So I'm sitting here listening to Radio Paradise. A song comes on that sounds pretty good, like I'd like to hear more from this group. Turns out it's Porcupine Tree, and the song is Mellotron Scratch. I'd heard another song of theirs a couple of days ago (Heartattack in a Layby) and I had the same reaction to that one. I did a little searching and listened to some samples of their music and kind of liked it, but I'm not convinced enough yet to buy an entire cd. I was thinking that they sound an awful lot like Yes, and perhaps I should dig some Yes out to compare. In the meantime, the next song comes on, and it's Heart of the Sunrise, by Yes! Having now the opportunity to hear them back to back, I just might take a chance on a Porcupine Tree album.
So, listening to Yes, which I haven't done in probably years, reminds me of a story.
[Flashback music and wavy lines play here.]
It was 1991, and Yes is on tour in support of their Union album (not their best by a long shot, but still they were on tour). I got hooked up with tickets from Ed at BMG, and we head out to the Patriot Center with my friend Larry, and one of his other friends, to see the show. Great show! After it's over, we go backstage. My goal is to meet Jon Anderson, whose singing I have really enjoyed for years, both with Yes, solo, and with other artists.
Turns out Jon Anderson is painfully shy. The most I see of him is when he pokes his head in the door of the hospitality suite, then he backs out quickly. I spend the evening talking with Trevor Rabin, Chris Squire, Alan White, and Rick Wakeman. (Yeah, I know. Sucks to be me.) Rick Wakeman is totally cool. We ended up talking for quite a while, and he was asking me questions about what I did, music, and retailing. When he found out I worked for Tower Records, he backed up and bowed at me in that "I am not worthy" way. Pretty funny.
Larry and his friend are not big on schmoozing, so they had made themselves scarce. When it was time to head out and we hooked up again, I asked them where they had been. What had they been doing for the last 45 minutes?
Sitting on the loading dock talking with Jon Anderson.
That's my Yes story.
So, listening to Yes, which I haven't done in probably years, reminds me of a story.
[Flashback music and wavy lines play here.]
It was 1991, and Yes is on tour in support of their Union album (not their best by a long shot, but still they were on tour). I got hooked up with tickets from Ed at BMG, and we head out to the Patriot Center with my friend Larry, and one of his other friends, to see the show. Great show! After it's over, we go backstage. My goal is to meet Jon Anderson, whose singing I have really enjoyed for years, both with Yes, solo, and with other artists.
Turns out Jon Anderson is painfully shy. The most I see of him is when he pokes his head in the door of the hospitality suite, then he backs out quickly. I spend the evening talking with Trevor Rabin, Chris Squire, Alan White, and Rick Wakeman. (Yeah, I know. Sucks to be me.) Rick Wakeman is totally cool. We ended up talking for quite a while, and he was asking me questions about what I did, music, and retailing. When he found out I worked for Tower Records, he backed up and bowed at me in that "I am not worthy" way. Pretty funny.
Larry and his friend are not big on schmoozing, so they had made themselves scarce. When it was time to head out and we hooked up again, I asked them where they had been. What had they been doing for the last 45 minutes?
Sitting on the loading dock talking with Jon Anderson.
That's my Yes story.
