A look into the musical world of Trevor Rabin: composer, performer, and a man of many careers.
Introduction:
A series of essays wherein I explore the numerous musical identities of my favorite musician: from child prodigy to teen idol to guitar hero to singer/songwriter to award-winning in-demand film composer.
Featuring news/updates and commentary/analysis of Trevor's career and associated projects. Comments are disabled but please feel free to contact me at rabinesque.blog@gmail.com.
Showing posts with label this man has no spleen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label this man has no spleen. Show all posts
Published today is a listicle-of-sorts regarding some of the songs recorded in '82-83, I assume this originally appeared as a sidebar in the full issue of PROG featuring the 90125 cover story.
Of the six songs listed here, I have already provided some commentary in my entry about 90124 from the Changes review series (that particular entry was posted in August of 2020) but I'll comment here too.
"Time"
In fandom circles this is considered the true lost track, and Trevor notes that it would have included "Cinema" in its' complete version, but I have a theory that the original instrumental version of "Make It Easy" which is in fandom circulation may actually include "Time" as well. I think the reason why it generates so much conversation/speculation is the belief that "Time" represents a sort of lost prog potential for YesWest which, as with many popular myths, doesn't necessarily hold up.
"Make It Easy"
...and the author noted that detail too (re: the relationship between "Time" and this song). "Make It Easy" is a definite part of Yesstory given the use of the intro in live performances of "Owner" as well as its' archival release on the remastered/expanded version of 90125, and so I feel like it doesn't necessarily always need to be included in the discussion of "lost" tracks.
"It's Over"
What is truly interesting to me about this song is that - beyond its' inclusion on the reissue of 90125 - there isn't some other version of it floating around in fandom circulation. It's credited solely to Trevor but it really feels like it was something which became fully-realized when subjected to the Cinema process.
"Red Light, Green Light"
My esteemed fandom colleague Henry Potts refers to this song as "mysterious" as regards its provenance in Yesstory. Trevor Horn made mention of it in an NME interview from 2021, noting that the drumloop on the Art of Noise track "Beat Box" originally came from the recording of this track (which, according to this article, took place at Air Studios). And Alan's playing is right on the money, as always! So one thing we could speculate about "Red Light, Green Light" (as it languishes in relative obscurity) is that it was probably at least somewhat funky. Now this is the song Trevor should be asked about, rather than the 1001th inquiry regarding "Time."
"Carry On"
AKA: "You Know Something I Don't Know," and as I've noted previously, this song was resurrected briefly as an instrumental performed on Trevor's solo tour in 1989. Its' inclusion in the Cinema rehearsal recording which is in circulation means that this song is usually cited in these kinds of discussions.
"Open Your Doors"
For years I saw this song referred to as "Open The Door" but when you listen to the recording, it really does sound like open your doors. This is a definite outlier in the Cinema oeuvre (with a really bad-quality version in circulation). The article states that it sounds "nothing like Yes" which is true but they weren't trying to sound like Yes at that time. So it represents just as valid a direction as any other in my estimation.
Published almost on the anniversary of OoaLH charting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 is this article from Guitar Player regarding the creation of said hit single. I'm assuming it was originally a part of the main interview published last month.
And...it's a story long-time fans know very well. Or at least one of many stories. Just for perspective's sake I found this article which is from 2021 featuring Jon's point of view.
Given the 40th anniversary of 90125 a few months back there's been a lot of coverage about the album and the song published of late (as example, one posted on the BraveWords website last month). But one thing which stuck out for me in this latest one was this bit:
He learned it had reached number one while vacationing in Miami. As he celebrated with a glass of champagne by the hotel pool, a woman whisking down a water slide slammed into him and ruptured his spleen.
Trevor told the story of the accident (and Shelley's heroic effort to pull him out of the pool all on her own) during his Guitar Center in-store appearance in 2012. He stated it happened on his birthday, January 13th. The day "Owner" hit number one was January 21st (which is one helluva belated bday present). But it certainly makes for a dramatic scene, right? Trevor's greatest career triumph followed by a life-threatening accident, how fortunes can change from one minute to the next. Heck, even just a freak accident happening on your birthday is enough drama for anyone.
All that to say...I think this is an interesting example of how - when a cultural artifact is so revered, so famous - there are always going to be differing perspectives regarding how and why it is special, how it was created, and the truth likely lies somewhere in between.
Many of us are dedicated followers of the history of Trevor's sartorial choices and one thing we know for sure is if he's worn something once, he's probably going to wear it again. But even I was surprised of late, courtesy of Alfred Ligammari II sharing his concert photographs of Yes via his Instagram page. He's posted several shots of the April 26th 80 Dates show in Buffalo, NY and because there are not a lot of photos from the tour entire in circulation it was a bit of a shock to see Trevor's 9012Live shirt revived for this particular performance. Below are the links for all of the photos from that gig he has posted thus far.
As one of Trevor's most iconic pieces of clothing we know it's had a life even beyond its' appearance during the 9012Live tour (and in the 9012Live concert video) - as Ryan wore it at various times during his tenure with GROUPLOVE, such as this interview in 2013. THAT JACKET THO - it almost seems as if it's meant to be worn with the shirt.
Let us hope the shirt is well-stored now so that the next Rabin generation can also wear it proud someday.
A series examining recordings from the Around the World in 80 Dates tour of 1991-92 in relation to the Union Live 30th Anniversary reissue.
I know I keep saying I'm going to get to the recordings in question, but I feel like the context of Around the World in 80 Dates requires further examination before doing so, because it ties into the cognitive dissonance of why such a great tour (from an audience perspective) has such a lousy legacy. As I mentioned in the previous essay, the release of Union is not the reason why the 80 Dates tour exists. Rather, the tour is the reason why the album exists. So to place the tour in a historical and (especially) congratulatory context, all of the accompanying promotion is really slanted towards the examination of Yes as an institution. A few years past their porcelain anniversary (which is quite fitting when you really think about it), it was time to fully and officially ruminate on the history of the band - and this was the first time, as the quasi-official bio Close To The Edge was still more than a decade away from being published - and therefore as part of the eight-man band juggernaut the vehicle of their collective whitewash was created to accompany the retrospective boxset release YesYears.
