You are right, Justin. This is a classic record. A lot of casual fans think/thought this was their first album, because it's called _The Yes Album,_ not realizing they already had two records under their belts. But this is the first one that finally had that Yes style they became so iconic for.
One more major element of this masterful studio version that you don't get from any of the live recordings is Bill Bruford on drums. On this album & the next two he played off of Chris's inspirations on the bass quite brilliantly (whether he realized it or not) with his own experimental inspirations & they seemed to fit perfectly around what Chris was doing. I called them the greatest "Rhythm Section" (if you could call it that, lol) in Progressive Rock. Unfortunately, Bill's narcissistic personality disorder got the best of him & he started to "get personal" in his disputes with Chris Bill said he left YES because he really wanted to play King Crimson stuff & I'm sure that's true, but I think his unfortunate "state of mind" was such that he didn't realize how phenomenal he & Chris sounded together on their best records. I mean, is that possible? That he didn't see how original & appealing their combined output was? Now there's no accounting for different tastes, but Bill was a jazz drummer who fell into a Not Jazz niche where he stood out & became famous, but he chose to leave that special gig behind to become one of a million other jazz-fusion drummers out there with some skills. Oh well...
Phil Carson, who was once an A&R guy for Atlantic Records, has said in interviews that in 1971 he was in Florida (howboutthat?) when he first heard this song. It was the first Yes song he'd ever heard, which was sad considering the band had been on his label for two years already! But he knew the moment he heard "Starship Trooper" that Yes were going to be perfect for the burgeoning FM college radio market. He quickly went to his overlords and worked out a deal to bring Yes over to tour the U.S. for the first time (opening for Jethro Tull -- there's a concert I wish I'd seen!), and the rest is history. This gave Yes a much higher profile (and financial security) than other British prog bands, who were essentially riding Yes' coattails when they eventually came over to play the U.S. And Squire did write the middle acoustic section "Disillusion", which was originally part of an epic song the band had been working on called "For Everyone". It can be heard on some old BBC radio bootlegs, courtesy of Peter Banks (RIP).
I've loved this album for so many years. Like so many Yes songs, Starship Trooper keeps drawing me in the more often I listen... magically better and better with each listen. See you for side two!!
Just think of the 3-album streak of The Yes Album, Fragile and CTTE. How many other rock/prog rock bands can boast such an accomplishment (IMHO)? Brilliant!!
@ianwest9105 Relayer was released in 1974, and CTTE was '72. Did you forget TFTO (1973), Yes' 4-sided prog masterpiece?? Then, the argument can be made for a 5-album streak. Oh wait, GFTO was released in 1977, (6-album streak?) Shall I continue? 😒 🤔
I was a senior in high school when I heard Starship Trooper for the first time on a local college radio station that played album cuts. The 1st time I heard it I didn't know what I had just heard, but knew there were parts of it I really liked. After the 2nd or 3rd listens, I was beginning to wonder if it wasn't the most amazing musical creation I had ever heard. I went out & bought the album & was blown away. Some months later I went to my first YES concert & was blown away all over again. It was the beginning of their Close To The Edge tour. On the way back home from the concert I went out & bought Fragile & Close To The Edge & became a hard core YES fan for the next couple of decades. IMO, the Yessongs live recording of Starship Trooper doesn't come close to replicating the perfection of the studio recording. The visuals are always nice & it's interesting to hear a beloved song played live, but that studio recording was something special...
"Yes" 90125 tour was my first concert. It was at an outdoor amphitheater known as Irvine Meadows. We had lawn seats right on the rail, and when this song came on as the closer to the main set, it was an incredible experience. They did an extended instrumental at the end, and with Chris Squire on the base, the wall of sound shook the core of your whole chest and body. The lighting above the stage seemed to float away and rotate as if they were the lights from the spaceships in Close Encounters of the 5th kind. While it was an outdoor theater, there was such a haze of smoke from all the pipes and joints that, though I have never smoked weed, I was caught up in that foggy haze as the guitar started to wail, with the keys and bass going right through you. Man, what an electrifying experience.
Wow, what an amazingly visceral description. I can feel, see, and hear what you experienced. Having been to many YES concerts, I can relate but not from your unique vantage point and age. So powerful, you never forgot it. Thanks for sharing! BTW, I'm going next week to see whom I believe personifies YES to this day... Jon Anderson. I saw him last year, and it was magical. It took me back to 1972. I'm so excited, even at this stage of my life! I'll be thinking of your story!
