YES IN THE 1980S
Stephen Lambe With David Watkinson SONICBOND
WRITTEN FROM A FAN’S PERSPECTIVE, BUT NOT AFRAID TO BE CRITICAL.
The highs, the lows and all the side-projects.
Oft overlooked? Much maligned? Not even ‘proper’ prog? Stephen Lambe aims to rehabilitate Yes in the era of big hair, floor-length coats and shoulder pads with this romp through a decade where the band experienced its greatest commercial success while constantly teetering on the brink of falling apart.
With just three Yes studio albums to cover – Drama, 90125 and Big Generator – Lambe broadens his remit to include The Buggles, Asia, the solo adventures of Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Trevor Rabin and Jon Anderson, plus the latter’s highly successful collaborations with Vangelis. These aren’t treated as footnotes either; instead, they’re discussed with the same level of attention as the Yes records. It’s nothing if not comprehensive, even including Wakeman’s singles I’m So Straight I’m A Weirdo and Spider.
The prose is punctuated with quotations from the musicians who were there, although these are all secondary sources rather than new material which, combined with Lambe’s very informal writing style, can mean the book reads like an extended blog. He’s clearly approaching it from a fan’s perspective, although he’s not afraid to be critical when he feels it’s due: while he staunchly defends Asia’s debut album from charges from the prog community that it’s commercialised crap, he’s fairly scathing about the follow-up (admittedly that’s a position that’s hard to argue with). Likewise, he calls out Anderson for his tendency to indulge “his sentimental hippie schtick” in his lyrics.
To his credit, Lambe analyses all the behind-the-scenes shenanigans that drove Yes’ ever-changing roster, striving to offer a balanced perspective when there are differing testimonies. His account takes in musical differences, problems with management and money, and personality clashes. Given the sheer number of permutations involved, it’s no mean feat just to chart all the coming and goings.
Beyond the intricacies of the group’s internal dynamics, the book touches on the wider musical climate, including the gulf between Yes’ success and acclaim in the US against the indifference of the UK music press. There are reminiscences of live performances – Lambe is clearly an avid concert-goer – and a look at the fanzines that provided an important source of information on Yes in the pre-internet age. Photographs include previously unreleased shots of the short-lived Cinema line-up in rehearsals, which are sure to intrigue the devoted. While the book might lack any great revelations or scorching hot takes, Lambe’s boundless enthusiasm makes for an engaging, digestible read.