Steve Howe (Interview): Close to the Edge | Joining The Stones | Jethro Tull's Prog Parody
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2024
- Steve Howe talks about his ambition to join the Rolling Stones, what might have been if he'd played for Pink Floyd, and Jethro Tull's prog parody 'Thick as a Brick'. Also playing Close to the Edge in the right key for the first time in 50 years, problems with Chris and Bill Bruford and his love of Chet Atkins. Fantastic interview!
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Time Stamps
00:00 - Intro
00:12 - Close to the Edge 50th
01:04 - Topogrpahic Oceans 50th
02:30 - The Mahavishnu Orchestra
04:03 - Conflict in Yes
07:20 - Chris Squire
10:12 - Bill Bruford & Topographic Oceans
12:22 - Playing Close to the Edge in the right key
18:20 - You & I opening
19:50 - Clap
21:37 - Chet Atkins
26:05 - Jethro Tull 'Thick as a Brick'
28:29 - If I'd Joined Pink Floyd
30:13 - Stones ambition
32:32 - Zappa
34:32 - Yes & St Bernadette - เพลง
Well that , by a country mile , is the best interview with Steve Howe in years!! Thankyou both so much....will be in Glasgow to hear that "original" climax to CTTE ! Can't wait!
Totally agree.
One would think that Steve Howe would have been deeply interviewed in the past. It needed a passionate music lover on a TH-cam channel in 2022?
@@PetraKann ....so true Petra!
And the gig was great btw!! Looking forward to Relayer!!!
I consider Steve Howe one of the greatest rock guitarists.
He's pretty bloody good
Guitar Magazine had to retire him from eligibility after he kept winning Best Guitarist 5 years in a row in the mid 70s. That says it all!
An all time great ,so versatile , great writer and arranger , too ten in my book, in no particular order , none better
The Yes Album is still my favorite. When Steve joined his playing gave a burst of creativity to Squire and Anderson and they wrote classic songs as a result like Starship Trooper and Perpetual Change. I've Seen All Good People was another Squire, Anderson classic, but wouldn't have been nearly as popular without the fire that Howe brings to it with his incredible soloing.
Unfortunately, Squire wrote less music on future albums and contributed nothing to Tales From Topographic Oceans.
Certainly one of the most unique and instantly recognizable guitarist.
The Yes Album, Fragile and Close to the Edge , three of rocks best ever albums .
But without John Anderson?
@@DonaldMerrit ~ whot?
HERE ! HERE !
I agree
I'll never forget the first time I heard Your Move on a friend's car radio. We couldn't figure out what group it was and figured it must be CSNY with Graham Nash on lead vocals. No one else had a vocal range that high. One night not long after, I heard Wurm, from Starship Trooper, on the radio and flipped out. I listened to a lot of British rock but I'd never heard anything like THAT before. I listened for the DJ to give the name of the song and rushed out to buy the Yes Album the very next day. It remained on the turntable at a friend's place where we all hung out and got high for months afterward. One day one of my stoner friends complained that we always listened to the Yes Album, so we told him to take over the turntable. You know what he put on? The first side of Lizard, by King Crimson. I also loved KC, but couldn't get into that album besides the title song. We saw Crimson tour that album around then and it was a great show. Of course, now I love that album. But the Yes Album will always be my favorite and Perpetual Change my favorite song.
I think Steve looked in the mood to talk all day. I could have listened all day. Thank you so much both for a great interview.
He was in the mood, for a day.
Met Steve, John, and Alan at a radio station in phila back in 1977 where they were doing a live on air interview with the late ed sciaky. while in the elevator with Steve , I asked him if he would sign my ES 175 for me. He came across the street to the trunk of my car, I took out my axe and he signed it, shaking , in tears, in awe the whole time. One of the nicest people I've ever met. Seen yes over 20 times.to this day, still, my biggest influence
HELL YEAH
"...he signed it, shaking , in tears, in awe the whole time... " wtf are you talking about here ? I´d understand if that was YOU - shaking, in tears... etc... Why would HE be ?
