BCB 100 - Yes

Threads and discussion dedicated to major acts.
Sneelock

Postby Sneelock » 25 Jul 2006, 00:25

album: Fragile
song: Mood for a Day

I spent too much time marinating my brain in Fragile to ever summon up more that a half-hearted word against it. I still return to it with great pleasure despite any external misgivings my world supplies.
translation: sneelock like.

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Davey the Fat Boy
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Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 25 Jul 2006, 06:48

The Slider wrote:
Davey The Fat Boy wrote:
Okay - let's just recap the parts that we've agreed on:

We've agreed that their songs can be looooong. You brought up Wagner as a defense, but surely you must know that Wagner is practically the poster boy for lack of subtlety to fans of classical music.


I don't believe that anyone who knows anything beyond The Ride of the Valkyries would ever say anything so completely and utterly wrong.


Oh come now. When somebody descibes art as being "Wagnerian" what exactly are they saying. For God's sake the term Wagnerian Rock is in Wikipedia to describe the work of Jim Steinman.

Davey The Fat Boy wrote:While it is possible to be subtle without being brief, it is very unlikely. By nature subtlety generally brings with it an implication of doing things sparingly.


Explain Eno to me then - just for starters.
The length of a composition has no bearing whatsoever on the nature of its content.


Eno's a bore. What else do you want to know about him?

But of course the length of a composition has a bearing on its content. Some artists have enough to say to be able to work long form with great subtlety, but most don't. In the realm of pop songs, excessive length is certainly a warning sign that an artist may lack subtlety.

Davey The Fat Boy wrote:We've also agreed that they sometimes put an emphasis on showcasing their virtuosity over being evocative. Your defense is that this approach is part and parcel of being a prog rock band. Fair enough - but is there anything less subtle than a musician showing off their chops?


I think you are confusing Yes with Emerson, Lake and Palmer. :lol:
Yes are/were a multi-dimensional act. Often (usually, in fact) within the confines (seems like the wrong word in this context) of a single song.
Go listen to Heart Of The Sunrise for a very basic example - it starts off with a complex band instrumental all a crash-and-a-bang, puases for a lovely, lilting, subtle vocal piece - with just a simple guitar accompaniment - before headng off into the realms of prog-excess soloing.


Okay - so you are saying that they are subtle if one simply ignores the times that they aren't. Got it.

Davey The Fat Boy wrote:Lastly we've agreed that their lyrics are often obscure and grandiose. You try to sweep this away by stating "it doesn't have anything to do with the subtlety of their music." But of course it does. When a person tells Bob Dylan "I love your music," they are likely not just talking about chord changes, melodies, and harmonica riffs. They are talking about his songs. The totality of his music - including lyrics.


What are you talking about here?
How on earth can you use Dylan as a comparison point to Yes on any level whatsoever?
You said that Yes were devoid of subtlety I assumed you were talking musically, as to discuss whether there is or isn't any subtlety involved in what is, to all intents and purposes, gobbledegook is a pointless task.
People take Yes' lyrics about a seriously as they do Dylan's music.


I didn't compare Yes to Dylan. Maybe you ought to read more carefully. And it isn't my fault that you assumed that lyrics weren't part of the equation when I said the band lacked subtlety. They bother to write lyrics, don't they? Their lyrics are part of their artisitc statement. And they lack subtlety.


Davey The Fat Boy wrote:So the picture that' emerged here is of a band that:

- lacks brevity

They don't lack it at all - they sometimes shun it in order to explore their musical themes more fully. And besides which, as i have pointed out, the length of a composition has no bearing whatsoever on how obvious or subtle it may be.


Sometimes they explore their musical themes too fully. So much so that a listener might feel beaten about the head by them. A simple slap on the forehead might be a subtle rejoinder, but after 20 minutes the subtlety goes out the window. Length matters.

Davey The Fat Boy wrote:- is known to present vituosity for its own sake
- writes grandiose lyrics

Presenting virtuosity for its own sake is unlikely to ever produce results that could ever be described as 'subtle'
It is therefore a good job that they are also known to do the complete opposite too. It is called having more than one string to one's bow.

So once again - they are subtle except when they are not.


Davey The Fat Boy wrote:- has a keyboard player who wears a cape (see evidence below)
Image

To me that's a pretty good case for calling them unsubtle right there.
Especially the cape.


