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Yes - 5/3/2003 6:44:35 AM

KG Erwin

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Indulge me for a moment. Rhino Records issued a 5-CD retrospective of the band Yes, and its ups & downs from 1969 to today. This has been a band you either love or hate, and I think there are a few fans that populate this forum. Like the subject of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band", they've gone in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile. It was Yes' "Close to the Edge" album from 1972 that really inspired me to become a musician, and specifically a bass player. I fell in love with Chris Squire's sound on that Rickenbacker, and I wanted to capture it and learn how to do it. I was never fully successful, but it was a life-changing album, and within two years, still in high school, I started my career as a semi-pro musician. Meanwhile, my interest in wargaming, which started when I was a ten-year old in 1967, waned a bit while I indulged in my rock n roll fantasies. As I grew older, and started to balance a regular job and playing as a weekend rock n roller, my first love of the military and gaming began to resurface, and it stayed that way till 1997, when I retired from playing music and became a full-time dad to my then 1 yr old daughter, and concentrated on my family and the new world of PC gaming. The music never left, though, so I still practice regularly and learn new songs as they strike my fancy, but now I'm 45 and I still love Yes, and I still get chills listening to the classics from the Bill Bruford era (the "Fragile" and "Close to the Edge" albums, plus the fantastic cover of Paul Simon's "America" on the Rhino collection ). Bruford and Squire were somewhat strange bedfellows as a rhythm section, but they made it work, with no disrespect intended towards Alan White, who has been Yes' drummer since Bruford quit in July 1972. This is why I term myself "Wargaming Rock n Roller". I could go on and on about favorite bands, but thanks for reading this, and I welcome comments.

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- 5/3/2003 7:41:57 AM

Fallschirmjager

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The Velvet Underground were the band that change me musically

I belive thats what you were trying to get across in this thread

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- 5/3/2003 8:38:22 AM

Paul Vebber

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Chris and Geddy Lee the two best bassmen around!

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It's only Rock and Roll, but I like it... - 5/3/2003 10:39:57 AM

Erik Rutins

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I'm not nearly as well educated on Yes as you, but I definitely love a lot of their early work and I've always found them one of the most interesting bands to listen to. While I have fairly broad musical tastes, Rush never really seems to go out of style with me, largely because of their amazing musical skill and often thought-provoking lyrics.

I went to see Rush on their latest tour and it never ceases to boggle my mind what kind of sound those three guys can create (and their precision is incredible).

Hey Paul, didn't know you were also a fan of Geddy, Alex and Neil. We'll have to catch a show together sometime, eh? ;)

Regards,

- Erik

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- 5/3/2003 11:23:32 AM

KG Erwin

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Well, Erik & Paul, we find some common ground in being fans of Rush. I bought their first album back in '74, and liked it, but I lost interest in the next few. However, the 2112 album was their breakthrough, in my eyes, and they've taken flight since then. I have a 2-CD retrospective of them, too, plus a favorite of mine, the "Counterparts" CD. Stripped down and basic rock n roll, the band as I first remember it. Geddy is a bass master, no doubt, and offers inspiration to aspiring bassists. However, in the realm of progressive rock, I think Yes invented the genre, and they've inspired a number of other artists, including Rush. I spoke of the drummer Bill Bruford earlier--he quit Yes to join King Crimson. There's another band, not as well known for commercial hits, that were pioneers in the progressive rock movement. Remember "21st Century Schizoid Man"? That was King Crimson, featuring Greg Lake, later of "Emerson, Lake & Palmer " on vocals. You could write a book on how a few eccentric and very talented Englishmen invented and cross-bred this brand of rock music, and I'm sure it's been done. The wargamers I grew up with who had musical tastes leaned towards this cerebral brand of rock, which shouldn't be a surprise. We've had many topics dealing with music and gaming, and I believe the interests go hand in hand. There are many musicians who play wargames or similar PC games as intellectual stimulation or even inspiration. Given the nature of the music business, it may not be considered fashionable to let these gaming interests be known to the general public.

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Post #: 5

Thoughts on Rush... - 5/3/2003 11:20:45 PM

Erik Rutins

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KG,

While I enjoy their first album (it's more of a fun Led Zeppelin style), I really got into them once Neil Peart joined and added his own amazing rhythm and lyrics. I think that made them complete. There's no doubt Yes and King Crimson had a big influence in creating the style that Rush evolved towards, but they've come into their own since and occupy what is now a pretty unique niche. The epic style of songs like 2112, Cygnus X-1 and Hemispheres really set them apart originally from most other groups and got me to really listen to their music and lyrics.

I've definitely noticed a connection between gaming, computers and music. Must be similar areas of the brain being used or some such. Skilled musicians in my experience tend to be bright and able to understand complex language and rules-based systems like those used in wargaming and programming. Ironically enough, my wife Patty is both a gamer, a musician and a programmer. While I'm a gamer and a programmer, I hesitate to call myself a musician in any real sense, but I was raised with a tradition of folk singing and continue to enjoy it from time to time. I'd be surprised if Yes, Rush, and other groups like them didn't do some gaming in their time... :)

Regards,

- Erik

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Post #: 6

- 5/4/2003 2:50:46 AM

Les_the_Sarge_9_1

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Anyone that likes Rush can do no wrong as I see it.

I measure all bands against them normally.

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- 5/4/2003 2:23:32 PM

Sniperdoc

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And nothing beats a great Rick Wakeman solo!!!

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Post #: 8

- 5/12/2003 11:01:52 PM

Kanon Fodder

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Back in the days of WWII gaming with 1/72 scale models (and later micro-armour) in my bedroom (not much room for anything else!) I introduced my companions/opponents to groups like Yes, King Crimson, ELP, Pink Floyd, The Nice, Blodwyn Pig, Strawbs, Focus, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Wishbone Ash, Argent, Renaissance (and others I can't think of right now)

Those friends then went out and bought the albums for themselves and introduced the music to their friends, and so on ....

I have, over the years, sought out that music and replaced it all on CD.

Still get chills from some of it.
:D

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Post #: 9

- 5/12/2003 11:07:40 PM

Kanon Fodder

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P.S. KG

I first saw Yes in June of '71 when they were backup to Jethro Tull

I remember thinking "what kind of stupid name is that ?"

Took me about 2 minutes to lose that attitude ...

I immediately went out and got The Yes Album and then sought out their two earlier albums.

The only album I have absolutely no use for - didn't like it in '75 and don't like it still - was/is Relayer

Nice cover, tho' ...

;)

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Post #: 10

- 5/24/2003 12:30:39 PM

MarkFroio

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This thread has brought a big smile to my face. Back in high school my buddies and I were seriously into Genesis and Gentle Giant. We also listened to other Rock N' Roll, but late at night "Supper's Ready" would be put on the turn table and some wierdness would take place.

It's always been my contention that music is the best drug around. If I'm down and want to feel better, I know just what to play. If I'm down and went to feel worse, there are also a few tunes that I could play.

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- 5/24/2003 9:26:14 PM

DerC

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I am also a fan of progressive rock. Just last night I watched a Jethro Tull concert from 1977 on Finnish TV, enjoyed it a lot. Although I am too young to have listened to these bands back in the 70s or 80s, most of my favourite artists are from that era.
I'd also like to recommend [URL=http://www.progradio.com]www.progradio.com[/URL] to you, they play lots of good music. :)

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Asia - 5/25/2003 2:28:26 AM

CCB

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[IMG]http://64.95.118.51/images/opti/37/bb/79187-resized200.jpg[/IMG]

One of the best wargaming memories I have is playing SPI's War in the East while listening to Asia.

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Post #: 13