Unceremonious Prog Dismissals

Lear'sFool wrote: dr wu23 wrote: Question for all the Yes experts......why were Banks and Kaye asked to leave? Personally I enjoyed both musicians in Yes. I believe Banks claims that Anderson and Squire asked him to leave because they preferred Howe... though other reports claim that Banks left of his own accord, since he apparently didn't like the idea of recording with an orchestra, and by that report - as well as some that support Banks' story - claim that Yes only found Howe after Banks left/was sacked. Kaye was definitely asked to leave, since he wanted to only work with his Hammond and not Moogs and the like.

I don't think Banks was willing to go... perhaps he was convinced by the others (Squire I would guess) to do so, and for interviews and accounts I have read, I believe he remained spiteful at having to leave the band. I understand Squire/Anderson wanted to expand the sound of Yes... they wanted it to be more than what they could achieve with Banks... and Howe ended up being just what they were looking for. In the end, the thing with Kaye must have been the same... and they found what they were looking for in Wakeman. Actually, I remember seeing in a documentary that (Squire I think) said that Kaye re-joined Yes for 90125 because they met... well, somewhere (and they needed a keyboard player for their new album, I guess), the thing is, he said there was never really a reason for Kaye to have left the band, so they asked him back. However, nasty as the sacking of them both might seem (it does makes me feel a bit uncomfortable thinking about this practices from one of my very favourite bands... and they have kept on doing it up until the end), at least in this two cases it led to one of the very best line-ups on any rock band... one of those rare cases in which every member was at the very top of their instrument, and none was lesser than the others... and so they made two of the very best albums in rock, too.

Regarding the Tony Kaye 'only wanted to work with a Hammond' claim. Yes, they always referred to him as 'an organist', but he used equal amounts of Hammond, Minimoog and Mellotron on the One Live Badger album

Jaxon was booted out of VdGG for collaborating with an unauthorised version of VdGG story. Survived as a trio with HB doing even more work!

NutterAlert wrote: Worst by far of course is when Phil Collins, Tony Banks & the other one unceremoneously booted prog out of Genesis. A one time listenable prog group became MTV darlings, pop idols and screen stars. Show me the money. Shame.   I still don't get how Genesis are so revered on this forum....

Surely your first paragraph answers your final question...

On the topic of Peter Banks, I think his sacking was totally the band's idea.  Howe was that technically proficient guitarist that Anderson felt they needed to perfectly sculpt that unique Yessound.  Banks' release haunted him for the rest of his life....he never got over it.  All the Yessuccess and the band's treatment of him after he left wore on him......the incident where Howe wouldn't shake his hand, or when the band invited him onstage in the 80s but at the last minute Howe vetoed the idea.  His every project post-Yes seemed an attempt to show the band that they'd made a mistake.  His death was so sad for that reason.  He seemed a defeated man despite the fact that he was a wonderful musician with a great sound.  I love his Wes Montgomery style of the first album....it will always be my favorite Yes album. 

Fripp's pretty merciless--cutting out David Cross, and then Bruford and Wetton by declaring KC had "ceased to exist" in 1974.

I do believe that certain members of certain bands get 'booted out' - not because of who they are, nor because of 'difference of direction'.........but mainly because of their limitations as musicians...... If certain composition becomes beyond my capabilities, then ta'ta, I no longer involve myself in such endeavours.
Some folks are 'the right choice at the time' but certain demands are beyond certain folks' expertise.
Not a big deal as such, but that's the way things tend to go.........

cstack3 wrote: I saw Yes tickets in Chicago for an upcoming concert this summer, and the most expensive tickets were $508 US!!

chopper wrote: cstack3 wrote: I saw Yes tickets in Chicago for an upcoming concert this summer, and the most expensive tickets were $508 US!!   What? That's even more than Kate Bush. I think I paid about £25 to see them at Southend last year with Chris Squire.

Bitterblogger wrote: emigre80 wrote: Intruder wrote: On the topic of Peter Banks......the incident where Howe wouldn't shake his hand      If I made my living playing the guitar, I don't know that I'd be in a hurry to shake the hand of someone who held a grudge against me - I might not escape with all five fingers. You don't seem to understand the situation. Banks was fired for not getting behind the idea to record with classical musicians on Time And A Word, and fought often with producer Tony Colton, who Anderson had picked, over Banks' role. Anderson viewed him as a malcontent who couldn't be permitted to endure when the band's future was up in the air, and managed to convince Squire that getting someone new was the way to go. Howe wasn't their first choice (that was Robert Fripp, actually!), but he turned out to be the right one.   Banks resented his treatment, and some bled over onto Howe, understandably, but not until Banks was barred from participating in the Union tour gig in Los Angeles by Howe's people did this story about not shaking hands originate (which Howe doesn't do for injury protection and is not limited to Banks). It isn't absolutely certain that Howe personally so directed.