GOING FOR THE ONE

It was July of 1977 and a group of us recent high school -graduate and college-bound students anxiously waited for the new Yes album. It seems silly now, but the almost three year hiatus between Relayer and its successor was interminable. In December of 1976, we learned, what at the time seemed against all odds, Rick Wakeman had returned to Yes! We can only expect the unexpected . . . . Then an even more interminable period stretched on into 1977.

Interest was heightened with the emergence of the location of recording, Switzerland, and certain details involving a church organ connected to the studio by a phone line. But, at the time, with our expectations so high, we were 'a tough crowd to please.' Somehow, after titles like Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans, and Relayer, Going for the One seemed too commercial or pedestrian. Nevertheless, with its 'pedestrian-like' title and obviously not a Roger Dean album cover, the new album emerged in early July of 1977. In the ensuing weeks, we spent a substantial amount of time in our parents' vehicles, listening to the new album on cassette tape, conducting what could be likened to a musical vivisection.

In retrospect, in Vevey, Switzerland, Anderson, Squire, Howe, Wakeman, and White created this progressive edifice in the setting within which, in the 19th Century, Henry James placed his novella, Daisy Miller. In the novella, the old world through the character of Winterbourne meets the new world through the character of Daisy Miller. Similarly, old recording techniques meet the new in the use of the church organ joined by phone line to the recording studio. In our so-called 'information age' of the 21st Century, this may seem hardly noteworthy. But, in 1976-77, this was very suggestive of many means of communication we take for granted today.

Also, upon reconsideration, the album cover presents more than a casual glance would yield. With the central figure's exposed Tuchus, even the 'Yes freaks' referred to the album as 'Going for the Buns.' But, consider the five separate lines or pathways that all meet in the central figure, who, in his 'birthday suit' could represent Adam before the Fall. Do the five members of Yes meet in this 'natural man,' 'Albion,' confronting the modern, urban world? The Romans gave the island of Great Britain the name, 'Albion,' and later William Blake referred to the totality, not just of Britain, but all of humanity as 'Albion.' Maybe, after all, Going for the One is not such a pedestrian title.

Back to our musical 'vivisection.' After his dynamic and multi-faceted percussive roles on Tales from Topographic Oceans and Relayer, Alan White's role on Going for the One seemed somewhat 'tamer.' In the summer of 1977, we focused on 'Parallels,' finding ourselves less than impressed with the song's percussion. One critic referred to White's performance as 'metronome-like.' Now, 43 years later, it would appear this would be one of White's most disciplined performances, 'anchor-like.' Then, there was 'Wonderous Stories' on which, ostensibly, there was 'no' percussion. Well, it was 1977 and the days of murky analogue discs and cassettes. Today, I hear a decision that Squire and White may have made regarding 'Wonderous Stories'' rhythm section. Relying on the overt, driving power of Squire's bass, it seems to me that White opted to focus on a plethora of cymbals, minimizing the drums.

At the time, our group of friends readily acknowledged the substance of 'Turn of the Century'; one could truly point to this piece as an exemplar of Symphonic Prog. But, here again, we questioned White's role. Again, retrospect is helpful. Here, White's role is multi-faceted, extending to tuned percussion. Like the song itself, the percussion builds in intensity as the song progresses. Following 'Turn of the Century's' middle, development section, the entire band accelerates the proceedings, with White focusing on the tympani and cymbals. As the piece ends, Howe delivers his customarily excellent acoustic guitar with White in strong support on the vibraphone.

On 'Going for the One' and 'Awaken,' it's fair to state my old friends and I judged White's performance as 'dynamic' as we had come to expect. But, we were still a tough crowd to please . . . . In August of 1991, my late wife and I had the good fortune to see the Union Tour at the Woodlands Pavilion in the Woodlands, TX. All things considered, this was the finest concert I've ever seen. And its penultimate moment occurred as the eight members reached the climax at the end of 'Awaken'; one could perceive an almost transcendent smoke rising from the stage. In the 1991 documentary filmed in conjunction with the beginning of the Union Tour, Jon Anderson cites 'Awaken' as his favorite Yes piece. It's hard to disagree. I'd simply like to add 'And You and I' to that distinction. To this day, I like to remark that, 'besides the Beatles, Yes is my favorite band.' However, in the spirit of pursuing the One, the 'real' list extends further and deeper over our human experience.