When a band have lasted as long as Yes, there are many entry points for fans. While some saw them at The Marquee and Blaises in 1968, picking up the debut album shortly afterwards, the rest of us have later jumping-on points: maybe Steve Howe’s debut with their crucial relaunch platter, The Yes Album; or Tales From Topographic Oceans, when Yes became a permanent byword for the prog genre. Perhaps one of the comeback albums: 1977’s Going For The One, a UK chart-topper at the height of the media’s obsession with punk, or maybe 1983’s stunningly successful 90125.
But 1980’s Drama surely brought in more than average. The surprising recruitment policy of Buggles synth duo Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes put the band’s name on the radar of much younger rock fans and established that it was possible for Yes to thrive creatively without their charismatic, talismanic original frontman, Jon Anderson. And rather than slavishly copying earlier albums, Drama sired the hard-edged likes of Machine Messiah and Does It Really Happen? – founding texts for the prog metal genre. Drama therefore established an important principle in terms of personnel and artistic reinvention that resonates ever louder in 2023. As stalwart guitarist and now producer Steve Howe says: “Drama is quite relevant to what we’re doing now, because there’s a tightness about it. There’s an approach to the dynamics of it, which we can’t help but follow.”
Bu hikaye Prog dergisinin Issue 140 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Prog dergisinin Issue 140 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
JAKKO M JAKSZYK
King Crimson's vocalist and guitarist shares anecdotes from his revealing new autobiography, discusses his lost career as a footballer and reveals what he said when he met the former king of pop.
A Part & Yet Apart
Sheffield-based 80s proggers Haze have returned with a new studio album, The Water's Edge - their third since their 2013 comeback record, The Last Battle. Prog catches up with threequarters of the band to discuss Haze's DIY ethos, the curse of prog and playing to Cumbrian sheep farmers.
CONTROLLED AIRSPACE
He's about to embark on Dream Theater's 40th Anniversary Tour, but keyboard maestro Jordan Rudess has taken time out to discuss his soaring new solo album, Permission To Fly.
On The Wing
Birds, break-ups, big choruses and the Charlie Chaplin effect can all be found on In Murmuration, the ninth album from Finland's Von Hertzen Brothers. But as they embrace their power pop influences, have the Finns cast off their prog wizard cloaks once and for all? Mikko von Hertzen talks about the Seattle influence, songwriting secrets and sax solos.
Fourth Dimension
The stock of melodic Northumberland-based proggers Stuckfish has been rising since they formed six years ago. Their fourth studio album, Stuckfish IV, represents an important watershed in the band's musical evolution. Co-founders Adrian Fisher and Phil Stuckey tell Prog about the diverse influences that have helped to shape it.
Symphly The Best
In the 70s, Barclay James Harvest almost bankrupted themselves by performing with an orchestra, but, several decades on, they’re celebrating last year’s performance with the Slaithwaite Philharmonic, captured on their latest live record, Philharmonic! The Orchestral Concert. John Lees reminisces over the band’s ambitious early years and bassist Craig Fletcher fills Prog in on JLBJH’s upcoming “progtastic” double album.
We've Not Been Expecting You
The unpredictable Frost* are back with Life In The Wires, a bold double concept album that revisits the mood of Milliontown. Bandleader Jem Godfrey tells Prog why he rolled out the solos on a record he describes as the most fun since their dazzling debut.
FAR HORIZONS AND PANORAMIC AMBITIONS
Dutch five-piece Lesoir have been steadily gathering momentum over the last 15 years, and they hope to build on that with their latest release, Push Back The Horizon. Vocalist/ instrumentalist Maartje Meessen and guitarist Ingo Dassen discuss the creation of their sixth album, working with Muse's production team, and their dream of bringing their intricate music to new audiences.
'I mean, what is classical nowadays?'
Tony Banks reflects on his role as a 21st-century classical composer.
There Can Be Only One!
Never meet your heroes, or so the saying goes, but Opeth have had a blast working with Ian Anderson on their latest, The Last Will And Testament. Bandleader Mikael Åkerfeldt and guitarist Fredrik Åkesson discuss the band's proggiest album to date, the return of the growl and why blood isn't always thicker than water.