YesYears: A Retrospective definitely benefits from being professionally produced and featuring most members past and present. Is it an accurate history of the band? Not exactly. But does it look and sound good with the benefit of interviews and archival footage? Absolutely. It's more entertaining, overall, than the other documentary (Classic Artists: Yes, released in 2007). It does have its' detractors - note this reaction from critic James Griffiths when the documentary was reissued on DVD in 2003:
This DVD rockumentary is, on first glance, a rather ghastly affair, full of wrinkled men with mullet haircuts and transatlantic English accents. But as it lumbers along, you find yourself warming to them and their story, and perhaps even joining them in hankering after those halcyon days of the early 1970s.
I find this a salient point just in terms of the doc's overall mission - by the end of it you'll understand that Yes is something more than just a band, it's an idea which can be proffered by various people at different times in different configurations. And part of that idea has to do with ambition and vision.
The tour had to be deemed important not merely because of its' status as an event, but because Yes needed to be perceived as inhabiting a continuing relevancy - and there's no better way to assert this notion than to produce a documentary which attempts to prove just that. And part of that relevancy has to do with the persistence of an idea over time. Why does a band continue to exist for 20 years? Because it's a good idea? Well sure, although there are other motivations involved as well. But the institution of Yes continued to exist because there was something compelling about what they did and how they did it. Yes evolved to the point of becoming not only a brand name, but also a meaning beyond the prosaic notion of a progressive rock band. It's also worth noting that another facet of the Union promotional cycle involved featuring Yes in MTV's continuing Rockumentary series (that portmanteau was fittingly coined by the film This IsSpinal Tap), though The Story Thus Far is condensed for the contemporary audience to half an hour.
For those who wonder if I am interrogating this document from a purely cynical perspective...well, yes and no. Yes because what else can you say about a documentary which opens with an observation from one of the two keyboard players about the seeming impossibility of such an enterprise as the 80 Dates tour? But equally no because I love this documentary. I own a copy and it has brought me hours of viewing pleasure over the years. They're all relatively young and beautiful and it engenders a nostalgia which is equal parts joy and wistful ache. But affection does not preclude critical discernment, or at least not in my case.
*~*~*
To return to the notion of Yes being...whatever it is...let's consult with Wakey once more.
"Yes is...it really is music."
Or perhaps Music, even. And I do not disagree with him in the slightest, but this is evidence towards my overarching theory regarding YesYears framing Yes as an institution. Because a documentary is always an opportunity for its' members to define the character of the ensemble.
I want to pause for a moment to observe that in the opening montage we see the proof that the first show in Pensacola was professionally filmed. Perhaps not the entire show, but I think we see enough excerpts that I would assert the entire show was filmed. And I think we deserve to know what happened to that footage and why is it that an audience video is instead being resold to fans who would be willing to pay good money for something far better.
Also to note: the institution of Yes would mean that although this was the first time Trevor and Steve shared a stage, it would be far from the last...regardless of their actual feelings about the situation. But Yes is bigger than either of them, despite whatever opinions some may hold.
Joining forces: Pensacola, 4/9/91
Part of the inherent value of this documentary are things like that, tantalizing high-quality glimpses of footage we wish we could have. Another example of this is the live footage included in the video for "Lift Me Up" - which might have been from more than one show.
Speaking of the aforementioned anthem, again, the video portrays the eight-man band as if they all had a hand in it somehow. As we know, although Trevor's original demo of the song is augmented in various ways and with the assistance of producer Eddy Offord, at best it represents three or four-fifths of YesWest and that's it. But for promotional material it's as much convincing us of an actual union as it is a visual interpretation of the song.
Returning to our subject...the history of Yes unfolds in anecdotal style, with 4/5ths of the original lineup recollecting the origins in a rather broad overview, tiptoeing diplomatically through the minefield, as it were. Interestingly, Chris notes that the band did not start out with any kind of idea, rather continually moved forward under the force of their own ambition to be working, to be noticed. Bill is, in his position as The Acerbic One, baldly blunt when discussing how they constructed their early oeuvre, blithely borrowing from whatever they thought was interesting. Slowly but surely, the ideation of the institution creeps in once more, as Jon notes that with each album, "somebody got off the bus," meaning their evolution was in part defined by who was willing to continue the journey towards a more complex artistic ambition.
Another interesting element - in my estimation - is to note that every time Yes has changed guitar players (which is technically twice but three times chronologically) then the purpose of the band is remade, in a sense, and from that perspective I would assert that both Steve and Trevor are equally important to the legacy of Yes and thus entirely fitting that they were both inducted to the R&RHoF. However, the doc is slanted a bit towards presenting Steve as the embodiment of traditional Yes values.
It's around this point that the interviews are sort of interspersed between those which were conducted during one of the photo shoots, and those conducted during rehearsal in Pensacola. Portions of those interviews are also used in the Greatest Video Hits anthology, which was released in 1992. It remains a mystery to me why ATCO did not license "Lift Me Up" from Arista to include in the package.
Back to the narrative, the evolution of Yes takes an autonomous turn with Steve's integration, their creativity compelling enough to grant them some (necessary) commercial success, but more importantly sets the stage for those recordings which would forever place them in prog rock history as a singular ensemble and deservedly so. The golden era of people making music and distributing music for the sake of Music itself. It wasn't quite that idyllic, but near enough from the perspective of the increasingly antagonistic 1990s, wherein Our Heroes recall their salad days. But to illustrate how reductive this recounting is, we go through two line-ups in the first 20 minutes, with little commentary granted to Peter Banks, and Tony Kaye being rather cavalier regarding his first tenure. Their first two albums are glossed over, and the third receives a little more coverage but not as much as it deserves.
But we have to make room for what most fans consider the Classic Era, which comprises three line-ups (one of which is repeated) and six albums over a period of seven years. It is in this part of the narrative where Yes can make the best case for insisting upon the status of Institutional Excellence. Although it could be said that there's a case for giving the arguments of Serious Endeavor and Beloved Among the Masses equal weight vis a vis historical consideration.
Yes were...special. And I don't say that in a facetious kind of way. The guys make a convincing case as they state the primary take-away: Yes made the kind of music they made in that particular era because they were special. And it was a time and a place in which they were valued for that quality. But it's a bit amusing to consider that the muso discussion comes at this juncture, once the preliminaries were over. There's an emphasis on the nature of their creative process and what it wrought. This is the establishment of the Canon, and of the institution of Yes.
