Changes, disc six: 90124

To order the Changes boxset (currently listed as Sold Out):

https://www.musicglue.com/trevor-rabin/shop

(With eternal thanks to Dearest Friend of the blog Cee for visual assistance with the physical media.  And also many thanks to everyone who has helped spread the word about my coverage of Trevor.  I truly appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read the blog and also provide engagement via links and other comments on social media.)


"I think it is important to remember that 'Owner' was Yes' only number one, and that 90125 was their most successful album and was well-received by the most skeptical and cynical of critics.  However, it has always been frustrating to me to be perceived as the guy who just writes the hit songs.  Since the album and the single were so successful they have almost been equated with commercialism, rather than people just liking the album and buying it."
- Trevor Rabin, 1995

I thought the above quote was an interesting way to introduce this essay because it's a somewhat early example of Trevor attempting to contextualize his legacy in the way he believes is credible.  What he desires to be recognized for versus the ongoing perception of fans, journalists/critics and the like.  And the release of 90124 is another expression of that same desire, as he was now separated from that concern for nearly a decade and coming to understand that all involved had different agendas regarding the who, what, where, when and why of it all.  So taking control of one's own narrative is perhaps the only way you might convince the greater number of interested parties of your own truth.  But does this collection meet that objective?  Yes and no, I would say.

* ~ * ~ *

It was the Noughts, and all the Rabid Rabinites were living in a world where they couldn't go out and buy a new Trevor Rabin solo album, or even an album from a band he might be in, but they could go to a movie and see his name up on the screen and listen to the music he created for it and that was a progression, certainly, even if not the one many of his fans desired.  But most were keeping the faith, I would say.  And then...the middle years of the decade provided manna in our desert: multiple archival releases from both Trevor and YesWest giving us further examples of what we love and why we love it.

A few years ago I had the idea of approaching a review of 90124 in the context of my "Trevor vs. Trevor" series, comparing the demos of classic YesWest songs with the fully realized versions but once again now we have this boxset and so here we are.  I still think it's a good idea which hopefully I can expand upon sometime in the future.  As well, earlier this year someone posted a playlist on YouTube which is his version of what the Cinema album would have been, and my opinion of that assemblage will also be the subject of an upcoming entry.  For now I'm going to discuss what 90124 is...and what it should have been to be worthy of its' title.

What is significant about the timing of 90124 is it was released a year prior to the reissue of 90125 as part of Rhino's "Expanded & Remastered" series for the Yes back catalog from 1969-1983.  And in the context of the original idea for the album it would have made for an interesting companion to the other.  Instead what we have is more of a historical compilation of demos, which is not bad but rather more kitchen sink-ish.  Thus I don't think the title fits at all given the actual contents.  However, because 90124 was also supposedly the original title of that album (but had to be changed to the next number in the sequence in order to achieve worldwide uniformity) there is another layer of reference in using it beyond the notion of a historical pun (in addition to the fact that chronologically its' release coincides with 90125's 20th anniversary).

But as I've noted before in terms of how Trevor ultimately viewed the release, it was to prove a point.  To quote the original entry for the album on his official website:

This album is a fascinating insight showing how Trevor developed his songs and demonstrates how much his presence influenced the sound of YES.

Given that various bootlegs of some of those demos were in circulation for likely 20 years at that particular point, it somehow doesn't surprise me that Rob Ayling would come up with such an gambit: entirely derivative, to seemingly trump a source already in existence, but in this particular case I will say that the sound quality is better overall because the provenance is straight from the creator.  Having said that, I don't really discern any particular difference between this new mastering and Paul's mastering for the original release in 2003, which may have something to do with the source material.  Some tracks sound better than others, which in part has to do with how the demos were originally recorded (as is affirmed in the 2003 liner notes).

Plainly-stated, 90124 is only the official version of the idea, and yet because it's historically inclusive it does have an additional value in regard to what was already in rather wide circulation.  So let's talk about what that is.

There are two sources of Cinema-era material which have been traded by fans for many years now in various iterations.  One is a collection of Trevor's demo recordings.  As we know, "Owner of a Lonely Heart," "Hold On," "Changes" and "City of Love" were originally composed by Trevor and underwent various modifications and reimaginings in the process of rehearsal and recording the material.  Additionally, "Our Song" and "Hearts" contain parts which originated from songs also written by Trevor.  So I believe Trevor's assertion - that 90125 is an album which was built on the foundation of his songs - is largely indisputable.  The other source is a recording of a Cinema rehearsal courtesy of the only two fans who were allowed to witness that lineup, which occurred in 1982 at John Henry's Rehearsal Studios in London.  You might have heard their story on a recent episode of Yes Music Podcast.  That recording is of three songs and a couple of instrumental interludes.