It was I who was in awe -sorry if I worded it to mislead what I intended, but when writing what I did,to this day I still can't believe it actually happened--i still get the same goosebumps even now--as I'm writing this.
Despite any conflicts between Chris and Bill on "Close to the Edge", Chris still picked Bill to drum on his "Fish Out of Water" solo album a few years later.
Both have expressed their mutual respect for the other’s musical talent.
Just imagine a world where Chris and Bill both joined King Crimson 🤩
Great name there, “Rick”!
@@papa_gummybear Chris Crimson
@@papa_gummybear i think Wetton suits better with Bill for KC
Awesome! I just love how a regular bloke can do a great job with a channel and manifest a world where he can interview musical heroes. Truly wonderful to see and well deserved!!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I was thrilled with this interview
@@classicalbum as you should be! You both seem to be enjoying it so much ❤️
I've worked with many of "the greats" in music, but few would ever call themselves "heroes." To be honest, at the core, they're really just "regular blokes" with irregular talents, work-ethics, and focus. Never good to set anyone above anyone else who's just as mortal and fallible as all the rest.
@@classicalbum
What's not to like? I have always seen Steve Howe as a sort of Silent Assassin. He works so hard in concert and never misses a step including His Brilliant backup singing. he is such an important part of one of the greatest live outfits ever. but I have never heard him speak! as a music fan and musician I enjoyed every second of his discourse. thank you so much for putting this out there for us.
Hello Mr. Classic Album Review - love the channel. By the way, do you work offshore?
The difference between YES and many other of the bands of the 60's and 70's that are still touring, is that they still challenge themselves to stay at a very high level, and pull it off! Doing stuff like Close to the Edge and Relayer and Tales, are very complex compositions and its amazing that they can pull them off life at such a high level. Steve never let up, like so many of the others did. he has kept the same level of musicianship and intensity as ever, and never relaxes on what he demands from himself. Saw him at least 40 or so times with YES and quite honestly, i never remember an off night from the man... truly a well diversified, cream of the crop player, the likes of which rock has not seen many!
Been a Yes/Steve Howe fan since Fragile. This has to have been the most enjoyable interview I’ve ever watched. Very smooth, as though two long-time friends were chatting. Great job!
I thought it went really well.
Yeah, great questions. Well done
I've been a fan since 1971, and this interview almost made me tear up. Steve Howe has always been such an innovative, talented musician and hearing him talk about his own heroes and the music is just wonderful. Thanks for posting!
Thanks, do check out my other videos
I learned of Yes via Yessongs, having somehow never heard anything previous. It completely altered the foundation from which I thought about music. My first live concert was Relayer, seeing the show 3 days before the album hit the stores. It went completely over my head, but watching Steve Howe reproduce Gates of Delirium on stage exactly as I came to know it is a memory I shall always have. That was a delightful chat to listen to.
Close to the Edge always sounds like something from 50 years in the future, hardly the past.
Considering he has been doing this for almost 60 years, Steve's level of enthusiasm and his attention to the minutiae of 50 years-old pieces of music is quite amazing... Great interview!
Thank you. Do check out my other videos.
Steve and his music mean so much to so many people, it’s great to hear and see what a kind and interesting man he is outside of it
So he was invited to join Tull,Floyd,Atomic Rooster.,The Nice.....Zappa approved-tells you everything you need to know about Steve Howe-I think Yes realised how exceptional a musician he was when they grabbed him and much as Pete Banks was a tremendous player this guy turbo charged them-I mean-the guitar work on their first album together (the Yes album) is off the scale good and holds up 50 years later.
Great interview-thanks.
Surprised by how open Steve is. Superb guitarist. Great interview 👍
The best guitarist ever in my opinion love Steve's music
Indeed
I agree
Steve Howe is, INDEED, in the pantheon--along with Pat Metheny and Jeff Beck: Three distinct approaches/three virtuosos
@@doublehelix3952 and many more are up there you know Trevor Rabin👍🎶🎶🎶👍
It's all bout the tea
Steve is so delightful! I could watch him play guitar(s) forever. He's a fascinating musician! Quite talkative - surprised me! wonderful!
Agreed
One of the things I really loved about YES is that the music was actually better live than the studio albums. There are bands that are much better in the studio than they are live. YES takes some of the most difficult music ever recorded and do it better live.
If I may? I believe Emerson Lake and Palmer also decided that the music they recorded needed to be very focused to live performance results, and in my estimation (saw YES 2x, and ELP 3x, in Colorado during 70s), both exceeded their studio sessions.
The brilliance of English musicians born in 40s and 50s, educated in the 50s and 60s, must be an acknowledgement of their intellectual upbringings.
❤️❤️
Absolutely fantastic conversation. Thank you, Barry and Steve.
Thanks so much Barry for a wonderful interview with the prog legend himself. At 75 Steve is incredible, sharp as a tack and the complete professional, it was fascinating to listen to his insights.
His ongoing contribution to Yes is insurmountable and his passion and dedication to the band's longevity is so admirable, best wishes
Fantastic interview. It’s great to see Steve in such good spirits too. I’m glad he was asked about the 50th anniversary of their greatest album, Tales from Topographic Oceans, and that Jon Davison would love to play the second movement. That would be incredible.
My absolute favorite solo from Mr. Steve Howe is , " Mood for a Day."
Such an incredible time in my youth. Hours of listening to Yes!
Steve Howe is by far the Best in his time. All members shared the moment. Jon vocals so perfect.
50 years later still the best music ever. Just such high energy rock and Creative Wondrous Story.
What a privilege it must have been for you Barry to interview such an absolute legend! 🙂 Steve seems very nice and down to earth, a brilliant beyond brilliant guitarist and a really nice person.
This is my second interview with him
Back in the day I lifted Fragile. I did not get it. I worked at a fast food joint. Today I proudly wear its shirt while I play guitar with my metal guitar friend. God bless America, perhaps one day I’ll be able to sing, after all I am friends with a singer. Steve Howe, thank you, you have inspired a new generation. Fragile is my favorite album. You are my kind of guitarist.
22:22 Hearing Steve talk like that about Chet Atkins sounds so much as myself talking about Steve to my friends
Some of the greatest live music I ever witnessed were Yes concerts, esp. the Tales, Relayer and Going for the One tours. Their music was hugely important in my live and the lives of my close friends. Being a guitarist, Steve was hugely influential in that way as well. Great interview.
Great interview. Love Steve's enlightened detachment and sustained passion. I think Yes's music will be listened to for 100 years, thanks to Steve's professionalism and inner light. Topographic Oceans and Relayer are two Yes masterpieces, yet to be revealed to the general public.
One of my top guitar players ever. Absolutely brilliant guitarist and musician that transcends multiple musical genres. Love his work with Yes and I’m sure I’m gonna get a ton of shit for saying this but my favorite band ever is the original for members of Asia. Howe’s was work with John Wetton, Geoff Downes, and Carl Palmer to me was just absolutely otherworldly.
You really knew exactly how to get a great interview out of him. He was comfortable and ready to talk. Perfection!!
The interviewer is great. He asks great questions and then is quiet and let’s the artist talk. It isn’t about him. Great job!
That was indeed a great, great interview, I love listening to Steve talk about early Yes, his musical influence, the importance of a good live show, and he is showing no signs of slowing down, great interview, kudos to you!!!!!!
I felt great accomplishment in my life when I finally was able to play Clap at Steve's performance level from the Rainbow Theater concert. Learning Clap propelled my guitar fingerstyle ability by light years.
Barry, you provide a very welcome perspective when chatting with these legends and we are extremely grateful for your efforts. Another world-class interview.
Agreed!
Back in around 1983, I was lucky to work with a builder and a roof thatcher, on Steves house in Devon...He was a real gent...He made us coffee and lunch etc and showed off his guitar collection...Great bloke...
In the "conflict in Yes" section you can clearly see what Bill Bruford meant when he said that in KC "there weren't endless discussions on where to put this or that note: you were supposed to know"
Although I've been a fan of Yes' music ever since the early-mid 70s, I've always felt that the band members slightly pompous. I really have no justification for thinking that (more fool me), and so I'm very impressed with Steve Howe's approach to this interview. He comes across as open, generous, unpretentious, and warm. Lots of good anecdotes, and thoughtful answers. Really enjoyed it Barry, well done.
One of my best interviews
Fantastic interview, well done !!
I've had the opportunity to interview three of them - Bruford, Wakeman and Howe. As a guitar player and an old YesHead from the 70's, I have the greatest respect and admiration for Howe's playing, but interviewing Bill and Rick were distinct pleasures. Wakeman told me - emphasized - that despite all the parts being worked out, the many takes and the long sessions they did, he is still astonished at "Close To The Edge". Still blows him away, to this day. He was a terrific interview - I actually got him to tell me where the capes came from (funny story).
I do recall Bill mentioning (this was years before his book came out) that Squire's chronic lateness was extremely aggravating. He had had quite enough of it when he joined King Crimson - only to find himself on Planet Robert. Which, at least musically, had its own challenges.
And tonight, in an hour or so, I'll be seeing Steve Hackett. Who I also interviewed a couple of weeks ago.
Meeeeh😉
I've heard Wakeman state that Close to the Edge was the peak for Yes. And while I adore Rick, the magician, I believe that's because he was part of its creation. Because in my opinion, and to many others, Relayer was the absolute pinnacle of Yes. Gates of Delirium and Sound Chaser in particular have no equal in terms of virtuosity, while Sound Chaser is Yes' ultimate venture, along with The Ancient, as far as pushing musical boundaries. I know Relayer was Alan White's favorite album, yet I'd be curious to know what Howe thinks.
@@richdisilvio4591 And that's funny, because I've always thought (based on other interviews) that Wakeman considered GFTO, and especially "Awaken", as the band's best work when he was playing with them. I didn't ask when I spoke to him, though he did express continued pride in CTTE.
I really didn't like Relayer. It always felt to me that Howe was just playing a lot of notes for their own sake (which, of course, is what prog critics say about the whole genre...), and it valued virtuosity over cohesion. I was generally happier with GFTO, although I really didn't like Awaken. Last time I saw them, I actually left my seat and went outside when they went into it.
I guess I'm a little bit of a Yes heretic.
@@davidkirby8236 One thing is 100% true & undisputed: namely, just how subjective music is. LOL
Just last night I listened to Close to the Edge, Revealing Science of God, and then Gates of Delirium followed by Sound Chaser, just to test my taste buds once again.
And again I savored Gates of Delirium most, followed by Close to the Edge and Sound Chaser, with Revealing Science of God coming in darn close after that. Naturally, if I listened to them all again tonight my response for the 2nd & 3rd places might very well change. LOL
Gates of Delirium certainly has a lot of notes by Steve, yet considering the War & Peace nature of the song, I feel each is justified and creates a cohesive whole, from the chaos of war (many notes & noises) to the bittersweet nature of the aftermath, namely sad for the dead yet looking to the light to lead the way to better days and salvation. “Soon oh soon the light” is utterly divine.
I somewhat agree with you about Awaken, in that it has some shrilly moments that almost irritates. Yet, the softer moments are genuine Yes magic, at least to me.
Punctuality is indeed the courtesy of kings. I've never liked people who are so arrogant they feel entitled to keep others waiting. Fascinating interview.
Such a superb musician, Steve absolutely set the bar for my generation of rock guitarists - sooo inspirational! I posted a "how to play" of Starship Trooper years ago and its still one of my most popular vids. :)
Absolutely love Steve Howe a phenomenal musician and guitar player! Not talked about a lot in GOAT guitar player lists but he deserves to be right up with the best of them!!
Wonderful thanks Barry. You didn't waste the opportunity and went in hot with great questioning and tone. I came away with a great impression of Steve the person who is clearly a top bloke, who bags nobody, while still painting the picture.
great interview! I didn't know Steve almost got into Pink Floyd! Hilarious the way we was turned down....
outstanding interview, thanks so much!
Howe lucky to get to talk with the youthful Steve Howe.
Wonderful interview. Absolutely enjoyed every moment.
This was fantastic. Much prefer these in depth conversations where we get to here specific details to things we've wondered about. Great job!!!
Lovely, relaxed interview, many thanks for documenting these important musical personalities 👍
Fabulous interveiw, thanks.
Thanks Barry. Well done and much appreciated.
Fantastic interview Barry i very much enjoyed watching this.
Stellar interview - very well done. Steve was very relaxed and accommodating.
Great interview!. loved this. Steve the legend!
This is about the best interview I've heard from anyone period. WOW just WOW nice job
I must have watched and listened to hundreds of interviews with Steve over the years, but this was fabulous. Thanks!
Very cool interview. Thanks so much. I love Steve Howe's playing.
This was a perfect interview; lightning in a bottle. Cheers.
Well done a great chat, informative and upbeat. Good news for 'Edge' with those all important key changes. Happy days.
Being a fly on the wall for that chat was FANTASTIC!! Kudos to you for such a great interview and cannot wait to see the legendary Steve Howe on stage again.
Thank you for this great interview.
I really enjoyed that conversation, Steve is so down to earth and open to questions and refreshingly humble.
Great interview. I have been listening to Yes for 50 years and I learnt a few new things from this.
The cousin who first played Fragile for me in mid 1970s went on to do keyboard for. Canadian band Harlequin
Wonderful, wonderful interview.
Big thanks for this, Steve and Barry.
Wonderful interview!! I love Yes and Steve Howe! I still remember the first time I listened to Close To The Edge. I also remember the first time I saw Yes play it live.
I love Jethro Tull as well! I saw them one year a month before Yes came to town in Seattle!! That was a special year I saw Super Tramp a month after YES! 1977 was a very good year for awesome live music!! Live music is such a wonderful classic rush!! Love this interview, so informative and classic rock program history!!
What a great interview and worthwhile listen. I appreciate Steve's very present passion for music he made 50 years ago--so childlike and beautiful
That was one of the most enjoyable Stev einterviews I've seen...he seemed more relaxed and looked like he enjoyed it. Great little stroies in there too...would love to see him interviewed more.
Amazing interview! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you!
So glad!
Wonderful chat, thanks! Howe is one of my fav guitarists, the Grateful Dead my fav band 😊
The Máster, Vi o Steve ao vivo no Brasil, com o YES foi memorável,
um dos melhores shows que vi
Fron Brazil.
Well, simply marvelous. Great to hear Steve's influences. And Mick & Keith's loss, Yes's gain and the world.
Wow, really cool interview. Lots of interesting stuff and good questions. Thank you to both of you!
Glad you enjoyed it! Please share.
Great interview. Steve, please do The Remembering! Every Yes fan who missed the Tales tour wants to hear it!
Great interview full of details I didn't know! Thanks a lot. Greetings from Chile.
Greetings - do check out my other videos.
That was awesome!!! Steve is great. Seemed to be in a good mood too. First Bruford and now this! You are the King!!!
Sorry I didn't get your question in.
Brilliant Barry, and Steve, thanks 😉🤘🏻
Congrats on a fabulous interview! Steve is my guitar hero, prog hero, amazing composer too
What a great interview! Steve Howe is just so enthusiastic, and still excited about his work from 50 years ago. So interesting your discussion about Bill Bruford's perceptions versus Steve's. Also, interesting the comments about Chris Squire's punctuality problems, and how destructive it was to the cohesion of the band. I can imagine how frustrating it would have been to deal with a kind of flaky bandmate, even though CS is one of the best electric bassists ever. Great discussion. Thanks for posting!
Tremendous interview !! Well done never knew Steve was this chatty !!
Neither did I
Thank you both for the illuminatin' 'n most enjoyable interview. I saw Yes open for Jethro Tull in Sacramento. The album Yes was promotin' was The Yes Album 'n Tull's new album was Aqualung. The perfect 1-2 punch!
Wow! what a great concert that would of been, was too young to go back then.
Another Fabulous articulate Steve interview!
