Classical Composer Reacts to Machine Messiah (Yes) | The Daily Doug (Episode 95)
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- Опубликовано: 29 авг 2024
- #Reaction #HelveringReaction #Yes #YesReaction #MachineMessiah #MachineMessiahReaction #YesMachineMessiah
In this episode of #TheDailyDoug, I'm reacting to Yes performing their 1980 release Machine Messiah. The footage is from a 2009 concert. Their technicality, craftsmanship, and musicianship are unique and outstanding! Thanks to Steve and friends for the suggestion!
Reference Video: • Yes Live 2009 - Machin...
The organ piece you're thinking of in that carnival-like section is the Toccata from Widor's "Symphony No. 5", the fifth and closing movement. True confessions, I'm an organist. By the way, impressive that you held a position at Westminster, not surprised. The Drama album is a special one in the Yes catalogue. I think you'd love the track "Tempus Fugit" also. On this 2009 tour they played several songs off Drama since original vocalist Jon Anderson refused to do so as he didn't sing on the studio album. It was a thrill to hear those songs live.
Thanks! Glad I got the composer correct!
Good call! Widor's Toccata "rocks"! I think he'd appreciate the nod to him.
@@Doug.Helvering That info is on Wikipedia, BTW, in the write-up for this album.
The first time I heard this song I jumped up at the Widor organ symphony!! Too cool!!!! Love this song!
Organist? What do you think of Olivier Messiaen?
This song (and the Drama album in general) demonstrates that Chris Squire's voice was a huge part of the Yes vocal sound. The vocals still sound like Yes even in the absence of Jon Anderson, simply because Chris's voice is so prominent. We might all think that Jon Anderson's heavenly voice is the key to that distinctive Yes vocal sound, and well, it is. But if you have only Jon's voice and not Chris's voice, then something very important is missing.
Just like Anthony in VH
Yeah... ABWH doing Yes songs is missing something. That said, if this line up changed it's name to Drama (as example), I think few would think it was Yes, whereas ABWH - "Is this not Yes?" That Drama album might've flown under the radar if it wasn't a Yes album and that would be a shame.
Benoit David and Chris Squire harmonized beautifully. Oliver Wakeman nice keys! This is probably the last time they sounded really polished.
They should have kept Benoit. I can't stand Jon Davison
They really should stop altogether. I’m a massive fan but they should really retire now. Leave us with the memories.
On a plus side, although I really hated Drama when it came out. I love it now. Trevor Horn did a decent job on the vocals, the songs really stand up in the catalogue, the production values really took a major leap forward.
Not exactly that polished...
@@mattmallecoccio8378 YEP.
That'll be Rick's genes and tuition methinks....
The Drama album is a special one for me. You should do “into the lens”. You will enjoy it.
the 1st time i heard the bass line that opens it, i had no idea what the rest of the band was going to do when they came in-huge surprise...
I love the original version by the buggles, and Yes’ version. Just a great song.
Agree but if you want to hear probably Chris Squire’s best bass playing on any YES song is on the DRAMA ALBUM. “ Does it really happen “
Tempus Fugit is another fantastic track from Drama
When the Buggles replaced Jon Anderson and Wakeman I lost hope that YES would survive but Chris Squire pulled them together and it did sound like YES. The great Anderson melodies were lacking but it still worked. Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn were competent replacements and Squire supplemented vocals and always had great sense of harmony. Love your commentary. In this live version the vocalist was Benoit David from the band Mystery (Canada} and the keyboard looks to be Rick Wakeman's son Oliver.
They absolutely died on stage at The Glasgow Apollo. I am afraid they weren't well liked. Then there were three...
I love Chris’s singing on this one. It really stands out.
Cool deep cut. the Drama album is way underrated in Yes' discography.
Drama is the Yes album I'd want if I could have one.
