An introduction to Yes

[nightliner]

You've just met someone who has never heard a Yes song before. They say they like all kinds of rock music, but never heard a thing about Yes, not even Owner. Its your job to introduce them to the band and convince them there is a who new world of music to explore.Here are the first six songs I would play them, and why. What would be your first six?
1. Saving My Heart--its basic and sounds nothing like Yes. Personnally, I always thought this could of been a hit single.
2.Your Move, All Good People--it seems like a basic song with a rock and roll beat at the end but its a bit longer, with a drastic time change.
3.I Am Waiting--Everybody loves a love song,a nice melody, but its a bit more complicated than that.
4.Homeworld--Its newer, its modern, is Yes.
5.And You And I--a definitive Yessong. If they have gotten this far, they can accept the fact that rock music doesn't have to be 3:30 minutes in length.
6. Awaken--Time to reel 'em in.

[1yesfan]

Well with Saving Your Heart, it has to be a LIVE version. Studio take even I do not like :D I like your list, only thing I would do is play live versions when possible. Some of the older studio stuff may turn them away.

[Mike Park]

My six:

Looking Around
Something's Coming (to demonstrate "covers")
Roundabout
Going for the One
Owner (to demonstrate the left turn they took)
And You and I (simply because it's the best)

Sorry, this old fogie just doesn't get the new stuff. I listen to KTA, OYE and the Ladder, and none of it grabs me like the early stuff. (Personally, I think they keep putting out new albums so they can tour and do the oldies
:ohhyeah: )

I think the closest they came was ABWH - if only Chris was there, it would've been perfect. The biggest problem I have with the new stuff is that nothing stands out, either by piece or by individual within a piece. Where is Chris's patented bass, or Steve's masterful licks, or Rick's orchestral voices? It's mundane stuff compared to the '70's (when we were young!)

This is what I would play for the person I'd want to be grabbed, like I was grabbed...

[haroldthebarrel]

I wouldn't go for the "reel them in with their non-yeslike material" apporach, but exactly the opposite. Letting someone hear Owner or Miracle of Life or even Homeworld, is showing the worst of Yes. Who have you ever heard consider Yes the "group that wrote Saving my heart". No when you're showing someone Yes' repetoire, you should show them what Yes is known for in my opinion:

In order from first to to 5th Yesong ever heard:

1. Heart of the Sunrise
2. Yours is no disgrace
3. Close to the Edge
4. And You and I
5. The Ancient

If they don't like Yes by the time they've heard all those, then they'll never like Yes for any reason other than popularity. That's the essential yes in my opinion.

You aren't going to recruit Yesfans from the Brittney Spears-NSYNC-metallica-papa roach-Lim Bizkit- Korn-Dave Mathews bunch. It's gonna be someone who decounces music like that, therefore would be automatically turned off by the fact that owner was by Yes. That being known alone has probably prevented 100's of potential Yes "Troopers" from ever giving albums they'd like a chance. I can name alot of my firends who still won't listen to them enough due to knowing that.

So Giving them the hits in my opiniion would turn them off. ... Unless they were going to start liking Yes for all the wrong reasons

Joe C.

[nightliner]

I see my fellow fans disagree with m approach. The idea of playing a short non-Yesish song was to bring them in slowly. The bigest difficulty I have found when introducing people to Yes is their reaction when I tell them the average song length is 10 minutes. That susually turns them off because they can't understand how a song can be that long.

When I came up with the idea of this thread and those songs, it wasn't just off the top of my head. You see, I have used those six...or ones very close to that...and it worked. One person in particular, now considers Yes their favorite band, and is going with me to see them this tour. It will be his 3rd Yes concert. Obviously, I did not have Homeworld at that time, I think the song in that position was Starship Trooper. Btw, Yes replaced Guns and Roses as his top band.