DJ/journalist Doug Curran claims that he also has a Cinema-era demo tape in his possession, given to him by the band backstage at a 9012Live show, but it appears none of its' contents has made it into circulation which is unfortunate (for us) because he also claims the tape contains a recording of the mythical (in YesWest lore) composition "Time."

Henry Potts originally composed an entry on the release for the Yescography website back in 2003-2004 and included an original tracklisting for 90124 which is much more in keeping with the concept of "Songs originally written for Trevor's next solo album which were then given to Cinema and worked up/recorded for 90125."  I would say that the majority of these were likely written in 1981-82; but as we know Trevor has stated that "Owner" was originally composed in 1979.

1. One Track Mind
2. Hold On
3. It's Enough
4. Changes
5. Love Ain't Easy
6. Moving In
7. Who Were You With Last Night
8. Baby I'm Easy
9. Would You Feel My Love
10. Tonight's Our Night
11. Owner Of A Lonely Heart
12. I'm With You
13. Must Be Love
14. Don't Give In
That tracklist is the one Voiceprint originally said would be on the album, but it was changed fairly late on to the release we got.

Of everything which has been in circulation I estimate there's about 20-25 songs which Trevor brought into the new relationship, as it were, some of which did not make the cut here for the original concept.

The addition of "Don't Give In" versus "Make It Easy" makes sense because the latter had already been released as part of the YesYears boxset in 1991 and its' inclusion on the expanded version of 90125 meant that it was already in the corporate vault.  But because "It's Over" - a song solely credited to Trevor - was also included on the reissue of 90125, it does make me wonder how many songs total were officially recorded for the album and if there's any chance we could learn of the entire slate, so to speak, even if we might never get further bonus material.

* ~ * ~ *

"Hold On"
Demo: (1981)
Final: 90125 (1983)
In my drafts I have an entire essay devoted to "Hold On" and the pervasiveness of its' concept.  Trevor has written this song at least four different times.  I can certainly understand how Chris and Alan could have listened to the original demo and said, "Yeah, this is a good idea!" but at the same time understand that it needed to be evolved beyond what it was (hence why at least at first they were using the lyrics from "Moving In").  And what it became is a classic in the YesWest oeuvre.

Again dear readers, I unironically love this version of the song.  There, I said it.  It's the cheesiest thing Trevor has ever written (that we know of) but it's also incredibly compelling.  The chord progression just does something to my central nervous system.  And that simile for sex?  Yeah, I don't even know what to tell you there, except maybe he thought it was funny?  Was it just as simple as the fact that kite rhymes with light?  It's hilarious but more in terms of laughing at than with, so to speak.  But the next time someone says "Oh go fly a kite!" you know you will find yourself cracking up.

The "unplugged" intro of the vocal melody was obviously recorded at a different time (same as the one for "Owner") but it's a nice detail in terms of how the songwriting process often does start with something so simple which is then elaborated upon in the process of building the song to actually be performed by others.

"Changes"
Demo: (1981)
Final: 90125 (1983)
Trevor has noted previously that this is "kind of a melancholy song" and that is certainly true in its' original form.  It's entirely moody in keeping with its' subject which belies what the song is actually about.  Even as I appreciate all of the early '80s demos for providing a glimpse into Trevor's creative process and direction at that time, I feel "Changes" really did become the very best version of itself once subjected to the collaborative process.

"Moving In"
Demo: (1981)
Final: Unreleased
The reason why both "Hold On" and "Moving In" were included is best expressed by Trevor's comment in Yesstories: "So we kept the chorus from 'Hold On' and we used the verses from 'Moving In.'"  This does illustrate how many versions a song can go through before it becomes the final product.  I would say that when you compare the two, "Moving In" comes off better as a complete song, but on the other hand it's just not as delicious.  Those of you who love the 90124 version of "Hold On" as much as I do know exactly what I mean.

"Would You Feel My Love"
Demo: (1981)
Final: Unreleased
I get why this song likely does have fans among Rabinites because it's romantic; even after all this time it's really difficult for me to articulate why I'm not that fond of it.  I just don't particularly connect with it overall.  But as Trevor says it was meant to make the cut at some point, here it is.

"Where Will You Be"
Demo: (1991)
Final: Talk (1994)
I can understand why Jon immediately wanted to sing over this track when he heard it, it's beautiful.  And the demo served as the actual basis for the Talk version, as I noted in my essay on the album from 2016.  It certainly makes a case for Trevor's talent for instrumentals and themes which was no doubt useful when attempting to get people in the film industry to take him seriously.

"Owner of a Lonely Heart"
Demo: (1981)
Final: 90125 (1983)
As Trevor noted in his interview for Notes from the Edge, this version is updated from the one he originally recorded.  I consider it as sort of a bridge between the original and the final version in terms of how he envisioned the idea overall.  Unlike many people I don't think it's awful; it has a rather playful quality and the way it shifts between melodic rock in the bridge and chorus and a kind of dance-pop feel in the verses is clever and fun.