@C Hopdog: You are completely right! Sadly, it is underrated by Yes fans themselves: they didn't forgive the band for having taken on board the Buggles guys (Horn & Downes) and left Jon Anderson...During that tournee, their fans, very disappointed, threw all sorts of objects to the stage while the band was playing! It's a crazy story indeed...
yes...one of my favorite albums by them, and of all time...
Close to the edge, Fragile, Drama and 90125, all are good forever. No special order except Close to the Edge and Roundabout, my number 2 picks,
the rest is just awesome.
Tempus Fugit
I was showing a much younger friend a Yes concert on DVD years back. “I don’t like solo piano pieces,” he said as Rick Wakeman sat down at a piano. “But I could listen to this all day,” he continued as Wakeman began playing. Turn Of The Century is still one of my all time favourites, with the best handoffs between keyboards and guitar I’ve ever hear.
I prefer the studio version over this one, but it's indeed an amazing song!
This live performance is fairly faithful; but the original studio version is *towering* in it's energy and power. Guitarist Steve Howe plays his lines faster and fancier than this version, Bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White were literally on fire. Keyboardist Geoff Downes played a rich layer of sounds. ruclips.net/video/a_8h4fJUrnk/видео.html
Well, the studio album came out almost 30 years before this. What did you expect?
The studio version of this tune brings just about the most energy of any of their recordings.
Steve NEEDS some cheeseburgers
Excellent!! One of my big favs - The whole album Drama is amazing - thanks Doug love your work
10:44 Indeed, Steve Howe is simply brilliant. R.I.P. Chris Squire (Bass). Would love to hear your take on "To Be Over" from their album "Relayer".
Gates Of Delirium, Close to the Edge's more aggressive sibling.
Hey, he did this if you don't already know. He's actually done all of Relayer (just not all at once).
Thank you Doug, that was awesome as always. I'm glad you liked it! That live version featured Benoit David on vocals (and tambourine) instead of Trevor Horn, and Oliver Wakeman (Rick's son) on keyboards, but it was a great version for sure.
Jon Davidson has been the best since Anderson. IMHO
Davison.
Benoit for me@@nancymjohnson
rip Mr Chris Squire. the man, the myth, the legend. when you hear thunder it's just Chris teaching god how to play bass.....
Well met and well put. 🤘🏼
❤️🔥
That's perfect. I saw him play on 2 occasions and he is to this day the best bass player,composer,singer ive ever come across. Music for musicians. ❤❤
I love your comment, whenever I hear thunder now I will say those words. Top man.
I agree: "kick ass song." I love YES, I love DRAMA.
In 2004, I saw Dream Theater open for Yes at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Dream Theater played this song. It was a great tribute! Drama is a monumental Yes album that gets overshadowed.
Such an underrated album- love the whole thing!
As it Tormato
From Wikipedia: "(...) When he was composing his keyboard parts for the song, Downes included an arpeggiated segment from the fifth movement of Symphony for Organ No. 5 by Charles-Marie Widor, a piece that he was familiar with from his youth. (...)
Good ear there, Doug!
Drama is one of my all time favourite Yes albums. ❤️🔥
Fucking brilliant song!!! I had not heard it for a long time and had forgotten how great it is. Wonderful!!!
You should do "Awaken" for the going For the One album. It is their magnum opus. Wakeman used a real pipe organ on it.
..and it was played over the phone, true story.....
it's a good song. wouldn't go so far to call it magnum opus
Loved hearing about the Gregorian chant parallel.
In the studio version, the downswell of the keyboard sounds like an air raid siren winding down. This version has a much warmer, relaxed sound, exactly what you want in a live performance. The studio version is much darker, with a greater punch, exactly what you'd expect of the definitive version.
There is an official video of "Into the Lens" on RUclips. It is the studio version, but the band is pretending to play it live. You get to see Steve Howe playing two guitars, plus a pedal steel guitar.
Someone said that Yes was whoever turned up the rehearsals and there are at least three of the band who recorded this in 1980. I think this song has really stood the test of time.