[Green Knight]

I might try to win someone over with this sequence:

1. Face to Face - let's 'Face' it, one of the most exhilarating tracks from one of the best 'songs' albums they've ever done. Bound to warm up the chilliest soul!

2. Roundabout - not too long, not too short, all the elements of classic Yes are there.

3. And You And I - A drop-back in pace to show the other side of Yes.. and to show how utterly sublime and original they can be.

4. Turn of the Century - Simply because it's beautiful!

5. Close To The Edge - The make-or-break. If you get it, you're in. If you don't, it's the outer darkness forever... :eek:

[fragilesi]

Depends on the person I guess . . . I started with Sound Chaser and went in about three minutes from being a definite "rock" fan to getting into Yes! Following morning I had Relayer - wow! It took me a while to assimilate this unbelievable new music but I got there!

After almost wearing that out in a week I went for Close to the Edge - "What on earth is this? was my first reaction? Sure the song length format is the same but it's just not the same sound "not sure I'm gonna like this". Anyway, a day went by listening to it and by the end I think I was a genuine Yes fan - and I knew that when I bought Going for the One, Fragile, The Yes Album that I would probably go through a similar process. Thankfully I did.

In short I'd personally give them albums!

Simon.

[Green Knight]

Well absolutely. My introduction to Yes was anything but smooth. I remember hearing Heart of the Sunrise and not getting it at all... Eventually 'quite liking' Fragile and GftO after owning taped copies of them for a while.. it was months after being introduced to them that I became the fawning, rambling, abject Yes fan that I am today. And I'm still getting worse...

'Tales' especially took me about 3 months to start liking. Now I just go... Wow.

[siberian khatru]

Before confounding someone with music from the various permutations of the band (Pre-Steve and Rick; the Moraz years; merger with the Buggles; YesWest; ABWH; the "Union" album (YesMess); etc.), I would astound them with Yes in crystalline form - the live performances captured on "Yessongs". If someone isn't knocked out by Steve's solos on Siberian Khatru, Yours Is No Disgrace or Wurm, Rick's solo at the end of CTTE or Chris' work during The Fish, there's not much hope for them.

Just lend him these two discs. I bet he'll be back for more. There's always time for Relayer, 90125 and Keys.
Start with the essential Yes.

[1yesfan]

YESSONGS and 9012 Live Solos hooked me. Yessongs more then the other I must confess.

[Olias of NYC]

The album that made me realize they were something to check out was "Classic Yes." This gives a basic flavor of what the band is about. The recent stuff is good but I think you have to understand where they are coming from to think it's good. One of the things I've come up against is a hesitancy about Jon's voice--which I don't really understand, but to each their own. The best way to ease people into this is by playing the first album--"Yes"--and "Time and a Word" where Jon was singing lower and there is a more jazzy flavor to the music.

If, however, you are trying to sway someone who digs progressive music and the like then don't beat around the bush. People have very short attention spans to new things!! Put on "Close to the Edge" and if it happens as it did for a friend of mine, they'll be hooked by the first "Ahh" in the beginning.

But don't get frustrated, I've played them for people, let it alone and then I hear from them years later that they love Yes! For some it's an acquired taste so never force the issue.

Good luck,
John

[Jackaranda]

My first six to someone new:

1) Starship Trooper ~ Yessongs
2) Roundabout
3) Parallels
4) The Calling
5) Sound Chaser
6) RSOG

[fish62858]

ah, another oldie but goodie thread i've not seen before... love it when these nuggets come back.

Yessongs and Fragile....
if they come back for more, CTTE and GFTO
by then, they'll be hooked or they'll move on...

[stevie]

1 Wonderous Stories (Not too long but still a classic Yes song IMO)
2 Long Distance Runaround
3 Starship Trooper
4 And You And I
5 Gates of Delirium
6 Awaken

[MrZuLu]

just play Yessongs from start to finish... if they don't get it by then they won't

[pianozach]

I'll agree. It would kinda depend on the tastes of the person you're trying to recruit.

