Rolling Stone interviews Benoit David

[Dantalion Rides Again]

Rolling Stone: Benoît David on His Rocky Tenure as Yes' Frontman: 'It Still Hurts'. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...ts-1234671770/

[Gilly Goodness]

Great interview from a thoroughly decent bloke.
Who by fate got to see how the sausage is made.
He was only meant to be a temporary fix.
Pretty consistent opinions of events. The amount of gigs in 2011. Woah. Miss his machine-gunnin' the audience and the vests. A man who used his hands for a livin'. Upholstery. Like Jack White.

After Oliver's FAP , hope he feels gratitude from the fans. As it turned out. The next performer has the songwritin' chops, ambition and strong voice.

Gonna listen to From the Moment and Gift of Love. To honour him.

[Enlighten]

Not the most flattering account of the old boys in Yes and Benoit was trying to be polite too.

[nickexxon]

Gonna listen to From the Moment and Gift of Love. To honour him.

I actually cannot get enough of those songs.

What could have been...

[luvyesmusic]

It was good to hear from/read the interview with Benoît.

Talented vocalist and stand up guy, who along with Oliver helped get the good shop YES out of the mothballs.

Some shows and times I enjoyed with many folks here, formerly here, and several, sadly gone and composed for years. I will always cherish those times, those shows,and most importantly, those friendships.

[Kevin W]

Great interview. I didn't really get a sense of bitterness. I think he just told it the way it was. I really enjoyed Benoit's tenure with the band - saw them twice in Birmingham and it was a great show both times.

[Mr. Holland]

Pretty candid interview. Perhaps getting too psychological here, but it almost feels like Benoit wanted out at some point and perhaps therefore, unconsiously, refused to do anything about his vocal situation. It is my understanding that he was adviced vocal coaching and singing (technique) lessons, but refused.

I do recognise though what he tells about Chris. I've heard the same sort of stories from people who around 2005/2006 worked with Chris. Two people who, amongst others, I was running the All Good People forum with in those days, where involved in (part of) the US The Syn tour at the time. One organised some promotion, also the band given time on a local radio show, and Chris just never turned up to that show, because of heavy partying the night before, leaving the duty on Nardelli and Johnson's shoulders, which caused a lot of internal friction.
I think Chris clearly had two sides, the warm personality Benoit describes, and another more nasty side when under the influence. And while doing drugs was an on and off thing with him, the heavy drinking was a pretty constant one. During The Syn tour one of the moderators of AGP, a musician himself, was to open for The Syn and he had prepared a tribute to Chris/Yes and was going to perform "Onward". When Chris arrived at the venue, he was very unfriendly and told him that he was not allowed to use "his song" and he had to cancel performing that song. Chris went for several 'bathroom breaks' during that day/evening. Drinking heavily and doing drugs for so long, alters someone's character. Although it apparantly varies to certain degrees, because Alan was no stranger to the bar as well, to put it mildy, but no one ever had anything bad to say about him. But it is clear that both ultimatly suffered healthwise from their habits. Also performance wise; the 2014 Three Album show is by far the worst Yes show I have seen. Especially Chris. I think his larger than life stage persona compensated a lot for his diminishing playing ability, and therefore people didn't notice it as much. Just compare to someone like Carl Palmer who never has done drugs, only occasionally drinks a glass of wine and has never smoked.

Of course, as 'keeper of the flame' Chris must at times have been under a lot of pressure. Benoit has a point; the music business is that; a business and people will go through lengths to protect their part of the business. I think at some point Chris saw the continuity of the Yes brand/band in danger when Benoit was no longer performing up to standard ( in my personal view, although a great and humble person, he never really did perform up to standard, his performances where to hit and miss, to inconsequent) and got protective. Too bad he didn't see that his own behavior, the drinking and drugging, also presented that danger to the quality and continuity of the band.

Perhaps all the above is also a main reason why Steve Howe prefers the happy, functioning unit Yes is now, over say getting Anderson back and wants to ride out Yes that way. He has probably seen enough drama (no pun intended) in his Yes lifetime and really doesn't need that in his life anymore.

[rabin105]

He comes off as kind of egotistical in fact I wonder how Frumious B will react to the interview

[Mr. Holland]

He comes off as kind of egotistical in fact I wonder how Frumious B will react to the interview

Egotistical?? I didn't get that vibe at all.

[rabin105]

Egotistical?? I didn't get that vibe at all.

He walked into each show feeling little fear. “I never felt like Cinderella,” he tells Rolling Stone from his home in Montreal. “I felt like I belonged there in a certain way, that I could handle the job.”


uhm yeah a little egotistical

that being said I still love fly from here and from a page

and hearing his voice is back to normal for a few years why couldn’t he of added new vocals to say Aliens or credit carnival so from a page would of been longer

[Sam I Am]

Pretty interesting read - thanks for sharing

[alex peters]

Egotistical ? I did not get that either

[Enlighten]

Pretty candid interview. Perhaps getting too psychological here, but it almost feels like Benoit wanted out at some point and perhaps therefore, unconsiously, refused to do anything about his vocal situation. It is my understanding that he was adviced vocal coaching and singing (technique) lessons, but refused.