This is a fascinating analysis and is a useful reminder that Yes were influenced by so many styles. Chris Squire was a choirboy and Rick Wakeman would have played church organ. Howe was hugely influenced by jazz.
Remember that no Yes equals no Rush.
The reference to satanic mills is a reference to Blake's poem Jerusalem which became a famous hymn, practically a second national anthem.
More great insight!
Nice! This is one of Yes's best "hidden gems", and a seriously underrated song. As an electronic music lover and musician myself, it's one of my favourite Yes pieces. You're first person I've seen react to this song on RUclips, and it's great to hear a classical composer's take on it (I'm a fan of classical music).
Having said that, as cool as it was seeing a live version, I kind of wish you'd played the album version. Much of the *intensity* of the original was captured in the 2009 concert, but it didn't quite capture the more *eerie* quality of the original. Give it a listen with headphones on, and I think you'll see what I mean.
What a wonderful performance, and likewise, a great reaction. I truly enjoyed your commentary...and super sharp ear for details!
I seem to recall bassist Chris Squire (sadly no longer with us) saying his early experience was with English church music, so presumably he just ran with it as second vocalist.
A former choirboy
That's prog music the best of rock !! now listen to Close to the Edge "Yes rules" !!
He told that he has been...
Awesome suggestion Steve! I got to see this lineup of Yes with Asia as the opening act (and Steve Howe did double duty with both bands).
Oh man, you are awesome, Doug. I've heard this song countless times and never made the connection of that quiet vocal part to ancient religious chants. Brilliant. Thanks for pointing that out.
So, if you know Close To The Edge, do you also know The Gates Of Delirium? If not, would love to see your reaction and analysis to it. The live version from the YesShows live album (the most powerful version), or maybe watch them perform it with an orchestra on the Yes Symphonic Live concert video from 2001 (great performance, but just not as powerful as YesShows). Whatever you do, just don't watch the 1975 QPR version, which has awful sound.
Thanks again.
I deeply regret not seeing these guys when Squire was still alive. I really like the climbing Bass line at 17:20
I saw them at Wembley in 91. Chris's bass actually made my rib cage vibrate. Awesome concert. Union Tour.
I'm sorry you missed Chris live. I saw them every tour since 75 until he passed, and every one since. Billy Sherwood was asked by Chris to take his place, and he has done a great job.
First saw them in 1971, first tour with the classic line up for the Fragile album. They were the opening act for Emerson Lake and Palmer. Wakeman was clearly trying to upstage Emerson, so during a keyboard solo he smashed a tambourine and threw it into the audience. I caught it. I've seen "Yes" about a dozen times since, but the most recent tour, the Royal something, was a disappointment. I found Anderson, Rabin, and Wakeman to be more faithful to Yes than "Yes".
@@silvertube52 From the RUclips videos I've seen, the ARW show was the one to catch. It really looked like Rabin and Wakeman were having a ball together.
The recent ARW tour was unbelievable. I've lost count of how many times I've seen Yes and although I'm the world's greatest Steve Howe fan, I was knocked out by how tight this band was, especially Lou Molino and Lee Pomeroy on drums and bass. It was like the glory days with Bill Bruford.
Unfortunately Rabin added lots of gratuitous audience noise to the live DVD which makes it unlistenable. What could have been one of the greatest live recordings is totally wrecked.
One of my all-time favorite Yes songs
Thanks so very much for that 👏
That song is from my favorite Yes album. It's a phenomenal album. Thanks for this great reaction. Loved your explanations about the "old singing". Very interesting. Awesome!!!
"I wanna be that tambourine guy!"...Great Doug, really amazing!😊
Listen to the Yes song- "Siberian Khatru"
He probably knows that one too.
Great review and thanks for giving us insight into how these songs are constructed! Yes is always worth a listen, their musicianship is beyond compare.
You are correct about the choral influence in the harmonies. Chris Squire started singing in church choirs at age six.
