My son is 24 now and lives away from home. He remains in awe of the music of "my" time including the work of these incredible people. Cool part is these guys can still do it. Sad part is the industry doesn't seem to have room for musicians anymore. In the words of my son: "Seems like in your day, musicians performed to make music. Now they perform to make money."
Original, innovative, refreshing, creative, stimulating, beautiful, melodic, balanced, exciting....these are just some of the qualities of Yes during the time of this song.
I still recall waking in the morning, jumping from bed and grabbing "Fragile" from it's jacket, flippin' it over and dropping the needle on the last track of this gem. Mom would yell, "Turn that down and get down here for breakfast." I had to wait for the footsteps...and Rick's mashing of the keys, and the harmonies, and the pulsations of sound that resonated throughout this classic song that is a stand-alone monster of sound and imaginations. Hardly ever is it surpassed in splendor!
I grew up and to this day love the musicianship and message of this song: I lost my mom (86 years old) and my wife (50) from Covid. I get inspiration from this band.
Steve Howe... what can you say that hasn’t already been said. Who would ever think of playing rock on a big, deep jazz box guitar. Only Steve could pull it off and make it fit in flawlessly. Brilliant player.
I can listen to Howe and Wakeman playing solos forever. The chorus part was so amazing on this as well. This was the time. We need to see Steve, Jon and Rick together again.
I feel very blessed to have grown up with these guys and others in my ears. So sad that the kids today won't have anything like these bands to grow old with. They are old friends that live within all those they touched....
A master performance. What a lineup; The best guitarist in Rock history, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman's wonderful keys, the most underrated bassist, Chris Squire, The best voice in Rock ever, Jon Anderson, all anchored by one great drummer Alan White.
This classic lineup is the best IMHO. The recent incarnations simply aren't Yes without Jon. Sure these guys sound ok but don't have his stage presence. It simply can't be fabricated....
This is the best performance of this song I've ever heard. When I saw it in Philadelphia I was in complete awe. When it was over I was like man...WTF just happened. My world got rocked by that song. That jam at the end with Howe and Wakeman is incredible.
I was hesitant to watch this, but after seeing this I must say that this is a pretty honest picture of how Yes did do this song. I think I'll buy the DVD now, and put away the bootlegs.
Esta es la formación clásica de YES, con la que inicié mi gusto por esta superbanda , por alla a finales de los setenta. Particularmente en este tema, se observa la notoria maestria de cada uno en su departamento, ahora bien la "conversación"entre Howe en las guitarras y Wakeman en las teclas, es de otro nivel, impresionante definitivamente.
possibly one of the most mystical and spine-chilling songs ever written by Yes. It's amazing to hear all these originals playing together and keeping true to the original sound. And Rick Wakeman is a badass. Just saying...
This is still one of my favorite songs to play from that album. The arrangements were just perfect. I'm glad that they were still able to perform it, even more than 7 years ago. It makes me miss what these men were able to do in their day. We need more music and songwriting skills these days...
No arguments. The greatest Yes that got together. Anderson, Howe, Squire (RIP), Wakeman, & White. This lineup produced the best of Yes which most of us adhere to.
I'm with you, I bought Fragile in"72 when I was 12 years old having been turned on to Yes by my older brothers. New albums and concerts were a huge deal in those days and were magic. Before computers and internet.
This tour....in many ways, was Yes' swan song. They are not the same band now that they were during this tour. The energy is just totally different now. This song for example, with all the "classic" members...including Rick....and the amazing dueling solo's at the end, is just fantastic...I am glad they did this tour, and that I got to see them twice on it, because it seems yes with Jon and Rick, will not happen again.
The quality of this video, audio and visual is F*CKING INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2am Edit: After watching this I checked to see if I owned this or had to buy it, and I already have it on Blu-ray, still wrapped - what is Wrong with me?! We have a killer stereo hooked up to the TV, and this concert is going on tonight! I have so many concerts on disk to catch up on it isn't funny.
Very rarely performed in the setlist. A gem and wonderful to hear Chris (R.I.P.) sing his choir boy tones. A voice that will be sadly missed by all of us. Proud to say that the bands music wallpapered an important part of my life in my youth.
I disagree. Actually, I think it was quite close to the speed I expect of vinyl. What is not in this version is the tension (musical) created by Mr. Bruford's style. One might have a similar reaction to Mr. Bruford playing Awaken, Gates of Delirium and so on.
