In 1972, I was fully into exploring the new fusion-jazz being created by Weather Report, Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi group, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report and, of course, Chick Corea's Return to Forever with Bill Connors. So I sort of missed Yes. No longer! You must check out the video of Yes Live at the Rainbow 1972. No wonder Prog Magazine and their 30,000 readers continually rate Yes as the best prog band of all time.The playing, the writing, the innovation, the interplay and the sheer energy of that band - Anderson, Bruford, Squire, Wakefield and Howe. I watched another of my favourite bands Dream Theatre in a recent video concert. Sure, the technical level of playings higher but ....

 

What really hit me though was that 10 years earlier, 1962, the top music was from Neil Sedaka, The Everly Bros, Chubby Checker and Elvis. Now I love some of those folks e.g. Everly Bros but think how far and fast music evolved from The Twist to Roundabout. Sadly, we'll never see such dramatic evolution again. 

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That Yes concert is the highest form of what prog was, is and is still amazing. You must watch it!