“It wasn't too confusing. “It really exists for us, in our minds,” says Yes guitar legend Steve Howe on the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now“In explaining his band’s musical mission – and the mission of progressive rock itself, he said: ‘There was really no such thing. If you can play it, it’s obviously not that complicated – because, wait, you’re playing it! We wanted to shine, we wanted to surprise… We were taking endless risks and gambles and playing with things.’”
A new, very deluxe collection of Yes classics from 1971, breakableTheir new album is out now, and Howe took the opportunity to take a look back at how it was made, the band’s early days, why he loves Rush, and more in our new interview. Here are some highlights; to listen to the full interview, head here for your podcast provider of choice, listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or hit the play button above.
Yes had a huge influence on Rush – and Howe, in turn, is a fan of that band. “We were huge fans of them,” Howe says. “That trio was so powerful. Trios are so rare, where you can do that. ELP and Cream, there are so few of them. So they had an incredible power to do that. And when your drummer is as admired as he was, and the other guys are building their reputation, Alex [Lifeson] And good [Lee] …And I love these guys so much, especially Geddy, who I had the chance to spend some time with a little while ago. So basically this band is great and has its own story, but it came from the beginning, if you will, of what ELP and Genesis and Yes started in the '70s. Well done to them. [Just as] “I love the adventurous spirit of Dream Theater. They've embraced some of our ideas, and I think that's great, more than anything that could be annoying at all.”
Psychedelic rock—and even drug use—led directly to progressive rock. “I noticed a lot of great things about the music I loved, during those periods when I was listening to a little bit of it,” Howe says. “The music was an essential part of it. It took your breath away – ‘Oh my God, listen to this!’ There was this other dimension. I think it was very creative – but I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s risky. It’s like anything else. If you know it’s dangerous, don’t go there.”
Howe is impressed with the amazing Dolby Atmos mix of breakable By Steven Wilson on the new box set, but I will always prefer the original. “There are different blends and each has its own value,” Howe says. “And maybe it’s time for me to admit that the original blends are the original blends—they’re unbeatable. They’re the final destination… I’ve been there. I know the differences. They’re incredibly small, incredibly subtle, but from my perspective, I can tell.”
It's a myth that Jon Anderson, former lead singer of Yes, wrote songs without playing any instruments – in fact, he played a little guitar. “John knew some chords, and he played them skillfully. John was an inspiring musician to work with because he was free in his mind to try so many different things. I was amazed by his way of finding these chords because they often had nice transitions in them.”
Yes' classic “Roundabout” begins with a few simple chords. “I must have played this piece for John, and he thought it was great,” Howe recalls. He is particularly proud of the song's intro, which features a resonant piano chord recorded backwards: “I think playing the piano backwards was my idea. It really gave it a moment. This was a beautiful piece of E minor music… reversed on tape and then arranged so that it climaxes backwards with the attack of the chord.”
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