"Walls"
Demo: (1990)
Final: Talk (1994)
This is my absolute favorite of the entire release and the only reason why I'm glad it did stray from the original concept.  As I noted in my recent interview with Trevor, I absolutely love the blend which Trevor and Roger Hodgson attain in this song, it's like what they call "blood harmony" which is normally attributed to siblings because they have similar physiological bone structure and thus their voices can resonate at nearly the same frequency.  That kind of close harmony which Trevor and Roger achieve gives me chills every time.  Plus I think it's one of Trevor's best songs (and again it's not one which has a lot of support in the overall fanbase) in terms of the way the desire for emotional connection is expressed: the contrast between the pensive quality of the verses and the optimistic yearning of the chorus.

"Promenade"
Demo: (1987)
Final: Unreleased
I do love this, every time I listen to it I'm reminded of Trevor's promises for a release featuring these kind of "classical for electric guitar" renditions and then I get depressed because it's probably never going to happen.  I think it would have made interesting entrance music for the Talk tour but that idea was scrapped, it seems.  But again, there's also a demo which is older than the one on 90124 and it's essentially the same idea but not as elaborate or well-recorded which makes me think maybe he re-recorded it for this release?

"Love Will Find A Way"
Demo: (1985)
Final: Big Generator (1987)
There's credence to Trevor's story of being asked to compose a song for Stevie Nicks by way of a couple details:
-1- Yes and Stevie shared the same manager at the time (Tony Dimitriades).
-2- Outside songwriters had been commissioned for material during the making of Rock A Little; another example of a song which was not used (though by Stevie's choice) was "These Dreams," written by Martin Page and Bernie Taupin which was then recorded by Heart for their eponymous 1985 album.  Yet another example was Stevie hearing the work tape of "Don't Come Around Here No More" in 1984 and telling Tom Petty and Dave Stewart that she wasn't touching the song because she couldn't do any better than Tom's vocal.

So that's three other hit singles Stevie missed out on, although she had two of her own from that album, so I think it all worked out.  From my perspective, I'm not exactly certain that I'm hearing what Alan White heard in terms of potential for Yes, although I suppose it's possible that what he was hearing was something which could be popular but different as regards what YesWest was doing at the time.  It's definitely a pop song and as with other demos on this release it is enjoyable hearing his (lone) lead vocal.  But honestly, I'm more partial to the working version included in The Alternate Generator compendium, which I suppose indicates that I prefer when the song became Yes-ified.

"Miracle Of Life"
Demo: (1990)
Final: Union (1991)
This is just a great song, and I think most people - be they fans of YesWest or not - will acknowledge that.  As with "Where Will You Be" the demo - a complete song in itself - is primarily the basis for the version included on Union.  For me, it's entirely in the spirit of what many believe Yes should embody in terms of theme, ambition and execution.

"Don't Give In"
Demo: (1981)
Final: Unreleased
I'm not "aka"ing this song because I still stand by my assertion that "Don't Give In" and "Make It Easy" are two different songs no matter how they came to be.  However, I will say that it was nice to see the correction of the title no matter the source, but if it was me?  You're welcome.

I would posit this song has been mislabeled from the time that the demo for "Don't Give In" originally made it into circulation.  Although the version on 90124 is closer to "Make It Easy" whereas in the original demo (which is instrumental) you can hear the connections to "Our Song."  It does make me wonder if Trevor had two different songs as he did with "Hold On" and "Moving In" or if "Don't Give In" was the source and then the band took that and worked it up into "Make It Easy."  The latter seems to make sense especially if you consider the similarities in each chorus, as well as the fact that "Don't Give In" only has one verse.

My main contention with the way Gonzo tried to present this in the context of the boxset is: how can this song be "Make It Easy" when that phrase appears nowhere in the lyrics?!  All told, I think I prefer "Make It Easy" to the original idea, although strictly from an instrumental point of view it's certainly a piece of music which I can see appealing to Chris and Alan.