I do recognise though what he tells about Chris. I've heard the same sort of stories from people who around 2005/2006 worked with Chris. Two people who, amongst others, I was running the All Good People forum with in those days, where involved in (part of) the US The Syn tour at the time. One organised some promotion, also the band given time on a local radio show, and Chris just never turned up to that show, because of heavy partying the night before, leaving the duty on Nardelli and Johnson's shoulders, which caused a lot of internal friction.
I think Chris clearly had two sides, the warm personality Benoit describes, and another more nasty side when under the influence. And while doing drugs was an on and off thing with him, the heavy drinking was a pretty constant one. During The Syn tour one of the moderators of AGP, a musician himself, was to open for The Syn and he had prepared a tribute to Chris/Yes and was going to perform "Onward". When Chris arrived at the venue, he was very unfriendly and told him that he was not allowed to use "his song" and he had to cancel performing that song. Chris went for several 'bathroom breaks' during that day/evening. Drinking heavily and doing drugs for so long, alters someone's character. Although it apparantly varies to certain degrees, because Alan was no stranger to the bar as well, to put it mildy, but no one ever had anything bad to say about him. But it is clear that both ultimatly suffered healthwise from their habits. Also performance wise; the 2014 Three Album show is by far the worst Yes show I have seen. Especially Chris. I think his larger than life stage persona compensated a lot for his diminishing playing ability, and therefore people didn't notice it as much. Just compare to someone like Carl Palmer who never has done drugs, only occasionally drinks a glass of wine and has never smoked.

Of course, as 'keeper of the flame' Chris must at times have been under a lot of pressure. Benoit has a point; the music business is that; a business and people will go through lengths to protect their part of the business. I think at some point Chris saw the continuity of the Yes brand/band in danger when Benoit was no longer performing up to standard ( in my personal view, although a great and humble person, he never really did perform up to standard, his performances where to hit and miss, to inconsequent) and got protective. Too bad he didn't see that his own behavior, the drinking and drugging, also presented that danger to the quality and continuity of the band.

Perhaps all the above is also a main reason why Steve Howe prefers the happy, functioning unit Yes is now, over say getting Anderson back and wants to ride out Yes that way. He has probably seen enough drama (no pun intended) in his Yes lifetime and really doesn't need that in his life anymore.

Arno, you’re hitting it out of the park again. I like your candidness and honesty about some of the darker and unseemly behavior of our boys in Yes.

[alex peters]

Pretty candid interview. Perhaps getting too psychological here, but it almost feels like Benoit wanted out at some point and perhaps therefore, unconsiously, refused to do anything about his vocal situation. It is my understanding that he was adviced vocal coaching and singing (technique) lessons, but refused.

I do recognise though what he tells about Chris. I've heard the same sort of stories from people who around 2005/2006 worked with Chris. Two people who, amongst others, I was running the All Good People forum with in those days, where involved in (part of) the US The Syn tour at the time. One organised some promotion, also the band given time on a local radio show, and Chris just never turned up to that show, because of heavy partying the night before, leaving the duty on Nardelli and Johnson's shoulders, which caused a lot of internal friction.
I think Chris clearly had two sides, the warm personality Benoit describes, and another more nasty side when under the influence. And while doing drugs was an on and off thing with him, the heavy drinking was a pretty constant one. During The Syn tour one of the moderators of AGP, a musician himself, was to open for The Syn and he had prepared a tribute to Chris/Yes and was going to perform "Onward". When Chris arrived at the venue, he was very unfriendly and told him that he was not allowed to use "his song" and he had to cancel performing that song. Chris went for several 'bathroom breaks' during that day/evening. Drinking heavily and doing drugs for so long, alters someone's character. Although it apparantly varies to certain degrees, because Alan was no stranger to the bar as well, to put it mildy, but no one ever had anything bad to say about him. But it is clear that both ultimatly suffered healthwise from their habits. Also performance wise; the 2014 Three Album show is by far the worst Yes show I have seen. Especially Chris. I think his larger than life stage persona compensated a lot for his diminishing playing ability, and therefore people didn't notice it as much. Just compare to someone like Carl Palmer who never has done drugs, only occasionally drinks a glass of wine and has never smoked.

Of course, as 'keeper of the flame' Chris must at times have been under a lot of pressure. Benoit has a point; the music business is that; a business and people will go through lengths to protect their part of the business. I think at some point Chris saw the continuity of the Yes brand/band in danger when Benoit was no longer performing up to standard ( in my personal view, although a great and humble person, he never really did perform up to standard, his performances where to hit and miss, to inconsequent) and got protective. Too bad he didn't see that his own behavior, the drinking and drugging, also presented that danger to the quality and continuity of the band.

Perhaps all the above is also a main reason why Steve Howe prefers the happy, functioning unit Yes is now, over say getting Anderson back and wants to ride out Yes that way. He has probably seen enough drama (no pun intended) in his Yes lifetime and really doesn't need that in his life anymore.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Your observations and comments are spot on.

[alex peters]

I saw 2 Yes shows with Benoit. One was quite good. The other horrible. I left early.

Benoit comes across as a real fine man. Very humble in my opinion. A man that works with his hands. A family man. A wonderful chap.

And his comments are very honest and accurate in my opinion.