Album "Close to the Edge" by Yes

[Guilbert]

One of the great things about signing up to Spotify is their huge database of music.

Being someone who "grew up" in the 1960s and 1970s there are loads of groups and albums on Spotify I have not heard for years.

I recently searched on "Yes" and a whole load of "Yes" albums came up, including one I had in the 1970s - Close to the Edge.

This had an 18 minute track on it called "Close to the Edge" and it has been amazing listening to it again.

Wonderful playing by Bill Bruford on drums, Chris Squire on bass, Steve Howe on guitar, and particularly Rick Wakeman on various keyboard instruments.

Also amazing vocals by Jon Anderson.

The track goes from almost silence, to bird song, to avant garde Jazz/Rock, down to ethereal whispering vocals, then incredible organ playing from Rick, to a huge climax.

I know some of their stuff could get a bit pretentious, but this track is taken to another level by the ebb and flow of the track, and the playing of the band.

Sometimes I listen to this one track 3 or 4 times on the trot and enjoy it each time.



Note. I think you now need an invite to join spotify.

[Dick Moby]

I remember seeing Yes play live in the 70's.Rick Wakeman was amazing. Playing the keyboards with one hand and opening bottles of beer with the other. He had an opener fixed to the side of a piano. I always knew pianos were good for something.

[Floydoid]

An absolute classic album of prog rock.

Need I say more?

[Dave Wells]

My first gig in Oxford 1973 with me big bruvva ! They had just released Topographic Oceans. Wonderful gig, wonderful band, wonderful memories !