RAMSHACKLED

"And the tusked, ramshackling sea exults; . . . ."

"Poem on His Birthday"

Dylan Thomas

6/5/1976 was an auspicious day.

A group of soon to be high school seniors had journeyed from New Orleans to Jackson, MS, to see Yes, at the time not knowing the band was on its Solo Albums Tour.

It would be my first Yes concert.

At the time, we had become familiar with Chris Squire's "Fish Out of Water," with its having been released at the end of 1975, but encounters with the other solo submissions would lie in the future.

Lamentably, it would take me until the end of 2023 to "read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest" "Olias of Sunhillow." Similarly, I find myself in this position today with Alan White's, "Ramshackled."

If we return to the milieu of the late Seventies, my friends and I were a tough crowd to please. Indeed, as one of these friends proclaims today, "We were prog rock 'snobs.'" Upon listening, for the first time, to "Ramshackled," I recall being underwhelmed. To my mind, only "Spring-Song of Innocence" was noteworthy. Fortunately, as Heraclitus has remarked, "The only thing that is permanent is change."

As with fellow percussionist Carl Palmer, who would later in early 1977 on ELP's "Works, Vol. I" album contribute a diverse solo third side, White's "Ramshackled" exemplifies his multifaceted background. Alan's work with John Lennon and George Harrison before Yes is well-known; however, his work with Griffin is not.

When Chris Squire envisioned "Fish Out of Water," he drew upon his enculturation in the vocal traditions of the Church of England and association with the composer, conductor, and performer Andrew Pryce Jackman. With "Ramshackled," Alan White worked with significant colleagues from his musical socialization: Pete Kirtley, guitars, vocals; Kenny Craddock, keyboards, vocals; and, Colin Gibson, bass, percussion.

With the exception of William Blake's poem, "Spring" from "Songs of Innocence and of Experience," the compositions on "Ramshackled" belong to the above mentioned three.

In the history of Yes, the appearance of the Pete Kirtley setting of Blake's "Spring" with contributions by Steve Howe and Jon Anderson is an appropriate counterbalance to the formidable "Song of Experience" on "Relayer," "The Gates of Delirium."

Craddock's "Marching Into a Bottle" contains percussion by White evocative of his work on "The Ancient." On Craddock, Gibson, and Kirtley's, "Everybody," dour lyrics regarding the propensities of humanity accompany musical elements suggestive of Porcupine Tree's later "Time Flies" from "The Incident."

Certainly, "Avakak," is the most "progressive" piece on "Ramshackled" with its tripartite structure and rhythmic complexities. Further, "Ooh Baby (Goin' to Pieces)" parallels some of the contemporary jazz/rock fusion from artists like Steely Dan.

Although Alan White may not have composed any of the music and lyrics on "Ramshackled," he nevertheless served as the "catalyst" around which the album came to be, serving as producer with Bob Potter.

Perhaps solely within the terms of the Seventies, "Ramshackled" might receive 3.5 stars, which I would round up to 4. However, since then, 49 years and the passing of Alan White, at the end of May of 2022, have occurred.

In terms of the Oscars, "lifetime achievement"awards have been bestowed upon actors like Laurence Olivier, James Stewart, Kirk Douglas, and Angela Lansbury. I would like to argue that, similarly, such an honor would be fitting for a musician like Alan White. Surely, we could extend this honor to a plethora of other artists . . . .

Thus, in this review, I would like to suggest, over time, "Ramshackled " has attained 5 star status not only as a reflection of the crucial place of Alan White in the history of Yes, but also as a predictor of his continuing collaboration with Chris Squire as one of the most significant rhythm sections in the genre of progressive rock.

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