After listening to Steve's steel guitar on CTTE and Relayer , over time, I developed a keen interest in pedal steel guitar.
Buddy Cage of New Riders, Speedy West, and from 1991 a great retro guitarist / steel guitarist - Junior Brown. Junior invented the Guit-steel, a two neck guitar- steel.
All of this eminating from Steve Howe's influences!
As for Thick as a Brick, I listened to TAAB, one year before CTTE. Thick as a Brick was my "Learning to enjoy the side long song!"
Between JETHRO 1972-1973, YES CTTE, TALES, RELAYER; King Crimson Lark's era, those bands set the tone of my listening experience through today May 7, 2022 - 50 years of Progressive rock!
Wonderful interview! I've always had a great deal of respect for Steve, both as a musician and how gracious he comes across in an interview. At times he seems almost astonished yet grateful at the success he's had. Mr Howe's openness in your conversation is not to be missed!
I know this is an aside, Steve's "Turbulence" is, perhaps, one of my favorite instrumental albums of all time.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great interview. 🙏
I really enjoyed this. Steve seemed really comfortable and open.
a true guitar virtuoso , up there with Hendricks, I don't think there has ever been such a brilliantly versatile axeman who seems able to do anything on any type of guitar.The first time I heard The Clap, I was 14 years old and ended up in an argument with my Canadian mate.I was sure it had to be 2 guitarists, I was just starting to learn on an old acoustic and I just didn't see how one person could make that sound. Some years later I saw him play it live .Seeing him live playing the classics and doing backing vocals is just an incredible experience for any aspiring or established guitarist .An Amazingly talented man.
What a nice guy, very chatty.
Thanks Barry, very enjoyable
Great interview!
I wish Barry had asked Steve if he realized that he had taken the Close to the Edge riff from the closing section of Samba Pa Ti.
A lot of cool stuff I never knew here, great interview!
And You and I guitar intro - harmonics and "okay," the beginning of something extraordinary!🎵
Saw yes relayer show must have been about 74 or 75 at the Hawthorne race course mile from my house in Chicago. I was all of 10 years old and I snuck in cuz my two older brothers were inside with tickets. It was like seeing God and it made me a lifelong fan and I subsequently paid for five or six shows in the '80s when I was old enough to attend and hands down yes and Peter Gabriel Era Genesis have been wonderful stimuli in my life and a source of comfort and joy! Wonderful video to hear the insight of the inner workings of the band thank you
And I have to mention Gary wright, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Peter Frampton we're all at that Hawthorne race course show, what a first show ,in one's life to see, but yes did steal the show
i had the incredible unexpected good fortune to see Steve Howe perform an evening of solo, mostly acoustic guitar at a small club in portland, oregon in the early '90s. i had been listening to the radio in the car and an anouncement played for shows in town that night... i was near the club in the late afternoon and stopped in. THE Steve Howe ??? yup...
i had seen Yes a few times in the 70's. but to hear my first ever guitar hero performing/playing so impeccably in such an intimate setting(maybe 100 people) still gives me goose bumps. he concluded the set with the pedal steel closing part from Gates of Delerium with his home studio recorded acoustic guitar backing(which he apologized profusely for...).
thank you for this very enjoyable and interesting interview with such a great musician who influenced my life so much. it was really great to hear Steve say how much a compliment from Frank Zappa meant to him i discovered Zappa a couple years after Yes. and Zappa and Mr Howe are still 1A and1B as most influential guitar players to me.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video
I think the same... what a great atmosphere you create in your interviews, you make the interviewed very comfortable and relaxed.... a great secret !
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love that you called out Topographic Oceans as one of your favorites. Many fans hated it, but I thought it was one of the best. Monumental. Loved Relayer too.
Thanks! An amazing interview. I hope Steve Howe will be 100 years old and play the guitar until then.
Nicely done. I have never heard Steve Howe talk so much. Interviewing is harder than it looks. Creating a comfortable place for someone to open up and go beyond the standard answer is a success. I learned a lot from his comments. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a brilliant and fascinating interview!