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Steve Howe's best song
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Poll Question: Which of these studio performances is Steve Howe's best?
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
4 [10.00%]
0 [0.00%]
6 [15.00%]
1 [2.50%]
1 [2.50%]
13 [32.50%]
4 [10.00%]
0 [0.00%]
5 [12.50%]
2 [5.00%]
4 [10.00%]
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BrufordFreak View Drop Down
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    Posted: September 23 2021 at 10:24
I've been listening to a lot of Yes lately and am being constantly reminded how much of a genius this band was but I've been even more impressed by the unpredictable contributions of Mr. Steve Howe. Though I am convinced that his absolute top shining performance came on the song "Gates of Delirium" (the layers!) (though in concert I was most blown away by his play on the song "Parallels"), there are many truly astounding performances. Which do you think is his most impressive song (not necessarily your favorite)?



Edited by BrufordFreak - September 23 2021 at 15:17
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The solo from "Sound Chaser" is by far his most impressive!
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Points: 8615 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrufordFreak Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 23 2021 at 10:47
^ I'm trying to get to Steve's importance as an overall contributor to these amazing songs, not rate or extoll his solos. If you listen from start to finish to these songs, you'll hear Steve's incredibly complex, diverse, and often layered instrumental contributions. 

Which of these songs is, in your opinion, the most impressive for a guitarist/multi-instrumentalist/composer's perspective?
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Other - Yes - America
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Machine Messiah gets the nod.
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he is a guitar god---his versatility and originality is not matched by any other player----this is a great list I am very moved by his closing solo on Ritual. .so voted for it but ..Sound chaser ...OTSWOFreedom...he invented an art heavy metal on Gates--- the opening of Pararells---or anything on that list is amazing. (putting Rabin in the same world is ridiculous)

Edited by twosteves - September 23 2021 at 14:20
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Gates
----------
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Originally posted by twosteves twosteves wrote:

he is a guitar god---his versatility and originality is not matched by any other player----this is a great list I am very moved by his closing solo on Ritual. .so voted for it but ..Sound chaser ...OTSWOFreedom...he invented an art heavy metal on Gates--- the opening of Pararells---or anything on that list is amazing. (putting Rabin in the same world is ridiculous)

A man mirroring my own thinking!

RE "Parallels": I just remember watching him perform that song thinking: "there are no breaks: it's just one long, continuous, whole-song solo at full-on break-neck speed! How does a human do that? And repeat it note for note, night after night, performance after performance?!?!?!

And, agreed with you about Gates: it's like no other guitar performance I'd ever heard before (or since): as if he totally invented a form/style just for that song!
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Originally posted by BrufordFreak BrufordFreak wrote:

I've been listening to a lot of Yes lately and am being constantly reminded how much of a genius this band was but I've been even more impressed by the unpredictable contributions of Mr. Steve Howe. Though I am convinced that his absolute top shining performance came on the song "Gates of Delirium" (the layers!) (though in concert I was most blown away by his play on the song "Parallels"), there are many truly astounding performances. Which do you think is his most impressive song (not necessarily your favorite)?


Gosh, I'm glad you're not asking about the "best song" as the poll title suggest, but about the most impressive one... Which means that it is by definition very subjective and personal. If it was about my favourite, it would be Gates, but when asking specifically about Howe's performances it is not that obvious at all... So, interesting questioning... Can I go beyond my personal favourite?

I find him excellent on many (all?) of these songs and all songs are excellent whatever. Maybe he excels more on some of the longer epics because he has the time to expose his versatility... In that sense, I guess Gates would also be my choice, for the diversity he displays... But I love his playing on all of these tracks, and over time he really shows an impressive pallet of styles and playing.

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Got to go with the majority...Gates. 
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Great Thread! Clap

Other: Yours is no Disgrace

I'm a long time Howe admirer. I play guitar myself and have been able to tackle some of his songs, for instance acoustics like The Ancient piece, Mood for a day, even my own version of Clap (also an impressive one, by the way; in fact before studying it I first thought it was two guitars... one for the jumping accompanying bass and the other for the rest.. pheew!). 

'Yours...' is amazing. It has many guitar styles: strumming at the beginning and then those circular bits that sort of take the keyboard's role. Later those wah wah passages.. and the sublime acoustic piece that gives place to that sustained & echoed dramatic bit. Then begins the beautiful limpid jazzy solo around 6:22 that ends in a distorted ascending chord progression. Wow! 


From the list it would be Siberian Khatru.


Edited by Machinemessiah - September 23 2021 at 17:41
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Man, this one is difficult. So many so wonderful songs.
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Sound Chaser, and not just for the middle solo. He (and Chris) are firing on all cylinders in this piece. There are subtle things he's playing under the vocals in the beginning that just blow me...




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Gates.

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Hard to choose. probably Gates from this list but an honourable mention for To Be Over, one of his best solos imo.
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Starship Trooper is by far the best example of his stylistic range in a digestible, yet epic package. Particularly the Yessongs version. Siberian Khatru would be my runner up. All the options in TFTO and Relayer just flounder too much for my taste.  

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Gates for me, although there is plenty of fine material to pick from!  

His work on the entirety of "Close to the Edge" (both sides) is breathtaking. 


Edited by cstack3 - September 24 2021 at 02:42
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Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

Gates for me, although there is plenty of fine material to pick from!  

His work on the entirety of "Close to the Edge" (both sides) is breathtaking. 

His work - along with Squire's - on that intro is one of my favorite pieces of prog, let alone from my favorite piece of prog (CTTE)!

Steve was shredding before shredding was cool.

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His contributions to Yes were many and all amazing. But for me, Gates Of Delirium is the pinnacle of all.
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It’s hard to say with Steve Howe, since he is such and accomplished guitarist/songwriter. I love his work on Yours is no Disgrace, but it’s hard to pick one above the rest.
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