Eddie Jobson or Geoff Downes
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Printed Date: July 19 2025 at 08:04
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Topic: Eddie Jobson or Geoff Downes
Posted By: Icarium
Subject: Eddie Jobson or Geoff Downes
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 08:40
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Whos your favourite of these two gents/giants of prog. Notes to compare: they sort of came into the prog circus about the same time, in the second wave of keyboard virtouses, in mid 70s. Dazzeld with a wide array of synths and keen mind to explore new synth and keyboard technology. Both went into famous prog units in the 70s Geoff joined Yes and Jobson joined Roxy Music, both become part of a collective of super musichians, as in U.K and Asia. Both use alot of synths. Jobson have an ace in hes arm by also being an accomplished violinist. But in this poll we mainly focus in their keybord/synth/piano work. Both also plays in and around many constilations, all arround exellent players. But falls in the shadows of Wakeman, Emerson, Banks, Wright and Minnear -------------  
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Replies:
Posted By: thief
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 09:31
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As in, who would I rather have in a band? Eddie Jobson. He covers more ground with violin. Plus, I REALLY liked what he introduced to Jethro Tull. That lineup had potential, even if the sound is dated. Not much of a problem though since both A and Drama are unmistakeably 1980-ish in sound. ------------- TOP20 Songs https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=124211" rel="nofollow - Genesis https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=125999" rel="nofollow - Rush |
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 10:03
| they are not in the same universe as Banks, Wakeman, Emerson, Vangelis, Moraz, Wright---pet peeve of mine but find the way Downes plays live Yes music frustrating to say the least--seems always to be lagging with no original spark added. |
Posted By: VianaProghead
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 10:04
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Definitely Eddie Jobson. He's one of the most underrated prog musicians ever.
------------- "PROG IS MY FERRARI". Jem Godfrey (Frost*) |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 10:07
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VianaProghead wrote:Posted By: geekfreak
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 10:18
Totally agree with you both ------------- Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake." Music Is Live Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. Keep Calm And Listen To The Music… < |
Posted By: Rednight
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 10:27
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Your sense of history is revisionist at best. Downes' early claim to fame was as one-half of the Buggles, a pop outfit that made notice with their lightweight Video Killed the Radio Star in 1979. Jobson, a true prog "giant", came into his own at age 17, replacing Darryl Way in Curved Air in 1972. This was followed by stints in other bands, most notable Roxy Music where Jobson appeared on three albums from 1973 to 1976. The rest is truly history. ------------- "It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 10:49
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E.J. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 10:55
Plus, Eddie was in Zappa's band for Studio Tan before U.K. (You can also see Eddie on the cover of the previous record Zoot Allures, but he didn't play on it!) ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Awesoreno
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 13:34
| Eddie only played on one track on Studio Tan, most of which was recorded in 1975 and released in 78 without Zappa's permission. Eddie does not appear on any studio albums by Zappa otherwise, though he did play in his mid-76 lineup, can be heard on Live in NY, and is on a couple posthumous albums, like Philly '76. |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 14:12
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Jobson by quite a distance. The best Downes work I liked was on Drama. Not too excited about anything else he did. ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 14:16
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Jobby ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 14:33
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Hey, you play with UK, Roxy Music, Zappa, Curved Air, Yes and Jethro Tull, you have quite the resume. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 16:40
Jobson, because of this. And he added something substantial to all of them. ------------- The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty" |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 17:48
Yeah, because George Duke had left but came back, and there was the big mess with Läther and Warner wanting four more studio albums from Frank before they'd let him out of his contract. I recall an interview in Keyboard where Eddie related how he was onstage, but the light wasn't hitting his setup properly at the moment Frank gave him the famous "Zappa point" and Eddie had no choice but to launch into a solo while turning knobs on a synth he still getting to know (he didn't say which one it was). ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Awesoreno
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 23:28
That version of RDNZL actually was already recorded with George, Ruth, Chester, and Tom in 1975, as was Greggary Peccary (most of which was written and recorded in demo form, and even toured, in 1972 with the Wazoo Orchestra). But yeah, it was meant for Läther in 76, and WB went all capitalistic, as is their wont. That's a cool tidbit about Eddie and the synths. Duke was famously not really into the synths until Frank kind of made him explore them. That and singing, oddly enough. And then we had him singing INCA ROADS! I guess Frank usually knew his stuff.
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Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 23:29
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Jobson, because of UK! |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: November 19 2020 at 23:51
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Jobson all day, son. That first UK record is one of my favorite pieces of fusion! ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: b_olariu
Date Posted: November 20 2020 at 02:28
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Eddie Jobson prestation in UK, on Jethro Tull's A album is impressive, not so much on his solo albums, still one of the most important musician from old school prog Aswell apreciate Downes as a solid keybordist, but among my fav ones
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Posted By: iluvmarillion
Date Posted: November 21 2020 at 19:38
| Bit tough comparing Eddie Jobson to Geoff Downes. Downes is an especially talented keyboardist whose style perfectly suits Yes more so than Rick Wakeman. The failure of Yes to progress as a band with Downes there is purely because of the lack of new material they produce these days. Yes are no longer songwriters. |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: November 22 2020 at 00:12
Considering Wakeman was responsible for the keyboard aspects of Yes's greatest releases (Fragile, Close to the Edge, TFTO, Going for the One), I find it laughable you consider that Downes' style somehow is better suited to Yes. This is particularly humorous and undemonstrable when Tony Kaye (The Yes Album, 90215, Big Generator, Union) and Patrick Moraz (Relayer) were responsible for the rest of Yes's best output in place of Wakeman (or in Kaye's place both preceding and coming after Wakeman, or jamming alongside Wakeman on Union). Downes is keyboardist for a Yes facsimile that plays on cruise ships.
------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: November 22 2020 at 00:59
Jobson is a musician that works best with others; his strong points are exemplified and weaknesses hidden when with U.K. (first record) especially. He's never in the wrong place playing the wrong note. There are some really weird syncopated parts on that which sound out of place at first (I'll admit most of it was his choice of texture for tone, lol), but then you listen closely and he's in the pocket almost like a second guitar player would be. Genius stuff!
I actually agree with this; even more so with Moraz tbh; he was the best synth player they had. Pure next level novelty in the jazz fusion realm, where Yes were already naturally heading towards. Wakeman has voiced his displeasure several times through the TFTO sessions, and he'd have hated Relayer which is the band's musical peak IMHO! Downes gets a bad wrap because of Buggles; his style fits perfectly with Drama era Yes. Same with Trevor; his vocal range is perfect for that spot!
------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: November 22 2020 at 04:11
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Eddie Jobson's resume is both stunning and oddly shameful. Shameful that no one picked him up. He was nearly in Yes and I think he may have been just what Trevor Rabin wanted in a keyboard whizz. Violin would have added a whole new dimension. I like Geoff Downes best with Asia which is what this current Yes could easily morph into. They dd an excellent Video cover as well. I do not hold having a witty pop tune against him and Trevor Horne. It's not that easy to do. And it's lasted the distance .... other than other things killing everything else off. GD has been more active (afaik) than EJ. That they shared the same bassist vocalist for their possible best work says a lot for the great John Wetton as well as most people's good sense to base their bands around him when they could. Choose? Whoever says yes...
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