My favorite Yes song. And a rare case where the album version is my favorite version. As I've said before, I love all of their different eras and I even like how Rabin plays some of Howe's stuff more than how Howe plays it. Not a competition, just different. But this is perfect.
Another welcome cattack. This is my favorite Yes track. Objectively speaking, Close to the Edge is probably their greatest achievement, but I love Starship Trooper even more. Even though the title makes no sense whatsoever. I still remember the 15 year old me getting to the last, epic part and having his little mind blown. I'm not sure, but that part might have been inspired by German prog rock of the time. Those bands really explored the "minimalist grandeur" so to speak. Your insights were excellent.
The whole album is transformative or reflects transformation, but the Banks years aren’t easily dismissed for me ❤ Tony Kaye keeps the last section unmoored on the piano and organ, in the crescendo. That slight unease and tension makes the song for me at the end. Then the release ❤🎉
Hey Justin! Awesome song that eventually became an encore song with Roundabout. Played live the dual between Steve and Rick became the highlight of shows!🎸🎹🎸🎹👍😎
It's really too bad that Tony Kaye couldn't make it work with the band at that time in their development. Or the other way around, whatever may apply. His keyboard fills and swells compliment what they were trying to achieve at this time. Yes always struck me as very Jazzlike in approach, But also a traditional Rock feel overall... It's probably why I like them so much.
Hope you guys are securely in the new place and settled! Starship is one of the Yes tunes that has enough continuity and "progelectics" for my liking. Love Howe's playing and the song writing....
I'm always torn in whether I prefer this album version over the Yessongs live version. Yessongs has Wakeman on keys, and his solo and interplay with Howe in the last section is just legendary. Saw them do it in 1979 and Wakeman with the keytar-looking thing around his neck up on the center platform with Howe trading solos is burned in my brain. But the album version is so clean, and so precise. And its got Bruford on the drums, which always sounds so good.
Great reaction, Justin. For your own enjoyment, try the Keys of Ascension version of Starship Trooper. It's live and the Wurm section features Rick Wakeman and Steve Howe alternating solos. To me, it adds a whole new dimension.
Regardless of intent or method, progressive rock could be quite dark and often heavy, as a cursory examination of cover art and song titles will confirm. That said, there was, of course, a vast amount of gentler, even elegant music. Few bands worked together in unison the way Yes did during their prime, each individual an imperative part of the whole. “Starship Trooper” allows Steve Howe to illustrate his utter mastery of the guitar (both acoustic and electric). When he and Jon Anderson multi-track their guitar/vocal interplay, it’s as close to heaven as progressive rock ever got. - Edited from PopMatters
How about checking out Bodast and Nether Street to see Incorporated the Wurm guitar theme into this song. And before that There was (paradoxically) Tomorrow in '67, one for the future.
I would like to see your reactions to the music of Jethro Tull starting with Stand Up 1969 and each following albums through 1980 S wealth of records and no two are alike
I really like the song, but I'm not keen on the outro section that everyone gushes over. whereas the previous passages were light, and adventerous - it doesn't sound pleasant to me, and just drones on for 4 minutes!!! Besides, it was a Steve Howe piece that he took from his previous band Bodus.
You are right, Justin. This is a classic record. A lot of casual fans think/thought this was their first album, because it's called _The Yes Album,_ not realizing they already had two records under their belts. But this is the first one that finally had that Yes style they became so iconic for.
One more major element of this masterful studio version that you don't get from any of the live recordings is Bill Bruford on drums. On this album & the next two he played off of Chris's inspirations on the bass quite brilliantly (whether he realized it or not) with his own experimental inspirations & they seemed to fit perfectly around what Chris was doing. I called them the greatest "Rhythm Section" (if you could call it that, lol) in Progressive Rock. Unfortunately, Bill's narcissistic personality disorder got the best of him & he started to "get personal" in his disputes with Chris
Bill said he left YES because he really wanted to play King Crimson stuff & I'm sure that's true, but I think his unfortunate "state of mind" was such that he didn't realize how phenomenal he & Chris sounded together on their best records. I mean, is that possible? That he didn't see how original & appealing their combined output was?
Now there's no accounting for different tastes, but Bill was a jazz drummer who fell into a Not Jazz niche where he stood out & became famous, but he chose to leave that special gig behind to become one of a million other jazz-fusion drummers out there with some skills. Oh well...
Yes really hitting their stride.
