Could Return Trip have been better?

[JMKUSA]

The unforgivable sin Horn committed was cutting most of Steve’s pedal steel solo from Sad Night at the Airfield. Otherwise I think Trevor mostly improved the Suite, though I don’t agree with all of the choices he made. He also greatly improved Life on a Film Set with some new lyrics.

I have more mixed feelings on the other tracks. Glad I have both versions of the album. I like them both.

[Yesed]

Not sure. But I think some better songs added would have helped help. I remember being surprised when it was announced that FFH was going to be redone with Trevor doing vocals. I felt for Beniot. Especially when FFH was being made that he humbly expressed his feeling that Trevor should be on lead vocals for this. Trevor basically then said 'no, your the man for this, with a better voice' referring to Beniot. So I get why the did RT, but should have been a different album, with different songs, maybe with the same theme and redoing FFH suite as a bonus, maybe.

[True]

I feel that songs like Telephone Secrets were discarded because they weren't great compostions. So I think they are fine as they are - interesting outtakes which make for nice bonus material. But I wouldn't construct an album around them. I think I probably prefer the original version of FFH but I am OK with Return Trip as well.

[rabin105]

As a Drama lineup enthusiast, I'm glad Trevor Horn got to sing a version of FFH album, but some of the music was changed, and the changes made parts of the FFH suite less effective. I preferred the original. Now if Horn hadn't tampered with it and used the original music that would have been better. But I didn't have a problem with Benoit either, and in many places he sounds more Horn than Horn.

The second half of the album is more rooted in the Oliver Wakeman era material and I can see the point of why is Horn singing this? and why not use Telephone Secrets etc. But the project was reboot Fly From Here, and not construct another album.

I'm half and half on Hour Of Need. I like the intro/outro bombast, but I'm thinking that Hour Of Need possibly works best as a nice acoustic based Howe song without all the trimmings. I don't really miss the instrumental parts when listening to the original.

As for Don't Take No For An Answer, I'm always up for another Yes song added to the roster, but maybe Horn should have sang that too. You get the feeling maybe that Howe has become like the overeager kid as regards to his lead vocals in Yes - "OOOH! OOH! Me! Me!" Ok, Steve, you can do a lead vocal on one too🙄.
Nice enough keyboard solo in that one.

Ultimately I go for the original FFH, despite Return Trip having the complete Drama lineup on display. Though I do like Return Trip as an alternate version.

my thoughts exactly as much as like the drama lineup I would of preferred an actually return to 81 rhino could of put it out and we would of had a stronger album in 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary still call it return trip I say but yeah


I would prefer a side two that matches the drama lineup and to me hour of need the man you always wanted me to be and into the storm scream more 2011 then 1981 even life on a film set I prefer with Benoit

the second half of the album should of been the lost drama stuff

[Soundwaveseeker]

As a Drama lineup enthusiast, I'm glad Trevor Horn got to sing a version of FFH album, but some of the music was changed, and the changes made parts of the FFH suite less effective. I preferred the original. Now if Horn hadn't tampered with it and used the original music that would have been better. But I didn't have a problem with Benoit either, and in many places he sounds more Horn than Horn.

The second half of the album is more rooted in the Oliver Wakeman era material and I can see the point of why is Horn singing this? and why not use Telephone Secrets etc. But the project was reboot Fly From Here, and not construct another album.

I'm half and half on Hour Of Need. I like the intro/outro bombast, but I'm thinking that Hour Of Need possibly works best as a nice acoustic based Howe song without all the trimmings. I don't really miss the instrumental parts when listening to the original.

As for Don't Take No For An Answer, I'm always up for another Yes song added to the roster, but maybe Horn should have sang that too. You get the feeling maybe that Howe has become like the overeager kid as regards to his lead vocals in Yes - "OOOH! OOH! Me! Me!" Ok, Steve, you can do a lead vocal on one too🙄.
Nice enough keyboard solo in that one.

Ultimately I go for the original FFH, despite Return Trip having the complete Drama lineup on display. Though I do like Return Trip as an alternate version.

[Ceasar’s Palace]

Can I have your version of life on a film set

Sure. Send me a PM.

[rabin105]

What I’ve done, I think suggested by someone on the old Yesfans, is to insert the extended jam/instrumental into Life On A Filmset. It goes surprisingly well with the uptempo bits on that song.
To be more precise, the instrumental consists of two pieces, one short and one longer. I’ve alternated those bits with parts of LOAF. Sounds complicated, but really isn’t.

Can I have your version of life on a film set

[Olorin]

Funny, because I can't stand the extended version… To me it just sounds like a chicken-flavoured Oreo: the thing in the middle just doesn't match the stuff around it. And I really, really like the song, just wish they'd taken the intro/outro and, you know, made a different song with it.

In all honesty, I pretty much agree with you. The intro and outro don't seem to have much if any connection to the center, and would definitely work better as part of a different song. Despite that, I'm glad it made the Return Trip version of this album because that intro and outro are the only parts of this album that really rock, IMHO. I was ambivalent about whether to buy Return Trip but when I heard the extended version was included, the deal was sealed.

[Ceasar’s Palace]

Funny, because I can't stand the extended version… To me it just sounds like a chicken-flavoured Oreo: the thing in the middle just doesn't match the stuff around it. And I really, really like the song, just wish they'd taken the intro/outro and, you know, made a different song with it.

What I’ve done, I think suggested by someone on the old Yesfans, is to insert the extended jam/instrumental into Life On A Filmset. It goes surprisingly well with the uptempo bits on that song.
To be more precise, the instrumental consists of two pieces, one short and one longer. I’ve alternated those bits with parts of LOAF. Sounds complicated, but really isn’t.

[Homemade Parachute]

I would not have added Don't Take No For An Answer; it really does nothing for me. But I am very glad they used the extended version of Hour of Need.

Funny, because I can't stand the extended version… To me it just sounds like a chicken-flavoured Oreo: the thing in the middle just doesn't match the stuff around it. And I really, really like the song, just wish they'd taken the intro/outro and, you know, made a different song with it.

[Olorin]

I would not have added Don't Take No For An Answer; it really does nothing for me. But I am very glad they used the extended version of Hour of Need.

[Mr. Holland]

it could of been better if we actually got what likely would of been the album from an alternate 1981

Except then it would have been a different album and not a 'return trip '.

[Homemade Parachute]

I've voiced both my support for Trevor Horn making Return Trip and my overall lack of interest — I bought it, glad I did, but don't listen to it or consider it an improvement over the original (mostly the contrary, in fact).

But, what's interesting/distressing to me, is that at least up here in the Hinterland, it is *the* version available on streaming and digital purchase. Also notably missing: Heaven and Earth (gone from Apple Music/Spotify), Talk, Union, the Like It Is pair… I'm sure everyone who ever was going to listen to it already has it, and I'm guessing the band is picking up new fans by the three-fingered alien handful, so maybe not a big issue, but I tell you, the so-called digital revolution is occasionally a lot like growing up around import record stores in Winnipeg, Manitoba, except without the good parts.

[rabin105]

In hindsight I don't think Return Trip was needed at all. Though interesting I think the original version is the better one in the end.

it could of been better if we actually got what likely would of been the album from an alternate 1981

[Mr. Holland]

In hindsight I don't think Return Trip was needed at all. Though interesting I think the original version is the better one in the end.