A Portrait of the Artist fully realized

"That’s by far my best solo album and the one I’m happiest with.[...]I think the quality of the album is better than all the others."

- Trevor Rabin, 2004

I was waiting
for the moment...
I was hoping
for the moment...

















Last year marked the 30th anniversary of Trevor's fourth solo album, 1989's Can't Look Away; and it is, by far, the one most beloved, remembered, discussed and longed-for (in terms of a return to form in the present day) among the fandom.  I had meant to post this essay last year in observance of that anniversary but the best-laid plans of mice and men and bloggers, as they say...

So upon the occasion of The Maestro's 66th trip around the Sun, here is my examination of this high-water mark of Trevor's discography.

****

In considering the road which led to this album, from the outside for most fans Trevor possessed a distinct band-related personality, first for those who had idolized him in South Africa as the leader of Rabbitt, and then for the rest of the world as the wunderkind of the revamped Yes.  But as we know Trevor had been a solo artist for a number of years and furthermore from an artistic standpoint operated much as a solo artist even as regards songwriting, arrangements and production for those groups he did take part in.  But maintaining his solo artist identity was something uppermost in his thoughts, even as far back as 1984 when, during interviews for the 9012Live film, he discussed his London-era solo career and stated: "I want to do a solo album" as well as "I'd like to look at it more as a Phil Collins syndrome," meaning: balancing an ongoing solo career with his work in the band.  That particular identity would never be his, unfortunately, but what Trevor did end up with was an album which would come to define his solo oeuvre more than any other.

Trevor certainly prepared himself for the task of this album, taking a four-track recording setup on the road during The BIG Tour to record his songwriting demos.  And by the time the deal was cut with Elektra he was ready with a new batch of songs which spanned nearly the whole of his conceptual acumen.  Something important to consider about Can't Look Away is how many genres it references in its' overall tapestry and in that way it is akin to Trevor's first solo release Beginnings.  It is reflective of his personal beliefs, his musical tastes and abilities, and also his ambition - unfettered by considerations of diplomacy and democracy as are experienced within most bands; especially a band like Yes which at that time contained its' two original songwriters.  In it he offers songs of longing and of passion, social commentary and popular sentiment.

As Elektra was seeking a return on their investment, perhaps to ensure a certain level of success producer Bob Ezrin was brought onto the project and received lead production credit (which I'm assuming was in his contract), a man with a proven track record, having worked with some of the biggest rock acts of the 1970s-80s and his contributions can be heard throughout, perhaps most significantly in recruiting musician Anthony Moore (who had also made contributions to the Pink Floyd releases A Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell) to collaborate on two tracks - Trevor's anthem of hope for South Africa, "I Can't Look Away" and another song which in part addresses the inhumanity of apartheid, "Cover Up."  Ezrin himself also contributed to the writing on three tracks.

Some of the typical excesses of the '80s had touched this project in its' production (i.e. the sorts of things which derailed the recording of Big Generator at several points) but given the preparation and determination of the man behind it all, it certainly took less time than any Yes-related project to complete.  Released about a month after the Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe album in the summer of 1989, Can't Look Away initially benefited from the AOR-friendly lead single "Something To Hold On To" and its' colorfully kinetic music video by award-winning director Jeff Stein.  The video garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Video, Short-Form at the 1990 awards but lost to Michael Jackson's "Leave Me Alone" (which won a lot of awards that year).  The song reached number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, but the album fared poorly overall, cracking the Top 200 during a ten-week span and - for an album which is as revered as it is among fans - not even selling enough to be certified Gold, which Big Generator managed to do within three months of its' release.

Given sales of the ABWH album and the way the ensemble was marketed as a sort of return to traditional Yes values and even a reaction to the YesWest aesthetic, I would posit that one reason Can't Look Away tanked had to do with the timing of its' release as regards ABWH, even as Trevor's fanbase largely intersected with the overall Yes fanbase, but perhaps not enough of those Yes fans who were also fans of YesWest found their way to Can't Look Away.  And that may be in part because Trevor created an album which reflected his identity as opposed to whatever identity he did possess within the continuum of Yes.  But I would also state he was incapable of doing anything else.

Providing context: the various hype stickers used to promote Can't Look Away.

Even the press release for the album places it in a particular context, noting that Trevor's decision to join what was to be called Cinema was a detour from his ongoing solo career; however we also now know that because Trevor had been dropped by Geffen he was casting about for other opportunities and had even auditioned for the touring keyboard player slot in Foreigner (his trip to New York City the experience which inspired "City of Love") and was also being considered for any number of other bands and projects.  The press release refers to Can't Look Away as "that long-delayed solo album" and that is true in a sense, but it's also true that Trevor couldn't get arrested in 1982 much less sign a new solo deal with any label.  He has famously referred to his rejection letter from Clive Davis (president of Arista Records at the time) who seemingly had no faith whatsoever in the potential of "Owner of a Lonely Heart."  It strikes me as unusual for a label head to personally reject someone at Trevor's level of fame (at the time) rather than, say, the head of A&R, but we'll set that apocryphal story aside for another time.

It's also been stated that Trevor was on the brink of finalizing a solo deal with RCA when he received a call from Chris Squire, asking Trevor if he'd be interested in coming to London to meet with himself and Alan White regarding starting a new band, and Trevor's agreement in this regard is puzzling if one is to believe that he was entirely committed to being a solo artist.  I find it very interesting that the context of Trevor's next solo work was envisioned as a liminal space between what he had accomplished in YesWest as well as the continuum of his solo career as if Yes was nothing but a happy accident.  But with those several notations in the press release regarding Trevor's overall contributions in shaping the YesWest sound, I can't help but wonder how disappointed some might have been to discover that no matter the claim, Can't Look Away isn't particularly stylistically adjacent to either of the YesWest albums despite Trevor's many contributions to their architecture.

What Can't Look Away actually can be identified as, on the other hand, is a solid effort of 1980s AOR as well as a number of other stylistic concerns, creating what is overall a sonically interesting and thoughtful record, and it's also the album which any number of people (myself included) would hand to someone if they were to ask, "So who is this Trevor Rabin dude?"  The passage of time has bestowed a far greater and long-lasting reputation to the release than its' initial performance would have demonstrated.  And good thing too, honestly, because it would be a shame if Can't Look Away had become somewhat of a "lost album" as evidenced by his other solo releases, especially Beginnings (as opposed to the worldwide version of that album, Trevor Rabin).

But the album is also a sophisticated construction of layers and textures and more than proof enough of its' creator's talent and acumen, given that Trevor played all the instruments with the exception of the drums (but one could surmise he did program the drum machine dubbed Basil, which was used on a few tracks) as well as all lead vocals.  As we know this was standard practice on all of Trevor's solo albums with the exception of Wolf, and therefore not surprising to fans, but really something to consider when one listens carefully to all those elements and how they are blended.

In recent years Trevor has made some comments in interviews and on social media regarding recording another solo work in this vein, which I'm assuming means a rock vocal album.  That project was, as he stated on his Facebook page, set aside so that he could fully commit to what eventually became referred to as Yes featuring ARW.  And while it is something fans truly desire and have been supportive of when this claim has been proffered, I would hope that whatever he finally accomplishes might reside outside of time, as do certain moments of his genius, such as "Owner of a Lonely Heart."  And that is also one of the wonderful aspects of Jacaranda, it is part of a timeless tradition and artform and it sounds just as vital and masterful today in 2020 as it did when it was released eight years ago.  Can't Look Away, even for the quality of its' songs and production and the talents of its' creator, is a definite artifact of the 1980s and that's not bad per se, and if anything we have to acknowledge that its' status now as Trevor's best solo work (from a popular perspective) is perhaps despite that pedigree.  It is, in fact, a collective longing for that Trevor, who I have previously declared no longer exists.  So it would be interesting to discover who Trevor Rabin, guitar hero and rock n'roll singer/songwriter of renown, is today were he to present us with a new rock vocal album.

But we are here to commemorate Can't Look Away...so let's do that.

****

As with all his solo albums, Trevor's "brand," so to speak, is his face and he's squarely on the front cover as usual.  The photographs by Lisa Powers used for the album packaging and promotion are wholly representative, I would say, in terms of how we perceived Trevor's visual identity in that era: attractive, intense and charismatic.  I'm not entirely certain what the shattered glass is meant to signify from a symbolic perspective, perhaps that no matter the risk, Trevor won't turn a blind eye to strife and corruption...?  I mean, it's certainly a noble sentiment to assume.  The inner sleeve of the LP has what I consider a bad choice in terms of the lyrics reprinted on a red background, thankfully the CD booklet doesn't suffer the same chromatic decision.

The back cover features some different moods, the center photograph was chosen to adorn the cover of the 45 release of "Something To Hold On To" as well as the accompanying advertising and even used for the t-shirts which were sold on the club tour.

Side One

"I Can't Look Away"

I won't lie, dear readers, when Trevor interpolated a bit of this song into the Würm section of "Starship Trooper" during its' one-and-only performance on ARW's tour in 2016, I kind of lost my shit there for a minute.  To actually witness him playing something from the glory days...it was exciting.  This song is a mission statement of anthemic bombast but also meant to be specifically meaningful to the themes and emotional heft of the album.  I would posit Trevor considers it one of his most important songs, and it was interesting to see the lyrics reprised for the liner notes of the reissue of Live In L.A., the live document of the club tour to promote the album.  It certainly experienced its' fullest potential when performed live, particularly the thundering drums of Lou Molino.  Trevor found his drumming soulmate as well as a life-long friend in Lou and he is the true secret weapon of this album.

Trevor noted in the press release that this song can be apprehended on a universal level:

"This song expresses my feelings about the struggle in South Africa, but it could also be about events in any country gripped by violence and oppression - the ongoing war in the Third World, really.  While my lyrics have specific meaning to me, I like that they're open to the listener's subjective interpretation."

"Something To Hold On To"

I would surmise that one reason it is still so much fun to watch the video for this song thirty years later - beyond a certain nostalgia value (and Peak Trevor hair) - is that this is a damn catchy song, the way it shifts between the bombast of the chorus motif and the slinky funk feel of the verses.  In that fashion it recalls the structure of "Owner" without seeming to quote it specifically.  The single was promoted as well as expected but I like to think it would have succeeded primarily because it is the kind of song which makes you reach for the volume knob when you hear it.  It's got more than a few sort of Easter Eggs on it as well - like the horn samples used in the chorus, which I didn't discover for quite a few years.  And as with all the songs he guests on, Duncan Faure provides a great harmony vocal on this one.

"Sorrow (Your Heart)"

By 1989 we had already experienced the burgeoning popularity of World music in Western popular culture, courtesy of such artists as Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel.  But Trevor's use of Township Jive on this particular track is in one respect simply a reference to Home, even if it was a home he had left behind a decade prior.  He used to introduce the song as being about someone he knew, the ordinary daily struggles of a black man in Apartheid society - and the inherent sadness portrayed is ironically juxtaposed against a joyful tune.  However, I believe the music is also meant to symbolize the strength of that oppressed society to endure the everyday tyranny.  As a single this song didn't chart and although I can understand why Trevor would have wanted it to be released, both for the medium and the message, it seems to me that if they were looking for success on the pop charts then "I Didn't Think It Would Last" might have been a better choice (even as he considered that song frivolous).

"Cover Up"

A song about the progression of societal conditioning, as well as some references to the situation in South Africa, I really appreciate how the texturing complements the lyrics and the vocals, it's a very dynamic kind of song and made for a great opener on the club tour.  Although the contributions of the South African-based female choir The Passion Brokers are wonderful overall, I particularly like what they're doing in this song.  Trevor's father Godfrey is also credited with writing and I don't believe I've ever come across a reference to what he provided specifically.

"Promises"

This track is Ryan's public debut, as it is his voice we hear in the introduction, and it's fitting given the song's subject.  Trevor had stated in interviews of the time that it was inspired by his viewing of the Iran-Contra congressional hearings, which took place in mid-1989, and expressing frustration regarding the acknowledged perjury taking place; considering how the world does not reflect those values he wanted to instill in his son.  How can I teach my kid to trust people when I can't even trust you? is the essential message of this song, although the lyrics are vague enough to refer to any number of situations.  Musically I feel this song is the most egregiously '80s of the bunch with that gated reverb throughout.

Side Two

"Etoile Noir/Eyes of Love"

Although these tracks are separately credited I always think of them as linked given that the transition between the two is instantaneous and one is a reprisal of the other just in a different chromatic rendering.  The choice of the name which means Dark Star (technically it's black star) is, according to Trevor, reflective of the theme of the latter song. "Eyes of Love" is easily the most dynamic song on the album in terms of the moods of the verses versus the chorus and then the rideout, which sounds like some kind of electric guitar armageddon - it might be said it's rather indulgent, but at that point in his career I would say Trevor had earned the right to be indulgent.  But also I think it's thematically underscored by how the lyrics shift from reflective to a pre-chorus which strikes one as rather Big Brother-ish in its' message which is then answered by a choir of Hope, so to speak, in the chorus.  There's a lot of tension in the song overall.

"I Didn't Think It Would Last"

Much like with "She's Easy" from Wolf, Trevor meant for this song to be a rather wry look at a relationship, but this time the female is a prostitute rather than a succubus.  But I find there is a sort of underlying melancholy to it, a deliberate echo in the duo of refrains, as "Juliet" says she needs a place where I can stay forever, I can play forever, whereas "Romeo" tells her in turn I can't stay forever, I can't play forever.  The second refrain is omitted from the printed lyrics, but I honestly believe it is different.  Musically I think this is the most interesting song in that it melds a sort of rock sensibility to a more groove-oriented structure and in that way it reminds me of the Purple Mafia/Jam-Lewis kind of sound which was dominant at the time in R&B; I get "The Pleasure Principle" vibes from it specifically but Trevor certainly had enough experience with that type of music not to have to deliberately borrow from anyone.

"Hold On To Me"

Another consideration of Home - this time a revisiting of his past with this revamp of the song "Hold On To Love" from Rabbitt's A Croak and A Grunt in the Night.  In interviews Trevor took credit for the lyrics, and although he did change some lines, originally the lyrics were written by their producer Patric van Blerk.  I've done some comparison listening and I believe that there are elements of the original recording used, primarily the chorus.  But on the other hand the new solo in the song is really beautiful, a nice use of Trevor's Yairi DY-88.

"Sludge"

I had long-wondered why Trevor originally wanted to name this one "Villains from the Swamp Beyond" and the press release provides the answer.

"(It) came out of an impromptu jam I had with Lou Molino.  I was trying for a sort of modern-day version of Edgar Winter's 'Frankenstein' with a bit of the fusion music I used to play thrown in."

(Interestingly enough, there's another fusion song which had been cited by its' creators as attempting the same thing, and that is "Drumbeaux" by VOLTO! from their album Incitare.)  I am on record as preferring the live version of this track, but the studio version is an enlivening moment for certain, the same shifting time signatures (going from 4/4 to 17/8, for example), really playful and adroit and it makes for a nice change of pace.  That drink Trevor takes at the beginning is meant to transform him into a beast, I suppose, and then there's a water droplet sound at the end, so I would assume they are related.

"I Miss You Now"

Speaking of the Yairi, it is heavily-featured on this track as well.  I think this song contains some beautiful layering of instrumentation and ambiance and Alan White's drum fills are excellent.  It has a really heartfelt lyric examining the notions of homesickness and nostalgia, but in truth it's only half a song.  And perhaps that was purposeful but I feel the lack of a second verse sort of sabotages the overall impact of the song even as I get that the change in dynamic from the first half to the second is really the important part of the song.

"The Cape"

This instrumental was originally titled "Cape of Good Hope" and many have seen it as perhaps one of Trevor's first attempts at writing a film score type of piece (not realizing he had actually performed scoring work years before) but I see it as something more akin to New Age or his own take on the kind of World music which was becoming popular.  I firmly believe that if this track had been sent to some of the stations which programmed that type of music at the time it would have become a hit.  This song does have a timeless feel to it in that it's not immediately apparent when it was recorded.  It's a nice closer as it does have a sort of "end credits" vibe to it.

****

Can't Look Away is an album I listen to on a regular basis and I find that it has aged well in the sense that it remains pleasurable to experience.  I believe that is down to the sophistication inherent in its' construction and so therefore it remains somewhat mystifying and also sad that it didn't perform better in its' era, but we are at a point in fandom where we have to take what we can get, and I'll take listening to this album (as well as its' performance iterations on Live In L.A.) over not having it at all.  To hear Trevor at the top of his game remains fascinating and enjoyable and I am grateful we have the evidence.

And I believe the majority of fans would most emphatically agree, which is why it really was magical for those 30 seconds or so back in 2016 to hear Trevor reach for those heights once more...as they are now behind us, receded into the mists of Time, accessible only by way of recorded memory.

Trevor vs. Trevor: who owns it?

Okay, so that question is rhetorical and rather gimmicky but bear with me...this particular installment of Trevor vs. Trevor is not about Trevor versus himself but rather the two Trevor Charleses who were Yes alumni squaring off (figuratively) over a song they collaborated on.

One would likely not argue that "Owner of a Lonely Heart" is the most well-known song which Our Trev has ever composed, even as there might be other songs/compositions which Trevor is equally proud of and appreciates any acknowledgement bestowed.  Given the song's enduring popularity and cultural relevance one imagines he would certainly never turn down a chance to be recognized for it.  However, the song does have three other people credited as co-writers, and one of them has released his own take on it this year with Reimagines The Eighties by Trevor Horn featuring The SARM Orchestra.

The interesting thing for me to ponder in this version, featuring a full orchestration of the song, is it leads to considerations of how the song's principal writer would perform the same effort...or would he?  One wonders if Trevor has ever been tempted to thoroughly re-imagine any of his compositions.  For example, when he did revisit "Rescuing Fischer" as "Rescue" on Jacaranda, it's still primarily the same piece of music, and the same can be said of his re-recording of "Hold On To Me" (aka "Hold On To Love") for Can't Look Away.  We all know - thanks to Trevor's extensive experience with orchestration - that he could certainly do so if he chose.

Granted, Trevor Horn performing "Owner" has much historical precedent, and Trevor has even participated in one of those efforts (appearing with other members of Yes at the Prince's Trust concert in 2004) but this time Horn's approach could be said to be less a reenactment and more of a whimsical "what-if."  I find Julian Hinton's arrangement to be dynamic and engaging, from the song's beautiful overture (taking the place of that famous collage of samples) to the sprightly brass section in the bridge leading to the instrumental break.  There's also a brief soul-jazz transition to the guitar solo, which is shorter than the original but with much the same texturing, leading to another orchestral transition and then a section with a few vocalese-type parts before concluding with a short refrain rather than the extended improvisional ride-out of the original.

Horn's Reimagines The Eighties album features well-known songs of the era, many of which Horn had an actual hand in (such as Grace Jones' "Slave To The Rhythm" and Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "The Power of Love") and others he did not (Tears For Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing In The Dark").  But as one of the men who defined the sound of that particular era in terms of record production, he is certainly entitled to co-opt any of that oeuvre to suit his own fancy, as it were.

Interestingly Horn chose to sing "Owner" himself rather than bring in a guest vocalist as he did for most of the other tracks - only one of two tracks which he does take the lead on.  It is transposed to suit his range but Horn does embody a certain character in his take which actually falls - in my opinion - somewhere between Jon and Trevor's methodologies.  I can't help but think that Horn's decision to sing the song not only stems from his past performances but also perhaps a desire to lay claim to his portion of the legacy.  As if to say: this is my song too, remember.

And one could say that's a matter of opinion; because there are plenty within Yes fandom who assert that without Horn's input "Owner" would have never become as successful as it was, given that they believe Trevor's original demo was...not good, shall we say.  Horn is one of those people, as he previously stated there was something in the song which piqued his interest but the song itself was too typical of Trevor's writing style at the time.  But I believe you can hear all the potential displayed by the end product within the demo as well as on a couple songs which predated "Owner" in terms of arrangement and performance (and I have written about them previously but they are "Paying My Dues" by Rene Arnell, which Trevor produced and arranged, as well as his guitar solo on the Manfred Mann track "Runner").

I believe what truly makes the new arrangement interesting despite the kitchen sink-ness embodied is that the song itself is elastic enough to allow for such a different take, even as it does retain elements of the original.  Speaking of elasticity, the way in which ARW performed "Owner" on their tours over the past three years also shows that this song can lend itself to a number of situations and interpretations, even as one might say this is a rather traditionalist take on it.

In the end, one can still appreciate how fundamentally engaging the song is from its' compositional elements as well as those changes wrought upon it in collaboration which all contributed to its' rise to the top of the worldwide charts 35 years ago.  It's a classic which embodies not only a particular era but also a few different genres within its' ear candy boundaries and to this day manages to sound of its era and completely outside of it at the same time.

This release is available now from all the usual outlets; the Japanese version of Reimagines The Eighties features a second disc with instrumental-only versions of ten of the album's tracks (including "Owner") as well as a version of Godley & Creme's "Cry" sung by Jamie Squire of The 1975.

Trevor vs. Trevor: ear-"Würm"(s)

A continuing series wherein I indulge my love of yammering on about permutations of Trevor's body of work in performance.

"Howe is a craftsman, Trevor is a pyrotechnician...not a rap, just an observation..."

- Facebook fan post 

"I brought my own shoes, thanks."

- Trevor Rabin, 1995


As a long-time Yes fan, I tend to divide my favorite songs and albums between my preferred eras: in my case it's Classic Yes (1971-1978) and YesWest (1982-1995).  In case you're wondering, I listen to a lot of Classic Yes - Close to the Edge is my favorite album from that era.  But there is one particular composition which, for me, spans all eras of Yes as an enduring favorite.  No matter which lineup performs it, it's always great to hear, though of course I still have my favorites.  And it actually serves as a bridge between what I consider to be the two most significant eras of the history of the band.

Starship trooper...go sailing on by.

"Starship Trooper," since its' debut on The Yes Album in 1971, has been a favorite of many fans as well as an incredibly popular song, and thus its' inclusion in the setlist for YesWest, among other selections from the classic oeuvre, was considered not only important but necessary.  But what was even more important, and special, was the way in which Trevor made the piece his own.  Although every member of the band is crucial to its' success as a composition, it is essentially - to my mind - a guitar-driven suite, and thus it allowed Trevor to come to the fore in the context of live performance and wow the crowd, potentially assuage his detractors, assuming the mantle of guitar hero which he rightfully deserved.  He interpreted the song through the filters of his own talent, creativity and experience, not only as a guitarist, but also as a performer, to deliver something which - when he was on and the groove was just right - was entirely thrilling to witness.

If Steve Howe's original was metaphysically uplifting, then Trevor's version was salaciously exciting, as befitting the era in which it was performed, in support of Trevor's view of himself as a "modern musician."

The song in its' three movements was played as a whole on the 9012Live tour, but when it came time to tour in 1987 for Big Generator, the decision was made to play only the end section, known as "Würm," which was Steve Howe's contribution to the suite (the piece itself was written years prior to Howe's first tenure in Yes).  It made sense in terms of the running time of the show, as well as the energy level of the band - coming after the equally epic "And You and I," and with "I've Seen All Good People" and "Roundabout" still awaiting the encores.  But it could be considered controversial from a fandom perspective, to have the young upstart presume to perform the old master's signature contribution.  However, by that time audiences had already witnessed the way in which Trevor reimagined "Würm," and his approach to it didn't deviate other than in terms of performance vagaries.  When the Union lineup performed the whole of "Starship Trooper" during the Around the World in Eighty Dates tour, both interpretations of "Würm" were included in that section of the suite, an acknowledgement of the status of each guitarist within the history of the group.

Amusingly enough, when the DVD of the 9012Live concert film was released in 2006, fans were afforded a previously unknown look at Trevor's opinion of the piece in the bonus behind-the-scenes documentary, titled Access All Areas, which was filmed by Steven Soderbergh.  In fact, overall we were treated to a very raunchy, thoroughly comedic side of Trevor which I term "Tour Trevor" because it's fairly apparent that the rigours of touring require a different personality from one's everyday demeanor.  And he was also obviously playing to the camera, which is part of what makes it so fun to watch now.

Trevor Rabin: enemy of hangers worldwide.