Phil Carson, who was once an A&R guy for Atlantic Records, has said in interviews that in 1971 he was in Florida (howboutthat?) when he first heard this song. It was the first Yes song he'd ever heard, which was sad considering the band had been on his label for two years already! But he knew the moment he heard "Starship Trooper" that Yes were going to be perfect for the burgeoning FM college radio market. He quickly went to his overlords and worked out a deal to bring Yes over to tour the U.S. for the first time (opening for Jethro Tull -- there's a concert I wish I'd seen!), and the rest is history. This gave Yes a much higher profile (and financial security) than other British prog bands, who were essentially riding Yes' coattails when they eventually came over to play the U.S.
And Squire did write the middle acoustic section "Disillusion", which was originally part of an epic song the band had been working on called "For Everyone". It can be heard on some old BBC radio bootlegs, courtesy of Peter Banks (RIP).
I've loved this album for so many years. Like so many Yes songs, Starship Trooper keeps drawing me in the more often I listen... magically better and better with each listen. See you for side two!!
Just think of the 3-album streak of The Yes Album, Fragile and CTTE. How many other rock/prog rock bands can boast such an accomplishment (IMHO)? Brilliant!!
No argument, but, you cannot leave out Relayer either 🤷🏻♂️.
@ianwest9105 Relayer was released in 1974, and CTTE was '72. Did you forget TFTO (1973), Yes' 4-sided prog masterpiece?? Then, the argument can be made for a 5-album streak. Oh wait, GFTO was released in 1977, (6-album streak?)
Shall I continue? 😒 🤔
How about Jethro Tull’s 3 albums in a row -Aqualung, Thick as a Brick, and A Passion Play !
I was a senior in high school when I heard Starship Trooper for the first time on a local college radio station that played album cuts. The 1st time I heard it I didn't know what I had just heard, but knew there were parts of it I really liked. After the 2nd or 3rd listens, I was beginning to wonder if it wasn't the most amazing musical creation I had ever heard. I went out & bought the album & was blown away. Some months later I went to my first YES concert & was blown away all over again. It was the beginning of their Close To The Edge tour. On the way back home from the concert I went out & bought Fragile & Close To The Edge & became a hard core YES fan for the next couple of decades.
IMO, the Yessongs live recording of Starship Trooper doesn't come close to replicating the perfection of the studio recording. The visuals are always nice & it's interesting to hear a beloved song played live, but that studio recording was something special...
Totally agree - true of all Yes music for me ❤
Check out the 35th Anniversary dvd version!🎸🎹🎸🎹👍😎
Würm was taken to another level live with Steve AND Rick soloing, especially on the Tour-mato.
Re: Disillusion, you can hear Chris' voice more distinctly than Jon's voice in the harmonies they sung together, which makes sense since he wrote it.
"Yes" 90125 tour was my first concert. It was at an outdoor amphitheater known as Irvine Meadows. We had lawn seats right on the rail, and when this song came on as the closer to the main set, it was an incredible experience. They did an extended instrumental at the end, and with Chris Squire on the base, the wall of sound shook the core of your whole chest and body. The lighting above the stage seemed to float away and rotate as if they were the lights from the spaceships in Close Encounters of the 5th kind. While it was an outdoor theater, there was such a haze of smoke from all the pipes and joints that, though I have never smoked weed, I was caught up in that foggy haze as the guitar started to wail, with the keys and bass going right through you. Man, what an electrifying experience.
Wow, what an amazingly visceral description. I can feel, see, and hear what you experienced. Having been to many YES concerts, I can relate but not from your unique vantage point and age. So powerful, you never forgot it. Thanks for sharing! BTW, I'm going next week to see whom I believe personifies YES to this day... Jon Anderson. I saw him last year, and it was magical. It took me back to 1972. I'm so excited, even at this stage of my life! I'll be thinking of your story!
My favorite Yes song. And a rare case where the album version is my favorite version. As I've said before, I love all of their different eras and I even like how Rabin plays some of Howe's stuff more than how Howe plays it. Not a competition, just different. But this is perfect.
Another welcome cattack. This is my favorite Yes track. Objectively speaking, Close to the Edge is probably their greatest achievement, but I love Starship Trooper even more. Even though the title makes no sense whatsoever. I still remember the 15 year old me getting to the last, epic part and having his little mind blown. I'm not sure, but that part might have been inspired by German prog rock of the time. Those bands really explored the "minimalist grandeur" so to speak. Your insights were excellent.
