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Skullhead View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Steve Howe "Beginnings"
    Posted: January 02 2015 at 02:24
I spun up the record on the TT tonight.  I haven't listened to this album in probably 20 years.
With fresh ears, it was an interesting listen. You hear Relayer all over it.  Interesting that he has both Alan and Bill beating the skins on it.

We won't talk about the vocals.. (Steve is a guitar player extraordinaire)

The classic piece that is in fact the album title track is really a great work of music.  I only wish the whole album was a lot more of this and maybe another instrumental track. 

I could also hear some sound developments that later were heard on Tormato.

Obviously a must have for any hardcore YES fan, and the title track is certainly worth the price of admission.

I still feel Rick did the best solo album or the YES guys with "Six Wives".  That is just an incredible record that I think is one of the great prog albums period.

Any thoughts on Howe's Beginnings?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2015 at 03:13
I love it and agree aside from his poor vocal pitch on Beginnings, the album overall is very solid. Interesting for me the classic track off it is the short "Pleasure Stole The Night" almost a prequel if you like to GFTO's " Wondrous Stories" This album could not compete with Squire's Fish Out of Water ;-), nor Anderson's Olias but still fundamentally a very important work that helped solidify Howe's contributions to albums like Relayer and GFTO.  It gets airplay in my place about 6 spins a yearSmile Let's not forget Roger Dean's great artwork here too.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2015 at 04:41
I remember at the time it fared badly compared to Squire and Anderson's solo albums, also the vocals are not great as has been said already. He is definitely not a lead singer, but I will give the album another listen now as I've not heard it for many years (one of the advantages of Spotify).
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2015 at 05:19
I haven't heard the album for decades. Maybe I should give it another spin. As far as I remember, the album did not click with me like Olias of Sunhillow or Fish Out of Water, though I would not call it a poor effort.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2015 at 05:39
Originally posted by chopper chopper wrote:

I remember at the time it fared badly compared to Squire and Anderson's solo albums, also the vocals are not great as has been said already. He is definitely not a lead singer, but I will give the album another listen now as I've not heard it for many years (one of the advantages of Spotify).

Hmm, the vocals are as bad as I remembered, other than that it's ok, nothing brilliant. There were a couple of moments that sounded like "Mood for a Day" and "Clap".
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2015 at 05:39
I think it's better than it's made out to be, but not as good as other Yes members' solo records. If you look through Steve's back catalogue, you find some excellent moments, and of course his guitar is awesome as always. I rarely listen to him though - I'd prefer to hear another Yes album for the thousandth time, which is kind of sad I guess. Compared to the others (Olias Of Sunhillow and Six Wives), it's not as strong but I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't heard it.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2015 at 10:35
Call me old fashion, but I still prefer listening to it on the record player and reading about the album and holding the album cover.  I'm thankful I didn't throw away all my albums like so many of my friends did.  Good point on "Fish out of Water".  I'd have to reconsider that being a tie with "Six Wives". 

I think Steve was made for YES.  I just don't think he can ever shine as bright without them.  His style and approach toward the guitar is just tailored to work against and across those other guys in a more unique way than I think any other combination of guitarist and band.  Either is just un replaceable to me.

It's very clear listening to YES that Steve is not the primary song writer.  Jon, Chris, Rick are much better writers, but Steve then brings so much more to their work.

I can't think of a band where the sum of it's parts creates a whole that is so much better than the individual parts.

If you look at Genesis, you have some really fantastic solo offerings from Peter, Steve and Phil, and even Rutherford.

Might be the reason YES has attempted to stay together more than the other prog bands from the golden era.

Hackett was wiser to keep his vocals to a minimum on his solo work. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2015 at 16:30
My fave YesSolo album by a mile and the only one I regularly spin...and I actually like Howe's vocals Wink
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2015 at 16:34

Great album from Howe but I can't find my copy. Embarrassed

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 02 2015 at 22:06
It's been a while since I listened to it, but I remember it was very enjoyable... yet not nearly at the same level as what Yes had done. The song "Pleasure stole the Night Away" is very nice indeed. And about 6 Wives, it's indeed one of my favourite solo albums from the Yes camp (along with a few others from Wakeman). Fish Out of Water was nice too, I guess I do like it better than Beginnings... but there's something about that album that doesn't satisfy me completly.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 03 2015 at 03:04
I think solo albums from members of great bands often will showcase their tracks that didn't make the grade under the scrutiny of the band.  In most cases this is a good thing.  But sometimes there is just too much material if you have say 3 people writing or more. 

I think of George Harrison and in some ways I think he did some of the best post Beatles work.
He certainly showed a great ability to write wonderful songs on "All Things Must Pass" 
Could John or Paul have ever written "Beware of Darkness"?

Hackett is another example of a suppressed writer.  One could argue easily that Howe is the superior guitarist, but I would argue that Hackett is the superior song crafter.  Certainly his guitar playing was never far behind Howe's.  Some I'm sure many prefer Hackett.  I like Hackett's tone better.  It feels more involved musically and never comes across as showboating.






Edited by Skullhead - January 03 2015 at 03:05
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 03 2015 at 16:21
I enjoyed it in the "Beginnings".   Sooner or later it comes around during my perpetual and varying rotation schemes for my collection, still a nice listen.

Oh hang on, look at what shows up on google. 
40 reviews
Journey To The Centre Of The Earth is a music live recording by RICK WAKEMAN (Symphonic Prog/Progressive Rock) released in 1974 on cd, lp / vinyl and/or ...

Someone has format issues... :P)

I don't think I got Journey until 1975 along with King Arthur.  I had heard Wives a few times before I ordered those two.  I'm sure Beginnings

PS (1976):
Patrick Moraz - i, and Jon Anderson - Olias Of Sunhillow, beat the previous Yes guy's solo albums. together blew all of those


Edited by Slartibartfast - January 03 2015 at 17:07
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...

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