I had to laugh at the way Steve classified Classic Yes versus YesWest, that one is concerned with melody and the other with rhythm, and his implication is that one version is more nuanced than the other, and this reflects my comment about how the character of the band changes depending on who is playing guitar. Because otherwise you've got the same rhythm section from most of that prior period, so...but this is not the debate I came here for.
Another point in favor of the canon is the discussion of the Epic, something which can be said to be a traditional Yes value and something for which they would be judged ever after. Where are the epics?! fans would demand in later years. And why aren't they as good now?!
The persistence of an idea over time. But the idea changes as the players age.
Close To The Edge is positively dissected as an album, and I'm all for that as it's my favorite Classic Yes album. But it's interesting to note the privilege it receives in discussion and review. It's something perhaps not apprehended on the surface but something to consider in hindsight. Establishing the way in which the albums should be viewed is what they're doing here. You really have to appreciate Bill Bruford as a palate cleanser in this case, because his comments fall just short of lampoonery at times, but his unvarnished commentary is refreshing in the midst of the overall canonical reverence. It's like you can actually feel the documentary slowing down at this point. The focus shifts from history to legacy.
And then Broof departs the scene because his jazzbo soul was unfulfilled by the institution of Yes, even having ascended the first rung of serious creative achievement with them. It's funny to consider that instead of "It's not you, it's me," his argument is "Oh it's definitely you."
Enter now the most amiable person to have ever joined Yes, and honestly, to this day I believe it's really Alan White who is keeping the whole thing together somehow. By contrast, Rick Wakeman's first departure is seen as a mutiny owing to his dissatisfaction with Tales From Topographic Oceans. It's an interesting distinction because in this era nobody leaves Yes because they can't keep up. They leave because the idea no longer appeals to them.
The documentary may be the only occasion in this era, however, that Jon Anderson publicly admits to possessing a dictatorial attitude. "What the hell, I don't care," he dryly declares nearly an hour in. And why? Because he got what he wanted this time as well with the eight-headed monster, so what's the harm in admitting to a certain monomaniacal tendency, right?
It takes about half an hour to transition from that golden three-album era to the true outlier in the Yes discography, with the addition of Patrick Moraz and the creation of Relayer. Recently there's been a discussion on Yesfans regarding the work which displays the most progressive values and most participants (including myself) are apt to cite that album as the best example of Yes' willingness to experiment and travel to realms previously unknown. We even get an actual filmic transition, which signals a significant shift in Yesstory and our apprehension of it. The viewer is being educated, you see. Documentaries always possess an agenda, and this one is becoming clearer.
And part of that agenda has to do with privileging the narrative of the Union Eight, as no one else is allowed to contribute (a detail which may make the Classic Artists documentary better from a historical standpoint, as it includes everyone except Trevor, who chose not to participate). But I suppose we can amend the rule regarding transformation, for it seems obvious that Patrick wrought his own change upon the band, brief though his tenure was. And when an ensemble is insisting upon institutional excellence, it stands to reason that the people who become involved have very distinct personalities which may or may not mesh with the whole.
One thing I appreciate about the portrayal of the Relayer era is the nod to Roger Dean (and by extension Tait Towers) for providing an embodiment of the Yes aesthetic onstage, like one of the album covers come to life (or as much as was possible back in 1975). But it's mere minutes before we move on to the solo albums (Fish Out Of Water and Olias of Sunhillow, yay!) with 4/5ths of the ensemble recollecting their projects, and then to the subsequent tour. And then Rick is back in the fold, which is seen as a unifying element at the time. Going For The One was an incredibly popular album of its' time (I remember when the title track was played every hour on FM rock radio), but whether or not it's truly good is something which is still being debated by Yes fans to this day. Alan frames it as a positive experience and the accompanying studio footage indicates they were having a good time actually playing together, which is always nice to view. Granted, GFTO will always be in Jon's good books because it contains his favorite epic "Awaken." So again, the narrative is privileging particular works for canon consideration. This is followed by Rick's explanation of how he rejoined the band.
Another transition, and Jon declares that Tormato is the result of him ceding control...are we supposed to think that's a bad thing? But I suppose the greater point he's making has to do with a particular fragmentation of direction and drive, which I can certainly agree with. And now we're already up to 1978 and the ill-fated Paris sessions, which led to both Jon and Rick deciding to quit. So we're covered eleven years in a little over an hour. It's certainly an example of how a band can burn out in that amount of time, when we consider how much Yes accomplished in that decade, how many lineup changes, stylistic shifts, albums and tours, highs and lows they had experienced. I'm exhausted just thinking about it!
Can anyone imagine Yes as a power trio? It almost happened but for the entrance of the first Trevor Charles and his cohort Geoff Downes into the continuum of a new idea for an old band looking for a home. This led to another album which has been contentious for fans, the aptly-named Drama. In the 1980s, Yes took various chances with what fans would accept and most of them paid off, I would say. But all of them caused debate and backlash to varying degrees. The character of evolution is one of those institutional values which I think is most important overall to the band itself. Steve and Alan throw Chris under the bus in terms of his desire to make it all work, and I can see both sides. Yes, it was likely a nightmare for Trevor Horn to find himself thrust into this spotlight he wasn't fully prepared for, but on the other hand, the Show must go on, and Chris likely saw that as his actual job to ensure it would. But the center could not hold...which led to Steve deciding to go off with Geoff and start a whole other band. A band that the second Trevor Charles was also pressured to join.
(It's just kind of weird, isn't it? All these coincidences...)
Speaking of Our Trev, it's now time for the birth of YesWest and not a moment too soon! I know any number of Rabinites have fast-forwarded to his appearance in this panoply. There are various versions regarding how it happened, and I'm not fussed about it - it depends on who, what, where and when - but then Chris attempts to frame Tony's return as a redressed slight and...I always laugh at that explanation, I can't help it. Those of you who have listened to my appearance on Have You SEEN This? know what I mean by this because Chris' choice of Tony was entirely political and strategical. And then we get to Jon's return and it's all an equivocated condensed sequence of events. Just like with the current situation, we're supposed to think it was just all Meant To Be and that is a load of horseshit. But let's not have the truth get in the way of Yesstory, right? Considering how 90125 is such a landmark, again, it's all a bit glossed-over, although there's some interesting comments from Trevor about his process and how it changed over time due to collaborating with Chris specifically. The difficulties of recording Big Generator are also discussed by Trevor, Chris and Alan, and Trevor's hesitancy in expressing his point is rather telling.