What would be the best Genesis songs for a classical composer? My suggestions: Can-utility and the Coastliners, the Lamia, Fountain of Salmacis, Mad Man Moon, In that Quiet Earth & Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers (both in one video). Also very common reaction tracks: Dance On A Volcano, Firth of Fifth, the Musical Box.
I would add "Supper's Ready to that list. Tony Banks is an excellent composer.
Dance on a Volcano has very interesting meter changes
Blood on the Rooftops, Entangled, Ripples?🗿
Firth of Fifth!
One for the Vine
As a classical composer myself, this song has always stood out to me from Yes’s catalogue. Close to the Edge is my favorite, but this song is right up there.
Good stuff! If we're doing old school prog, I'd really like to hear a take on Kansas' Miracles Out of Nowhere (studio version is the best out there I think)
If just for the "Baroque break" only.
Yeah!
Fascinating video Doug! Thanks for posting!
A very good one. A very good show too. Your analysis is always very interesting. Thanks Doug. If you’re not sure to react at the old Yes catalogue, let’s make a try at Brother Of Mine of Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe. A great 80’s prog song. It’s almost a Yes song, but without their usual bass player.
I'm really interrested to hear your analyses of To be Over. A track from their 1974 Relayer album. I think you will be blown away by the structure of the piece.
Thanks for the video. I’m a big Yes fan. I’ve listened to this song so many times over the years. It was cool hearing your insight into the composition that went into it.
You nailed it! "When he was composing his keyboard parts for the song, Downes included an arpeggiated segment from the fifth movement of Symphony for Organ No. 5 by Charles-Marie Widor, a piece that he was familiar with from his youth."
Lyrically, the "singular eye" is specifically referring to a combination of CCTV surveillance and television (or mass media more generally)- word from the lyricist himself.
Trevor Horn was the singer and main lyricist on the Drama album, and he was the singer and lyricist for The Buggles ("Video Killed the Radio Star") before becoming a producer (same keyboardist, too- Geoff Downes). If you listen to the first Buggles album (The Age of Plastic, songs from 1979 to 1981), you'll find it's full of a sort of zeerust-encrusted playful contempt for and criticism of futurism and would-be technological utopianism. "Living in the Plastic Age" is self-explanatory from the title, "Video Killed the Radio Star" is a bittersweet nostalgia for dead media since supplanted by the new, "I Love You (Miss Robot)" mockingly conveys the meaninglessness of casual sex on the road by cyberpunk metaphor of a literal sex robot, "Elstree" is about the gross artificiality of entertainment media as representation of reality as well as the artificiality of the industry itself, "Astroboy (and the Proles on Parade)" depicts a marked class divide with a futuristic jet-setter looking down on the little people below as their cities crumble into rust and dust, and "Johnny on the Monorail" takes an icon of the futurist urban planner- a gleaming chromed monorail- and describes within the train (and below) all the more mundane sights of urban poverty and decline, all while the rider sings in childish joy at riding the monorail- "Oh, my, my! You are *so* sci-fi! Please won't you let me ride?"
Both Horn and Downes have said The Buggles were themselves meant to be a gag along largely the same lines- an artificial band, created by a committee of jaded executives, music calculated to chart moderately well and played by machines (Horn would take this bit farther and more literally later with the Art of Noise), existing as a band only in marketing and somewhere in a studio basement on tape, not live. (They were swayed into 'performing' "Video" live once on TV early on, but insisted on lip-syncing it, and on performing it while standing almost robotically still.) Even the name "The Buggles" was conceived as a sort of gross knock-off derivative of "The Beatles", and almost uniformly happy, bouncy music delivers words of abject dissatisfaction and debasement throughout the album.
It's eminently reasonable to lyrically interpret "Machine Messiah" along the same lines, as a mocking criticism of one manner or another of technological utopianism. (The "mindless search for a higher controller", and "take me into the fire", as your particular points of apparent interest, could both refer to ideological possession as relates to a dogged dedication to this utopian vision.)
