard this, but he was told that, while walking through an airport lobby in, I think, Japan, this guy heard an excerpted version of “Changes” that consisted solely of the opening and closing prog sequences in 5/4 that Alan wrote. “What, all strung together??? You’re kidding!” he responded, incredulously.
(Actually, I quite like the idea. I think I’ll give it a try.) :dj:

After 30-odd years, this one’s a keeper!

Dragonfly :fly:

[Dances w/PURPLE]

thanks!!!!

[Martin Riley]

He was on absolutely blistering form at Liverpool on Saturday night. All kudos to the man, I love him.

And he's from Pelton in County Durham, about 20 miles away from where I sit typing this. Can't tell though, he seems to have lost any trace of the local accent.

[TNyesfan]

Lovely post, Dragonfly.
Alan is the one I picked to be on the "if you could be any band member" thread.
I spent most of the Masterworks concert watching him,
he is awe-inspiring.
If I had the chance to speak to Yes about their music,
I'd start with Alan!
Why?
Because the sound of Yes is distilled by Alan's rhythm.
He goes in between the inspiration and the performance to bring the song to fruition.

[Dances w/PURPLE]

and great perspectives.


Dragon, since yours was most expanded and detailed, thanks for that lengthy recount of his accomplishments. I had no idea. Martin, wish I could have been there with you!

[Martin Riley]

Originally posted by dancesw/purple
and great perspectives.


Martin, wish I could have been there with you!

Wish you could have been there too, you would have had a rocking good time along with Koko & Trevor

[Trevor Walker]

Let me just add what I said after the concert (I can't remember if I said it to koko and Martin, but I definitely said it to Andy !)

I think Alan plays the drums with so much emotion. In my very humble opinion I always thought Bill was very technical - clinical even. But Alan isn't just a keeper of rhythm. He adds so much with his feeling for the music.

And he works so hard. He must have lost half a stone on Saturday in sweat. He reckons the current set has over 68,000 beats ! Sheesh ! No wonder he needs a glass of lemonade afterwards !!

[TNyesfan]

Originally posted by Martin Riley
He was on absolutely blistering form at Liverpool on Saturday night. All kudos to the man, I love him.

And he's from Pelton in County Durham, about 20 miles away from where I sit typing this. Can't tell though, he seems to have lost any trace of the local accent.
I've located Durham on the map, it's pretty far up and to the east. What's it like? Is it rural?

[Martin Riley]

Durham itself is a beautiful small city with an impressive medieval Norman cathedral.

County Durham is a collection of mostly small mining communities which are now all closed down. The coal fields of the north east of England were once very productive and yielded a high quality coal which was much sought after. However in the economic downturn of the 70s/80s the Thatcher government tore the industry apart and all of these small villages are now rundown and wasted. Most of the younger population have had to move away looking for work.

So Durham itself is rather bleak, but immediately surrounding it where the industies didn't take hold is some beautiful countryside

[Dances w/PURPLE]

and you all over there make me want to jump a flight and go see one! I would do a Euro YESFANS fest. How grand.

[Martin Riley]

This is the old pit at Pelton where Alan is from

[Martin Riley]

This is the cathedral at Durham

[tardistraveler]

An interesting thread - stuff here I wasn't aware of.

I just remember being excited when I first went to see Yes - knew nothing about them at the time - only to find out that Alan White was the new drummer! HE I had HEARD of! I was familiar with his work with the Beatles, and I loved the Plastic Ono Band - Live Peace in Toronto album, which of course Alan was a part of.

As far as the techniques of drumming - time signatures, etc. - I can't tell you much about those. But I do know that I like Alan's sound with Yes much more than Bruford's - it DOES have heart and emotion, and seems to provide a grounding for the cacophony of sound that swirls around him.

Kudos to Alan - and his 30+ years with Yes!

[TNyesfan]

I didn't know there was any industry up there. Shame about the disuse, that has happened all across the midwest in the U.S.
I bet the countryside is beautiful.
Lovely cathedral! I wish I could see the medieval architecture in person.