* ~ * ~ *

So let's return to that original list and consider if it was a good idea...
1. One Track Mind - yes, only because I've yet to encounter it in fandom circulation and I want to hear it, even if it's not as deliciously cheesy as "Slow Dancer."
2. Hold On - DEFINITELY FOREVER
But the original demo is different than the one which made it onto 90124 in that he may have re-recorded it or augmented it at some point.  I think I prefer the 90124 version in that it's just more of everything, gloriously over the top.
3. It's Enough - I like this one, it has an anthemic vibe and it's catchy.  So I'd be happy with it on 90124.
4. Changes - yes, it's an interesting snapshot of Trevor's AOR abilities.
5. Love Ain't Easy - this is probably aka "Girl It Ain't Easy (Living Without You)"
This reminds me so much of Trevor's material circa 1979-80 and as such I hope they would have decided against it.  It's not wholly bad, just totally unsuitable for Cinema.  So I would pass on this one.
6. Moving In - maybe?  Technically it should be included.  I guess I'm just prejudiced in favor of the exquisite cheese of "Hold On."
7. Who Were You With Last Night - as with "Love Ain't Easy" this is another one which just wouldn't have been right for Cinema and so thematically not a choice for inclusion.  However, I have a theory that "You Know Something I Don't Know" is somehow based on this song, but I'm probably the only one who thinks that.
8. Baby I'm Easy - this is another of my guilty pleasures, but I would have been wholly in favor of it being included on 90124.  I have a theory that it was originally written for someone else, based on the lyrics - like I have this feeling it was better-suited for Rene or Stevie (Lange, not Nicks).
9. Would You Feel My Love - that's still a "no" from me, dawg (despite technically adhering to the concept).  "Harmony" would have been a far better choice, in my opinion.
10. Tonight's Our Night - I will assert that this is essentially yet another version of "Hold On" - I actually consider it the bridge between "Stop Turn" and "Hold On."  But it's not quite as good, and he's borrowing from himself again.  So when you've already got the best you don't need the rest.
11. Owner of a Lonely Heart - its' inclusion only settles the argument of whether or not it was born a hit single and not made into one if you're willing to believe the original really does have the requisite DNA, which many fans do not.  But because it's on 90125 it definitely belongs here.
12. I'm With You - even as Trevor noted it was developed by the band but not chosen for 90125 I still quite enjoy this song so I'm disappointed that he decided to leave the demo off 90124.
13. Must Be Love - see "One Track Mind."
14. Don't Give In - I think the original instrumental version would be the best to include in this collection because it does point to elements of 90125 and that era.

What should be on 90124 in terms of early songs already in circulation?  "Fools" definitely.  Not only because it's the basis of "Hearts" but it features a guitar tour de force in the second half of the song.  And it's actually less cheesy than "Hold On" I would say, even if Trevor is borrowing from himself lyrically (there's bits of "I Sleep Alone" and "Everybody's Cheating").  Also "You Know Something I Don't Know" aka "Carry On" since we know Cinema did have that song in their repertoire as well as "I'm With You."  And Trevor says "Would You Feel My Love" was meant for 90125 and Jon wanted to sing it, so I'm going to have to take him at his word.

So in my estimation a true 90124 release would look something more like this:

Owner of a Lonely Heart

Hold On

Changes

You Know Something I Don't Know

I'm With You

Would You Feel My Love 

Don't Give In

Fools

I think this would have appealed to fans at least, though I'm not certain if it would have come off as an even more niche type of release.  Perhaps overall a better concept would have been a two-disc set: one which could be 90124 and the other could be something like "Demos 1985-1992" covering material from the other three albums.  I just think that the way 90124 is presented and the way it actually comes off in the listening leads to a sort of cognitive dissonance.  But it's such a clever title I can understand why they didn't want to let go of it even as they decided not to adhere to the concept.

Granted, I'm not trying to say I don't enjoy 90124, because I do, mostly.  Especially when it comes to the Union and Talk inclusions.  I suppose it would be tantamount to sacrilege to state something like: "You know what these songs could use less of?  Jon Anderson." but do I think that?  Sometimes, yeah I do.

* ~ * ~ *

The exquisite vintage which is Trevor Rabin.

Thankfully, the absolute travesty of the original 90124 booklet has been avoided in this version; it takes its' cue in the composition from the booklet for Trevor Rabin, offering excerpts of the article which journalist/Yes biographer Chris Welch originally composed, as well as "liner notes" created from Trevor's quotes in that article.  However there's still an attribution missing because "Walls" should be credited to Trevor and Roger Hodgson.  And the recording dates listed are also not complete.  Of the images included - and I'm a fan of the one on page 7 especially - I don't understand why they didn't also use the one from 2003 which is included in the Archives booklet.  Or a selection from that particular photo session which as far as I'm aware was to promote the 2003 releases.  Like this one, which I'm also quite fond of.

And it's also nice to see there's a better crop of the J.L. Cooper Electronics ad on page 4 (even if chronologically it doesn't make any sense).  But I think Trevor's comments regarding the songs themselves should have also been included in the text (albeit in a less confusing fashion than originally).

I appreciate how the original sleeve design of 90125 is reprised but I think the background color should have been something other than brown.  Like purple, for example.  But otherwise I don't have any complaints about the packaging concept except, again, none of those photos were used in the original booklet and at least one would have been nice.  But also in terms of this release, as I remarked in a recent conversation on Yesfans (and I've changed my mind as regards my original opinion), the version of "Can't Find My Way Home" which Trevor recorded for The Banger Sisters - and was offered as an exclusive to those who originally purchased this album - should have been included as a bonus track.

