Steve Howe - Interview: Painter's Mill Music Fair (Baltimore MD, April 28, 1982)
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
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What to say about Steve Howe, my oldest and dearest friend from the early Yes days in the UK? By the time of this interview, it had already been about ten years since we recorded ‘Close to the Edge’. Over the years he has also kindly asked me to do some tracks on his solo records. I particularly remember the title track from his 1991 ‘Turbulence’ album having some fire in its belly. I don’t quite know how he ended up on this 1982 documentary; the producers probably tracked him down when he came through Baltimore. I wasn’t there at the interview.
I don’t listen back much to the early Yes stuff. When I do, I’m astonished by the amount of change over many decades. How did we get from analogue there to digital here? What’s better, what’s worse, about the process and practice of music-making in the ensuing 50 years? Many of my generation say things were ‘better’ back then, but they would, wouldn’t they? Too big a subject for this space, perhaps.
At a recent playback of a Steve Wilson Dolby Atmos remix, we listened to ‘Yours is No Disgrace’ - at almost 10 minutes, clearly the lead track of ‘The Yes Album’. I was struck immediately with a rush of feelings and observations. How great and gritty the Hammond organ sounds - two Leslie cabinets. The clarity of the lead voice: the confidence of the backing vocals. Intelligible lyrics that could apply today to Ukraine. How often the drummer stops and starts (six entries and exits in the one song). Little to no use of ride cymbal: almost the whole song the drummer’s right hand is on the hi-hat. How tame the drumming was, or what a light player he was. The unison bass and bass drum at 7.18 (“Yesterday, a morning came…”) sounds like an overdub, but I don’t remember doing one.
Steve Howe, on guitar, was caught just at the right moment when all his influences had coalesced into the singular guitar voice that emerged. Fiddling with the stereo panning on his guitar breaks was a mistake. No one wants to be reminded that there is a recording engineer with the capacity to do that when they’re absorbed in the music.
Pre-Rick Wakeman, the guitar soloist made full use of his dominant position, with organ essentially reduced to chordal support. Fully four minutes of the track is focussed on Steve’s exceptional guitar playing, either as straight-out soloing or fills. The album from which the track is taken continues by leading straight into a 4’ acoustic guitar solo, so I think we can safely say it took a Rick Wakeman to act as a productive counter-foil to occasional guitaristic excesses. Rick's arrival certaoinly changed things up a gear.
None of these observations about 'Yours is No Disgrace', or Steve Howe, are pejorative - they’re just observations. You’d be hard pressed to get anybody’s attention for a ten minute song today. As many have noticed, things don’t change - we do. Thanks for the kind words, Steve!
#billbruford #drumsolos #jazzdrumming #electronicdrumkit #improvisationmusic #rockdrummer #paistecymbals #yes #kingcrimson #tamadrums #billbrufordsearthworks
Man, in a world where Yes has been broken apart, put back together and broken apart again and again and again with all these different warring factions and battling egos, it warms by heart to see Bill address Steve as his "oldest and dearest friend".
One remarkable musician acknowledges another.
I've always loved Steve, he's great. Your the best Mr. Howe!
Naa..! You're the best, not your the best... 😅
@@muchopomposo.6394Naa..! YOUR wrong...😂
Naa, look at my name. I'm never wrong..! 👍🏻 🤣
@@muchopomposo.6394 You got me there! Your right! I mean (You're) right! 😂 Lo ha ha
@@bAgRiMoIrEsS.4 yes..! I'm right, even when I'm wrong..! 👍🏻 🤣
Perpetual Change on The Yes Album has some awesome drumming.
Not to mention the live version of the track on Yessongs! A top ten song in the catalog for me.
I'm going to run up to my bedroom and listen to it now.
An awesome snippet from the past! I love how Steve in his younger days would have a lingering smile on his face whenever he was interviewed, he was quite animated and even cute =)
Great to hear him talk so warmly about Mr. Bruford - I didn't know Bill had such a notable role in the creation of And You And I!
He looks a bit like, and has similar manner to Mic Jagger. Your mother named you Fritha?
@@Frip36 Oh yeah, you are right, he does remind me a bit of Jagger's facial expressions.