Bravo
and he was awsome
Are we not living in the the midst of that Utopian nightmare? Prophetic? Maybe the answer(s) to the mess we find ourselves in now can be found in another Yes /Buggles song.
This is how I always took to the lyrics of this song.
I saw them live on this tour in Detroit and when they played this song, I was just transfixed on Chris Squire... I regard him as the greatest bassist ever to walk this green earth...
If you like vocal harmonies, you should check out Moon Safari. They are a prog rock band from Sweden that is a cross between Yes and The Beach Boys. Everyone sings and they have long grandiose songs. An excellent live example would be A Kid Called Panic or Dance Across the Ocean from their Gettysburg Address live album.
Excellent choice! I'd also recommend the song "Lover's End Pt. III: Skellefteå Serenade".
When l was 3 years old, l remember sitting next to my beloved Grandad at his big church organ whilst he played, Widor's Toccata. He was an incredible organist/pianist and played twice at The Royal Albert Hall in front of our Queen Elizabeth The II, by Royal command in the 1950s! XXX
I've been grooving on this tune for 40 years. I'm not tired of hearing it yet.
Wonderful song and a really great analysis alongside!
Given all of their personnel changes, Jon Anderson refused to perform any songs that appeared on Drama, which was an album that I really enjoyed. In fact, I saw Yes perform Drama like as a senior in high school, and it was a great concert. I also saw THIS tour as well, and in fact, spent the money for the M&G and had front row center seats, and finally had the opportunity to thank my musical heroes and make a fool of myself in front of Chris Squire. Some other interesting Yes songs to check out might be South Side of the Sky from Fragile, "A Venture" from The Yes Album (if you can, be sure to check out the Steven Wilson extended mix, the original was cut short due to the 33rpm album side limits) and for something more modern, "Homeworld" from The Ladder. All 3 of those songs are not Yes "standards," but they're all excellent songs, and give a slightly different side to Yes.
Regarding the ancient religious type vocal section, bassist Chris Squire’s earliest music experience was as a choirboy (starting at age 6). You can hear that influence in almost all of his harmony vocals.
If you liked Rush you could do 'Cygnus X-1', which has two parts. The first one is in A Farewell to Kings and the second one is in the same record as La Villa Strangiato, Hemispheres.
Cheers!
DH - Do a reaction to Awaken by Yes. This is a must
my favorite Yes song.
One of the greatest Yes songs
"Awaken" would suit Doug's analytical style well, but I've never, ever understood why this track is so beloved. Just because it's long doesn't mean it's great. I find it very clunky at various points, and with little "groove." There are probably about 15 Yes tracks that I prefer.
Wow great reaction, cheers. Close to the edge is another amazing song
A Yes song!! I'm recovering from a facial surgery and your videos are perfect for relaxing. Thank you for continuing to put up excellent content, sir.
It's about A.I. becoming self-aware and humans seeing it as an answer to all problems and eventually being absorbed into it's singular consciousness.
Beniot David was a great singer for YES. If you want to hear him in his more natural singing-voice, he appeared on two or three Mystery albums in which he sounds phenomenal.
Saw them in 08 with Beniot. They did most of Drama. He was much better than Davison. I simply can not listen to that guy.
Love your analysis, always illuminating, and brought new life and admiration for one of my favourite Yes tracks!
This is not a popular opinion among Yes fanbois, but I think Drama is their best record.
Not sure it’s the “best”... Going For the One gets my vote for best, but Drama is massively underrated and a really amazing record!
As a life long fan boy.............1 of my favorites.
I don't know about the record as a whole, but this particular piece and "Tempus Fugit" are SEVERELY underrated pieces in their oeuvre.
"Close to the Edge" is still their most perfect creation.
It's a great album. A different, heavier sounding Yes. I think it's way better than its predecessor "Tormato."
Great song from a great album..thanks so much for the analysis.
Awesome! - Love the comparison with organum, hadn't noticed that - but think it's been heavily adapted for modern musical ears.
