Siberian Khatru - Yes

[EYESORE 9001]

There’s a little something in this composition for just about everyone. Even though I listened to this frequently on vinyl, it didn’t get nearly as much aitplay back then. FM radios weren’t standard equipment on some cars at the time of its release, and AOR stations on the FM dial (yep, dial, and ‘AOR’ means album-oriented rock), that was the only option for hearing a song of this length on the radio.

For those who grew up later, their only exposure to these prog rock musicians may not go past Roundabout or, from later, Owner of a Lonely Heart. I suggest riffling through the tracks on all three of the first albums first, as later works may prove an ‘acquired taste’ right at first. I’m sure your musical senses will be titillated.

As a bonus, I include a link to Journey to the Centre of the Earth featuring Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, in a solo project, for fans of symphonic rock and electronic music in general.

It’s like 40 minutes, so plan accordingly 👍🏽

[IbogaProject]

1. My childhood favorite group

Those first four albums are all a good introduction to YES. They were the first progressive rock group to go big. Here is the third and most famous lineup from a show in 1978. Concert recordings are exempt from copyrights if no official versiom is fir sale, but only legal to trade, or stream if for no charhe. https://archive.org/details/Yes_Tormato_1978-09-19-MadrigalMysteryTour-Richfield

[EYESORE 9001]

2. I stand corrected on my discography

I forgot about the first two, and I admit some unfamiliarity with them. I don’t think I’ve heard either one in its entirety. So, I’ll recommend starting with The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge in no particular order.

[WestMichRad]

3. While their first two albums don't measure up to their next several,

… there are still some excellent tracks on them. There was a compilation album issued many years ago, Yesterdays, that featured the best tracks from the first two, plus their terrific cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “America”.

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[IbogaProject]

4. Going for the One is solid too

Thanks for the post.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. The Version That Cinched It For Me

I went nuts over Yessongs when it was no clear that these guys could pull these songs off in front of an audience. I played that album to death.

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[EYESORE 9001]

6. I felt the same way about Pink Floyd when I saw them

It was their Dark Side of the Moon tour, and I was blown away by their ability to reproduce their studio work so closely while on stage. Had I seen Emerson, Lake & Palmer live, I would have expected near-perfect reproduction - especially on the part of Keith Emerson. Good keyboardists just operate at a whole ‘nother level.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. Since You Brought That Up...

As a long-time keyboardist I have my Top 5 best piano players of the rock era.
Emerson is #1, Wakeman is #2.
The other 3 are a bit more "inside". 3. Mike Garson. 4. Joe Jackson 5. Chuck Leavell.
Those are the only 5 players where, when I heard them play something, I did to myself "Oh, I've got to steal that."
I can't think of another keyboardist out of my Top 5 where I said that.
Now, I stole sounds from guys like Greg Hawkes or Jan Hammer, but I didn't change the way I played over anything they did.
That first 5 made me rethink things.
My last band was super solid, so I considered my job was to put icing on the cake they were baking. (I even approached guitar that way.) So yeah, keys can take a band to a different level.