Useless information....

As a collector of useless information, for example, did you know that most Jellyfish are left handed. I thought it might be interesting to share some useless prog info.

I've just listened to Tull's "Aqualung" on AM. It might not be well known that while Martin Barre was recording that WONDERFUL guitar break in the middle of the song he was being watched through the booth window by Jimmy Page. Martin said that luckily he didn't wave but kept on playing and they kept and used the take.

Any other gems you guys know about???

[Rick and Roll]

You think Jimmy was taking notes?

aside from the ones we all know (the cough at the end of "In My Time of Dying" and "I saw you" at the end of "Happy Jack", here's a few.

This one I've posted before - there's a little one-minute piano ditty at the end of "Sabotage" on the album, and a little cough at the beginning of the record.

You can hear a horse at the beginning of "Back In The Saddle".

On Sabbath's "The Wizard", there are three percussion noises that sound like fingernails getting plucked out.

On Rush's "Circumstances", Neil hits the cymbals once in the first chorus, twice in the second, and three in the third.

Turn the end of "2112" on 45rpm (or the talking in the "Necromancer", and it's nasally Geddy. Kind of loses the effect.

On the Flower Kings "Last Minute On Earth" about 5 miutes in the tune, you can hear a fairly audible "wooooh" (I think Ric Flair was in the studio).

At the very start of "The Mouse Police Never Sleeps" you can hear Ian clearly with a mouse or horse-like sound.

I'm certain that I can come up with more, but I've probably scared you enough as it is.

Originally posted by Rick and Roll
I'm certain that I can come up with more, but I've probably scared you enough as it is.

You don't scare me mate. The more I hear the more interested I become.

A bit more:

Yes guitarist Peter Banks, in his autobiography, Beyond and Before: the Formative Years of Yes, said this on page 82:

"I guess you could say, Yes was the epitome of what was later coined as 'progressive rock', although there really was no description of our music at the time. What followed was a slew of 'prog-rock' bands like King Crimson, Genesis, ELP, and we mustn't forget Gentle Giant; a very good band that was ahead of most of those groups at the time - they were quite exceptional. But let it be known - Yes were the first 'prog-rock' band ever! It does still surprise me when people include Pink Floyd and the Moody Blues into the progressive rock category. I always go, 'What?'"

*************************************************

Billy Sherwood (ex of Yes) is reportedly a big fan of Gentle Giant. In fact, Derek Shulman was the guy who introduced Billy to Chris Squire.

[Rick and Roll]

Sounds like a law firm!

Isn't Derek S. a big A&R guy? I always thought that was ironic as hell.

Originally posted by Rick and Roll
Isn't Derek S. a big A&R guy?

From what I remember DS is a BIG guy..Period!!!

[Yesspaz]

Before Anderson and Squire approached Steve Howe to join the band, they asked Bob Fripp, who was once again having trouble making a band. He said "no." Good thing to - there'd be no Yes as we know it or King Crimson as we know it. And besides, that just wouldn't have worked. Can you imagine those two dictators trying to get along? Yes barely survived the dictator rivalry of Anderson/Rabin.

Eddie Jobson was the original keyboardist for the 90125 band, but left and they got Tony Kaye. You can see Eddie in the original "Owner of a Lonely Heart" video, but not the remake with Kaye, of course.

The original line-up of Asia - Geoff Downes, Carl Palmer, John Wetton, Steve Howe, and... Trevor Rabin! That's right, Asia originally had two guitarists, but reportedly Howe and Rabin couldn't get along. Hmm... Irony raises it's ugly head once again.

After Wakeman left the group in 1995, Pat Moraz called Jon Anderson and offered his services. Anderson told him "no" and they went and searched for a new keyboardist and found Igor. Man, Anderson must have really had a bad experience with that guy. Too bad. He's the best keys player Yes ever had.




I'm sure I have more.

[Rick and Roll]

What must be have been going through Pat Moraz's mind to join Yes at that juncture? Relayer was very different because of his presence, and is one of their best records. It would never work today. Moraz's best work is in the Jazz/Prog vein. I'd rather he do his side things with Bruford or Squire tham get stuck in a band like Yes now or what he did the Moodies. Maybe he needs the money.

Anderson does sing on a song on Crimson's Lizard. It sounds like it would sound if they collaborated full-time, and is very dated. I don't think it would have been bad for the time - we're talking about 1970, and I'm sure they would have evolved. There would have been Yes - don't discount the Squire dynamic.

I'm just glad Bruford left Yes because he was out of his element. He's so much more effective doing what he does. I mean, One Of A Kind is one of the best Jazz/Prog albums EVER. And his Earthworks stuff is way more interesting than keeping time for Yes (that's what Alan White is for). Watching him on the reunion tour play "Roundabout" was intensely painful (I'm glad they did Awaken to balance it out).


If GTR, 3, and Asia's music would have been worth a damn, then that's one thing - but if someone with the talent/resume/ability of Jobson or Moraz wants to join a band to play crap, as John Lennon said, "Brother you can count me out"!


What really would have twisted things up was Hendrix, Emerson, Lake, Mitchell together, or Iommi with Tull. You never know how these things will turn out.

Eddie Jobson with Trevor Rabin with Yes would have been a travesty.

[Yesspaz]

Originally posted by Rick and Roll
And his Earthworks stuff is way more interesting than keeping time for Yes (that's what Alan White is for).

...

if someone with the talent/resume/ability of Jobson or Moraz wants to join a band to play crap...


Eddie Jobson with Trevor Rabin with Yes would have been a travesty.

WATCH IT THERE BUDDY!!!!



Seriously, why would Jobson and Rabin in Yes have been a travesty? I like 90125, but if Jobson had been involved, dang, it could have been great.

[Rick and Roll]

Yes pre and post Trevor Horn, to me, are two different bands.

Now they're back to the old.

How about Rabin and Jobson in their own band? That would be more palatable. Put Squire in there and the vocals would be excellent.

Why call it Yes? Call it Sqrajo, or something like that. they could fool people and say they named it after a lost Indian tribe (instead of the first two letters of each person's name).

I heard that the first person that they wanted to replace Wakeman was Vangelis.

Now that would have been odd in the extreme.

When asked in an interview why he'd declined the offer he said:

"I never really admired the band very much. I never felt that compatible with them. Yes used to be very good, but I never felt that their music fit well with the way I think. I don't know. To me, Yes was a little bit of patchwork. They've done great things and had a great career, but I never felt like being a part of the group."

He did, of course, go on to make some great music with Jon Anderson and Pat Moraz did a fine job on "Relayer".

[Rick and Roll]

Vangelis joined and did "666" part two? Oh my!

Originally posted by Rick and Roll
Vangelis joined and did "666" part two? Oh my!

With Demis Roussos replacing Jon????

That would be so scary. The singing frock!!!!

[Yesspaz]

As you may or may not know, Bob Fripp is a guest musician on four different Iona songs (two of which are on AM). Well, I was looking at the liner notes on JPJ's THE THUNDERTHIEF the other day, which is on Discipline Global Mobile, and what did I see? JPJ's backing band for the album? Terl Bryant on stick and Nick Beggs on drums - Iona's rhythm section. Apparently Fripp liked working with Iona enough that he invited them to be part of the band for JPJ. The first track on that album has JPJ, Fripp, Beggs, and Bryant all wailing in top form. It's beautiful.

[Yesspaz]

Originally posted by Rick and Roll
What must be have been going through Pat Moraz's mind to join Yes at that juncture?

Money.