Keys to Ascension
Encyclopedia
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
group Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and was released in 1996. The last time Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
, Chris Squire
Chris Squire
Christopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...
, Steve Howe
Steve Howe (guitarist)
Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
, Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
and Alan White
Alan White (Yes drummer)
Alan White is an English rock drummer known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969...
had worked together on officially released studio recordings was 1978's Tormato
Tormato
Tormato is the ninth studio album by British progressive rock group Yes. Issued as the follow-up to 1977's acclaimed Going for the One, Tormato received less than charitable reviews upon release and its virtues are still a matter of debate for Yes fans and critics...
. It is the band's fourth live album.
The first seven of the album’s nine tracks were recorded live in San Luis Obispo, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
’s Fremont Theater during three nights in March 1996. The purpose of these concerts was to capture the spontaneity of a live performance under controlled conditions, similar to that of a studio. These performances were also filmed and released as a live video under the same title.
The last two tracks are studio recordings of new compositions recorded in November 1995 (with subsequent overdubs and post-production lasting into 1996). Other live recordings not released on this album were held over for release in 1997 on Keys to Ascension 2
Keys to Ascension 2
Keys to Ascension 2 is a double album by the British progressive rock group Yes and was released in 1997. It is the successor to the critically acclaimed Keys to Ascension 2-CD set from 1996...
.
Note: "That, That Is" is Yes' seventh song over 18 minutes.
Disc one
- "Siberian KhatruSiberian Khatru"Siberian Khatru" is the third, shortest and final song of progressive rock band Yes album Close to the Edge. Live versions of the song are found on the Yessongs, Keys to Ascension, and Live at Montreux 2003 albums, and it also is on several compilation albums. It is notable for being the only song...
" (AndersonJon AndersonJon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
, HoweSteve Howe (guitarist)Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
, WakemanRick WakemanRichard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
) – 10:16 - "The Revealing Science of GodTales from Topographic Oceans-2003 CD re-issue:A remastered edition was released in 2003, which restored a two-minute ambient section at the beginning of the album's first song. This section was deleted at the last minute before the album was originally pressed...
" (Jon Anderson, SquireChris SquireChristopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...
, Howe, Wakeman, WhiteAlan White (Yes drummer)Alan White is an English rock drummer known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969...
) – 20:31 - "AmericaAmerica (Paul Simon song)"America", written by Paul Simon, is a song popularized by 1960s folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. It was included in their album Bookends, released on 3 April 1968, and is notable as one of the few rock records to have a completely unrhymed lyric....
" (Paul SimonPaul SimonPaul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
) – 10:28 - "OnwardOnward (song)"Onward" is a song performed by the British band Yes. It is the seventh track on their ninth studio album, Tormato. The writing credit goes to bassist Chris Squire, and it is the only song on the album for which singer Jon Anderson gets no writing credit....
" (Squire) – 5:40- Features a new intro "Unity" (Howe)
- "AwakenAwaken (song)Awaken is a song by the British progressive rock band Yes released on their acclaimed 1977 album Going for the One. At 15 minutes and 31 seconds it is the longest track on the album, occupying most of the second side of the LP....
" (Anderson, Howe) – 18:29
Disc two
- "RoundaboutRoundabout (song)"Roundabout" is the opening track for the 1971 album Fragile by British progressive rock band Yes. The song was written by singer Jon Anderson and bassist Chris Squire. In January 1972, an edited version of the song was released as a single with "Long Distance Runaround" on the B-side. "Roundabout"...
" (Anderson, Howe) – 8:30 - "Starship TrooperStarship Trooper (song)"Starship Trooper" is the third track and closing of Side A of progressive rock group Yes's 1971 album, The Yes Album. It is presented in three parts: "Life Seeker", "Disillusion" and "Würm" and is credited to Anderson/Squire/Howe sequentially....
" (Anderson, Squire, Howe) – 13:06- a. "Life Seeker" (Anderson)
- b. "Disillusion" (Squire)
- c. "Würm" (Howe)
- "Be the One" (Anderson, Squire, Howe) – 9:50
- a. "The One" (Anderson, Squire)
- b. "Humankind" (Anderson, Squire)
- c. "Skates" (Howe)
- "That, That Is" (Anderson, Howe, Squire, White) – 19:15
- a. "Togetherness" (Howe)
- b. "Crossfire" (Anderson, Squire)
- c. "The Giving Things" (Anderson, Howe)
- d. "That Is" (Anderson, Squire)
- e. "All in All" (Anderson, White)
- f. "How Did Heaven Begin?" (Anderson, Howe, White)
- g. "Agree to Agree" (Anderson, Squire)
N.B. Disc 2, tracks 3-4 are studio recordings from 1995-96.
Production
- Produced By Yes & Tom Fletcher
- Mixed By Kevin Dickey, Billy Sherwood, Tom Fletcher & Bill Smith
- Engineered By Zang Anglefire & Tom Fletcher
Chart Success
Keys to Ascension (Essential EDF CD 417) reached #48 in the UK. It also reached #99 in the US during a chart stay of 2 weeks.Personnel
- Jon AndersonJon AndersonJon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
- vocals, harp, guitars - Chris SquireChris SquireChristopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...
- bass (piccolo bassPiccolo bassPiccolo bass can refer to two string instruments, the acoustic piccolo bass and the electric piccolo bass.Carl Thompson and Stanley Clarke collaborated on the electric piccolo bass and Ron Carter invented the first upright piccolo bass....
on "Be the One"), backing vocals - Steve HoweSteve Howe (guitarist)Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
- guitar, backing vocals (6 string bass on "Be The One") - Rick WakemanRick WakemanRichard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
- keyboards - