Monday, December 24, 2018
holiday wishes
I wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday season, whatever tradition you observe all around the world. Wishing you peace and joy and happy times with those you love. Thank you as always for your support and patronage. Here's hoping 2019 brings us new adventures with the Maestro and better times for all.
Monday, December 17, 2018
Media Watch: it's one less
This past week the Yes Music Podcast tackled yet another release in Trevor's oeuvre, the 2003 compilation 90124, featuring demo'd versions of future YesWest songs as well as solo-orientated tracks from the pool of songs Trevor brought into Cinema when he first joined.
— Kevin Mulryne (Yes Music Podcast) (@YesMusicPodcast) December 15, 2018
Friday, December 14, 2018
Wotta Guy (but not that guy, necessarily)
Spotted on Twitter: I have to admit, when I saw this tweet my initial reaction was: "Really? This was debated?" Because I've been active in Yes fandom for many years now and I've never taken part in a debate regarding Trevor's involvement with or influence on Def Leppard.
-1- A long-standing friendship and working relationship with the producer of the album, Robert John "Mutt" Lange. As long-time fans are aware, Trevor worked with Mutt extensively during their formative years in the South African music scene. Mutt emigrated to London around the same time that Trevor did, although previously Trevor claimed that Mutt went there first, and encouraged the members of Rabbitt to come to London and allow him to produce their second album but they declined. During Trevor's years in London one would imagine they had regular contact and we also know that Mutt's ex-wife Stevie Vann contributed backing vocals to Trevor's third solo album Wolf.
-2- At the time in which Pyromania was being recorded in London, Trevor was also in London working with what was to become YesWest on 90125. So it's easy to imagine that there was social contact during that period.
And now for my speculation/editorializing:
-3- Is it possible that Trevor was one of The Leppardettes who are credited with backing vocals? Perhaps, but there's never been any indication that he participated in the actual recording of Pyromania. So to potentially infer that the sound of Pyromania was somehow an extension of Trevor's sound because he receives a namecheck in the credits is a case of incorrect attribution. It is abundantly clear that Def Leppard's particular musical idiom, beginning with High 'n' Dry, is a direct result of working with Mutt Lange who possesses a signature style of stacked choruses, anthemic hooks, and an overall densely-layered kind of AOR feel. And furthermore I would infer that Trevor's love of stacked choruses likely originated directly from working with Mutt.
But speaking of Pyromania, here's something which I did debate in Yes fandom, at the very least...
Back in 2009 a Yesfans member who goes by the name of Earl Grey conducted a series of informal interviews with keyboardist Tony Kaye, and what follows is Kaye's claim regarding his role on Pyromania. But Kaye is not included on the "Wotta Guy" list in the credits.
(I will note that I have kept the original formatting from the interview intact.)
TK: ...I, along with Rabin, originally wanted Mutt Lange to produce 90125, but Mutt was too busy working on something else at the time...
The Def Leppard album, 'Pyromania': Which I played on, by the way.
I actually did the keyboards on the album.
As a producer, Lange was such a sweetheart of a guy, and such a pleasure to work with.
And there was none of the tension that was happening in the 90125 studio.
EG: So, if Lange had been at the controls of 90125, it might have been a better experience for you?
TK: Who knows how it would have turned-out with Mutt.
But, working with [him] was such a positive experience.
Particularly what he had me doing.
There were actually no 'keyboards' per se on 'Pyromania': What he had me doing was playing the guitar parts on the synthesizer.
I was doubling the guitar parts, we were multi-tracking everything with the guitars on top.
The synths were playing what the guitars were playing, in exactitude, ...so you ended-up with this great wall of sound.
But then, there were no actual keyboard parts in-between.
It took hours and hours, finding the guitar parts I could play with one hand, and then, multi-tracking them.
And that's how we got that BIG sound on 'Pyromania'.
EG: T.K. and Def Leppard. Who knew? Certainly not I!
TK: I don't think anyone knows about that. There aren't any keyboard credits on the album.
However, Kaye is not the only musician to make this claim and in fact at the time the interview was posted on Yesfans some readers responded to note that Thomas Dolby has been the one revealed as "Booker T. Boffin" who is credited with "Other Keyboards" on the album. Several months prior to the interview with Kaye, an interview with Dolby was published wherein Dolby did assert the claim.
So I would posit that if anything need be known, that particular claim of Kaye's is the "truth" which should be uncovered regarding the making of Pyromania. Maybe someday someone might ask one of the Leps for their recollection - as Mutt is notoriously reclusive I'm willing to bet we won't be hearing from him.
To start with, what this person is referring to is Trevor's name listed in the "Wotta Guy" section of the album credits. His presence on that list is very likely attributable to two things:Hi Eddie,— AgentA Douglas (@TravelAgentA) December 13, 2018
RE: Def Leppard...
Q: "What is the 'TRUTH' about the extent of (Yes guitarist) TREVOR RABIN and his influence on the PYROMANIA album??"
(Rabin IS thanked in CD notes. Fans of Yes & Def Leppard have debated for YEARS...)#DefLeppard #Pyromania #TrevorRabin #Yes #ARW pic.twitter.com/LDv1SMTSBE
-1- A long-standing friendship and working relationship with the producer of the album, Robert John "Mutt" Lange. As long-time fans are aware, Trevor worked with Mutt extensively during their formative years in the South African music scene. Mutt emigrated to London around the same time that Trevor did, although previously Trevor claimed that Mutt went there first, and encouraged the members of Rabbitt to come to London and allow him to produce their second album but they declined. During Trevor's years in London one would imagine they had regular contact and we also know that Mutt's ex-wife Stevie Vann contributed backing vocals to Trevor's third solo album Wolf.
-2- At the time in which Pyromania was being recorded in London, Trevor was also in London working with what was to become YesWest on 90125. So it's easy to imagine that there was social contact during that period.
And now for my speculation/editorializing:
-3- Is it possible that Trevor was one of The Leppardettes who are credited with backing vocals? Perhaps, but there's never been any indication that he participated in the actual recording of Pyromania. So to potentially infer that the sound of Pyromania was somehow an extension of Trevor's sound because he receives a namecheck in the credits is a case of incorrect attribution. It is abundantly clear that Def Leppard's particular musical idiom, beginning with High 'n' Dry, is a direct result of working with Mutt Lange who possesses a signature style of stacked choruses, anthemic hooks, and an overall densely-layered kind of AOR feel. And furthermore I would infer that Trevor's love of stacked choruses likely originated directly from working with Mutt.
But speaking of Pyromania, here's something which I did debate in Yes fandom, at the very least...
Back in 2009 a Yesfans member who goes by the name of Earl Grey conducted a series of informal interviews with keyboardist Tony Kaye, and what follows is Kaye's claim regarding his role on Pyromania. But Kaye is not included on the "Wotta Guy" list in the credits.
(I will note that I have kept the original formatting from the interview intact.)
TK: ...I, along with Rabin, originally wanted Mutt Lange to produce 90125, but Mutt was too busy working on something else at the time...
The Def Leppard album, 'Pyromania': Which I played on, by the way.
I actually did the keyboards on the album.
As a producer, Lange was such a sweetheart of a guy, and such a pleasure to work with.
And there was none of the tension that was happening in the 90125 studio.
EG: So, if Lange had been at the controls of 90125, it might have been a better experience for you?
TK: Who knows how it would have turned-out with Mutt.
But, working with [him] was such a positive experience.
Particularly what he had me doing.
There were actually no 'keyboards' per se on 'Pyromania': What he had me doing was playing the guitar parts on the synthesizer.
I was doubling the guitar parts, we were multi-tracking everything with the guitars on top.
The synths were playing what the guitars were playing, in exactitude, ...so you ended-up with this great wall of sound.
But then, there were no actual keyboard parts in-between.
It took hours and hours, finding the guitar parts I could play with one hand, and then, multi-tracking them.
And that's how we got that BIG sound on 'Pyromania'.
EG: T.K. and Def Leppard. Who knew? Certainly not I!
TK: I don't think anyone knows about that. There aren't any keyboard credits on the album.
However, Kaye is not the only musician to make this claim and in fact at the time the interview was posted on Yesfans some readers responded to note that Thomas Dolby has been the one revealed as "Booker T. Boffin" who is credited with "Other Keyboards" on the album. Several months prior to the interview with Kaye, an interview with Dolby was published wherein Dolby did assert the claim.
Keyboards by “Booker T Boffin” on Def Leppard’s Pyromania: was that you then, and if so what other pseudonyms have you used over the years?Others have cited Dolby as the mystery keyboardist as well, including engineer Mike Shipley in a 2013 interview and Def Leppard co-manager Peter Mensch.
Yes, Pyromania and also parts of Hysteria. I didn’t really want to get tarred with the heavy metal brush, and the feeling was quite mutual—hence the pseudonym. It came about because Mutt Lange’s a great guy that’s not afraid to try odd things out."
So I would posit that if anything need be known, that particular claim of Kaye's is the "truth" which should be uncovered regarding the making of Pyromania. Maybe someday someone might ask one of the Leps for their recollection - as Mutt is notoriously reclusive I'm willing to bet we won't be hearing from him.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
#tbt: One of my favorite things!
With much gratitude and thanks to the DrTomoculus channel on YouTube for coming through with my request from a few years back...here is his "remastered" version of Beginnings, the original release of Trevor's first solo album on RPM from 1978. As I discussed in my essay on the album from last year, there are differences in the mix* and sequencing between Beginnings and Trevor Rabin (as well as different/additional songs) and if you've never had the opportunity to hear the original then you owe it to yourself to give this a virtual spin!
* "Live A Bit" is the best example of how different the mix can be. The original version is a revelation when compared to the version on Trevor Rabin.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Media Watch: some recent finds
The 35th Anniversary of 90125 was last month, and here is the In The Studio with Redbeard program in observance of this event. It likely contains content from previous programs but I found it enjoyable.
http://www.inthestudio.net/online-on-demand/yes-90125-35th-anniversary-jon-andersontrevor-rabinalan-whitetony-kaye/
In other podcast news, The Prog Report website has a new show in honor of Yes' 50th Anniversary titled Yes Years 50. Each episode examines one year from every decade within Yesstory; and I believe every episode thus far contains at least some YesWest content.
http://www.inthestudio.net/online-on-demand/yes-90125-35th-anniversary-jon-andersontrevor-rabinalan-whitetony-kaye/
In other podcast news, The Prog Report website has a new show in honor of Yes' 50th Anniversary titled Yes Years 50. Each episode examines one year from every decade within Yesstory; and I believe every episode thus far contains at least some YesWest content.
You can find all episodes of the show at TPR's Podbean page.
Friday, December 7, 2018
The Man of a Thousand Credits: lending his heart
One of a continuing series in regards to the myriad variety of Trevor’s discography.
Today saw the release of Jason Becker's album Triumphant Hearts, and finally we can experience Trevor's lyrical mastery on the track "River of Longing."
It's quite a lovely piece, I enjoy the shifts between the delicate phrasing and a more raucous voicing in some parts, as well as a pretty keyboard part. It's definitely what could be considered Trevor's style in terms of tone and articulation. There is some vocalization towards the end as well which is a nice surprise. It has an almost sort of "church-y" kind of feel to it in the final couple minutes.
Today saw the release of Jason Becker's album Triumphant Hearts, and finally we can experience Trevor's lyrical mastery on the track "River of Longing."
Jason Becker - River of Longing (feat. Trevor Rabin): https://t.co/aISHIvXC6u via @YouTube— Jason Becker (@jasonelibecker) December 7, 2018
It's quite a lovely piece, I enjoy the shifts between the delicate phrasing and a more raucous voicing in some parts, as well as a pretty keyboard part. It's definitely what could be considered Trevor's style in terms of tone and articulation. There is some vocalization towards the end as well which is a nice surprise. It has an almost sort of "church-y" kind of feel to it in the final couple minutes.
As I reported previously, there are two songs on the album with the same name, but at least to my ears if they are the same song there is a distinct difference in the realization. But upon my initial listening to the release as a whole I find it is a very interesting cast of characters brought together to realize the emotive, soaring material on offer.
Congrats to Jason on this fine achievement!
Thursday, December 6, 2018
#tbt: one rockin' November night
Of the various postings I see from fans online, I wanted to give a shoutout to Karen Smith who has shared on her Instagram account some of her photos of various Yes shows she attended over the years, specifically the YesWest Pittsburgh show on November 27, 1987. Sometimes it feels like the BigGen era isn't quite as well-documented as other tours and I always enjoy seeing fan images of the particular gigs. Many thanks for these fond memories!
As an added bonus I believe these two photos are from their May 1st, 1984 show.
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Lucky girl!
Spotted on Instagram for #tbt: the daughter of Trevor's guitar tech Curtis Laur posted some backstage photos from ARW's August 29th performance at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and you gotta wonder if Ana was imbued with some special mojo from getting to hold the Strat...
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
upcoming speculation
With Trevor's recent proclaimed renewed commitment to scoring as a vocation, I've found myself playing a guessing game in my head regarding various upcoming films and of course the most obvious one at the moment is Bad Boys For Life, the third installment in the franchise which leading men Will Smith and Martin Lawrence announced via social media on November 1st. Which is not to say that Trevor is a lock for the project but it would be nice if he and Paul were also back on the team. The film is currently scheduled for a January 2020 release.
Friday, November 2, 2018
update: Captain Cuts on the job
The last few weeks have been busy for those crazy kids...their third mixtape EMOWORLD was released last month, and a new song produced for Canadian pop princess Carly Rae Jepsen was debuted yesterday. Today brings another multi-tiered collaboration, this time with Swedish production crew NOTD, DJ Felix Jaehn and singer Georgia Ku. It would be nice to see the guys produce maybe an EP-length project with Georgia, as her voice is a perfect fit for their relentlessly upbeat dance-pop aesthetic.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
#tbt: a BIG moment
Courtesy of the ever-fabulous The Groovy Archives tumblr is this shot from The BIG Tour of 1987-88, and the sartorial choices of YesWest are in keeping with both '80s fashion and their rock star personalities of the time.
I'm actually impressed that they managed such a collective unified color scheme, and also Alan's custom Yes graphic on his outfit is very clever.
Original post:
https://thegroovyarchives.tumblr.com/post/179603098202/yes-live-big-generator-era-via-amazonmusic
I'm actually impressed that they managed such a collective unified color scheme, and also Alan's custom Yes graphic on his outfit is very clever.
Original post:
https://thegroovyarchives.tumblr.com/post/179603098202/yes-live-big-generator-era-via-amazonmusic
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Live At The Apollo review
Caveat lector: I have opinions. Not all of them are positive as regards this release.
Also many thanks to my colleague Graham for technical support.
The release of Live At The Apollo is finally here and by and large it has been positively reviewed both in the press and by fans. I agree that it's a great thing to own which will provide much enjoyment. But I also think there are some problems with it and so I plan to discuss both sides in my review.
It's truly superfluous for me to state that this is my opinion - my blog my opinion, doncha know - and I can certainly understand why many fans don't have any issues with the release. But I do want to make it clear that in a review I am going to provide my critical opinion and you can choose to agree with me or not. But don't come at me for having an opinion either way, thanks. I tend to think these days in the fandom realm people get confused regarding the uses of criticism; and even as I may be largely positive about many things I approach it all from a perspective of discernment.
I also wanted to note that I'm not including a lot of screencaps in my review because I'm planning at least two other entries devoted to that sort of thing, just in case you were wondering.
The Good Stuff
I had three reasons, primarily, for desiring this release:
-1- As an avid collector of YesWest live recordings I wanted yet another audio/video release featuring Trevor. I know there are plenty of other people out there with this same desire.
-2- I have attended ARW shows, but could never afford to sit close to the stage. A professionally-filmed show would allow me that perspective.
-3- Not that I'd say I'm the only one but...I wanted a professional-quality version of "Long Distance Runaround/The Fish" primarily for Lee Pomeroy's solo.
So I got two out of three of those desires, and like the song says: that ain't bad.
I really do enjoy this release; I know there are some in fandom who believe I am protesting unduly or am willing to trash the whole thing because item number three was not granted to me (or anyone else who might have wanted it). That is simply not true. As someone who attended multiple shows (even though it was not as many as I wish I could have seen) there is much replay value to this release for me and I've already watched/listened more than a few times just to reach the point where I can write this review from an informed perspective.
The 2016 setlist, once it was solidified, was a good one in my estimation and I'm just fine with the song selection as represented in this document. It is wonderful to have a professional-quality recording of this setlist as played by an ensemble who had finally reached a point of performance cohesion with the material and their chemistry as a band. As I've noted in my reviews of the performances/tours I think by this particular point in their collective history, ARW was turning in solid performances all around.
Even as I might find some fault with the way it was filmed, I appreciate that a seasoned director helmed this project and that it was shepherded at a professional level. It's well done, if not quite 9012Live in terms of cinematic perfection. Then again, that is just not possible anymore, for so many reasons.
To be honest, I'm just happy we actually have it, because I wasn't sure if it was going to be released. Although it was produced by an outside concern that wasn't necessarily enough assurance in terms of reaching the finish line (though I ardently wished that it would be, and it turned out okay in the end). So about that...
The waiting is *insert metaphor here*
Unless it was the plan all along as regards the observance of the anniversary or to coincide with the US tour, I don't understand why it took a year-and-a-half to get this release to market. As example, this November Eagle Rock is releasing a live album/video by prog legend Steven Wilson of a performance from March of this year in five different formats, also with a 5.1 Surround mix - thus proving that it does not take a year-and-a-half to accomplish such a feat. Since this release was available to buy at the recent shows I can only think that we were meant to wait that long. Of course, there might have been another reason entirely. I say this because, according to my research, the project cycle for an Eagle Rock live release tends to be about 6-8 months from production to sale.
"I think we should change the cover, though. A bit late!"
The above is an actual quote from Trevor, and certainly one may argue he was just joking but maybe not. I am on record as not having any particular affinity for Jay Nungesser's design work for ARW. For me, it's primarily the new logo, I don't like it. His ARW logo was much more appealing compared to the new Yes logo. I think the "Quintessential Yes" version of the overall design is far better still but I imagine the artwork for Live At The Apollo was created long before the new website design was completed so therefore it incorporates all of the previous elements (i.e. the maze and the cubes). The typeface and photos and all are fine, although I find it interesting that in the collage of photos Jon and Trevor are at the top of the page and Rick is relegated to a space with the sidemen at the bottom. I don't have a particular issue with the color scheme, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed to discover that the packaging was reflecting the old design elements.
I know I'm not the only one who feels this way but I wanted to note this from a recent review of the Blu-ray on the AudiophileReview website:
(vigourous applause)
This next point has been a source of tireless debate in fandom thus far, and I have an opinion as does everyone else. Nobody is right or wrong I would say, but everyone is entitled to feel however they will about it. I'm taking a stand to declare that berating or ridiculing others regarding their feelings on this matter is not cool and if you've done this in fandom discussion or on social media, you should just stop it.
The added crowd noise in the audio (what I have referred to as crowd swells) is indeed annoying from my perspective but if you listen to it enough times solely on the audio I find it just becomes background noise. It's definitely strange strictly from the perspective of - if you were at the show or if you've watched audience footage of the show - knowing those in attendance were a typical prog-loving respectful UK-based audience and simply did not cheer every 30 seconds or so. Here's an example of what this crowd really sounded like during "Heart of the Sunrise" - I picked this video specifically because it is filmed from directly behind the production/mixing area so most of the crowd on the floor is in front of the person filming.
And in the Live At The Apollo video you can, at different points, witness the general demeanor of the audience, which is completely at odds with what you're hearing on the audio. There are washes of cheering during "And You and I" which you hear while you see the audience calmly absorbed within the performance before them. You hear one thing, you see another. I'm going to be blunt: that's just dumb. But what's done is done so fans will deal with it as they will. I can certainly understand the pushback occurring on social media, but I don't believe anything will be accomplished to remedy or change the release. However, in time I fully expect that a hobbyist audio engineer will at some point circulate a "hype-free" mix of the audio where the crowd noise has been turned down, so to speak.
Bare Bones
There are no bonus features on this release. None. I'm disappointed, sure, although I feel like it would have been too much to expect given how long it took to release this. I've noted before that there is a distinct lack of organization in the ARW business concern and I can't help but wonder if perhaps Eagle Rock requested that bonus features be provided or suggested that they be filmed, only to be met with resounding silence from the principles. I think at the very least we should have been provided with an audio track of "The Meeting" from a prior performance as that was an element of the 2016-17 setlist.
Digital-itis
It's not like I'm Quentin Tarantino demanding that movies be shot on film and projected from film, but the HD digital mediums for music and video are not entirely ideal in my opinion. There's something distinctly clinical about both aspects which can be both good and bad.
Interestingly, it's the nuance - there is so much nuance in Paul Linford's mix (and yes, I know that Paul and Trevor receive co-credit for the mix but Paul receives the leading credit so I'm going to assert it's primarily his mix) - which makes it an interesting and exciting experience to listen to, but at some points it is a little too cold for my tastes. But I do enjoy it even so, it shows the true character of this ensemble far better than any particular performance ever could, in my opinion, even with the enhancements (which I think are fairly unobtrusive). But I also know it's an all-digital recording so I would say that's probably the culprit. On the other hand, the HD video equipment used for shooting allows for any number of interesting camera angles and pans but it's a little too revealing sometimes. Things don't always look attractive in HD digital video. They call it the "Soap Opera Effect" and it can provoke Uncanny Valley levels of visual dread at times.
But also I have issues with some of the camera angles, like the camera which was placed somewhere in the vicinity of Trevor's right hip in order to capture shots of Lee (behind Trevor on his platform) which are just oddly-framed because of the positioning. And the very long shots where the stage appears in seeming miniature and granted, from the back of the hall (which seats 3500) it probably does look that way but I just don't see the point of including those kinds of shots. Some of the focus-pulls which I'm assuming were added in post are jarring to me as well. And the tracking is a bit too mechanical, as the cameras were all on automation. Far more convenient and less distracting in terms of having extra bodies on stage, but the movement of the cameras calls attention to that very consideration and so I found that distracting instead. And there are parts of Rick's solos where they fast-cut to every single camera angle they had for him and it reminded me of this one guy who had a cringingly amateurish music video show reel on YouTube and it was something like 20 cuts in 30 seconds which had the effect of making me want to claw my own eyes out.
On another point I did want to acknowledge the whimsy of making the opening sequence look like a film from 1968 which I thought was a nice touch; it actually enhanced the whole scripted quality of the band's entrance rather than emphasized the non-subtlety of it.
Consigned to the Recycle Bin of history
There's been some editing done to "Owner" because the segue into "Sunshine Of Your Love" has been cut out although I believe you can hear them coming out of it back into "Make It Easy" and then to the end of the song. Granted, it's a brief part when compared to other later renditions.
I do actually understand this edit for a couple reasons:
-1- Jon does not actually know the words, and it's funny but I don't know how well the joke would stand up in repeated listening/viewing.
-2- Who wants to pay licensing/royalties on something that's actually kind of a throw-away interpolation?
Speaking of edits, this brings me to one particular complaint I have with this release (and it shouldn't surprise any of my long-time readers) - the exclusion of Lou and Lee's solos. They weren't edited down, but rather cut completely out of the songs in which they were performed. And this truly baffles me because even if the reasoning is that someone at home might be bored by a five-minute solo, they could have still retained a minute or so to avoid the completely abrupt and confusing transitions where their solos are supposed to be.
Again, I'll be blunt: there is no good reason for this to have happened. Don't like the solos? Skip them. But give us the choice, don't edit out any of the performance when there's no need to do so, and there absolutely was not. It's like all of the generosity which allowed them to have a moment in the spotlight was then negated by excising those moments like they never existed at all. And I find myself very disappointed with whomever ultimately made that decision.
It's not totally spoiled but...
This was just a gaffe but it does disappoint me that the version of "Rhythm of Love" on this recording is missing an entire verse. It's my favorite of the setlist and again, I really wanted to have a professionally-recorded version of it. But for what it is, missing verse and all, it's a lot of fun although to my surprise I think the version of "Hold On" has more of a classic rock band kind of vibe to it. There's a certain crunchiness which is missing compared to previous performances of RoL.
Returning to my main gripe: the combined track of "Long Distance Runaround/The Fish" on Live At The Apollo comes to 6:17. The actual performance time of the songs - based on the audience video I've seen of that particular rendition - is a little over eleven minutes (if you subtract Jon's introductory remarks). Lee's solo comprises about five minutes of the total song. I'm not speaking from a position of attempting to demand anything from the production team, this is not me making an entitled rant. But I honestly don't understand why one of the highlights of the show - so much so that they actually made this section twice as long as it had been upon the original debut in 2016 - would be wholly deleted from the recording and concert film. Lee's performance of "The Fish" throughout those touring cycles was a wonderful tribute to Chris Squire as well as adding an additional layer of Yes-like legitimacy to the endeavor because to perform Yes music you need a great bass player, and I imagine now no one would dispute that Lee Pomeroy is one of the best the UK has to offer. His bravura and upbeat attitude made me a fan, and as a fan I'm gutted that it's not there. But I have already amassed a collection of audience videos and recordings on my hard drive to remind me of the good times, and you can't take that away from me, guys.
And I know what you're thinking: "Hey, there's nearly two minutes of Lee soloing in 'Heart of the Sunrise!'" And that is certainly true, and I truly appreciate that song didn't get edited down, trust me. I suppose if the reasoning was that Lee could have one solo but not two, well, okay - but that strikes me as a rather lame excuse if in fact it is one.
It has been suggested, due to the number of interpolations of other Yes songs in Lee's solo, it would have meant more of a licensing expenditure than what was already accomplished and thus provided a reason for its' exclusion, and I'll concede that might very well be. It's a reasonable assertion even as it also strikes me as a bit of pretzel logic. I don't accept it's the primary reason but it could certainly have influenced the decision though it's difficult to believe that Eagle Rock's licensing budget for this release would have been absolutely drained by such a consideration.
As much as the principles might have disapproved of YouTube videos - and thus this release was a response to such things - now audience recordings seem to be the only way to view the show as it was actually performed in toto.
So the video quality of this recording is not the greatest, although the sound is okay - but here is what we're missing in terms of experiencing a high-quality version of this section of the show (and I want to note that I found this particular video last year and added it to my collection, I'm not just now discovering it for the purpose of supporting my assertions).
Definitively not definitive
The interesting consideration for me as a fan and as someone with a critical appreciation for such things is that the audio and video releases present different experiences for different needs. When I need to listen to this great performance and enjoy it for what it is, then the audio serves that desire beautifully, whereas when I want to remember the experience of seeing ARW, the experience of the show itself, then I will (and have) listen to audience recordings instead. Same with the video - I'll watch a VOIO. What I get from the video portion of Live At The Apollo is an appreciation for their interplay and sense of enjoyment and fun, but not necessarily a true portrait of an actual show.
And given the reason this project was accomplished - to provide the definitive version of a recording of the live experience - I find that a bit ironic. This in fact does not replace audience recordings. It is certainly better quality overall but the decisions which were made from a production standpoint end up being at odds with what actually occurred.
But I also find that I'm enjoying it in the same way I enjoy recordings of the Union era and the Eighty Dates tour - an appreciation that this happened at all and we have the memory of that unique glory. Even if this release is not exactly what I want, it is quite enjoyable for the same reason that I enjoyed the ARW live experience to begin with: it gave me so much more elation than even I would have expected it to. And I truly hope that it does the same for you as well.
Also many thanks to my colleague Graham for technical support.
The release of Live At The Apollo is finally here and by and large it has been positively reviewed both in the press and by fans. I agree that it's a great thing to own which will provide much enjoyment. But I also think there are some problems with it and so I plan to discuss both sides in my review.
It's truly superfluous for me to state that this is my opinion - my blog my opinion, doncha know - and I can certainly understand why many fans don't have any issues with the release. But I do want to make it clear that in a review I am going to provide my critical opinion and you can choose to agree with me or not. But don't come at me for having an opinion either way, thanks. I tend to think these days in the fandom realm people get confused regarding the uses of criticism; and even as I may be largely positive about many things I approach it all from a perspective of discernment.
I also wanted to note that I'm not including a lot of screencaps in my review because I'm planning at least two other entries devoted to that sort of thing, just in case you were wondering.
The Good Stuff
I had three reasons, primarily, for desiring this release:
-1- As an avid collector of YesWest live recordings I wanted yet another audio/video release featuring Trevor. I know there are plenty of other people out there with this same desire.
-2- I have attended ARW shows, but could never afford to sit close to the stage. A professionally-filmed show would allow me that perspective.
-3- Not that I'd say I'm the only one but...I wanted a professional-quality version of "Long Distance Runaround/The Fish" primarily for Lee Pomeroy's solo.
So I got two out of three of those desires, and like the song says: that ain't bad.
I really do enjoy this release; I know there are some in fandom who believe I am protesting unduly or am willing to trash the whole thing because item number three was not granted to me (or anyone else who might have wanted it). That is simply not true. As someone who attended multiple shows (even though it was not as many as I wish I could have seen) there is much replay value to this release for me and I've already watched/listened more than a few times just to reach the point where I can write this review from an informed perspective.
The 2016 setlist, once it was solidified, was a good one in my estimation and I'm just fine with the song selection as represented in this document. It is wonderful to have a professional-quality recording of this setlist as played by an ensemble who had finally reached a point of performance cohesion with the material and their chemistry as a band. As I've noted in my reviews of the performances/tours I think by this particular point in their collective history, ARW was turning in solid performances all around.
Even as I might find some fault with the way it was filmed, I appreciate that a seasoned director helmed this project and that it was shepherded at a professional level. It's well done, if not quite 9012Live in terms of cinematic perfection. Then again, that is just not possible anymore, for so many reasons.
To be honest, I'm just happy we actually have it, because I wasn't sure if it was going to be released. Although it was produced by an outside concern that wasn't necessarily enough assurance in terms of reaching the finish line (though I ardently wished that it would be, and it turned out okay in the end). So about that...
The waiting is *insert metaphor here*
Unless it was the plan all along as regards the observance of the anniversary or to coincide with the US tour, I don't understand why it took a year-and-a-half to get this release to market. As example, this November Eagle Rock is releasing a live album/video by prog legend Steven Wilson of a performance from March of this year in five different formats, also with a 5.1 Surround mix - thus proving that it does not take a year-and-a-half to accomplish such a feat. Since this release was available to buy at the recent shows I can only think that we were meant to wait that long. Of course, there might have been another reason entirely. I say this because, according to my research, the project cycle for an Eagle Rock live release tends to be about 6-8 months from production to sale.
"I think we should change the cover, though. A bit late!"
The above is an actual quote from Trevor, and certainly one may argue he was just joking but maybe not. I am on record as not having any particular affinity for Jay Nungesser's design work for ARW. For me, it's primarily the new logo, I don't like it. His ARW logo was much more appealing compared to the new Yes logo. I think the "Quintessential Yes" version of the overall design is far better still but I imagine the artwork for Live At The Apollo was created long before the new website design was completed so therefore it incorporates all of the previous elements (i.e. the maze and the cubes). The typeface and photos and all are fine, although I find it interesting that in the collage of photos Jon and Trevor are at the top of the page and Rick is relegated to a space with the sidemen at the bottom. I don't have a particular issue with the color scheme, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed to discover that the packaging was reflecting the old design elements.
I know I'm not the only one who feels this way but I wanted to note this from a recent review of the Blu-ray on the AudiophileReview website:
My only real nit pick on this release has nothing to do with the audio, the video or the performance. It is simply that the packaging design is lackluster for a release of this caliber. Even though the cover art does not feature design by Roger Dean -- the legendary artist whose images have become somewhat synonymous with the band -- the logo used here is rather ... well... pedestrian. Its just not iconic enough to match the stature of the band and this performance. This band deserves better.One thing I have noticed is that there is no packaging design/artwork credit for this release - to my knowledge Nungesser has never been publicly credited for his work on the previous website and merchandising (other than his own postings to social media) and you have to wonder if that's intentional. Unless Nungesser was the one to request that his name not appear, that is.
(vigourous applause)
This next point has been a source of tireless debate in fandom thus far, and I have an opinion as does everyone else. Nobody is right or wrong I would say, but everyone is entitled to feel however they will about it. I'm taking a stand to declare that berating or ridiculing others regarding their feelings on this matter is not cool and if you've done this in fandom discussion or on social media, you should just stop it.
The added crowd noise in the audio (what I have referred to as crowd swells) is indeed annoying from my perspective but if you listen to it enough times solely on the audio I find it just becomes background noise. It's definitely strange strictly from the perspective of - if you were at the show or if you've watched audience footage of the show - knowing those in attendance were a typical prog-loving respectful UK-based audience and simply did not cheer every 30 seconds or so. Here's an example of what this crowd really sounded like during "Heart of the Sunrise" - I picked this video specifically because it is filmed from directly behind the production/mixing area so most of the crowd on the floor is in front of the person filming.
And in the Live At The Apollo video you can, at different points, witness the general demeanor of the audience, which is completely at odds with what you're hearing on the audio. There are washes of cheering during "And You and I" which you hear while you see the audience calmly absorbed within the performance before them. You hear one thing, you see another. I'm going to be blunt: that's just dumb. But what's done is done so fans will deal with it as they will. I can certainly understand the pushback occurring on social media, but I don't believe anything will be accomplished to remedy or change the release. However, in time I fully expect that a hobbyist audio engineer will at some point circulate a "hype-free" mix of the audio where the crowd noise has been turned down, so to speak.
Bare Bones
There are no bonus features on this release. None. I'm disappointed, sure, although I feel like it would have been too much to expect given how long it took to release this. I've noted before that there is a distinct lack of organization in the ARW business concern and I can't help but wonder if perhaps Eagle Rock requested that bonus features be provided or suggested that they be filmed, only to be met with resounding silence from the principles. I think at the very least we should have been provided with an audio track of "The Meeting" from a prior performance as that was an element of the 2016-17 setlist.
Digital-itis
It's not like I'm Quentin Tarantino demanding that movies be shot on film and projected from film, but the HD digital mediums for music and video are not entirely ideal in my opinion. There's something distinctly clinical about both aspects which can be both good and bad.
Interestingly, it's the nuance - there is so much nuance in Paul Linford's mix (and yes, I know that Paul and Trevor receive co-credit for the mix but Paul receives the leading credit so I'm going to assert it's primarily his mix) - which makes it an interesting and exciting experience to listen to, but at some points it is a little too cold for my tastes. But I do enjoy it even so, it shows the true character of this ensemble far better than any particular performance ever could, in my opinion, even with the enhancements (which I think are fairly unobtrusive). But I also know it's an all-digital recording so I would say that's probably the culprit. On the other hand, the HD video equipment used for shooting allows for any number of interesting camera angles and pans but it's a little too revealing sometimes. Things don't always look attractive in HD digital video. They call it the "Soap Opera Effect" and it can provoke Uncanny Valley levels of visual dread at times.
But also I have issues with some of the camera angles, like the camera which was placed somewhere in the vicinity of Trevor's right hip in order to capture shots of Lee (behind Trevor on his platform) which are just oddly-framed because of the positioning. And the very long shots where the stage appears in seeming miniature and granted, from the back of the hall (which seats 3500) it probably does look that way but I just don't see the point of including those kinds of shots. Some of the focus-pulls which I'm assuming were added in post are jarring to me as well. And the tracking is a bit too mechanical, as the cameras were all on automation. Far more convenient and less distracting in terms of having extra bodies on stage, but the movement of the cameras calls attention to that very consideration and so I found that distracting instead. And there are parts of Rick's solos where they fast-cut to every single camera angle they had for him and it reminded me of this one guy who had a cringingly amateurish music video show reel on YouTube and it was something like 20 cuts in 30 seconds which had the effect of making me want to claw my own eyes out.
