Benoit David out.

[iamthebassman]

Should they keep going? I also love the Moody Blues,..... and many more who have long since stopped contributing.

What do you consider "contributing"?
While it's been since 2003 that they released an album of new material, The Moodies still tour constantly. With 3 members who have been there from the "Nights In White Satin" days, and longer in the case of drummer G.Edge.

[walker]

(Jim has a lot to say)

Yeah, censoring a thread with complete disregard for the other members is not your place. You're promoting the concept of running this thread as a dictatorship as opposed to a joint contribution like we're all supposed to accept that method as proper, which it's not. Biasing a public forum to reflect your opinion solely is improper, and I think you should step down as host and let someone moderate who allows and encourages the members here to participate freely and as equals.

[just_bassics]

Duly noted. But, and again: What is or is not my place as a moderator is for Peter to determine. He is the one who asked me to manage this area of the forum. I'll accept his input on the matter.

From my previous post, Mark, and for the last time: This is my final say on the matter. Please address any further comments unrelated to the thread topic to admin and they will proceed as they see fit.... ....But know that I will continue to do the job I was asked to perform.

Surely you are competent enough to know how to contact Admin with your suggestions. But I can guide you through it, if necessary.

I've never known someone to completely miss a point as you have in this matter. Just my take on it. And for the record, I'm not the one calling names here. Dictator? Please. You must have had a soft life.... There, I stooped to your level. Happy Now?

Biasing a public forum to reflect my opinion? Again, specifics would be appreciated, but now you'll have to email them to me. Or use FB, oh, wait.. did you unfriend me?

Step down? What, and give back all the money I've made here? It may interest you to know that I have been considering doing just that for almost a year now. But when and if I do, it will be for my reasons. I don't know if you've known many Chief Petty Officers in your lifetime, there, Mark, but it will take more than what you've got to force me out. Certainly Admin can do it, so again, take it up with them.

To prove I don't practice censorship, I'll let your kind remarks remain here for all to judge. I'm not the one making this personal. Just responding at your level of discourse. So if it is deleted, it's not at my hand. But, and at the risk of being insulted further by Mr. Walker, I will lock this one down to prevent it from getting any more ridiculous.

Truly sorry folks. Nothing more to see here.

[just_bassics]

Okay folks...

After giving myself a 24 hour cool-off period, I have decided to re-open this topic for continued discussion. Anyone who cares to comment on the resignation of Benoit David as the lead singer in Yes and / or his current replacement Jon Davison are encouraged to do so. Comments about founding member Jon Anderson (in my opinion, still the "Voice of Yes") are also welcome, with the following stipulation: If I, as moderator, honestly feel the any posted comments are placed here only with the intention of provoking a negative response, or solely to provoke or demean any other member's opinion or character, that posting will be dealt with accordingly. All of us know that this is a moderated forum and the Mods have a job to do. It is the same for me when I post in other areas of the RRF. Being moderator here does not grant me any special privileges elsewhere on the RRF.

I feel that digressions and or comments concerning the moderation of the discussion should not be a part of the discussion. Any member is free to contact me personally via PM to debate my view of moderation. I answer every PM I receive without letting things get personal, the past 48 hours being the exception...

So to continue, I was sad to hear that David had resigned. After everything that had happened prior to his arrival, the illness of Jon and the band's decision to proceed without him, all the fallout from that decision, etc... Yes had gone back into the studio and recorded, IMO, a really beautiful record. Fly From Here has, to my ear anyway, very strong songs with more than enough classic Yes trappings, yet also broke some new ground - The suite itself, while clocking in at the longest piece of Yes music (25 minutes) is nicely structured into more individual tracks that stand on their own. I can't think of another epic Yes piece that is arranged this way. While CTTE and TFTO certainly have strong "songs" contained within the arrangements, you can't just cue them up individually by track markers (although Endless Dream from TALK does have indexed markers, at least on my CD).

So I think FFH was a great statement for David, at least vocally, as he now had a solid studio recording to base his membership on... only to resign before getting the chance to fully complete a supporting tour. This, to me, has already made FFH an orphan of sorts before even hitting it's one year anniversary.

I wish Benoit all the best. He was always nice to anytime we got together and would greet my wife and I by name, even if it had been six months or so. That always made me feel welcome. I really thought he'd be around longer, but only he can know the true reasons for his decision. I honestly don't know any more than that, like you guys, I can only speculate...

So, Onward, as yet another chapter and surely "More Drama" will unfold before Yes call it a day!

