yes Archive

Take 5: Chris Squire

During his lifetime, bassist Chris Squire was arguably the backbone of progressive rock heroes Yes. A founding member of the group, Squire appeared on every Yes release until his death […]

Interview Roundup: Yes

One day not along ago, I decided to amuse myself by counting up just how many members — present and/or former – of Yes I have had the pleasuring of […]

Album Review: Flash – In the USA: Live Recordings 1972-73

Apparently with the cooperation/blessing of the Peter Banks estate, labels have been releasing archival material associated with the late former Yes guitarist. In addition to a number of collections focusing […]

Long Distance Runaround: Rick Wakeman is a True One-man Show (Part Two)

Continued from Part One… While he’d sometimes explain that there was a good reason for not playing a given tune, other times, he’d take the suggestions under consideration. “I do […]

Long Distance Runaround: Rick Wakeman is a True One-man Show (Part One)

Note: The following first appeared as a feature in New City, previewing a concert scheduled for November 2021. That show has since been postponed to 2021. Because I had already […]

Album Review: Various Artists — Still Wish You Were Here

My standard disclaimer where tribute albums are concerned is that the concept if dodgy on its face, and that it rarely succeeds. But for every rule here is an exception, […]

Yes’ ‘Drama’ at 40: A Critical Look Back at the Band’s Most Controversial LP

It’s accepted conventional wisdom now that the 1980s were a tough time for progressive rock. The subgenre enjoyed its heyday – commercially and critically – beginning in the very late […]

Prog in Disguise: The Buggles’ ‘The Age of Plastic’ at 40

The late 1970s were an odd time for popular music. Today’s listeners know that punk made its mark in the middle ’70s, but it’s worth noting that from a commercial […]

From the Archives: Review of Yes in Concert, Feb. 3, 2017

The following is an edited reprise of a Facebook post of mine from February 2017, three years ago this week. — bk Thoughts on last night’s YES concert in Cherokee […]

Patrick Moraz and the Poetry of Creation

Swiss keyboard virtuoso Patrick Moraz was one of the earliest musicians to explore the sonic possibilities of the synthesizer. He combined those explorations with more conventional instrumentation – grand piano, […]