During a scene which is a backstage postmortem, Trevor embarks upon an epic rant - his blatant use of profanity rendered somewhat hilarious as delivered in his well-mannered Johannesburg accent - regarding the way the band performed the show's then-closers "City Of Love" and "Starship Trooper" with bandmates Alan White and Tony Kaye providing a sympathetic audience.  The really funny thing is - and we can assume this happened at least some months into the tour - Trevor gets the name of the end section wrong, and Alan kindly corrects him.  This is an example of why everybody likes Alan White.

But "Würm" was an entirely unique occurrence within the touring history of YesWest and thus it's interesting (for me, at least) to consider those variations which may have resulted in performance, and not necessarily technical variations, but rather ones of emotional intensity.  Even with the distinct movement of the piece, for me the primary value of "Würm" is as a jam - Trevor, Chris and Tony each had their moments in the spotlight within the groove.  And the primary decision a fan would make in regards to whether or not they approved of Trevor standing on Steve's carpet, as it were, was accomplished while listening to what he did with "Würm."  At some shows early on in the tour they did callbacks to other songs - like the ending in Philadelphia where they incorporated "Almost Like Love" and "Heart of the Sunrise" at the same time.  At the opening date of the tour in Omaha, they included "Holy Lamb" as part of the song entire.

And so here is my pick for the very best version of "Würm," (from those I've heard) on January 24, 1988 in Hollywood, Florida.  What is very significant about this performance is that it came after Trevor had collapsed backstage the previous night.  As reported in the Atlanta Journal on February 12th, the band had to cancel six concerts as a result, with doctors immediately prescribing rest for Trevor, who had exhausted himself by performing five times with the flu and a 103-degree fever. The band spent the next ten days in Miami waiting for him to recover.

(Things had a habit of going horribly wrong for Trevor in Florida, have you noticed that?)

Here we have a man hanging on by a thread - and given how thin he looks in the footage, I'd say it's obviously evident he is ill - yet Trevor pulls it out of the fire and delivers a performance I'd rate as otherworldy, almost.  Definitely euphoric and utterly amazing.  It's a classic example of how sometimes when humans are at their worst they can achieve their very best.

  

But speaking of Florida (and once more, potential disasters) here we have Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman performing this same classic on the opening night of their 2016 tour in Orlando in what I would largely define as Trevor's style, but there's a distinct grandeur to it, a stately grace, which I find interesting; an expression of their Golden Years, as it were.  In keeping with YesWest tradition there's a callback - two references to "I Can't Look Away" - the introductory passage to the song as overture (which is not included in this clip) as well as a tease at the six-minute mark, playing 30 seconds from its' lengthy bravura outro.

Trevor vs. Trevor: "Solly's Beard"

A continuing series wherein I indulge my love of yammering on about permutations of Trevor's body of work in performance.

Every so often I encounter opinions regarding Trevor's playing which I find thought-provoking, and having discovered one particular proclamation during all the years of my continuing search for stuff, I've given it Serious Consideration...

Which, in fact, is the best available version of "Solly's Beard?"

This of course raises the consideration of conclusive statements - how can anyone, even an avid fan, be in a position to ponder and therefore assign that particular value judgment?  What kind of critical assessment credentials would one need to possess?  Granted, I have many live recordings in my collection which allow me to discern degrees of excellence in Trevor's performances during the YesWest era, but I find such a proclamation to be a slippery slope indeed if for no other reason than one's opinion is simply that.

But it's a good excuse to write about this particular composition as it is - in the opinion of many - one of the classics of Trevor's oeuvre.  Thus I listened to numerous versions of "Solly's Beard" from every tour in which it was performed (as an example of the depth and breadth of my research, I heard the first time it was played on tour in 1984 and one of the last times it was played in 1992) and I will discuss the manner in which the composition developed over time as well as choose the performance I believe is the best.  I will assert, however, that it's difficult to quantify such a judgment because as a performance piece "Solly's Beard" was meant to evolve and progress and was subject to the external influences of live performance: the mood of the performer, the mood of the crowd, considerations of technicality and pacing and equipment functionality, what Trevor had for lunch that day...anything at all which might affect the way he played the piece on any given night.  Even as many iterations might sound largely the same, each one was strictly meant to reflect a particularly unique moment in time.  And to keep it interesting for Trevor as a performer meant that changes - whether subtle or obvious - were incorporated over time.

