BlockDog said the following about the YES box set:

> I picked up the [YES] box set last night.

> Somewhere in my vinyl collection down in the
> dundgeon, I have a copy of the original release
> of "America" on a compilation album called "The
> New Age of Atlantic". This album also featured
> the first album release of "Hey, Hey What Can I
> Do" by Led Zep. It also has tracks from John
> Prine, Jonathan Edwards, Loudon Wainright III,
> Dr. John and Delaney and Bonnie. A strange mix
> but it accomplished it's goal in opening my
> eyes to several artitsts.

> I would suggest to any Yes fan that they check
> out John Cowan's cover of "Long Distance
> Runaround" from the album "Always Take Me Back",

> Sugar Hill Records.

> This album also features an interesting ,wine
> induced take/parody version of "Indicipline" by
> King Crimson.

Block:

Hey man, don't throw away that NEW AGE OF ATLANTIC LP, as it is now a much sought after vinyl collectable! I had a copy of that myself, which I sold when I rolled in the CD's in 1987.

I am glad to hear that there are others here who are also enthusiastic about YES and their music. I knew I wasn't the only one--- and I do not agree at all that YES was left back in the days of "widespread LSD use," even though YES and PINK FLOYD were part of many of my own voyages into the mystic consciousness.

Incidentially, as was brought up recently, the song AMERICA also appears on the 1991 YES YEARS box set, however that was the single edit of the song. So, it is nice to have both, being as I fall into the category of "fanatical completist," where I must have everything available by all of my favorite artists.

One reason why I remain so enthusiastic about YES, is that they continue to try to bring LOVE, LIGHT, and POSITIVE ENERGY into what has become a very negative world--- where the naysayers currently rule.

I also believe that YES remain the only viable remnant (w/ KING CRIMSON) of one of my favorite eras of rock--- the progressive movement. It was exciting to see what they were going to come up with next, and they always delivered. Whether it was YES, YES EAST, YES DRAMA, YES WEST, ABWH, The AFFIRMATIVE, the short-lived XYZ sessions, YES UNION, or YES 2000, all versions of this band made exciting music.

Since 1969, YES have had fourteen members--- some going, some staying, some returning and leaving again. All were virtuoso musicians, and the proof of this is in the fact that I have never heard YES music properly dupilcated by the average club band. Sure, I have heard the occasional toss-off of OWNER OF A LONELY HEART, but that is about it.

The major bonus of this new box set, which clocks in at a whopping six and a half hours (each of the five discs contains between 76 and 78 minutes of music), is that every single iteration of the band is featured. That cannot be said of YES YEARS, which is a pretty good box set in itself.

There is an additional eleven years of YES history on this new set.

So, all of you out there THAT DO ENJOY YES, you will not be disappointed with this new box set.

KDB Grade: Five YES's (out of five)

Peace and Prayers,





Kent Daniel Bentkowski
Buffalo, New York USA