It's really interesting that at the time of filming the doc, Trevor admits he and Jon were also fighting during recording. When I discussed the making of the album with Trevor last year, he said the real problem was the fighting between Jon and Chris. And I've always wondered why, when Jon was so unhappy and alienated he had to go off and form another version of Yes, would he then seek out Trevor as his savior for the follow-up to ABWH?
Because he wouldn't...unless he had been told that there was greater success to be had if he was the one who united the warring factions into a band for the ages. And how to do it? To start with, by admitting that the Whiz Kid knew he was doing all along. Whether Jon actually believed it or not.
Back to the (then) present, with discussion of Can't Look Away and one of the true values of this document - excerpts from the video for STHOT. Again, it's interesting to me that he frames the club tour as a battle between the interests of management and the desires of the record company - who naturally would want their product promoted in the traditional manner. As I've noted previously I think it would have been more strategic for Trevor to appear on an arena tour with another artist, but I imagine he wouldn't have stood for not being the headliner, thus the club tour. So it would seem to me that perhaps Tony D. and Alex weren't objecting to the notion of touring, but rather the specific circumstances of touring that Trevor was insisting upon because it didn't make sense to them from a business perspective. He notes they lost money on the tour and I would say it was due to the overhead of hauling all that equipment around for such a short period of time. But it sounded great, and that's what matters...or one supposes, anyway.
Jon's departure and ABWH are not included in this narrative, and it concludes at almost the 90-minute mark so we can enjoy the fun and wacky behind-the-scenes hijinks section. I mean, Jon had a solo career too as well as putting together his other Yes and, well, you're not gonna hear about it here. Because to attempt to explain it rather than fob it off as just another side project - which is essentially what Alan does in his last interview section - is to avoid acknowledging what a schism it caused from both a business and personal perspective. We have to believe they are happy to be doing this, because the tour has to succeed, everything is connected to this event writ worldwide. And it's charming, I won't deny it, I enjoy it even as it's mostly posturing. Everyone with the exception of Bill is disingenuous to some degree. As with most institutions, there's a disconnect between how they wish to be apprehended by the public and how they actually function on a day-to-day level. But for an extended period of time we are viewing the personalities/personas and putting human faces on the monolith which makes us care about it that much more, as well as instilling an appreciation for the sheer scale and effort behind the tour.
(And as always: point a camera at Trevor and he will not fail to be entertaining.)
To underscore the glory of the idea we are treated to an excerpt from Denver of the band performing "Awaken." Specifically the "master of images" section which is quite transcendent, and I say that as someone who's not much of a fan of that particular epic. Then, fade-out and back into a section where everyone muses on their formative years, crafted from a montage of interview, rehearsal, and performance footage. For me, this is one of the most interesting sections in that it comes off less pandering even as we're meant to understand that Yes will always be inhabited by people who possessed a sheer passion for music seemingly from birth. But I like knowing how music has shaped a musician's life, what their motivations were, and are, for following this particular path.
The last ten minutes or so is devoted to more behind-the-scenes footage and a quote from Jon that, again, makes me laugh.
"I've always felt that it would be a good idea, you know, you get about eight people who are really talented playing together, you can finish it with a very stylized idea. And I think it's like the evolution of a band, if it does it properly and there's a spirit within the band to want to do it, and it's done for the main reason, which is music."
(See how that dovetails nicely with what Rick said at the beginning?)
This is followed by Trevor:
"And we can have a great time doing it, you know, have a good time and at the end of it see what we wanna do, if anything. I think that's the way to approach it. I think it's dishonest to say 'Yeah in five years we'll still be going strong!' (shrugs) Who knows."
...and that, to me, parallels what both would be saying a year later at the end of the tour. The optimism of The Big Idea versus the pragmatism of Sometimes People In Yes Remember That They're Actually In Yes.
But I can see where many fans, having watched this documentary, wanted to believe in the future Jon was attempting to create. Couldn't help but believe it because that's what was sold to all of us. We then see the band assembling to make that first grand entrance in Pensacola as the audience gathers eagerly and expectantly...look, we made it happen. And if we made this happen, just think about what else we could do.
It ends with more footage from Denver, specifically the best version of "Shock To The System" (no offense to Jimmy Haun, but the live version is so much more compelling than the studio track even as Trevor didn't particularly enjoy playing it by his own admission) to remind us...oh yeah, there's a new album out! I think it's one of the most convincing arguments as to why the Denver show should have been officially released 30 years ago, or thereabouts. It's exciting, and fun, and amazing to watch these eight people play this music together.
#RELEASETHEDENVERSHOW
Rick serves as the bookending commentator, and I think he would have been willing to give himself to the idea, at least for a while, but it's clear he seemed enthusiastic for the tour at the very least. But his observation about Yes being whoever is in the band at that time is a bit of institutional lore which has been quoted by fans ever since. But most everyone contributes to this as well, including Alan's classic comment about Yes being a band which looks over the horizon into the future and Rick's regarding the continuation of Yes in a classical historical sense.
Final bows, in full triumph. Or at least that's how it appears...
*~*~*
But I know what you've been thinking this whole time: "Humble Narrator, this documentary wasn't released until the tour was mostly over! How can you make an argument for what we're supposed to be thinking about the tour when the primary piece of propaganda was essentially posthumous?!"
And yeah, I get it. But I believe it creates an expectation and an apprehension which was desired, again, in terms of granting Yes the status of an institution which was reckoned to be important for the enterprise moving forward into the '90s. Fans' understanding and appreciation of the Union Eight has been shaped just as much by that propaganda as by actual experience. After all, think about who made it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - if a voting member did nothing more than view YesYears: A Retrospective and, say, the Denver performance from that tour, it might well be enough evidence to arrive at a similar conclusion.
Jon wanted an eight-man band, or at least he believed he did. As he emphatically stated in 1992 as 80 Dates was coming to its' end: "The group is eight people, and that's it, that's the story." I believe he should have realized what an untenable idea that was beyond considerations of a special event, but Jon being Jon means that he's the idea guy, and to be fair it had served him well over the years, mostly.
Except this wasn't his idea to be begin with.