PS I'd love to hear a musical analysis of 'Turn it on again' by Genesis of the same year - almost sounds like a straight pop song but there's so much going on in there.
At the time of this tour Jon Anderson was havons health problem, a replacement was brought in
Benoit David sings on this live take
He was the singer of a YES tribute band from Montreal Canada
Chris Squire had seen some clips of their performances and invited him to join for that year tour since Jon could not and the rest of the band didn’t wanted to wait for him to get better
I'd have recommended the studio version.
Hi Doug,
I was ready to say; Aw man, wish you would have done the excellent studio version", but this was VERY well done!
As people point out, this was the 1st album ("Drama") that Jon Anderson did not appear on, I'm sure it was a HUGE deal to hear about that in 1979-80 from Trade Mags, without the "machine's" we have now. But I was 17 at the time, and only heard the FM Radio tracks from the Anderson years, so when I 1st heard the tracks on radio ("Tempus Fugit"), I thought it was Jon. But the noticeable difference was how _Heavier_ the sound of the music was, and though the keyboards were not as intricate as Rick Wakeman, "Geoff Downes" keyboard sounds were very unique (both Trevor Horn, the vocalist, and Downes were from "The Buggles").
This had me go backwards in their catalogue to rediscover the band and Jon, but I LOVE this album, and the cover art from Roger Dean (the Drama logo is one of my faves from Roger).
This track is in my Top 10 Yes songs, and your analysis is right on (and as one of your fans pointed out, apparently bassist Chris Squire had said in 1980; "Its your Television" - "Controller, take me to the fire, and hold me, show me the strength of your singular... eye"). I guess it was a VERY prophetic track, as now people are addicted to their ephemeral devices.
This version has some outstanding back-up singing too with Chris Squire and Steve Howe (guitar), but be sure to checkout the _studio_ track on headphones, and the _whole_ Drama album. Its in my Top 5 Yes albums.
Btw - "Satanic Mills" comes from the Hymn "Jerusalem", which I gather is about the factories in Birmingham England belching out black smoke from the smoke stacks.
The vocalist from this era of Yes was "Benoît David", who had a Yes tribute band called "Gaia", and then was asked to join the Canadian Hard Progressive Rock band "Mystery", which was excellent. I suggest finding tracks "One Among the Living" and "Dear Someone", beautiful gorgeous pieces, that I think you and your viewers would enjoy.
Also, I got to see Dream Theater (on their "Train of Thought Tour") open for Yes's 35th Anniversary, and they did an awesome instrumental version of Machine Messiah, and there are 2 different versions here on Yt.
You have TONS of Yes tracks to dig into!
- Thanks again Doug! And rest in peace Chris Squire.
My first entry into YES as well and did not realize it was not Jon Anderson... loved the heaviness of this song, and the energy of Tempis Fugit. Great album, one of my faves in the YES catalog...
@@stevehartke Tempus Fugit is easily my favorite song from Drama.
R.I.P. Chris Squire
Brother, I just have to say that I love your videos. I have been a fan of music reaction videos for several years. Particularly when it pertains to prog rock, being that I have been a prog rock/metal musician for decades. The one thing that sometimes annoys me about reaction videos, is that most of the people doing them, have zero background in music. I often find myself amused by their sense of awe, and bewilderment, that there exists an entire world of serious musicianship beyond the myopic scope of WAP. I've been a musician for 46 of my 50 years on this planet. Beginning with Classical piano lessons at age 4. Then guitar, clarinet, alto, tenor and soprano sax, guitar, bass guitar, Chapman Stick, Sitar, Tabla and hand percussion in general. My point is that it's extremely refreshing to see someone doing these videos with whom I can actually relate to on a much higher intellectual and musical level. There are a few other guys doing this type of thing. Michael Palmisano immediately springs to mind. He's a great guitar teacher, and player. However, he's definitely in the Blues/Grateful Dead/ Jam Band wheel house. There's just some stuff that kinda goes over his pay grade though. On the other hand, you regularly site names of some really obscure composers. I'm kinda wondering if you have ever heard, or done a video on "Toccata" by Emersin Lake and Palmer. The piece itself, was origianally composed by Alberto Ginastera. Or, perhaps Gustav Holst's "Mars The Bringer Of War" by Japanese synthesist Isao Tomita. I would LOVE to see your take on those pieces.
