#tbt: in his native habitat

Spotted on Instagram: with thanks to shinsui_f_works for posting some little-seen images from the December 1989 issue of the Japanese music magazine Player featuring an article for the Can't Look Away promotional cycle.  

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdlA3Bqrq_P/

In the first photo, Trevor is pictured in his home studio, which was located in the garage until a later upgrade for the recording of Talk.  On the wall behind Trevor is his painting Johannesburg.

There is at least one other image from this shoot by Rick Gould published elsewhere, which was used for an article in the November 1989 issue of Guitar World.

Interestingly, the shoot with William Hames (the other photo included on the second page of the post) is very similar to another with Ray Palmer - a portrait with that same background was featured in an article from the September 1989 issue of Kerrang!

"strange" AND iconic

Spotted on YouTube: Trevor appears on yet another listicle, this time of the video kind...and honestly, if he hadn't I would have had a bone to pick with one of the Internet's most well-known Boomer pundits, Rick Beato.

"Owner" comes in at number five (but Rick notes it could have been number one) on his Top 20 Strangest Guitar Solos of All Time, and that's fair enough.

Rounding out the top five are solos from Eddie Van Halen, Frank Zappa, Allan Holdsworth and Jeff Beck.  Good guitar company indeed!

Collector's Corner: new vinyl reissue

Coming May 27th from boutique label Music On Vinyl is a special reissue of 1985's 9012Live: The Solos, the companion album to the concert film 9012Live.

The track listing follows the original (rather than the 2009 reissue with the bonus tracks) and the album is 180 gram audiophile silver-colored vinyl.  This release is an exclusive numbered limited edition of 1500, so all you vinyl completists get ready to snag one!

format wars

Spotted thanks to Twitter: a episode of Young Canada on Canadian television channel YTV featuring an appearance of Our Trev which was aired sometime in 1990, apparently.  It could be that the interview segment itself is from 1989.  It concerns the decline (at the time) of vinyl, and - always at the forefront of audio technology - Trevor establishes himself as an advocate of the DAT format, which had its' consumer debut in 1987.  Interestingly, Trevor is introduced as the ex guitarist of Yes.

The part with Trevor is at the 2:40 mark.

Media Watch: from one guitarist to another

This is from last year - I wasn't aware of this project until I saw a passing reference from Henry Potts a few days ago. The producers of the documentary Claiming Peter Banks uploaded a "tribute trailer" on the anniversary of Peter's death last year.  The film chronicles the life and career of Yes' first guitarist.  Trevor is among the many musicians interviewed for the film, comprising bandmates and colleagues and contemporaries as well as those who came to be influenced by Peter's singular style in later years.  According to Henry the film is still in post-production.  Trevor's appearance in this clip comes around the 1:02 mark.

Rabbitt revival

As I posted back in November, it's been announced that Duncan, Ronnie and Neil are reuniting for a Rabbitt reunion tour of South Africa, which will begin in October of this year.

Archival footage of the band has begun popping up on the new Facebook page for the band (launched last year), portions of which fans have seen over the years in various documentaries and interviews.  Most importantly they have begun posting full performances of various songs such as "Charlie," "Hard Ride," and "Baby's Leaving."  And even more astonishing, a portion of Rabbitt's actual appearance on Dingley's Bookshop.  I had been under the impression that the clip we knew of was from the opening credits of the show (as Duncan composed the theme and the band performed it) but it is actually from the episode in which they appeared, playing along to "Working For The People."  And proving that Trevor did have an actual speaking part (though this is not enough to judge his acting).

https://fb.watch/b9fEZB81Zx/

It had seemed fairly obvious to me that Duncan has had all this in his possession - as his brother Bill was employed with the SABC for many years - and I appreciate that he's allowing these videos to be enjoyed by everyone now.

For anyone wishing to view the footage from the band's televised appearances be sure to visit the new Rabbitt Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rockrabbitt/

Always great!

Another year, another birthday...and so on our favorite day I extend - as always - well wishes to Trevor on this 68th trip around the Sun.  And to add to that polymath personality...a new role, that of grandpa, and we love to see it!  I hope everyone plays at least one of the many Maestro masterworks today and feels as grateful as I do for the gift of his creativity and talent.  All the best, all the time, though the years...

Here is a fan tweet with a very nice accompanying gif, displaying that signature headshake over several years.

https://twitter.com/fenixks800/status/1481384517902696451

ETA: This photo set on Instagram is also a really nice era-focused overview.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYq7Yh8LH5w/