This tour was special, it was entertaining for fans and it imbued them with renewed love for their band, I would imagine most people had no idea at the time of the overall agendas at work. I certainly didn't when I attended the show at the Los Angeles Forum in May of '91. So while acknowledgement in the form of archive releases provides the desired nostalgia, presenting it at a characteristically amateurish level makes me (and others, I would imagine) desire to penetrate deeper into the context of the event itself and why it has come to this, in a manner of speaking.
Besides its' status as a event, this whole scheme - Union and the 80 Dates tour - is where Yes break off from the historical landmass it had inhabited for twenty years: ever-evolving, a band which couldn't keep a stable lineup for more than 2-3 years at a time, but also a band capable of engaging, creative, dynamic music and stagecraft which had garnered a devoutly loyal worldwide fandom and a fair amount of commercial success. In part this break was related to the severing of their relationship with ATCO/Atlantic, the label Yes had been affiliated with for their entire career. There is everything which came before this period, and everything after. And nothing would be quite as special ever again save, perhaps, the reunion of the Classic Era lineup in 2004 for the 35th Anniversary tour of North America and Western Europe. When you choose events and relevancy over chemistry and audacity...it will pay off in the short-term, but not forever. Ever after they would be continually acknowledging their legacy and attempting new expression, but everyone - including the band - would increasingly look back to past glories.
When I say that the 80 Dates tour had its' own role in the evolution of modern touring philosophy, that's partly what I mean: that tour was about nostalgia, and nostalgia became a really easy way to make money in the touring marketplace for many artists.
But it did establish Yes as an institution, and it has continued because that's what institutions do. Time and perseverance are their own justifications. It's not about whether a band ages well so much as whether their legacy does. And luckily for Yes, they proved they are an institution worthy of loyalty to the storied past they presented to all of us. Including a portion of that history which, no matter the motivations behind it, was a shining moment to be treasured.
A series featuring commentary on live recordings from my collection.
The timing of this entry is primarily prompted by a fandom works crossover so crazy it might actually work! Recently I joined fellow Yesfan and dear friend Jennifer Albright, co-creator/co-host of the Have You SEEN This? podcast, for a discussion of 9012Live - that cinematic classic and YesWest cultural document of everything which is both glorious and hilarious but also endearingly kitschy about the 1980s. My eternal love and thanks to Jen for entertaining my idea, being so gracious to allow me to come on her show, and for all the hours we've spent geeking out over prog rock through the years.
This is a bonus episode of the show, so if you'd rather listen to the edited version you can join their Patreon to access it for a pledge of $2.00/month, which will also grant you access to all the other bonus content available. I highly recommend it if you'd like to support a really great podcast!
I admit that I might have flubbed on a few things in my comments, so I will fully cop to any mistakes and offer apologies. I did have notes, but some of the discussion was off-the-cuff. And that discussion is equal parts serious and humorous and takes aim at some sacred tenets of Yes fandom, so I caution against potential offense to listeners, thus I offer a... Content warning: contains profanity, snark, general affectionate irreverence and lampoonery courtesy of two fangirls who are also legitimately discerning adults. Caveat audiens.
But as I already had a write-up of the film and the album in the works, I decided I would combine the two, so here now is my commentary on these releases, provided as an accompaniment to my remarks in the podcast and in observance of 9012Live's (in both forms) 35th anniversary this year.
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Beyond fandom circles, Yes' concert film 9012Live is known for being director Steven Soderbergh’s professional debut; the movie is 67 minutes long and concentrates on songs from 90125, with only two songs included from the Classic Yes era. 9012Live received a Grammy nomination for Best Long-Form Music Video in 1987 but lost out to Sting’s documentary Bring On The Night. It was one of the earliest releases from Atlantic Records’ Home Video division, which was launched in mid-1985. In VHS form, 9012Live had an original retail list price of $29.88.
The film was aired on HBO but was also screened in rock clubs as a worldwide promotional “video tour” beginning in February 1986, which was reportedly covered by MTV at the time.
9012Live and 9012Live: The Solos were released simultaneously in November 1985, the album was created as a companion to the film. The DVD release of the film came in 2006, featuring bonus content and a Director’s Cut without the Charlex effects, then an expanded version of the album was released in 2011 featuring two extra songs. But we still don’t have an officially-released pro-shot/recorded version of an entire 9012Live show...and we probably never will.
Although Charlex's involvement in the world of music videos would be relatively short-lived (though the company is still in operation to this day), their participation in the production of 9012Live was considered rather groundbreaking at the time. In May of 1985, Billboard covered Charlex’s work on the film for the Video Music section of the publication - Charlex was brought on board the project to “modernize” and “enhance” the film, to bring it more in line with the way music videos were being created at the time. This was the first time the special effects production company had been asked to work on a longer-form project, on the heels of their award-winning contributions to The Cars’ video for “You Might Think.” Lookout Management liked what they had done with The Cars' Heartbeat City videos collection from 1984 and asked them to do something similar for 9012Live. But while Charlex created only transitional pieces for The Cars' video album, they did much more for 9012Live, even beyond what was originally negotiated for their contract. They envisioned each song as a type of music video on its own while also including transitional pieces between songs as well as a framing device to begin and end the film (as long-time fans are aware, the ending is where the title for the next album came from), and used the palette of the album design and stage production as their guide for those elements which appear in color. Since all of the Charlex footage came from the 1950s (educational and industrial training films, for example), I find it amusing that it’s considered a modernization, but I know that’s strictly meant in terms of the use of post-production SFX. There’s all kinds of effects used for the “living electronic collage” they created as the framing device.
The source of the intro/outro: "Young Man's Fancy" created for the Edison Electric Institute in 1952.
By the time Charlex received the film it had been edited down to nine songs. They were asked to leave “Owner of a Lonely Heart” alone - hence the sort of gimmicky (but not in a bad way, in my estimation) editing you see in that song instead, although I love that “smash cut on speed” utilized at the beginning, sequenced to that one famous sample. I wonder if maybe they considered releasing another single and video for “Owner” around that time consisting of that part of the film (hence why it has more obvious edits), but their choice was “Hold On.”
While I certainly prefer watching the film without the Charlex effects, I can appreciate the effort which went into them, both thematically and technically. As a piece of conceptual video I think it works some times ("Changes" and "City of Love") and not others ("Hold On" - which really just needs to be viewed in all its' actual bromantic glory). Historically I can understand why the braintrust thought it was a good idea to contemporize the band's efforts overall. Love it or hate it, YesWest has a distinct visual identity in the continuum and that's a big reason why I love it.