So 90124 has been redeemed in its' execution in a few ways, but not in others.  It is something which is wonderful to have even as it's not what it seems to be.  Given the number of Trevor's unreleased songs which are out there to be found (via sources official and unofficial), you could actually create a double or triple album if you include 90124 and more is always a good thing, right?  A theme song for us Rabinites should be a version of another song but this one would be titled "It's (Never) Enough."

Collector's Corner: orange you glad?

I've written about this release previously in 2013 but now comes the good news that boutique label Music On Vinyl will be reissuing Paul Rodgers' Muddy Waters Blues tribute album in a limited edition colored vinyl next month.

https://www.musiconvinyl.com/catalog/paul-rodgers/muddy-water-blues#.X0afDyhKi1s

This album features a plethora of guitar heroes and legends, and includes Trevor performing on two tracks - "Louisiana Blues" and "She's Alright."

Frankie Banali (1951-2020)

After an extensive and bravely-fought battle with pancreatic cancer, Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali succumbed to the disease yesterday at age 68.  Besides his long-running famed career in heavy metal, fans are also aware that Frankie was in the band Trevor put together when he relocated to Los Angeles to embark upon his development deal with Geffen Records.  Frankie's playing can be heard on some of the early demos featured on 90124 and in fandom circulation.  That association was rather short-lived, as Trevor's contract was only for six months but also because Geffen didn't want to move forward unless Trevor was willing to join Asia (which as we know he did not).  Back in 2014 Frankie posted on social media that the band worked on "about 22 different songs" in their time rehearsing and recording demos.  He expressed positive memories of working with Trevor during that period.  Frankie originally joined Quiet Riot in 1980 and a couple years later the band signed with Pasha Records and in 1983 released their hugely-successful Metal Health album, as both Trevor and Frankie were then to experience worldwide acclaim with their respective bands that year as well as throughout the 1980s.

Frankie had shared his battle on social media and was very honest about his struggles, as you can see in this interview conducted last year with radio personality Eddie Trunk.  My condolences to his family, friends, and fans in the industry as well as around the world.

Collector's Corner: 9012archive

Spotted on Instagram: now here is a totally rad '83-84 related collection...and this will give you a hint as to the subject of an upcoming entry - hopefully coming within the next month!

View this post on Instagram

Next up on #MusicMemorabilia! EASILY my 2nd favorite period of the band!!! Got great memories jamming to 90125 my senior year before graduation to get pumped before having to do any tests or anything. Yes were absolutely KILLING IT with their 80s reinvention! Great album! Great Tour! If only the follow up kept THIS momentum going. C’est la Vie. So VERY thankful I was able to get my CD signed by Jon and Trev (Rabin)! Certainly the BEST way to have celebrated my 21st birthday. #YesBand #JonAnderson #ChrisSquire #TrevorRabin #AlanWhite #TonyKaye #TrevorHorn #80sMusic #80sRock #80s #1980s #1980sMusic #PopRock #80sPop #ProgRock #ProgressiveRock #ProgressiveRockCommunity #Prog #OwnerOfALonelyHeart #ItCanHappen #LeaveIt #MusicCollection #Vinyl #80sPopCulture #YesSongs #YesShow #Sparkomatic

A post shared by CJ Irwin (@ban1) on Aug 18, 2020 at 10:22am PDT

Knowing The Score: Whispers: An Elephant's Tale

One of a continuing series regarding Trevor's career as a film scorer.


Author's note: much of the content of this entry originated between 2009-2011, by way of private composition, brainstorming with an individual who prefers not to be named, and posting on the Yesfans discussion forum.  This process enabled me to discover and share with fandom that Trevor had made vocal contributions to this score.  The original title of my essay was:
“Where did you come from?”

Examining origins in Whispers: An Elephant’s Tale

*~*~*

“Oh, you know, there's actually a lot of them that I'm real happy with, and I'm not talking about even just for a movie, I'm talking about when I'm done and gone, the things that I hope my son will listen to, will be Whispers, which is a movie that was barely released.”

- Trevor Rabin, 2002

Trevor Rabin’s eighth full scoring project since the advent of his film music composition career was one close to his heart as well as his homeland, the Walt Disney Pictures live action family film Whispers: An Elephant’s Tale, released in 2000.  The footage of wild animals, forming the tale of a baby elephant separated from his mother and bonding with another misfit in order to find her, was filmed in Botswana and voiced by a cast of well-known actors, most notably Anne Archer as Whispers’ mother Gentle Heart, and Angela Bassett as Groove, the rogue alpha female elephant who serves as a surrogate mother to the titular character.

The film itself didn’t prove to be wholly successful for a few reasons, but the soundtrack is primary among those elements which did appeal to viewers of all ages.  And part of that appeal lies within the synergy between the composer and the choice of music, as logically dictated by the nature of the film itself.  A native of South Africa, Trevor was an apt choice for a score which blended the music of the continent with orchestral grandeur and percussive tension.