"Solly's Beard" was, as long-time fans know, quickly developed as a setpiece by Trevor for the first YesWest tour in 1984, as an interesting acoustic change of pace, whereas all the other solo spots are performed with the musician's primary instrument (and in combinations, thus we have "Si/Solly's Beard" with Tony and Trevor, and what came to be known as "Whitefish" which is Chris and Alan's solo section).  The original body of the piece remained mostly unchanged - save for the vagaries of performance - from 1984 through 1988, on two tours (9012Live and The BIG Tour).  This was likely a concession to the length and pacing of the show overall.  For the club tour of 1989 and the Around the World in Eighty Dates tour of 1991-92, the piece became longer and incorporated a few different genre nods, as by 1991 Trevor was performing it on a different guitar than previous, a white Yairi DY-88.

Trevor performing "Solly's Beard" on the The BIG Tour, 1988.

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But that was the last time Trevor was to play the ode to his dog, as during the Talk tour of 1994 he decided on performing a piano piece instead, playing a long solo specifically for keyboards which then segued into "And You and I," transposing the introduction for that song to keys.

In my considered opinion "Solly's Beard" is not merely a solo which could be played on either acoustic or electric - Trevor was very specific in expression and tonality in regards to the instrument he chose.  The piece was an exercise in the fusion of classical and jazz styles for acoustic guitar, quoting a number of influences, though at that particular time I maintain his primary influence was that of John McLaughlin.  I've heard early renditions of the piece (from the first month of the '84 tour) and it was thoroughly focused on a jazz/classical fusion even when compared to versions later on in the tour.  In 2012 I experienced a thrill of warm nostalgia to actually view up close the Martin acoustic guitar he originally used for the piece - as Trevor was departing his appearance at the Guitar Center in Sherman Oaks he kindly took the time to show it to those of us still chatting in the parking lot (he had brought it in for repair at an earlier date).  He made special note of its provenance for the fans gathered before him, and we appreciated learning about its' particular role in YesWest history. Trevor also kept the stool he sat on to play "Solly's Beard" - any photo or footage you see of Trevor in The Jacaranda Room likely includes that very piece of furniture, such as this shot of the Maestro and his drumming BFF Lou Molino.

Having listened to a number of live recordings from 1984-85 and 1987-88, it allows me to state that the officially-released versions are sufficient in terms of hearing an example which Trevor would likely consider the "classic" style in which the piece was meant to be heard, with the version on the reissue of Live In L.A. possessing the best sound quality and therefore the best of officially-sourced audio from that period.

During the club tour of '89 Trevor took the piece to a whole other level, becoming a bit more indulgent because - after all - he could, teasing other songs in the midst of it.  During the Toronto performance, for example, he included a bit of Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love."  This practice would be the precursor to his inclusion of "Dueling Banjos" during the '91 performances.  Reportedly, when Trevor and Shelley became naturalized U.S. citizens in May of 1991, he even incorporated a bit of "The Star-Spangled Banner" into the piece.  I believe Trevor also lengthened the piece to include elements which would allow further engagement with the audience, to get them cheering and clapping along, and as you can see with his performance in Denver on the Eighty Dates tour that's exactly how they responded.

There is also now a version on Union Live from 1991 which reflects the changes he incorporated, as the piece is nearly two minutes longer than previous versions; I believe it represents the pinnacle of the evolution of the piece and as such, is to my mind the best.  I appreciate the genre-hopping and touches of humor he incorporates into the montage of references - as he moves from classical to jazz to country to funk to shred to classical to bluegrass.  There is less of an emphasis on speed and more nuance in Trevor's playing overall, which illustrates the general development of his taste and abilities in constant reassessment and striving for excellence.  But by the time the Eighty Dates tour reached Japan, Trevor's performance circled back to its' origins in that those versions represented a more "classic" iteration, longer than previous but with less stylistic variations.

But in the end my opinion is only my opinion, and thus I've included clips of some of those performances so you, dear readers, can judge for yourselves...

9012Live: The Solos (6/24/84):

Live In L.A. (from 1984):

Hollywood, Florida 1/24/88:

Union Live (8/8/91):