Oh, and this. I love it for this too.
Filmed in Edmonton, Canada in September 1984 near the end of the North American 9012Live tour, the film is a mix of live footage and pick-up shots which were filmed during the day of the second show - it was a two-night stand, and they filmed both nights. I think it’s edited quite well but you can tell the difference, especially when it comes to “Starship Trooper” where everyone looks rather more sweaty in certain shots but not in others. Apparently the film was also meant to include the encore “Roundabout” but it was cut, perhaps because there’s a continuity error - Trevor isn’t wearing the same pants in all shots. In some it’s the black satin pants with the yellow striping, in others black leather pants. I think the leather pants may have been from when they were filming the pick-up shots. That portion is included as bonus content on the DVD release.
Watching the Director’s Cut versus the original version gives you an appreciation for the way Soderbergh decided to film the show, there’s an immediacy achieved without having to necessarily resort to the kind of editing and post-production which was typically utilized at the time by directors like Russell Mulcahy, Wayne Isham and Marty Callner. It seems a far more “natural” experience of a concert, if you could see a show up-close in that way. Compared to the way Yessongs was produced in 1972, for example. Yessongs is very dark and it’s primarily close-ups shot from the photographer’s pit mixed with long shots from the balcony and then also shots from the side of the stage. In 9012Live there are intentional editing cuts to the music at some points, and the use of varying types of composition to emphasize that this is a band onstage. The staging itself dictates a sort of artificiality of perspective and use of the space. Originally Yes was going to have Berlin as their opening act for the 9012Live tour but the raked stage set meant there was no room for another band to set up, thus fans got to watch cartoons while waiting for showtime and this set a precedent over the course of their particular career trajectory. But overall the editing is wholly engaging and dynamic and adds great value in terms of repeat viewing. Soderbergh stated in an interview from 2012 that at the time he was working on the film he believed he was turning into a formalist - he liked to polish things - but I don't view it as a drawback in this case.
The best thing about 9012Live, in my estimation, is that it is shot on film rather than video. It makes everybody look so gorgeous. And despite being an artifact of its' time that particular medium provides it with a certain timeless aura when viewed in the present day. It's amusing to me that many fans deride the '80sness of the film, especially in terms of hair and wardrobe but the truth is Yes has always been a band of its' time in that respect. They've always worn rather fancy stage outfits and sported haircuts which were trendy (Chris especially). So it's rather less hypocritical to opine that their '80s look was not to one's taste but the '70s were fine because reasons. It's certainly laughable now on some level, but really I think it's wonderful to have a document of a time when they were young and popular and excessively glorious. Because that's never happening again. I find it's something more than mere nostalgia to experience. To watch 9012Live provides something beyond memories of my own youth, it's joy in a particular triumph and that translates to their performances. If I'm depressed, 9012Live never fails to give me happiness. So in these trying times it's become entirely necessary in maintaining my overall mental health.
That's right: 9012Live is my self-care. There, I said it.
But it's not as if the performative aspect is underplayed in this film, there's editing choices which emphasize the personalities and staging very distinctly - such as "Leave It" which as we know now was pretty much entirely lip-synched (save for Trevor and Jon's lead verses and end refrains) and set to the single version of the song, augmented with a few instrumental flourishes. Certain parts of the performance are choreographed, and probably even more so for the sake of the film. As well, certain aspects of the production had changed by the second North American tour, as the laser effects were omitted but they continued to utilize the fairly large Vari-Lite rig. But it makes for an entertaining experience, even if it's one which makes you laugh (and possibly even sympathetically cringe). Again, Chris Squire was known for more than a few things, and his outsize personality and flamboyance onstage were legendary. The uniqueness of the situation is part and parcel of the film itself, meant to celebrate YesWest as much as market them to any portion of the public not already in their thrall. The Arena Rock performative aspect is entirely necessary in terms of entertainment value. It's also interesting to have a document which primarily focuses on their contemporary identity, as when the band performed they had to continue to acknowledge the past, culminating with the Eighty Dates tour in support of the Union release and a setlist which was more Classic Yes in its' makeup than what they were ostensibly supposed to be promoting. Fans were then somewhat shocked to witness the band playing nearly the entirety of Talk in 1994, as they had grown so used to the preponderance of Classic Yes songs in a typical YesWest setlist.
But this is what touring used to be about in the Long Long Ago - playing the new songs. And by taking on the mantle of Yes - and thus the collective history of the continuum - even an updated version of the band could never wholly focus on cultivating their own identity.
And so even the live album - if you can call it that - was again focusing on contemporary Yes, with the "solo" setpieces within the '84 setlist as well as two songs from 90125. It really comes off as more of a novelty than anything, although I think it's enjoyable as a live document even as it also subverts the established expectations of fans.
The additional songs included on the 2011 reissue had both been previously released:
"It Can Happen" - as the b-side of "It Can Happen" (Atlanta 4/16/84)
"City of Love" - as the b-side of "Rhythm of Love" (from 9012Live - Edmonton '84)
...and they're nice to have, certainly, but I think it would have been possible and also desirable to include something from that tour which technically had never been released before, such as a recording of "Hearts." We know there is audio of complete shows in the archives, even though it's very likely it will simply remain there. I also think it's entirely reasonable to state that "Cinema" should have been included as the first track as it represents a collective solo setpiece of sorts and makes for a nice overture (as both YesWest and ARW amply demonstrated in their shows). But I certainly recommend getting the reissue for anyone who's a completist or perhaps has never owned a copy of this release previously. It's unfortunate that only the original release has been licensed for streaming. Of those full songs included, I do think the two which are most indicative of the YesWest live experience are "Hold On" and "City of Love" which sound so amazingly alive and masterful in their renditions. And I will say as someone who has never been that big of a fan of "It Can Happen" - the Atlanta version, while heavily augmented by sampling and backing tapes, is also really engaging. Repeated listening has caused me to realize that the figure Trevor plays behind the verses sounds a lot like the riffing in "Run Like Hell."
One consideration is if YesWest had released a traditional live album then the solo spots would have likely been omitted in favor of songs and so I suppose given a choice of one or the other it's understandable that someone (like the band) would have wanted documentation of this aspect of the live experience. It could even be that because we don't see this aspect in the film it also prompted the decision to make the solos the focus of the album.