[just_bassics]

Ronn, to answer your thought. I guess I would consider "contributing" to mean that a band, or enough of its established members are writing and recording new material for release to the public. I confess to not knowing that the Moodies were still touring - Shame on me, as the Moody Blues were my first band and I still love their music very much to this day. Every Good Boy Deserves Favor was the first record I ever listened to start to finish and I wore off the grooves. I was only ten or eleven at the time, but I got it. I was sorry when Mike Pinder stepped down and then again when Ray Thomas retired a few years ago. If the other three are still at it, I need to get off my duff and catch a show, if possible. I put the Moodies in a class all by themselves. "The smallest Symphony Orchestra in the world!"

Now I'll probably spend the rest of the work day with my MB Cd's!

[weemac]

Its simple really....
Sad to see Jon go.....
Sad to see Benoit go....
Welcome Jon Davidson!

Emac.

[cjj]

Its simple really....
Sad to see Jon go.....
Sad to see Benoit go....
Welcome Jon Davidson!

Emac.

Well said! Life goes on...

[s4001]

Its simple really....
Sad to see Jon go.....

Maybe. He's been 'gone' before. I'd say it's a safe call to say he'll be on the boards again with Yes.

[just_bassics]

Its simple really....
Sad to see Jon go.....

Maybe. He's been 'gone' before. I'd say it's a safe call to say he'll be on the boards again with Yes.

Well, when I saw Jon and Rick last October, their setlist indicated that they really wanted to perfom Yes music live. They actually did a scaled back version of Awaken and Jon seemed thrilled to be singing that one again. But, and this is only my opinion, (but it comes from doing live sound gigs six nights a week for eight years) Jon still needed five minutes of story telling between tunes, an obvious sign (to me) that he needed to catch his breath. I listened closely that night and, while he was stronger than when I heard him a year earlier, still did not seem to have the power to front a live band with a full set. Throw in rigors of life on the road and his age, I just can't see it happening, as much as I wish it would.

His pitch was dead on, however... and that voice...

[winston]

Jon has a great set of pipes that's for sure Jim. I always loved his range and the fact that he stayed on pitch

[Droog61]

Its simple really....
Sad to see Jon go.....

Maybe. He's been 'gone' before. I'd say it's a safe call to say he'll be on the boards again with Yes.

Well, when I saw Jon and Rick last October, their setlist indicated that they really wanted to perfom Yes music live. They actually did a scaled back version of Awaken and Jon seemed thrilled to be singing that one again. But, and this is only my opinion, (but it comes from doing live sound gigs six nights a week for eight years) Jon still needed five minutes of story telling between tunes, an obvious sign (to me) that he needed to catch his breath. I listened closely that night and, while he was stronger than when I heard him a year earlier, still did not seem to have the power to front a live band with a full set. Throw in rigors of life on the road and his age, I just can't see it happening, as much as I wish it would.

His pitch was dead on, however... and that voice...

That could be remedied by more dates in a single place and less travel which would be feasible since a YES with Jon, Rick, Chris,Steve and Allan would have more drawing power then one without. I would much rather see a stripped down show anyways like the Sounding out stage for the BBC doc way back when. And I for one like listening to Jon's stories. I just find the revolving door policy on the members comical, but then that's just me.

[weemac]

I just find the revolving door policy on the members comical, but then that's just me.

That has always been the bands policy, comical or not.

I think Mr Anderson will return but perhaps in a studio situation rather than a tour.


On a different slant if there is one most important menber of Yes, for me it is Alan White. His playing is imaculate and he is a team player.

Eden.

[Droog61]

I just find the revolving door policy on the members comical, but then that's just me.

That has always been the bands policy, comical or not.

I don't think that has ALWAYS been the bands policy, I think started after Rick left and came back, I don't count Peter Banks and Tony Kaye in that mix as the band was still forming the vision of its founders Anderson and Squire. Yes was forming a sound and they looked at the key people to make that sound and plateaued with Anderson, Squire, Wakeman, Howe and Bruford. Alan White came in out of necessity for a tour drummer, how ever he was contributor to some very excellent albums. Wakemen left for one album. I think the revolving door mentality solidified when the Buggles thing happened

However being a Chris Squire Forum, I don't want to ramble on except to say I have always been a BIG Chris Squire fan...just not always a big YES fan

[teeder]

Hmm.... You can all be the judge!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZO5j815nAA

To me, Jon Davison sounds even better than Benoit. more early 70s Anderson-like.

+1!

I wish the best for a speedy recovery to Benoit!

[winston]

I have to agree. I think Jon Davison's voice is a perfect match for the band.