Controversial Yes Opinions

[soundchaser09]

What are some of your controversial takes on this band? Some opinions that would not be shared by the fandom as a whole? I'll start:

Regarding full length studio records, the debut album is the band's worst.

[Kevin W]

Oh go on then, I'll bite.

Trevor Rabin is the best guitarist the band ever had in its line up. Not that I don't think Steve is, or in Peter's case, was, brilliant, because I do. But I just think Trevor has the edge.

[Ash Armstrong]

I'll refrain. It's ground I've gone over too many times already for anyone here to do anything but roll their eyes.

[Yorkshire Square]

I'll refrain. It's ground I've gone over too many times already for anyone here to do anything but roll their eyes.

🙄 🤣🤣🤣

[Enlighten]

Some controversial topics to consider. Just how much of Chris Squire’s bass playing was erased and replaced on Talk. How close were the band to sacking Chris before the Talk Tour. The degree to which Chris was pissed that Tony Kaye was dating his daughter.

Some controversial opinions of my own. The band should have stopped after they made Drama. Tom Brislin should have been retained by the band as a full time, creative member. Cinema should have remained Cinema and brought in a bonafide lead singer not named Jon Anderson. Magnification would have benefitted from a keyboardist rather than an orchestra.

[patrickq]

The “classic lineup” of Anderson/Howe/Squire/Wakeman/White was not the classic lineup.

Regrouping as the “classic lineup” in 1995 ossified the band. It was now primarily* a nostalgia act.

Almost all of Wakeman’s important contributions were on Fragile and Close to the Edge. Almost.

It was petty not to have Banks participate in some small way in the Union tour.

The only truly great Yes albums after 1974 were those with Horn.

Trevor Rabin did not kidnap the band and force it to become a “power-play machine.”


Thank you for attending my lecture


*by that I mean it was primarily a nostalgia act. No longer were they playing substantial parts of their new album on each tour. And they started hewing as close to the original recordings during their shows.

[rePete]

Tom Brislin should have been retained by the band as a full time, creative member.

Couldn't agree more.

And I know a lot of people think what happened with Khorochev automatically disqualifies him from continuing with the band, but I really wish he had anyway. I wanted to hear more Yes studio and live work from him. He was a fantastic addition.

[Ash Armstrong]

They should have recruited a reeds player at some point, and I wish they'd followed up Magnification with another orchestral album.
And yes, I'm perfectly serious.

[Khatrooper]

The lyrics in All Good People are sarcastic.
“I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day” away from what they should be paying attention to
“so satisfied” I always suspected they were hypocrites “I’m on my way” f them I’m out of here

[Mr. Holland]

Talk is a top 5 Yes album, better than Going For The One, Tales, Tormato or Drama.

Bumpy Ride on the FFH Suite is great.

That, That is has great lyrics, good to see Jon getting of his usual rivers, mountains and love is everything routine for once.

They shouldn't have reformed the classic line up in 1996. It was a pretty pointless exercise all in all.

[Khatrooper]

The lyrics in All Good People are egotistical (a literal reading)
“I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day” I’m getting recognized when I walk down the street
“so satisfied” I’m happy “I’m on my way” I’m gonna be famous

[Enlighten]

Couldn't agree more.

And I know a lot of people think what happened with Khorochev automatically disqualifies him from continuing with the band, but I really wish he had anyway. I wanted to hear more Yes studio and live work from him. He was a fantastic addition.

Khoroshev was a great player but the problem was that Yes didn’t allow him to fully unleash his musical talents. He was really pretty tame and held back on The Ladder. Not sure they would have given him the creative space on any future release, had he stayed on.

[Khatrooper]

Not intentionally piling on Chris Squire but here’s another of his songs.

Parallel’s lyrics are preachy & hypocritical. Who are they to lecture the listener on drug abuse?
“When you’ve tried most everything and nothing’s taking you higher…”

[rePete]

Khoroshev was a great player but the problem was that Yes didn’t allow him to fully unleash his musical talents. He was really pretty tame and held back on The Ladder. Not sure they would have given him the creative space on any future release, had he stayed on.

I actually enjoyed his work on The Ladder. I didn't feel like he was held back, in fact I thought the keys really worked well on that album. Not too understated, but not overblown either. (in fact, I think I would also have liked to have seen Bruce Fairburn produce more Yes albums too). Khorochev really did the classic material justice live as well.

I think that, if he'd had more time to settle in with them, he would have staked out an even greater space for himself.

[Enlighten]

Not intentionally piling on Chris Squire but here’s another of his songs.

Parallel’s lyrics are preachy & hypocritical. Who are they to lecture the listener on drug abuse?
“When you’ve tried most everything and nothing’s taking you higher…”

Not to try to defend Chris but people aren’t perfect and they go through struggles and challenges. He certainly had his issues with substances. This, to me, may have simply been a moment in time when Chris might have realized he was “playing with fire”. It may have been a time when he attempted to step back from the rock and roll indulgences and see what really mattered in his life. We know he continued to have struggles for the rest of his life but there may have been this moment in time when it really did come down to what was in his heart and seeing a glimpse of a new love in sight.