But the score itself never received its fair due, as the recording issued was strictly promotional, meaning available only to those in the industry, and so another chance – as with Remember The Titans – for its' composer to receive further coverage and validation as a master of varying styles and moods within the scoring community was missed.  But thanks to the “gray” market in promo-only recordings I am able to fully comment on one of Trevor’s greatest scores, by his own admission as well as critical consensus.

Trevor had already established a relationship with Disney through his partnership with producer Jerry Bruckheimer on several scores – including what is still likely his most well-known to this day, Armageddon – for projects released under the Touchstone imprint, but the majority of those films were action-based, which suited Trevor’s dynamic style as he used his rock n’roll instincts and orchestral training to create compelling dramatic scores, even as he was looking to expand and move forward with different styles of music, which has always been a hallmark of his ambition and career trajectory.  The first progression beyond action/drama film scoring was with the family film Jack Frost in which he had a distinctly personal involvement – appearing in two of the opening scenes as the lead guitarist of the title character’s rock band – and the score contained very moving and melodic orchestral themes, as well as one of Trevor’s most beautiful compositions, “Frostbite.”  Once this forward momentum had begun, future projects reflected further diversity, as the next score was for the horror film Deep Blue Sea, which contained a full orchestra and choir to supremely dramatic effect.

Whispers: An Elephant’s Tale was as far removed from Trevor’s previous projects as any on his CV, and yet is entirely suited to his compositional style in regards to memorable melodies and orchestral power.  But for the first time in his scoring career Trevor was able to incorporate world music and furthermore offer a score of African musical stylings as a tribute to his own origins.  The music of South Africa holds enormous variety as an aspect of its diverse populace, but the style most associated with the region is called Mbube, a choral mode of singing.  The score also incorporates elements of what is known as Mbaqanga, with intricate percussive motifs and challenging polyrhythms.  Native percussion and wind instruments feature prominently in the score, as well as vocals sung both in English and in Zulu, the predominant language of the Mbube genre.  Because this is a film about animals, many of the sonic textures are suggestive of wildlife calls and vocalizations.

Writing in this idiom was not new to Trevor, as previous instrumental compositions such as “The Cape” and “Where Will You Be” as well as the second single from his solo album Can’t Look Away – a track entitled “Sorrow (Your Heart)” – were written with the same stylistic aim, but this project enabled him to compose upon a broader canvas, to evoke with music the film’s immense panorama of the African landscape.

The central conflict of the narrative – the struggle for survival of a baby elephant separated from the herd in the beautiful yet harsh milieu of the African savannah – provides a great opportunity for the full range of emotional themes and cues in tribute to the characters and the landscape as well as the movement of the story.

The film was created by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, the South African husband-and-wife author/filmmaking team; they wrote the story which was the basis of the script and Dereck co-wrote the screenplay.  The footage was shot in their characteristic fashion of becoming part of the landscape, to the extent where the animals living in situ do not acknowledge their presence.  As conservationists the Jouberts have the highest respect for the environment in which the animals reside, and they capture every aspect of the daily existence of the wildlife of Botswana. The advertising tagline - The True-life Adventure of a Big Little Hero – refers to the footage of actual animals in the wild.  No CGI for the Jouberts, although reportedly publicity for the film stated the two main characters, Whispers and Groove, were trained elephants.  It’s possible the scenes with the poachers in the second half of the film were staged, but the footage of wildlife was otherwise strictly observational.

Whispers was the only narrative-based commercial film the Jouberts were involved with, as all their other works are documentaries, each one focusing on one particular breed in the African savannah.  Their process takes many years, and Whispers likely began as a documentary on poaching, following their 1994 award-winning documentary Reflections on Elephants.  The Jouberts live among the animals they document, capturing moments most human eyes will never witness.  Their mission is to create a greater awareness of the interconnectedness of all life, the life-and-death struggles of their subjects, and how all species should be allowed to co-exist in their native habitats and respected as an equal part of the diversity of our planet.

Trevor has stated in prior interviews he holds similar beliefs as the Jouberts (and the lyrics to “Miracle of Life” are indicative of his stance), and therefore this project likely appealed to him as an opportunity to pay tribute to the music of his homeland, to work with fellow natives in support of a film which possesses a shared philosophy - illustrating the sacred beauty and majesty of a land vast and varied - both visually and musically.  In a sense it was a homecoming: music created as a homage to the place which shaped his creative consciousness as thoroughly as any other external influence; as well as a literal one in which he returned to South Africa in search of familiar voices with which to populate his compositions.

