Yesstories: Yes In Their Own Words [Paperback]

Tim Morse (Author), Yes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1996

Yes is one of the most successful rock bands of all time. Along their twenty-eight-year journey came Grammys, fiascos, pranks, squabbles--and million of fans around the world.

Yesstories is the story of their rise from garage-band amateurs to arena-rock superstars, told as only they could tell it.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Fellow 1960s rock icons such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones have done it, and now Yes becomes the subject of an "in their own words" compilation. The aim is to give the dedicated fan a healthy look at the band's creative processes. This approach suits Yes better than many pop acts, because, being SERIOUS ARTISTS, the Yes-men's rantings have been preserved more comprehensively. Whether you think Yes' music is pretentious, pompous schlock or a high-concept grafting of classical music sensibilities onto rock music's urgency, reading the book will likely confirm your beliefs: one band member's likening of a Yes song to a hymn and several band members' lists of indispensable music (a little Hendrix, a little Stravinsky, a little Joni Mitchell, a little Leonard Bernstein, a lot of Keith Jarrett) reveal much about Yes' orientation and ambitions. A nice addition to any pop-music library. Mike Tribby

Review

"Bravo! Yesstories is a masterpiece!" --Patrick Moraz, Keyboards

"I enjoyed reading this book and have actually learned things about the band from it." --Bill Bruford, Drums

"An accurate history of Yes...it's very good." --Geoff Downes, Keyboards

"Very, very good." --Trevor Rabin, Keyboards and Guitar

"It's the only Yes thing I've actually enjoyed looking at." --Peter Banks, Guitar

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (May 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312144539
• ISBN-13: 978-0312144531
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,265,497 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Yes Speak, November 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Yesstories: Yes In Their Own Words (Paperback)

Just a friendly review of Tim Morse's book "Yes - In Their Own Words". As a very dedicated and devote Yes fan, I found parts of the book very enlightening - especially detailing the early day as Yes began to come into their own during the early to mid 70's. I did find member's passages wanting for more explanation. Case in point... Alan White's quotes throughout the book always implied his need or desire to validate his contribution and worth to the band. Core narrative centered on him telling us that he wrote this lyric or that lyric, or that a musical idea of his was the basis of whole Yes piece. Perhaps Mr. Morse saw a pattern emerging and felt compelled to indulge Mr. White and center of this stream of thought.

Bruford's quotes are filled with cynicism and sarcasm. If you've ever heard him speak when talking about his stint with Yes you get a sense that there was more pain than joy being in the band. As for the more lucid and insightful passages, Howe, Rabin and Wakeman were as direct and forthright as they could be. For Anderson, his train of thought is similar to the style and tone of his lyrics...your sometimes left with ` what did he just say, or mean with that comment.'

The book gets tedious at times, but it does make for quick reading. A "worth-it buy" if you hankering for Yes members words of wisdom.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very enjoyable book!, February 13, 2002

By 

R. Recchia "reck" (blodgett mills, ny) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yesstories: Yes In Their Own Words (Paperback)

This is probably the best book written about a rock band. It's a very enjoyable and entertaining read, but it's also very
informative. The book goes through every track from every album,
with comments from different band members. One also gets a very
good insight into each band member's personality; it does it so
well that by the end of the book you feel like you know every
band member. Peter Banks, not surprisingly, comments on most of
the songs from YES and TIME AND A WORD, and comes across, also
not surprisingly, as very angry and resentful.Tony Kaye has very
little to say and his ex-band members have little to say about him. Alan White comes across as a very personable and likable
down to earth guy, not being afraid to point out his contribu-
tions to the songs. Bill Bruford probably has the best quotes of
all the band members, especially in his detailing of all the
frustrations in making CLOSE TO THE EDGE and his putdowns of the
UNION album. Rick Wakeman comes across as the joker of the bunch.
I also like what the band members say about each other, particu-
larly when Wakeman quotes Jon Anderson's description of himself.
I enjoyed hearing about how the albums were made and how the band
came up with and made the songs,especially Anderson's account of
how he wrote the lyrics for Roundabout. It's fun hearing about the stories of Chris Squire's ongoing tardiness.
THERE IS SO MUCH TO LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK! No YES fan should be
without this!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read, a handy reference guide to the band, August 2, 2002

By 

Francis King "Frank King" (Calgary, AB, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yesstories: Yes In Their Own Words (Paperback)

Are the members of this 34-year-old progressive rock band quotable? For the most part, yes -- especially when you consult about a hundred sources. That's what author and fan Tim Morse did for the first bui (of sorts) in 15 years of a group that created such rock classics as Owner Of A Lonely Heart and Roundabout.

Of course, while all this was happening the band went through enough members (12 by the time this was published, two more since then) to fill a bus. And it was the pretentious, convoluted sound of groups like Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer that spawned the punk rock movement. But never mind that. Yes is still together and now fans can find out what members thought of successful albums like Fragile and 90125, as well a such stinkers as Union and Tormato.

To his credit, Morse managed to interview all but four members as well as long-time producer Eddie Offord. Magazines, videos, radio shows and the Internet filled in for the rest. And he's conveniently organized the book by album, adding chapters of quotes about life on the road as well as members assessing each other. This makes it easy to skip around and read small chunks at a time.

You'll find yourself gravitating toward the Morse interviews rather than earlier quotes, since by 1996 (when Yesstories was published) members had the gift of hindsight and weren't so interested in promoting their albums or each other. Indeed, that's how we find out that drummer Bill Bruford was glad he didn't have to work with bassist Christ Squire on the 1989 Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe project, and actually hated the 1991 Union album.

Then there's the fun of members contradicting each other. For example, the classic Roundabout is credited to vocalist Jon Anderson and guitarist Steve Howe. But in a Morse interview, ousted guitarist Peter Banks claimed to be responsible for the song's main riff.

There are some truly banal quotes in Yesstories too, but you'll find so much good stuff you'll barely notice them. Buy this and Chris Welch's Close To The Edge: The Story of Yes and you pretty much have the band's history covered.