The whole album is transformative or reflects transformation, but the Banks years aren’t easily dismissed for me ❤
Tony Kaye keeps the last section unmoored on the piano and organ, in the crescendo. That slight unease and tension makes the song for me at the end. Then the release ❤🎉
Hey Justin! Awesome song that eventually became an encore song with Roundabout. Played live the dual between Steve and Rick became the highlight of shows!🎸🎹🎸🎹👍😎
Also to be witnessed: Trevor Rabin and the 9012Live version of this. First time I heard the song ❤ and so very special ❤❤
YES!!!🤩
@@mattleppard1964 Saw several shows on the 90125 Tour. Probably the highlight of the show! DVD is awesome!!👍⭐️😎
@@TigerMtnKing 👍⭐️😎
Hi Jeff.....#49 here.
Ladies and gentlemen YES the greatest show on earth ✨️🎶✨️
YES! 😊
With me especially in the 70's it was always battle for turntable time. Rush or Yes? Depended on the mood...
It's really too bad that Tony Kaye couldn't make it work with the band at that time in their development. Or the other way around, whatever may apply. His keyboard fills and swells compliment what they were trying to achieve at this time. Yes always struck me as very Jazzlike in approach, But also a traditional Rock feel overall... It's probably why I like them so much.
One of the greatest songs ever written!🤩
Hope you guys are securely in the new place and settled! Starship is one of the Yes tunes that has enough continuity and "progelectics" for my liking. Love Howe's playing and the song writing....
I'm always torn in whether I prefer this album version over the Yessongs live version. Yessongs has Wakeman on keys, and his solo and interplay with Howe in the last section is just legendary. Saw them do it in 1979 and Wakeman with the keytar-looking thing around his neck up on the center platform with Howe trading solos is burned in my brain. But the album version is so clean, and so precise. And its got Bruford on the drums, which always sounds so good.
Probably my favorite Yes song. Accessible prog ear candy.
The guitar solo of Steve Howe on the live version on Yessongs is incredible !
Favorite Yes song. Hits all the notes.
the long end grove they call WURM (i think) is when Chris likes to trott across stage while playing it
Squirt guns work better than spray bottles. We had them laying all over the house always one within reach
Top 3 YES song for me.
Great reaction, Justin. For your own enjoyment, try the Keys of Ascension version of Starship Trooper. It's live and the Wurm section features Rick Wakeman and Steve Howe alternating solos. To me, it adds a whole new dimension.
4:44... Cat Enters The Chat...
Yeah, I'm back. It's been a rough 12 months...
Regardless of intent or method, progressive rock could be quite dark and often heavy, as a cursory examination of cover art and song titles will confirm. That said, there was, of course, a vast amount of gentler, even elegant music. Few bands worked together in unison the way Yes did during their prime, each individual an imperative part of the whole. “Starship Trooper” allows Steve Howe to illustrate his utter mastery of the guitar (both acoustic and electric). When he and Jon Anderson multi-track their guitar/vocal interplay, it’s as close to heaven as progressive rock ever got. - Edited from PopMatters
now the piece everybody jumped directly to and didn't play the other songs on the record except once or twice
Ya, we have 2 tuxedo cats, and they are known for being very bipolar. We are familiar with the "squirt bottle!" Lol!
Grey cats are cool. Good review.
Brian May on a live version of this is simply off the scale
How about checking out Bodast and Nether Street to see Incorporated the Wurm guitar theme into this song. And before that There was (paradoxically) Tomorrow in '67, one for the future.
I never realized Sting did such beautiful vocal melodies, I mean you called it right? Lol
I would like to see your reactions to the music of Jethro Tull starting with Stand Up 1969 and each following albums through 1980 S wealth of records and no two are alike
You gotta listen to these version on Yessongs
Steve Howe was voted best guitar player 5 years in a row by Guitar Magazine then they retited hkm so others could have a chance.
Chris Squire’s bass leads, the rest just follow!
Howelavation
I really like the song, but I'm not keen on the outro section that everyone gushes over. whereas the previous passages were light, and adventerous - it doesn't sound pleasant to me, and just drones on for 4 minutes!!!
Besides, it was a Steve Howe piece that he took from his previous band Bodus.
Did yes steal the closing section from Nirvana?🤣
Yeah I heard it too
Is YES actually growing on you?
Oh yeah this is a great album. Better than the next one i think.
I really like this song except for the last section. It just goes on way too long for me.