Great analysis You could react, too, with the music Into the lens, from this same album. It's another wonderful song from Yes.
Agreed. "Into the Lens" is epic. Probably my favorite song on this album.
Before I discovered Yes I remember The Buggles joined Yes (Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes).I almost laughed at the absurdity of the whole thing to be honest.
A little while later I was given a loan of Drama and I was blown away!.
It's a magnificent album and led me to buy Yes albums with the legendary Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman.
Suffice to say I loved them,what an incredible band Yes are.
Thankfully I saw the classic line up live in Edinburgh around 2002.
Damm good analysis Doug.
I remember the first time I heard ‘Machine Messiah’ was around 2001-2002, and I bought it on vinyl (I think from a cut-out bin) I was pretty surprised by this because it’s markedly different than their other releases of the time.
Love it Doug. Proper music.. ..❤
Oh . Thank you very much for the education
When you figure out Yes, you have become the machine messiah
really interesting one there Doug, not one I would have looked for but still pretty special
Yes, "Turn of the Century". Such a melodic song and story, poetry. Please review that one.
What's cool about that portamento part near the end is that it's the same old E-F#-G motif only played in leaps of a 9th instead of stepwise.
Westminster! My HS choir director went there. Several of my HS friends went there as well, in the late 1970s-early 80s.
Dear Daily Doug, I've been absolutely loving your prog rock analysis. I've also been joining you on a drink-per -song situation. It's been fun! Particularly on Gates Of Delirium. I'm really glad you covered this one. In particular the live version, with Beniot David on vocals. His time with Yes was brief but i think he did a brilliant job, considering the shoes he had to fill!!! This is a great version. Here's to more Prognosis! Cheers from Scotland!
Hi Doug
I recommend that, you listen to ALL-of their album Relayer.
And after that Awaken, best version is live at Wembley, 1978.
It will be quite a revelation. 😉👍
I am new to your channel due to a YES fan posting this video on a Facebook fan page. And I was fascinated by your deconstruction of this underrated gem from the YES catalog. I agree with some of the comments here that you should delve into some of the other tunes from YES - and then I would love to see you talk about Gentle Giant.
I suggest (or request 😅) Awaken, Close to the Edge & Heart of the Sunrise.
Or Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - Brother of Mine.
The original keyboardist on this album Drama was Geoff Downes, who is also the current keyboardist these days. Oliver Wakeman (Rick's son) is playing the part live here. I think the part you recognize also sounds like some of Philip Glass' work.
He was also in the Buggles appearing in the very first video MTV played “ Video killed the radio”
Glass came to my mind too
And Trevor Horn on vocals. My favorite Yes lineup and album.
@@Wizardofgosz trevor horns voice on drama was amazing...
I took my wife to a few YES-concerts ( and more YES-related shows ) over the years, so she's not unfamiliar with them. After a concert at Wolftrap, she said "What happened to Rick?" I responded "What do you mean?" She said, "He looks so young now!" She had thought Rick's son Oliver, was actually Rick.
Really appreciated hearing your take on this! Love the “Drama” album very, very much.
I have always loved this song. When I was 16, the cassette was forever in my car the summer I got my driver's license. All of Drama is so much fun to listen to as it is a pretty big departure from a Yes fronted by Jon Anderson. That said, this is not my favorite performance of this song. This is very good but it just lacks the punch, the enthusiasm, the hurriedness, and the utter craftsmanship of the studio recording. Such an amazing song and a wonderful band! So glad you did this!