Haha, Fritha is not my real name, I took it as a username from a song on Camel's album, Snow Goose =)
Saw Steve only last night. A long-awaited return to Bristol Beacon (ne Colston Hall). I’m delighted to report that he was on blinding form, incredible to report for a man in his later 70s and at the end of a lengthy tour. Gave his all; practically dead on his feet by 10.15. I’ve seen Yes maybe a dozen times dating back to Crystal Palace 1972….. their first gig without Bill! Bill if you’re reading this I still admire your work on everything you did ie up to ‘Edge’. With Alan sadly departed we need Steve and you on this planet (although the kids did the legacy proud last night)!
Sorry, but the "new" drummer is slow ad behind the beat.... a lousy choice...
Steve's first solo record, "Beginnings," is an absolute masterpiece. "Doors of Sleep" is non-stop on my playlist. In fact, I am going to listen to it right now.
Bruford has a stark clarity in his playing that is rare for a jazz/ rock fusion player. Also he tunes everything quite high, so there isn't alot of decay. The way he 'whips' crash cymbals is really wierd, I haven't seen any other drummer do that. An incredible economy of motion there and lightening fast, like a karate master, Lol..
Terrific interview!. Always sounds to me like Bill and Steve had telepathy when they played together live. Unique guitar - drums relationship!!!.
What are you trying to imply Chuck?
What @nectarinedreams said - it's beautiful to hear my favorite drummer and my favorite guitarist speaking about each other so positively. Great interview.
That was a delight to see and hear. In the fractious world of musicians and the music biz, friendships are hard to maintain. I'm glad to see their friendship won out.
Yes was life changing for me. Joy in music
Top class musician talking about another top class musician. Love to see it!
❤ Steve Howe
Howe is absolutely right, of course.
Just before one of Asia's first shows ever! Painter's Mill Music Fair Owings Mills, MD. Thanks for posting! Wow!
I was there.
Was there an opening act? Or is that just house music playing in the background half way through the interview? @@BeatlesBowieKrimson
@johnhuebner5133 no opening act
@@johnhuebner5133 sounds like Jon Anderson rehearsing
I was there, the show started late and there was an opening a act. Don't remember the bands name, but the audience was very appreciative when they finished!
It was a great time for YES Bill Bruford drumming was amazing 👏
I finally got around to reading The Autobiography. Insightful, revealing, and it applies to all art forms. Great to hear from "vintage" Steve. What a wonderful collaboration they had.
Thank you, Bill. Although, I have admired your work throughout and have been wowed by accomplishments in and outside of Yes. This view of Steve and his obvious respect for you as Man and musician gives you a deeper quality than simply your syncopation and rhythm. I appreciate seeing both of you in this new light. An enduring fan.
wow interesting to see some high quality footage from this period.
Yes. Very crisp camera.
Steve giving some love to Bill… very nice.
Steve sounded and looks like a really cheerful dude back then. I temember seeing his playing on the Asia live videos and how he had more of the guitar hero look than with Yes, where he often seemed to be pretty overworked on stage.
I always really enjoyed Bill and Steve's playing interactions on Perpetual Change, live on YesSongs. So fresh.
Alan White was the drummer on Yessongs. I was actually listening to Perpetual Change from that album yesterday and really enjoying it as well. It was Alan's first tour with them so he was mimicking BB's parts as best he could while adding his own style. If I remember correctly he also has a solo during that song.
@@classicguitarfan8 well, not quite. Alan, yes, was the drummer on the Yessongs tour in support of Close To The Edge, but there are a couple of cuts across the triple album from the Fragile tour with Bill - LongDistance Runaround/The Fish and Perpetual Change. Yes, that's Bill's solo on the latter :-)
@@classicguitarfan8 Alan wasn't mimicking Bill at all. He was playing the songs completely in his own, totally different, bold, rocking, simplified, powerful style, basically the polar opposite of Bill's intellectual jazzy style. Both were cool and totally unique with their instantly and unmistakably recognizable drum sound. And yes, you can hear both on Yessongs, and yes, it's Bill on Perpetual Change.
