May 292012
It’s your moment of Yes. In the spirit of keeping it nice, let’s take a few moments to appreciate rock’s most affirmative band.
Did you know Jon Anderson was in a typical British Invasion-style band with his big brother Tony? I did not. I believe Tony sings lead on most of the tracks I’ve come across on YouTube, but following is one featuring Jon, singing in a manly register, no less. Enjoy…after the jump!
With this clip in mind, what other What if… moments you can cite regarding iconoclastic artists stepping way out of their usual unusual selves?
That’s a terrible song with a terrible title – “Mr. Nobody Nothing”? As for Jon’s singing, he did a few songs on the first couple of Yes albums in a lower register, like “Looking Around” and “Every Little Thing” off the first album. I’ve mentioned before his really low singing (for him) on King Crimson’s Lizard album. Here’s a live version of “Looking Around”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM5NK73G0Jg&feature=related
By the way, I’ve just noticed something – the Charlatans UK 1990 hit “The Only One I Know” seems to cop its basic groove from “Looking Around” a little bit, doesn’t it?
As for “stepping out” moments, the Beatles performing a takeoff of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on British TV in 1964 has to be up there. Paul and Ringo appear to be into it, George looks like he’d rather be at a dentist, and John seems ambivalent at best – he hams it up but he seems self-conscious about it all (for good reason in that getup).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOpEZM6OEvI