Disco de Yes: “Millennium Collection”

Made in GER in 1999, Serial# 20-4022-MI, Playing Time 95:38

This 2-disc collection showcases Jon Anderson, Peter Banks, Bill Bruford, Tony Kaye and Chris Squire during various radio broadcasts back in 1969 and 1970. Considering these tracks were typically recorded "live in the studio", the performances and arrangements are excellent.

This album has also been issued under the names "Beyond And Before - The BBC Recordings 1969-1970" in the USA, "Yes BBC Sessions 1969-1970 - Something's Coming" in Japan, as well as "Something's Coming - The BBC Recordings 1969-1970" in the UK.

If you don't have any of those, I would suggest your best investment is with either the US version or better yet, the UK pressing: you'll get a booklet with liner notes written by Peter Banks back in 1997, along with some interesting newspaper clippings. This german pressing has no photos, no liner notes...

Yes has always been the band to "re-interpret" other people's works and not just "cover" them. Performing songs written by Sondheim and Bernstein, Stephen Stills, Richie Havens, and Lennon and McCartney, the original members were amazing tacticians even before they really defined their clever niche in music history some years later. This album, packed with reprise versions and bonus tracks, is valuable because it gives creedence to a lot of good, worthwhile songs that even intense Yes fans probably don't consider the "real" classics. Original guitarist Pete Banks is a very formidable string-man; and unfortunately we tend to forget this after being dazzled by the brilliance of Steve Howe's fine workmanship over the decades. Chris Squire's bass is in your face as is to be expected and even those of us who are Alan White fans sometimes miss the interaction between Squire and drummer Bill Bruford. There are some surprisingly good live performances on this CD with great chorus-style background vocals present even at this early stage in Yes's career. Included is the early "For Everyone" which later morphed into the three part "Starship Trooper"; and the rare "Dear Father" which was the orginal B-side to "Sweet Dreams" and never made it to Yes's second record, "Time And A Word". I would have to say this CD is the best collection of songs from the 1969-1970 era that I have heard and if you're a Yes fan who is ready to investigate the roots of this stunning array of performers, choose The Millenium Collection.