Wow, Bill! Where do you dig this stuff up?? This is great!!! We were LIMITED in the States in 1982 [I was 16] and not receive all of these great interviews. All's we had were radio, albums and magazine articles from a handful of publishers.
Makes us appreciate these vids, that much more.
Thanks alot, Bill...Good stuff
Every time I listen to any Yes piece, their music melts me so much, when it peaks I catch myself just shouting 'YES!'
And then I realise it's the band's name... They knew...
Oh, man. He’s SUPER high during this interview (and awesome, of course). Fragile, although great, didn’t connect with me like Close to the Edge. I mean…you’re dropped right into something pure and primordial, with birds, chaotic, blistering guitar runs, and harmonies riding in from eternal, probably levitating seas. Holy crap, what a masterpiece.
Steve definitely rolled the best joints in Yes
Parts of this was originally included in "Bruford and the Beat".... I was able to get the VHS at a time where it was *very* difficult.
I absolutely love this guy, been 50 years ❤️
I'm not sure what I enjoyed more... watching Steve speak of the great Bill Bruford, or reading what Bill wrote in the description of this vid. Two all-time greats. And Yes, Rick's arrival certainly kicked things up a notch!
Great observations from Steve. Is there more of this interview available?
Yes : Perpetual Change. Beautiful piece. Thank you for your music, Mr. Bill Bruford!
Bill's playing on Steve's All's A Chord is a masterclass on elegance applied to the drum kit.
Saw Bill play 5 times with Yes, then once again with ABWH and also on the Union tour.
Those early Yes shows were amazing.
It was lovely to see Steve, speaking about Bill in this video👍
Does anyone know, is this 1982 Painter's Mill documentary going to be available to us here on Bill's channel? (The "premiere" in a few more hours?) Or is it available elsewhere?
Great interview!
Thanks for uploading Bill - you know how much the Yes fans appreciate it! Its always fascinating to listen to Mr Howe, expecially in the early years when things were so fresh and new.
Gracias Bill.
Not enough of a YES fan to have ever heard Howe speak, but he seems like a great guy.
Best example of Bill & Steve complimenting each others playing would be Yours is no disgrace on the Union Tour where the extended instrumental section opens up to represent Classic 1970s Yes,followed by a combination of Rabin & White to represent the Cinema 90125 Yes. As far as playing on the Classic Yes albums of the early 70s i would love to hear Bill rattle round his kit to replicate the middle section of South side of the sky (the laaaa laaa laa section) which again was a perfect accompanyment to the playing of Rick Wakemans piano. ❤😊
Thanks for the video Bill. You and Steve are one of a kind.
Both are very special and unique musicians.
It make me very happy the way both recognize each other.
Nice words Bill.
Thanks for this, Bill -- and for the comments about the early days, especially "Yours Is No Disgrace" and Steve's impact on the early Yes lineup. I always felt that the two of you were the most sympathetic musically of those early lineups. I just wish you guys could have collaborated more after you left Yes. I think you would have pulled some great jazzy playing out of Steve during a time when that style wasn't in demand (and IMO atrophied).
I was born that same day and year! 28th April 1982
Bruford was the best human propellant in music.
Thanks for posting this interview! :D
Very informative and enjoyable. Thank you!
~~ Saw Steve & Asia perform about 2 months after this interview at Merriweather Post Pavilion - ( saw the KC Beat tour at same place about a month later ) - and while Asia may not have been the best band any of them were members of - Steve especially struck me as being at his peak powers of performance - it was a lot of fun to see him playing so well ..
Steve has words of wisdom on Mr Bruford.
Bill, I read that you had offered to remain and play the live dates in support of Close to the Edge, before joining Crimson, but that Steve vetoed it.If this is true, it's deeply disappointing. With all respect to Alan White (may he rest in peace) you had every right to perform your parts onstage at that time, if you had wanted to do so.
That was Jon Anderson, based on Dan Hedges. According to Anderson in the 70s, "If you're leaving, you can't really go on tour with us, because we'd have it in the back of our heads that you're going to move on."
Great video.
He looks and speaks in a way similar to Mic Jagger.
Where is this full interview Bill ?
NO TY
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