And so such an authentic pedigree (right down to a song from fellow ZA musician Johnny Clegg being commissioned for the end credits) does well to ensure the atmosphere and action of the film is fully represented.  Yet Whispers was admittedly not successful for Disney, despite offering a feast of sight and sound…though not as far as the dubbing was concerned.  Reviews were not kind, such as Lawrence Van Gelder of the New York Times referring to the film’s “cloying anthropomorphism,” and Charles Isherwood of Variety going so far as to label the script “crude.”  A common complaint seemed to be that the subjects by virtue of their species were incapable of nuance and much of the dialog was considered corny.  One does wonder what the film would have been like without the dub in regards to the appreciation of it, and I would have to assert that the dubbing detracts from the overall viewing experience.  In my most recent conversation with Trevor he indicated much the same, opining that perhaps the film should have been released without the dubbing, and I was in total agreement.

But as a very special and beautiful part of the oeuvre of Trevor Rabin, the score for Whispers: An Elephant’s Tale is a wonderful experience, which grows more enjoyable over time with repeated listening.

There are many unique moments in the score and not the least of them is the opportunity to hear Trevor singing in Zulu on a few of the themes, a solo vocal from his original stems interwoven with the African choir utilized for the recording, for which the featured vocalists were Faith Kekana and Lange Dube.  Although Trevor has sampled and processed his own voice as textural elements for other scores, this is the only one in which he actually sings (although he did record a song for use in the film The Banger Sisters – a cover of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” – which was included on the soundtrack release).

The Main Titles theme (featuring what I refer to as the "Wake Up Africa" motif) is one of Trevor's most memorable overall in terms of melody and progression: uplifting and atmospheric, immediately establishing the overall mood and ambiance of the film, and features both the choir and Trevor on vocals.  Other great themes include "Whispers," "The Longest Night," "Place of Takers," "A Brave Deed" and "We Have To Find Her" as well as "The Stand" which reprises many of the thematic elements featured throughout the score.  Those who own the DVD will recognize "The New Baby" as the music which plays on the menu loop, and it features a bit of a Township Jive take on the main motif of the score.

As a recommendation for adding this film to your collection if you are so inclined, beyond the value of experiencing this score as it was meant to be, watching Whispers reveals a world of wonder in its' cinematography.  The most compelling footage involves those shots featuring the diversity of wildlife - often shot at dawn or dusk - wherein the sky and the land reveal a particular beauty thus adorned by its inhabitants.  The true aesthetic power of the film lies in these moments as we are made appreciative of a place most do not see.

Media Watch: Changes mini review

The boxset is (briefly) reviewed as part of Preston Frazier's "Five for the Road" series on the Something Else! website.  I will say it could have used a little editing, though.

https://somethingelsereviews.com/2020/08/17/trevor-rabin-nir-felder-judith-owen-five-for-the-road

Setlist wisdom: revisiting (another) canon

Note: this is an op-ed I originally wrote in 2019, although Yes performed the song in question for only half of The Royal Affair Tour, thus my plans to post it at that time fell by the wayside.  So consider this entry a bit of time travel as well, back to a simpler time, when we had the luxury of going to concerts and then obsessively picking them apart in the aftermath.

*****

For a fair portion of the overall Yes fanbase (some might even say most) the absence of ARW activity in 2019 isn't entirely devastating, as Official Yes (also sometimes referred to as Continuity Yes) has now begun the annual Summer tour, which this year is billed as The Royal Affair Tour (as opposed to Yestival in years past), a four-tier bill also starring Asia, John Lodge of The Moody Blues and Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy featuring Arthur Brown.  As has been illustrated by the premiere performance, this means a fair amount of cross-pollination between the acts, as both Carl Palmer and Geoff Downes are pulling double duty performance-wise, and there have been a few guest appearances.

Why am I writing about Official Yes, you may well ask?  Because their new setlist (significantly revised from previous) features a surprise selection in that they are acknowledging YesWest once more and not with the song you might think.

It's "Rhythm of Love" and from a historical perspective not an entirely obscure choice, given that Steve Howe has played it on various tours.  Steve and Alan have been thoroughly versed in this particular song over the years, and Billy Sherwood somewhat as well.  It makes sense in terms of considering if they're not going to play "Owner" then they should play a YesWest song equally as lively, one might say.

The above video is an audience recording, sure, and so therefore not the best quality, but this rendition just falls flat for me.  And that's not even because Steve's playing on it.  For example, when the Classic lineup performed it in 2004 I think they did a good job of underscoring the song's appeal while also playing it their way.

I suppose I feel like if you're going to perform a part of the canon you don't normally play for the purposes of being inclusive, while it is certainly expedient to choose songs you already know, you really should pick selections you believe you are capable of conveying the proper emotional impression in your performance.  When ARW included RoL in their setlist it not only seemed logical because it's Trevor's song (in large part) and it was a song the principles had played together in '91-92 but also because they seemed to know that fans were desiring a particular YesWest brand of dynamism.  But having Official Yes pick such a song feels more like duty than desire.

