Yes Stories: Yes In Their Own Words

by Tim Morse, Yes

Yes is one of the most successful rock bands of all time. Along their twenty-eight-year journey came Grammys, fiascos, pranks, squabbles--and million of fans around the world.

Yesstories is the story of their rise from garage-band amateurs to arena-rock superstars, told as only they could tell it.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 1996

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of the words of all of the members of Yes throughout the years. It was great to hear their personal accounts of the albums and their creative processes. Most fascinating aspects: Jon Anderson really does sound like a crazy person; Bill Bruford is very witty and not too excited about his past experiences with the band; and Peter Banks claims that Yes stole his chord progression and built "Roundabout" around it, after he had left the band. Though this may or may not be the truth, I can understand why he would be annoyed about it.

[Alan (the Lone Librarian on semi-hiatus)) Teder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of my fave bands in the prog-era, i.e. I went to several live performances, of which I think "Tales from Topographic Oceans" at Maple Leaf Gardens (1974?) may have been the last. My interest mostly faded after Bill Bruford and Rick Wakeman left the group, they seemed have a lot of the joy and self-deprecating humour which translated into their contributions e.g. "Cans and Brahms" & "Five Percent for Nothing" from the Fragile album. Their stories were probably the best part of this book. I also loved those Roger Dean album covers with their fantastical other worlds.

Saying goodbye to several dozen books due to a water damage incident and I thought I'd write at least a little memorial to each of them and about why I kept them around.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like oral histories, and I'm an unashamed Yes fan, so this would seem perfect. But Morse makes a mistake in breaking the book into sections--a big one on the records, and smaller ones on the people. And he puts the people section at the *end* of the book. That means that there's a lot of music commentary without a clear view of the people who are talking (and others' views of them). That's kind of backward.

And, no, most of the lyrics are not explained, and I still don't know what a "Siberian Khatru" is. But I didn't expect to find out anyway.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this not all that long after it came out. I've had it around ever since, and I figured I'd reread it.

Yes are one of my favorite bands, and it's fascinating to hear from the band members themselves about the process of writing, recording, and performing the music. Some of them come across as really cool people (it'd probably be a great time hanging out with Alan White), while some of them seem deeply insufferable (looking at you, Patrick Moraz), but I suppose that's to be expected. Also, as another reviewer noted, Anderson really does come across as being from another planet.

Because of when the book came out, it ends after Talk. This means that while it covers the first (Yes - Drama) and second (90125 - Talk) acts of their career, if you're looking for information on the Keys to Ascension - Heaven & Earth period, you'll have to look elsewhere. Conveniently, however, Talk was more or less the end of Yes's run as a commercial force (their last single to touch the Hot 100, "Lift Me Up," was actually off of the previous album, Union), so the book ends at what is still a reasonable stopping place.

If you're not a fan of Yes or prog-rock, this book doesn't offer you much, but if you are, there are some wonderful tidbits here. (less)

[Cristian Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cool compilation of interviews, organized by album and themes. A good read for fans, but it doesn’t work as a biography or history of the band. Lots of snippets about internal power tension and glimpses of the personalities of the band members.

[Russell Posegate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I asked the interlibrary loan person at my library for a few extra days so I could just revel in this book. I read it as I listened through the Yes catalogue up through 1996. Insightful, interesting. Loved. Sequel please!

[pianogal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda hated this one. It was just a cut and paste of various interviews. And it was jumpy and hard to read. Author (cut and paster) needed to put a little more time in and craft a narrative.