Given what has been included overall via officially-released sources, here is how 9012Live: The Solosshould be sequenced (in my opinion).
Hold On
Si/Solly's Beard
Changes
Soon
It Can Happen
Amazing Grace/Whitefish
City of Love
More than a few fans have also posited that they believe the version of "Solly's Beard" included on the remastered version of Trevor's Live in L.A. album was sourced from 9012Live: The Solos and I will say I also believe that's likely correct. I've done some comparative listening and it's definitely from 1984 as well as nearly identical in length. It certainly would have been the easiest source to obtain. It makes sense from a logistical standpoint but not a contextual one, which I elaborated upon in my "Trevor vs. Trevor" essay from 2016. But it is one of the best versions and also best-recorded, so I get it, even as it makes the research geek in me twitch because it's not a historically-accurate inclusion. Speaking of sources, the solo spots themselves are from their June 24th show in Dortmund (which was also filmed and televised in part) and the full songs from the 9012Live recording.
But also speaking of expansions...let's talk about the DVD extras because 9012Live is an example of a reissue which is entirely desirable with new (to us) and exciting bonus material (unlike pretty much everything else having to do with YesWest archival releases at least in the past decade or so). This is the visual release (besides YesYears) which is absolutely required for YesWest fans to own.
Access All Areas
This is a behind-the-scenes look at the '84 tour, but it's also almost an inversion of the expected format. I would call it perhaps an "observational documentary," a short film with a particular editorial perspective, one which is rather more frank about the backstage experience (but not in an overtly salacious kind of way). It's largely humorous but at times that's because all Steven has to do is point the camera and whomever is in the lens is "on." But I completely understand why it wasn't released in 1985, it's simply too honest about the business of touring and the business of YesWest - if in fact it was meant to be released at all; it's possible Soderbergh shot it for the organization's amusement, or his own for that matter. The ridiculous and the cunning are presented with equal focus and directness. I suppose you could say that it does dilute the glitz of what we imagine rock stars experience in that we witness the job of required social interaction with journalists, contest winners, radio station employees, and Atlantic Records reps in an endless parade of introductions and small talk. I am also amused that in those sequences the two people you don't see are Chris and Trevor. In fact you don't see a lot of Chris in general, which I assume is purposeful. Although you do get two distinct examples of his drier than a gin martini humor - Chris Squire was the master of a well-timed quip.
The most obvious example of commentary I can think of is the "Meanwhile..." intercut, illustrating that the performative aspect of rock n'roll touring only works as well as it does because it's actually powered not by its' stars, but by the people who take care of everything else behind it. The fact that the conversation in question is about a decision which one of those stars made (and it is something The Goon did not agree with) only underscores the distinction in terms of the power dynamics at work in this particular milieu.
And speaking of the little people: as much as the role of Casey Young has been downplayed over the years by various people (and then those claims subsequently debunked by Casey via social media) just think about how many times you see him backstage. He wasn't just a tech, he traveled with the band. He is actually identified in the end sequence. So let that perspective speak for itself, as it were. Casey had a job to do, but don't believe anyone who tries to convince us he didn't work all that hard.
Speaking of unsung heroes - the legendary road manager Richard Fernandez (the guy in the white hat) is shown several times along with his assistant Mickey Heyes, and these are the guys who really do all the work, along with the road crew, which Steven doesn't seem to be particularly interested in because we've never treated to a sequence showing load-in or out. It was kind of a cliche at that point, I suppose. But this leads me to ask...who is The Goon, exactly? He's a man who can make things happen, that's for sure. You always need a good fixer on the road, where anything can happen (and frequently does).
Naturally the greatest virtue of this short film is Trevor Rabin: sometimes bitchy, mostly goofy, wholly adorable. Who wouldn't want to just follow him around and chronicle his hijinks?
I think perhaps the most compelling aspect of Trevor's appearance is his air of Oh isn't this entirely ridiculous? coupled with the charm and charisma he has obviously possessed since birth, infusing his entire personality. The camera loves him, and so do we.
The Interviews
This is b-roll footage and it's uncertain what it's meant for but filmed concurrently in Edmonton. These segments were edited by his long-time collaborator Larry Blake (who was the sound recordist on Access All Areas). I think the whole is far more interesting for what isn't said as much as what is. But I also think they all tend to come off equally guarded and unguarded. There's as much equivocation as candor in their replies. And hairspray - lots and lots of hairspray.
PS: here's a couple fun facts...Soderbergh was only 21 when he directed 9012Live, and his birthday is the day after Trevor's. Capricorns: Most Likely to Become a Wunderkind.
PPS: I've brought this up before, but recently I read a retrospective review of 9012Live on a film blog and the person who wrote it joked that Soderbergh gave James Spader in Sex, Lies, and Videotape Jon Anderson's hairstyle and that is not correct. Don't get distracted by the blond thing. Soderbergh gave him Trevor's haircut circa the Edmonton shoot. It's positively uncanny.
There's so many reasons to enjoy the video for "Leave It" even as weird as it might be perceived to be (not the least of which is the incredibly rare sight of Trevor in a three-piece suit) and co-creator Kevin Godley of the world-famous Godley & Creme production team (and formerly of 10cc) gives us some insight into the process via a new post on Instagram.
As all 18 versions were reportedly shown on MTV back in 1984, fans were also treated to an "MTV Extra" making-of special filmed for the channel (and you can see Shelley on set at the 13:44 mark). This is the source of the urban legend (courtesy of the man himself) that Trevor suffered from polysplenia. The part Kevin refers to where the crew deserted the band during the shoot is also included.
So let's enjoy this greeting from Trevor, posted earlier in the week...
You might notice that he appears to be wearing an Argentinian soccer jersey, so maybe this is supposed to be a hidden clue in regards to future touring? Wait, this is the Internet, I don't want to start a viral rumor or anything. But we do know we'll be seeing Our Trev in person or in videos on social media very very soon, wherever we are!
Spotted on Twitter: the other day Trevor had a mini-posting binge on his Facebook page, one of which had no text at all, and another of the posts was a nice message regarding the Japanese tour, but apparently one of his bandmates was feeling a little left out...
@Rabin_News You forgot to mention how much you loved the bass player. Japan 1 - Hornal 0, yet again.
I've noted the continuing cultural relevance of "Owner of a Lonely Heart" previous to this entry, as a song and a riff and a phrase it echoes with many layers of evocation in popular culture. Thanks to a fan on Facebook I have discovered one of the more silly references, which appeared in Dan Thompson's Brevity comic strip in April of 2013.