Just got a big smile on my face and laughing towards the end with the trade offs between Steve and Rick. F'ing priceless. Bigest influence in my musical world. Love you guys.
Yes has got to be one of the best progrock bands around. It has been such a treat finding this RU-vid site-can play virtually any song of any fav band we like. That Fragile album-it rocks!
I love Professor Howe's tone on this one. I wonder how many miles that 175 has on it anyway? What an awesome guitar. Wish I were a millionaire, so I could afford one.
Did not hear this song to much over the years but excerpts of it came to me in various pieces and it is so awesome to hear it again (psuedo-live). Everything about this sound says YES! I am glad it was never made into a big hit (too much for most) because it means so much more to me now 45 years later. First heard this as a teenager and did not remember how much this song wavered continuously in my subconscious especially the vocals (la la land).
I would like to dedicate this song to Zsolt Erőss, tha best Hungarian climber, and one of the bests of the world. Zsolt is lost forever in the Himalayas, while ascending from peak Kancsendzönga 3 days ago. He was a real climber, doing it the hard way: without sherpas and oxigen. He liked Yes, thaught about this music while on the mountains. I am almost certain he lost all his strength and slept for ever peacefully somewhere in the death-zone, above 8000 meters. (continued)
Yes, this was my favorite lineup (except maybe for Bruford), and Fragile is #2 behind CTTE in my list of Yes albums, but the remarkable thing to me about Yes is that the music will live on like classical music. This song was fantastic when recorded, fantastic here, and fantastic when Spock’s Beard covered it. Really, every Yes lineup has something to be appreciated. But then Drama, Relayer, and Fly From Here are all high on my personal ranking of Yes albums, so I know I’m an outlier. ;)
sublime song from a bunch of sublime musicians, who together are brilliant. About 3 of the guys should take a long hard look at themselves and think how fantastic they are together and get it together, again!!!
Man, as a huge Yes fan (and just a young guy really, 30), I can say this is beyond cool. It's true to the original with some nice accents, Rick is of course, perfect. A live performance too. But what MAKES it for me is the play between Steve and Rick at the end in the lead-out jam. They're telling jokes with music. It's a playful showdown between veteran gunslingers. Saw the band in 1997, 6th row centre, Massey Hall,Toronto, 2 grams of blue cap mushrooms. BWWAA!! Thanks for posting this!
Absolutely incredible!!! The test of time and excellence is impeccable here!!! This is absolutely one of the most talented bands of all tme if not the most talented.
It's amazing to me that they could pull off a performance like this on a song recorded thirty years before. The three-part harmony in the middle section is astounding, as clear and brilliant as the original, and the back and forth between Howe and Wakeman at the end is perfect. Brilliant performance.
That's why they didn't do it live in the 70's - they couldn't figure out the harmonies correctly at the time outside the studio. Thank goodness they finally did.
Completely agreed, Ed. However, this song, as great as it is, is a walk in the park compared to The Gates of Delirium performed live. I saw them play it several times in the mid-'70s. The battle scene - unreal.
This is such an amazing video. It shows just how good these wonderful musicians are! I wish I could have been at this concert - it would likely have been the best one I have ever seen! I did see them live this year though and it wasn't too bad but not like this lineup.
I reckon this is their best song. Alan White sounds as good as Bruford here. Love the way the number goes from heavy to sweet and back again. What talent.
AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Heard today on satellite - I sat in my car listening - wow Yes (my favorite band) how mesmerizing and awesome. Now this is music!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Alan White had only ever recorded 'Instant Karma' he'd belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was freaking devastating on that tune. I never realized for years that that track was simply bass, drums and piano. He filled up that much space. The rolls are ballstowalls...
Great post--thank you! No one cares more about their sound quality live than Yes. No one. The biggest complaint is that they don't play loud enough live. Wrong. They are more interested in balance, tempo, dynamics, and fidelity.
Unfortunately this lineup will probably never happen again, given the current state of affairs. They will go the way of Pink Floyd, where one of the key members dies and their fate will be sealed forever. Reunite before it's too late...
Your referring to Richard Wright I presume. That being said it is too bad that the only incarnation of these great musicians in years to come will be by tribute bands....