The punch , the enthusiasm, the hurried ness and utter craftsmanship, that you say is lacking here, must be really difficult to duplicate, 30 years after the original recording. Wouldn’t you think?
A kick-ass song indeed. Thanks for the insights.
Saw the Drama tour, I'm old I can still think back and say wow, I saw that. And for like 12 bucks
Yeah, Gentle Giant for sure. Also Camel, Renaissance (whose singer Annie Haslam covered a Yes song in 2000) King Crimson, Soft Machine, all UK groups (also the band UK who had Yes's first drummer Bill Bruford) and a host of European bands like Banco, Le Orme and PFM of Italy and Ange of France, Kayak and Finch of Holland.
Not forgetting, if one ever could, Emerson, Lake & Palmer (RIP Keith, RIP Greg). Their classical/rock mix would be perfect for you. I would even go as far back as Pictures At an Exhibition.
Great choice for a song. This has always been one of my favorites in their catalog. One of those tracks that's hard to pull off live, but this lineup did a decent job.
Would be cool to hear your reaction to "Song of Scheherazade" by Renaissance. If you're unfamiliar with the band, they often recorded with an orchestra on many of their 70's tracks, including Scheherazade. Truly amazing group with the best female singer in classic rock IMO. I'd recommend the studio track but the one performed live in 1977 on King Biscuit Flower Hour is good too.
Both Squire and Anderson studied and participated in choir as young adolescents, Squire also studied choral music and early choir structure and choral music as a whole.
Mi FAV album from YES!! with the Genious Trevor Horn on vocals...!! not here...but you can hear and watch the original videos from 1980...! cheers from México!
It is so cool you are reacting to some of my favorite bands. Rush Permanent Waves changed my life and musical interests ever since. I grew up with Rush, Yes, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. Any of these that you would choose would be greatly appreciated. Stay safe and much peace. Thanks.
Thank you so much for this. Yes had a major freaking line up change on this album. I wanted to dislike it because we were missing the original singer and a kick ass keyboard player but I simply loved this album. I refused to see the tour supporting it but probably burned out a needle listening to it over a year or so.
It was the background to many an hour of D&D and just hanging out with friends.
Your superb description of the musical strength in MM just made me appreciate it even more if that was possible.
Now for Close To The Edge.
Thanks again!
I think you should do the studio version, simply because it has Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes in it who were instrumental in writing this song. And frankly no other lineup does this one better than the original. Original to this album.
Agreed. Besides Alan White was arguably at his tightest on Drama while, with all due respect to him, he was well past his prime when this was recorded.
Yes, the tempo is a bit too slow, but that's the problem with Yes since at least 2000...
All these comments are spot on.
@@michelforest6329 Some pieces benefit from that more relaxed pace- makes them more subjectively impactful. ("And You and I" off of the Like It Is live album comes to my mind- YMMV.) For "Machine Messiah", though, I'm in agreement- the studio recording is best, significantly so.
@@theAsterisk It does work on a few song, I agree. But when I listen to Close to the Edge, I always go back to the early performances (1972-1977), because that one got much too sloooow later on. I'm not sure who was behind the idea of playing at slower tempos. Howe? White? Squire?
Hey! You did find a good live version.
Saw them do this right after the album came out...
Philly, DC, Hampton roads....
OMG
Wow! A cut from the Drama record!?! Great suggestion Steve!
The familiar part is an arpeggiated segment from the fifth movement of Symphony for Organ No. 5 by Widor,. Always reminded me of one of the twiddleer parts of something by Elgar, but I'm a barbarian.
Please review the songs "Close to the Edge", "The Gates of Delirium" and "Starship Trooper" all from Yes.
"Essa é uma música fascinante". Concordo plenamente. From The 🇧🇷
Impressive your reaction on the song “Machine Messiah” by Yes. “Drama” is my favorite Yes album. Greetings from Puerto Rico 😎
Highly underrated Album: Drama!!! Should be named in one go with Close to the edge and Fragile!