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"...Sun Thru The Haze... "
With their last studio album proper having been "Relayer" in November 1974 (featuring Keyboard whizz Patrick Moraz in the line-up) and a single-LP sort-of Best-of compilation filler in February 1975 called "Yesterdays" which had one new song on it (a cover version of Paul Simon's "America") – YES seemed an unlikely bet for a Number One slot in England come the rude and gobby summer of 1977. PROG and all its complicated symphonic Rock genre compatriots were perceived as overblown and old fart and were being promptly wiped away by British New Wave and Punk. And some maintained, rightly so my son.
And yet, there they were - YES - with their impenetrable cosmic lyrics and long complex songs and squirrely logo - this time ditching the beauty and signature look of Roger Dean artwork for their latest LP and replacing it with one of the most hideous and frankly ludicrously wasteful triple gatefold album sleeves ever in "Going For The One" – their eighth studio album released 7 July of 1977 (7/7/77). And they did achieve a No. 1 slot in Blighty (No. 8 in the USA) – never underestimate a naked man in front of a skyscraper.
Regardless of that, and as far as fans are concerned (who seem to love it more than I did back in the day – and I had been such a huge YES fan since 1970) – the search ever since has been to find a CD that improved on the harsh Production of the 1977-day. There have been audiophile issues in Japan, SACD reissues, but to me this August 2003 Elektra/Rhino Expanded Edition with Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch Remasters is still the best (and cheapest) way to nab this album until maestro Steve Wilson eventually gets a Panegyric 50th Anniversary 5.1 and Stereo Remix out. To the awakening; wondrous stories...
UK released 25 August 2003 - "Going For The One" by YES on Elektra/Rhino 8122-73793-2 (Barcode 081227379322) is 'Expanded & Remastered Edition' CD Reissue with Seven Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (79:43 minutes):
Side 1
1. Going For The One (5:32 minutes)
2. Turn Of The Century (7:55 minutes)
3. Parallels (5:53 minutes)
Side 2
4. Wondrous Stories (3:49 minutes)
5. Awaken (15:31 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 5 are their eight studio-album "Going For The One" - released 7 July 1977 in the USA on Atlantic Records SD 19106 and in the UK on Atlantic K 50379. Produced and Arranged by YES - it peaked at No. 1 in the UK and No. 8 in the USA.
"Going For The One" and "Wondrous Stories" written by Jon Anderson; "Turn Of The Century" written by Jon Anderson, Steve Howe and Alan White; "Parallels" written by Chris Squire; "Awaken" written by Jon Anderson and Steve Howe
BONUS TRACKS:
6. Montreux's Theme (Howe/Squire/Anderson/White) – 2:33 minutes
7. Vevey (Revisited) (Anderson/Wakeman) – 4:42 minutes
8. Amazing Grace (Traditional, Arranged by Squire) – 2:31 minutes
Tracks 6 and 8 first issued 6 August 1991 on the retrospective Box Set "Yes Years" on Atlantic 7 91644-2 (USA), Atco 7567-91644-2 (UK and Europe)
Track 7 "Vevey" first appeared as two tracks on the same Box Set in 1991 running to approximately 2-minutes – here is the full version at 4:42 minutes. It features only Jon Anderson on Harp and Rick Wakeman on Organ
Track 8 is a cover version of the famous Gospel song and features only Chris Squire on Bass
9. Going For The One (Rehearsal) – 5:07 minutes
10. Parallels (Rehearsal) – 6:16 minutes
11. Turn Of The Century (Rehearsal) – 6:54 minutes
12. Eastern Numbers (Early Version of "Awaken") -
Tracks 9 to 12 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
Jon Anderson, Steve Howe and Alan White only play on Track 9; Tracks 10, 11 and 12 features the full line-up as listed below
YES was:
JON ANDERSON - Lead Vocals, Harp and Guitar
STEVE HOWE - Electric, Pedal Steel and Acoustic Guitars, Vachalia, Harmony Vocals
RICK WAKEMAN - Piano, Electric Piano, Synths, Organ, all Keyboards
CHRIS SQUIRE - Bass Guitar and Vocals
ALAN WHITE- Drums and Percussion
The front of the 18-page booklet cleverly uses a fold-out flap to mimic the original triple gatefold sleeve artwork of old (it also reproduces the album's inner sleeve with photos and lyrics of the classic Yes line-up - Rick Wakeman having rejoined the crew) and new liner notes from TIM JONES gives an in-depth history of the band at the time and the making of the record including new reminiscences from Jon Anderson and Steve Howe. The pages to the rear give track-by-track credits (the playing times have been put in by myself above as they're not in here) - musician line-ups etc. The audio for this notoriously harsh sounding LP have been handled by Rhino's longstanding duo of Audio Engineers - BILL INGLOT and DAN HERSCH. These guys have handled thousands of master tapes across the vast WEA archive and although I still find parts of "Going For The One" and "Awaken" shrill what with all that noise and loud slide guitar - the improvement in the gorgeous "Turn Of The Century" is shockingly good.
I can so hear why fans return to GFTO - it has that classic line-up feel - and when "Parallels" goes into Wakeman's soloing - the effect is quite magical. I was never really a fan of the single "Wondrous Stories" - a little too twee for my tastes - but hey - the chart buying public thought otherwise in September 1977 giving it an unlikely No. 7 chart placing. The singular Bass Guitar cover version of "Amazing Grace" done by Chris Squire is not much more than interesting, but it's two predecessors "Montreux's Theme" and "Vevey (Revisited)" are very cool outtakes. For sure the "Vevey" piece is a tad hissy, but Anderson on a Harp with Wakeman on a Church Organ playing a warm melody is OK by me.
If I’m completely honest, the three unreleased rehearsals stayed in the can for damn good reason – they were clearly for band reference use only. The first two are noisy discordant messes and as Steve Howe plays only a lead electric guitar for "Turn Of The Century" - all that gorgeous six-string acoustic work/melody that lifts up the album cut is completely missing and replaced with endless noisy electric soloing. Some might find his playing interesting, but it’s rough. And although the liner notes list Rick Wakeman as playing the Keyboards on this rehearsal, he barely seems to register at all?
The most interesting outtake by far (and best recorded) is "Eastern Numbers" – an early high-vibration version of "Awaken" – clocking in at whopping 12:16 minutes. Howe’s playing throughout is fantastic as is White’s tight-tight Drumming and Squire adding that choppy bottom-end. Gorgeous percussion and keyboard moments slink in about 5:30 minutes too. For sure Anderson and that novel of words he sings gets lost in the shuffle a tad, but this is fan-YES – the kind of goodie they love. And if I am completely upfront, I play this outtake far more than I do the finished version.
There is probably (as I say) - a Steve Wilson Remix and Remaster on the way for this audio compromise of an album, but in the meantime, this 2003 Rhino stab is all any fan needs...
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