The Tales book is released PLUS Adam Wildi Tales interview - 680
Release Date: 07/04/2025
The Tales book is released PLUS Adam Wildi Tales interview - 680
Yes Music Podcast
This week I’d like to celebrate the release of my second book, Tales from Topographic Oceans - Yes Album Listening Guide - a title almost as lengthy as the record itself. It’s been a very long and sometimes challenging process to prepare the book for publication - much like the record itself. However, it’s finally here and you can buy it from all the usual places. If you haven’t yet ordered your copy, you live outside the UK and you would like to help me out, please visit and order from there. There are print on demand links in the store on the site which will allow you to order...
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6 reasons The Yes Album is a great Yes album - 679
Yes Music Podcast
Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Wayne Hall, Ken Fuller and Jeffrey Crecelius This week, Mark and I enjoyed coming up with 6 reasons why the band’s third record, The Yes Album, is a great Yes album. As I’m sure you know, this was Steve Howe’s first album with Yes and also Tony Kaye’s last. It is correctly viewed by many fans, critics and Steve Howe himself as the first Yes masterpiece. Clearly, we could have found dozens of reasons why this is a great Yes album but that would have left less room for you to be involved. So please do add your reasons in the comments on this week's show...
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Favourite new millennium Yes songs - 678
Yes Music Podcast
Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Wayne Hall, Ken Fuller and Jeffrey Crecelius R.I.P. Johnny Bruhns This week, Mark and I considered the Yes music of the new Millennium - 25 years after it began. In this time, the band have produced just 5 studio albums and 1 EP: Magnification Fly From Here From a Page (EP) Heaven and Earth The Quest Mirror to the Sky However, there are plenty of examples of great Yes music to enjoy and Mark and I chose 3 examples each. What did we choose? Anything from Heaven and Earth? Did we get it 'right'? See if you agree with us and let us know by...
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Yes audacity - 677
Yes Music Podcast
Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Wayne Hall, Ken Fuller and Jeffrey Crecelius This week, Mark and I returned to our occasional series on Yes concepts. This time we considered Yes audacity - those times when the band has done something few others would have attempted. We both came up with 3 examples and it proved to be a very enjoyable conversation, albeit with quite a bit of shameless self-promotion from me. In the world of progressive rock, perhaps the most audacious genre of all, what do you think we came up with - and what would you have chosen? Let us know in the comments on the show...
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AI killed the prog star? – 676
Yes Music Podcast
Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Wayne Hall, Ken Fuller and Jeffrey Crecelius This week we have a bumper, epic episode where Simon Barrow, Mark and I discuss AI and its impact, in the context of Yes music, of course. My daughter, , also gives us her thoughts on the subject so many thanks to her. This topic was suggested by the appearance on YouTube of an album entitled ‘YEP – On The Waterline (70’s Prog Rock / Progressive Rock)’ as spotted by Charlie Nolan. Should AI be used in music? What impact could it have? What about the future for Yes and all other music artists? See if you...
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Alan White's adaptability - 675
Yes Music Podcast
Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Wayne Hall, Ken Fuller and Jeffrey Crecelius It’s already been 3 years since Alan White died. To mark the sad anniversary, Mark and I discussed the iconic drummer’s adaptability this week. We each chose 3 different examples of his playing to highlight different aspects of his musical character. In addition, 4 YMP Patrons gave us comments to read out - Jon Pickles, Ronnie Neeley, Doug Curran, and Fred Barringer. It was very enjoyable to think about Alan but also, of course, a somewhat mournful process. Do add your own memories of Alan to the show notes for this...
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Chris Squire - 10 years gone with Stephen Lambe - 674
Yes Music Podcast
Unbelievably, it’s already 10 years since we lost Chris Squire. Tempus Fugit, but this time not in a good way. To mark this sad milestone, Prog Magazine has included 2 large articles about Chris in the latest issue, number 160. The person charged with writing the main piece was friend of the YMP, Stephen Lambe. Mark and I spoke to him this week about the greatest bassist the world has ever seen, the irreplaceable Christopher Russell Edward Squire (4 March 1948 – 27 June 2015).
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Yes virtuosity - 673
Yes Music Podcast
Mark and I really enjoyed discussing what Yes virtuosity means to us with the help of YMP Patrons Brian Harris, Michael OConnor, HB Pettersen, Jon Pickles, Dave Owen, Gary Betts, Mark Slater and Ronnie Neeley this week. Can you guess what we all chose for our examples of Yes virtuosity? You might be surprised, as Mark and I were. There were some common themes that emerged which is always encouraging because it means we are not on our own in our thoughts about the band. So thank you to all those Patrons but do have your own say by adding a comment to the show notes for this week.
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Billy Sherwood's bass - 672
Yes Music Podcast
This week Mark and I enjoyed thinking about what Billy Sherwood has contributed on bass to the last two Yes albums, The Quest and Mirror to the Sky. We each chose three examples of songs from those two records to talk about and shared our thoughts on whether Billy has continued the tradition of Chris Squire bass playing or gone his own way - or a combination of the two. There wasn’t enough time to review the posts on the YMP Facebook discussion group this week but hopefully I’ll be able to get back to that next week. Also, apologies to those who sent in entries to last week’s...
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Yes Connections - The Game! 671
Yes Music Podcast
This week, Mark and I are trying out a new concept - it’s a game called Yes connections. There will be chances to laugh at my ineptitude as well as chances to get involved yourself with a special Yes connections round for listeners - with a prize for the more creative - or maybe funny entry sent into the show. Hang onto your hat and test your Yes knowledge in a few minutes’ time.
info_outlineThis week I’d like to celebrate the release of my second book, Tales from Topographic Oceans - Yes Album Listening Guide - a title almost as lengthy as the record itself. It’s been a very long and sometimes challenging process to prepare the book for publication - much like the record itself. However, it’s finally here and you can buy it from all the usual places.
If you haven’t yet ordered your copy, you live outside the UK and you would like to help me out, please visit YesMusicBooks.com and order from there. There are print on demand links in the store on the site which will allow you to order copies of the book and its full colour supplement, printed at a location near where you live, avoiding shipping costs and the associated environmental impact. I also get to keep more of the proceeds from the order, rather than giving it to the big corporations. Shipping time may be a little bit longer than the online stores but the choice is up to you.
If you are in the UK please order directly from BurningShed.com and if you normally get your books from a local independent bookstore, then that is also a great option wherever you are in the world.
The book ended up being 336 pages long which is rather a surprise to me. The initial idea was to produce something shorter and simpler than the Tormato Story book - more of an actual guide, rather than an in-depth study. However, as soon as I started, it became obvious that I could resist travelling down just as many fascinating rabbit holes as last time. I did manage to uncover some previously hidden information and it was a lot of fun researching as many different aspects of this epic work of progressive rock as I could. As Prog Magazine put it in their review, “The most rewarding way to experience Tales is to dive in and become immersed. This book is the very definition of that.”