On another point I did want to acknowledge the whimsy of making the opening sequence look like a film from 1968 which I thought was a nice touch; it actually enhanced the whole scripted quality of the band's entrance rather than emphasized the non-subtlety of it.
Consigned to the Recycle Bin of history
There's been some editing done to "Owner" because the segue into "Sunshine Of Your Love" has been cut out although I believe you can hear them coming out of it back into "Make It Easy" and then to the end of the song. Granted, it's a brief part when compared to other later renditions.
-1- Jon does not actually know the words, and it's funny but I don't know how well the joke would stand up in repeated listening/viewing.
-2- Who wants to pay licensing/royalties on something that's actually kind of a throw-away interpolation?
Speaking of edits, this brings me to one particular complaint I have with this release (and it shouldn't surprise any of my long-time readers) - the exclusion of Lou and Lee's solos. They weren't edited down, but rather cut completely out of the songs in which they were performed. And this truly baffles me because even if the reasoning is that someone at home might be bored by a five-minute solo, they could have still retained a minute or so to avoid the completely abrupt and confusing transitions where their solos are supposed to be.
Again, I'll be blunt: there is no good reason for this to have happened. Don't like the solos? Skip them. But give us the choice, don't edit out any of the performance when there's no need to do so, and there absolutely was not. It's like all of the generosity which allowed them to have a moment in the spotlight was then negated by excising those moments like they never existed at all. And I find myself very disappointed with whomever ultimately made that decision.
It's not totally spoiled but...
This was just a gaffe but it does disappoint me that the version of "Rhythm of Love" on this recording is missing an entire verse. It's my favorite of the setlist and again, I really wanted to have a professionally-recorded version of it. But for what it is, missing verse and all, it's a lot of fun although to my surprise I think the version of "Hold On" has more of a classic rock band kind of vibe to it. There's a certain crunchiness which is missing compared to previous performances of RoL.
Returning to my main gripe: the combined track of "Long Distance Runaround/The Fish" on Live At The Apollo comes to 6:17. The actual performance time of the songs - based on the audience video I've seen of that particular rendition - is a little over eleven minutes (if you subtract Jon's introductory remarks). Lee's solo comprises about five minutes of the total song. I'm not speaking from a position of attempting to demand anything from the production team, this is not me making an entitled rant. But I honestly don't understand why one of the highlights of the show - so much so that they actually made this section twice as long as it had been upon the original debut in 2016 - would be wholly deleted from the recording and concert film. Lee's performance of "The Fish" throughout those touring cycles was a wonderful tribute to Chris Squire as well as adding an additional layer of Yes-like legitimacy to the endeavor because to perform Yes music you need a great bass player, and I imagine now no one would dispute that Lee Pomeroy is one of the best the UK has to offer. His bravura and upbeat attitude made me a fan, and as a fan I'm gutted that it's not there. But I have already amassed a collection of audience videos and recordings on my hard drive to remind me of the good times, and you can't take that away from me, guys.
And I know what you're thinking: "Hey, there's nearly two minutes of Lee soloing in 'Heart of the Sunrise!'" And that is certainly true, and I truly appreciate that song didn't get edited down, trust me. I suppose if the reasoning was that Lee could have one solo but not two, well, okay - but that strikes me as a rather lame excuse if in fact it is one.
(with thanks to Cee for this screencap)
As much as the principles might have disapproved of YouTube videos - and thus this release was a response to such things - now audience recordings seem to be the only way to view the show as it was actually performed in toto.
So the video quality of this recording is not the greatest, although the sound is okay - but here is what we're missing in terms of experiencing a high-quality version of this section of the show (and I want to note that I found this particular video last year and added it to my collection, I'm not just now discovering it for the purpose of supporting my assertions).
Definitively not definitive
The interesting consideration for me as a fan and as someone with a critical appreciation for such things is that the audio and video releases present different experiences for different needs. When I need to listen to this great performance and enjoy it for what it is, then the audio serves that desire beautifully, whereas when I want to remember the experience of seeing ARW, the experience of the show itself, then I will (and have) listen to audience recordings instead. Same with the video - I'll watch a VOIO. What I get from the video portion of Live At The Apollo is an appreciation for their interplay and sense of enjoyment and fun, but not necessarily a true portrait of an actual show.
And given the reason this project was accomplished - to provide the definitive version of a recording of the live experience - I find that a bit ironic. This in fact does not replace audience recordings. It is certainly better quality overall but the decisions which were made from a production standpoint end up being at odds with what actually occurred.
But I also find that I'm enjoying it in the same way I enjoy recordings of the Union era and the Eighty Dates tour - an appreciation that this happened at all and we have the memory of that unique glory. Even if this release is not exactly what I want, it is quite enjoyable for the same reason that I enjoyed the ARW live experience to begin with: it gave me so much more elation than even I would have expected it to. And I truly hope that it does the same for you as well.
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