Tag Archives: yes

Chris Squire (4th March 1948 – 27th June 2015)

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On June 27th 2015, legendary bassist Chris Squire lost his battle with leukaemia.  He was known to millions as the founding – and only constant – member of progressive rock titans Yes.  His trademark sound provided the heard of the band’s ever evolving sound for twenty one studio albums and several live releases over a period of five decades.

Whether delivering a psychedelic sound, as per the first two Yes releases – an extension of musical themes practiced in Squire’s earlier band The Syn – or shaping the progressive rock of the seventies, or even the pop/rock band Yes eventually became in the 1980s, Squire could often be relied upon to steer his musical vision with some absolutely stellar performances.

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Real Gone’s end of year round up, 2014

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Given the position Real Gone finds itself in at the end of our fifth year online, it might seemed clichéd to say it, but ever year seems to get better and better.  It’s been another brilliant year for discovering new music – particularly releases from underground and DIY bands, but also for discs from a couple of old favourites.  Culled from hundreds of albums to grace our stereo this year, presented below is a quick look at ten of our favourite releases, as well as a round-up of the more notable of the rest.

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Deluxe reissue of Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe LP in August

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In addition to the release of the new Yes LP ‘Heaven & Earth’ on July 21st, this summer also sees another Yes-related disc hit the market.

It’s the turn of the sole album by Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe to receive the 2CD deluxe treatment. In 1989, the four (then) ex-Yes men teamed up with bassist Tony Levin to record new music. The resultant album was very well received on both sides of the Atlantic.

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YES – Heaven & Earth

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YES Heaven & EarthThe first Yes studio album in a decade – 2011’s ‘Fly From Here’ – came under fire from various quarters.  Since the core of the material first took shape in the early 80s, some (unfairly) lambasted the release for scraping the barrel for ideas, while others were less specific, wheeling out their beliefs that “no Jon Anderson = No Yes”.  Neither short-sighted opinion held much water, since the album featured some of the best material the band had committed to record since the mid 90s, possibly even before.  Benoit David did a great job vocalising both the new material and those ideas laid down by Trevor Horn and band some decades previously; Steve Howe sounded very comfortable in his role as guitarist – happy not to overplay his role (as he perhaps had done on some other Yes work) – while bandleader Chris Squire’s bass work appeared impeccable throughout.  As with the often maligned ‘Drama’ of 1980 and the pop-oriented ‘90125’ from 1983, this more than showed that whatever the incarnation, there can be enjoyable results.

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YES – Drama

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dramaAfter demo sessions in 1979 turned sour, long-serving vocalist Jon Anderson departed from Yes after a decade of performing as both frontman and songwriter. Keyboard player Rick Wakeman departed at the same time, thus leaving the band without two of their key members.  They filled the void with vocalist producer Trevor Horn and keyboard player Geoff Downes who, at that time, were both members of pop duo Buggles.  The new Yes line up of  Horn (vocals),  Downes (keys), Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass) and Alan White (drums) clicked, but the resulting album – ‘Drama’ (released in August 1980) – is a release which polarises fans.

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