Now this version is a bit rough (from that trainwreck of a first week on the road) but it's exciting as befits the YesWest aesthetic.  And that is what I'm here for.

The Secret Discography: streaming something steamy

One of a series which examines Trevor’s musical career in South Africa.

It's amusing to me how the topic of Trevor's side career as a disco maven comes up from time to time and I have yet to finish my essay on it!  But this is an interesting find: for anyone who utilizes a streaming platform like Spotify, Apple Music or Napster (for example) - you can now listen to The Tee Cee's "Ecstasy" via a compilation series titled Disco Music History.  It's definitely a needledrop because I can hear a bit of vinyl noise at the beginning but it sounds as good as any transfer you might find on YouTube.  The track appears as the lead-off on Volume 7 of the series.  I believe you have to search by the name of the series because it would yield too many results to search either by song title or artist (because the "Various Artists" attribution is used in this case).  Although there's no applicable credits on the actual album save for production and arrangement I would assume the proceedings in this case are enacted by his usual cast of characters: Kevin Kruger on drums, Rene Veldsman on vocals, with Trevor handling everything else (especially that exquisitely funky bass) as well as Pro Arte providing the orchestration and Hennie Hartmann the engineering.  Maybe another person on percussion?  There's a lot of additional percussion used.  I would love to know who the couple are on the bookend tracks and if they managed to make it through a complete take for either song without laughing.

Speaking of those two, I will say that out of the four tracks on Disco Love Bite, the title track and "Ecstasy" are the best in terms of both salacious mood and sheer musicality, although "The Machine" has a fair amount of guitar and keyboard parts to enjoy.  Of the two disco projects we can recognize as authentically Trevor's, in a manner of speaking, I find I enjoy this album more than either of the Disco Rock Machine releases.

So if you have a Trevor playlist of some kind or a Guilty Pleasures one, or maybe even "Discotheque in My Kitchen" (and someone to flip the lights on and off) then here's another track to help you get your groove on during these trying times.  It's good exercise, you know. *wink wink*

A Guide to Field Recordings: new upload

A series featuring commentary on live recordings from my collection.

Spotted on YouTube: with thanks to Rabid Rabinite Edith de Viu, the audience recording of Trevor's show at the Bacchanal in San Diego on December 12th, 1989 is available for your online listening pleasure.

As I commented previously, the setlist for the club tour was largely static, so it's not that different an experience from Live In L.A. save that it includes "Solly's Beard" and the solos as well as onstage remarks.  Since this is an audience recording it's not quite as clean, but as I remarked to Trevor during our recent exchange, because he was playing smaller spaces even an audience recording is going to be fairly decent in terms of quality.  I have already commented somewhat regarding this show and the Toronto date in a previous entry but as I am going to be reviewing live recordings in future as part of the Changes review series, I'll have more to say about the tour in general (again) later.

#tbt: owner of a hit single

Posted yesterday as part of Tom Breihan's long-running The Number Ones column at Stereogum is his commentary on "Owner of a Lonely Heart" which indeed held that distinction on the Billboard Hot 100 for two glorious weeks in January of 1984 and remains the only Yes single ever to go to number one overall in the US (as both "Love Will Find A Way" and "Lift Me Up" also topped the Mainstream Rock/Album Rock chart in their respective years).

https://www.stereogum.com/2093596/the-number-ones-yes-owner-of-a-lonely-heart/franchises/columns/the-number-ones/

And for historical context, here's what the chart looked like on that momentous occasion:
https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1984-01-21
(One can spot prog stalwart Genesis in the top twenty as well.)

update: Changes review series

I wanted to take the opportunity to give copious thanks to all who have read all the entries thus far in the series as well as the interview and helped to promote it (and thus the boxset) on social media.  I wholly appreciate you giving me your time and attention and hope that what I gave you in return was worth your effort.

I have put a lot of work into this material, and after publishing three deep-dive essays, two overview pieces of commentary, and an interview write-up, this humble narrator is a bit...shall we say...fried.  That was a decent amount of content for a month!  As I'm a little over halfway through the series (with four entries to come) I am going to take a break from the previous publication schedule; I need time to get down to the minutiae with the next two entries for 90124 and Live In L.A./Boston, so you can expect the series to pick up again at the end of August, ideally.  I have another project coming up this month (hopefully) which I also need to prepare for.

However, I do have content to publish in the interim - pieces for my "The Secret Discography" and "Knowing The Score" series (the latter of which has been several years in the research and writing) are forthcoming, so I hope that will tide you over in the meantime.

It is my wish for all of you to experience the good things in life even in our circumscribed circumstances, enjoy the boxset (if it is in your possession), and that my participation in the promotional cycle has also given you pleasure in the reading.  Take care and stay safe, everyone!