What is Jon Anderson on and where can I get some?
Thursday, May 1st, 2008
One of the worst things about being a music guy is the sometimes obsessive passion ones feels about your favourite bands. You love them so much that you’ll go out and buy the cds and books and more cds and probably copies of music you’ve already got in one format in 3 or 4 other versions. And then there’s the frustration you feel when you’re watching a band you love make what you consider to be some big mistakes, or say things that just seem so ridiculous.
Enter Jon Anderson of Yes.
I love Yes. They’re in my top 5, for sure. Jon Anderson’s a great, nice fellow. Very positive and thoughtful. I’ve had the chance to say hi to him a few times over the years and he’s always been very friendly. Most Yes fans would consider him a bit of a space cadet, which he’d probably not take offence to. But sometime he just says things that make me go ”huh?”
At Billboard.com today, in an interview in which he discusses the band’s plans to work on new material prior to this summer’s 40th Anniversary tour, he also talks about revisiting Yes’ 80’s material with former guitarist Trevor Rabin (whose last name is today’s bonus code). The two have discussed:
“…maybe touring some of that ’80s-period music, because it was very special.”
But Anderson says he and Rabin aren’t necessarily thinking about resurrecting that version of Yes as a recording entity. “I wouldn’t do it, like, Yes,” Anderson explains. “I’d do it like me and Trevor aspiring to be the two of us making music and see what we come up with.
I guess Jon forgets that he quit Yes in 1988 because he wasn’t enjoying the “special” music the band was making at the time. I suppose he’s forgetting that fans had been clamouring for the 70’s classic era for years, and after the 1991 Yes 8-man reunion tour fans rejected the revival of the 80’s line-up. I guess he’s forgetting the unsold seats to the band’s 1994 tour (a great show, by the way).
Come on, Jon! Where is this coming from? Rather than contemplate an era you used to express less than positive opinions on, why don’t you just worry about making great music, and giving the Yes fans who are paying $149 for good seats to the upcoming tour their money’s worth.
Oh yeah. $149 for a Yes ticket.
Huh?