1. Roundabout
2. I've seen all Good People
3. And You and I
4. Starship Trooper suite (Yessongs)
5. The Gates of Delirium
6. Endless Dream suite

I think this might be a good "one size fits all" sampler. If they don't get it after this, then they may be a lost cause.

But for those who prefer the softer side, you might try

1. And You and I
2. Soon
3. I've Seen All Good People (edit)
4. Long Distance Runaround/The Fish
5. Wondrous Stories
6. Onward

[Jackaranda]

just play Yessongs from start to finish... if they don't get it by then they won't

I was tempted to say that.

[Bugeyes]

I NEVER introduce anyone to music. :rolleyes: I force them to concerts. :D And they are awe struck. If I felt inclined to corrupt them, it would be with Fragile.

[Yesed]

Long distance runaround (live from yessongs)maybe not the fish.
And you and I (Studio version)
To be over
Our song
Walls
We agree
Accustic Roundabout (from Ultimate Yes)

[cinderella]

To Be Over
Soon
And You And I
Owner Of A Lonely Heart
Final Eyes
Endless Dream

[Joedude]

What I would play to introduce Yes would depend on what I know of the musical taste of the person I'm introducing.

For classical music lovers (FYI, many of which I know personally have already heard some of Yes):
1. And You And I
2. Awaken
3. In the Presence Of
4. Endless Dream
5. Close To the Edge
6. Turn of the Century

Now for someone with more of a jazz leaning:
1. Sound Chaser
2. I See You
3. On the Silent Wings of Freedom
4. Ritual

Those that are more hard rock would get:
1. Heart of the Sunrise
2. Machine Messiah
3. Astral Traveler
4. Parallels
5. Big Generator
6. Shock To the System

And those who like more pop-oriented stuff:
1. Owner of a Lonely Heart
2. Love Will Find a Way
3. Walls
4. Roundabout
5. Lift Me Up

I think that covers the most likely categories I would run in to.

[RABARKS]

What I would play to introduce Yes would depend on what I know of the musical taste of the person I'm introducing.

For classical music lovers

Now for someone with more of a jazz leaning:

Those that are more hard rock would get:


And those who like more pop-oriented stuff:

I think that covers the most likely categories I would run in to.

Nice way of showing the sheer versatility (spelled correct, I hope) of
this band, that many would see as falling in that narrow category of prog-rock!

[new_sum_do_solve_ay]

I'll agree. It would kinda depend on the tastes of the person you're trying to recruit.


Definitely! It all depends on where they are coming from. Yes is so multi-faceted you can find something to match their genre of taste if you try.

Let's take the generic America fan who is mostly a pop 80s - 90s fan. (i.e. someone no longer in high school who somehow has not heard of Yes) You play mostly the hits they play on the radio (don't want to shock anyone into thinking your 'too intense' ... gasp). And then maybe ONE song to set them thinking.

1. Roundabout
2. South Side of the Sky
3. Owner of a Lonely Heart
4. The Calling
5. Lift Me Up

An alternate to substitute for any of the above:
6. Dreamtime

[allgoodyes]

One possible approach is to offer a sample of Yes music at various points in the history of the band:

1. Yours Is No Disgrace (Start of the first Howe era)
2. Roundabout (Start of the first Wakeman era)
3. Tempus Fugit (End of the first Howe era)
4. Owner of a Lonely Heart (Start of the Rabin era)
5. Endless Dream (End of the Rabin era)
6. In The Presence Of (Yes music in the 21st Century)

[McFragile]

Six songs? Three's plenty..two and a bit even.

I reckon to get across the sheer excitement and power of Yes to a newcomer, the very first song must be Siberian Khatru. Then I'd clobber em with Yours Is No Disgrace and give them a taste of the beauty of the music with the soft middle section of CTTE..if that mighty organ climax doesn't hook them, nothing will.