And as further proof of the popularity of this '80s classic, recently a unique cover version appeared on YouTube...
In conjuction with their appearance at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood last night, our boys filmed a PSA for Hard Rock's Pinktober campaign, which has raised millions of dollars globally for breast cancer awareness and research. And Trevor's closing comment leads me to a great idea...if TPTB wanted to sell a t-shirt printed with the phrase "Let's go with boobies" - heck, I'd buy it!
A continuing series wherein I indulge my love of yammering on about permutations of Trevor's body of work in performance.
"Howe is a craftsman, Trevor is a pyrotechnician...not a rap, just an observation..."
- Facebook fan post
"I brought my own shoes, thanks."
- Trevor Rabin, 1995
As a long-time Yes fan, I tend to divide my favorite songs and albums between my preferred eras: in my case it's Classic Yes (1971-1978) and YesWest (1982-1995). In case you're wondering, I listen to a lot of Classic Yes - Close to the Edge is my favorite album from that era. But there is one particular composition which, for me, spans all eras of Yes as an enduring favorite. No matter which lineup performs it, it's always great to hear, though of course I still have my favorites. And it actually serves as a bridge between what I consider to be the two most significant eras of the history of the band.
Starship trooper...go sailing on by.
"Starship Trooper," since its' debut on The Yes Album in 1971, has been a favorite of many fans as well as an incredibly popular song, and thus its' inclusion in the setlist for YesWest, among other selections from the classic oeuvre, was considered not only important but necessary. But what was even more important, and special, was the way in which Trevor made the piece his own. Although every member of the band is crucial to its' success as a composition, it is essentially - to my mind - a guitar-driven suite, and thus it allowed Trevor to come to the fore in the context of live performance and wow the crowd, potentially assuage his detractors, assuming the mantle of guitar hero which he rightfully deserved. He interpreted the song through the filters of his own talent, creativity and experience, not only as a guitarist, but also as a performer, to deliver something which - when he was on and the groove was just right - was entirely thrilling to witness.
If Steve Howe's original was metaphysically uplifting, then Trevor's version was salaciously exciting, as befitting the era in which it was performed, in support of Trevor's view of himself as a "modern musician."
The song in its' three movements was played as a whole on the 9012Live tour, but when it came time to tour in 1987 for Big Generator, the decision was made to play only the end section, known as "Würm," which was Steve Howe's contribution to the suite (the piece itself was written years prior to Howe's first tenure in Yes). It made sense in terms of the running time of the show, as well as the energy level of the band - coming after the equally epic "And You and I," and with "I've Seen All Good People" and "Roundabout" still awaiting the encores. But it could be considered controversial from a fandom perspective, to have the young upstart presume to perform the old master's signature contribution. However, by that time audiences had already witnessed the way in which Trevor reimagined "Würm," and his approach to it didn't deviate other than in terms of performance vagaries. When the Union lineup performed the whole of "Starship Trooper" during the Around the World in Eighty Dates tour, both interpretations of "Würm" were included in that section of the suite, an acknowledgement of the status of each guitarist within the history of the group.
Amusingly enough, when the DVD of the 9012Live concert film was released in 2006, fans were afforded a previously unknown look at Trevor's opinion of the piece in the bonus behind-the-scenes documentary, titled Access All Areas, which was filmed by Steven Soderbergh. In fact, overall we were treated to a very raunchy, thoroughly comedic side of Trevor which I term "Tour Trevor" because it's fairly apparent that the rigours of touring require a different personality from one's everyday demeanor. And he was also obviously playing to the camera, which is part of what makes it so fun to watch now.
Trevor Rabin: enemy of hangers worldwide.
During a scene which is a backstage postmortem, Trevor embarks upon an epic rant - his blatant use of profanity rendered somewhat hilarious as delivered in his well-mannered Johannesburg accent - regarding the way the band performed the show's then-closers "City Of Love" and "Starship Trooper" with bandmates Alan White and Tony Kaye providing a sympathetic audience. The really funny thing is - and we can assume this happened at least some months into the tour - Trevor gets the name of the end section wrong, and Alan kindly corrects him. This is an example of why everybody likes Alan White.
But "Würm" was an entirely unique occurrence within the touring history of YesWest and thus it's interesting (for me, at least) to consider those variations which may have resulted in performance, and not necessarily technical variations, but rather ones of emotional intensity. Even with the distinct movement of the piece, for me the primary value of "Würm" is as a jam - Trevor, Chris and Tony each had their moments in the spotlight within the groove. And the primary decision a fan would make in regards to whether or not they approved of Trevor standing on Steve's carpet, as it were, was accomplished while listening to what he did with "Würm." At some shows early on in the tour they did callbacks to other songs - like the ending in Philadelphia where they incorporated "Almost Like Love" and "Heart of the Sunrise" at the same time. At the opening date of the tour in Omaha, they included "Holy Lamb" as part of the song entire.
And so here is my pick for the very best version of "Würm," (from those I've heard) on January 24, 1988 in Hollywood, Florida. What is very significant about this performance is that it came after Trevor had collapsed backstage the previous night. As reported in the Atlanta Journal on February 12th, the band had to cancel six concerts as a result, with doctors immediately prescribing rest for Trevor, who had exhausted himself by performing five times with the flu and a 103-degree fever. The band spent the next ten days in Miami waiting for him to recover.
(Things had a habit of going horribly wrong for Trevor in Florida, have you noticed that?)
Here we have a man hanging on by a thread - and given how thin he looks in the footage, I'd say it's obviously evident he is ill - yet Trevor pulls it out of the fire and delivers a performance I'd rate as otherworldy, almost. Definitely euphoric and utterly amazing. It's a classic example of how sometimes when humans are at their worst they can achieve their very best.
But speaking of Florida (and once more, potential disasters) here we have Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman performing this same classic on the opening night of their 2016 tour in Orlando in what I would largely define as Trevor's style, but there's a distinct grandeur to it, a stately grace, which I find interesting; an expression of their Golden Years, as it were. In keeping with YesWest tradition there's a callback - two references to "I Can't Look Away" - the introductory passage to the song as overture (which is not included in this clip) as well as a tease at the six-minute mark, playing 30 seconds from its' lengthy bravura outro.