It is a very subtle cape.


No. The lining is crushed red velvet.

Anyhow enough of this. I've learned one important thing from this conversation. Never criticize Yes to a Yes fan.

Glad I didn't get started on Anderson's singing...
“Remember I have said good things about benevolent despots before.” - Jimbo

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The Slider
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Postby The Slider » 25 Jul 2006, 08:28

You are talking rubbish.
You know it, I know it and everyone else reading this thread knows it.

Your points are all (with the possible exception of the one about the cloak) spurious and disingenuous. So much so that I feel no need by this point to even answer them - the rebuttals are self-evident.
Complete Ramones Mp3 set on its way

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soundchaser
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Postby soundchaser » 25 Jul 2006, 09:14

With regards to Wakeman's cape, it was all just part of the times wasn't it? What Wakeman did in 1972/3, is no different really to punks wearing safety pins in 1976/77. And it should be noted that Wakeman has a tremendous sense of humour and would have been only too aware that he was sending himself up as much as creating an image. It's like Dave Hill's response to the Noddy Holder laughing at his latest crazy outfit..."You write 'em and I'll sell 'em!"

As for favourite Yes music, I'm going to go for:

Favourite album: The Yes Album.

Favourite song: Yours Is No Disgrace.

I have loved this album since 1971 and it is as fresh now as it was then: it is a perfect album...end of!

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Davey the Fat Boy
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Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 25 Jul 2006, 13:10

The Slider wrote:You are talking rubbish.
You know it, I know it and everyone else reading this thread knows it.

Your points are all (with the possible exception of the one about the cloak) spurious and disingenuous. So much so that I feel no need by this point to even answer them - the rebuttals are self-evident.


You lack subtlety.
“Remember I have said good things about benevolent despots before.” - Jimbo

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bixhenry
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Postby bixhenry » 25 Jul 2006, 15:38

Davey The Fat Boy wrote:
The Slider wrote:You are talking rubbish.
You know it, I know it and everyone else reading this thread knows it.

Your points are all (with the possible exception of the one about the cloak) spurious and disingenuous. So much so that I feel no need by this point to even answer them - the rebuttals are self-evident.


You lack subtlety.


:lol: :lol: :lol:

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Matt Wilson
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Postby Matt Wilson » 25 Jul 2006, 15:54

bixhenry wrote:
Davey The Fat Boy wrote:
The Slider wrote:You are talking rubbish.
You know it, I know it and everyone else reading this thread knows it.

Your points are all (with the possible exception of the one about the cloak) spurious and disingenuous. So much so that I feel no need by this point to even answer them - the rebuttals are self-evident.


You lack subtlety.


:lol: :lol: :lol:


Exactly.

This should be in classic threads.

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The Slider
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Postby The Slider » 25 Jul 2006, 17:44

QED.
Complete Ramones Mp3 set on its way

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kath
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Postby kath » 27 Jul 2006, 23:52

album: fragile
(although it easily could've been close to the edge or going for the one. really.)

song: south side of the sky. steve at his crankiest.
(although it easily could've been and you and i or heart of the sunrise. truly.)

kath
ok. i need to quit qualifying. well, except for this postscript.

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Nicky Loves Fuzz
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Postby Nicky Loves Fuzz » 10 Aug 2006, 11:26

ALBUM: The Yes Album

SONG: South Side of the Sky


this thread was a fun read. pretty cool board to have so many YES fans!

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ComradeGummidge
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Postby ComradeGummidge » 10 Aug 2006, 16:54

Nicky Loves Fuzz wrote:ALBUM: The Yes Album

SONG: South Side of the Sky


this thread was a fun read. pretty cool board to have so many YES fans!


Couldn't agree with you more, I thought being a Yes fan on here would be a death sentence but I guess I was wrong.

**runs for cover waiting for the sniper shot**
Get off my land!!!

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BlueMeanie
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Re:

Postby BlueMeanie » 31 Jan 2011, 07:49

ComradeGummidge wrote:I thought being a Yes fan on here would be a death sentence but I guess I was wrong.


Surprisingly well respected by those other than the prog fraternity.

Album: The Yes Album

Song: I've Seen All Good People
Betty Denim wrote:The first time I saw a strange man's cock was in a queue for a Belgian breakfast buffet.

GoogaMooga wrote:I do have standards.


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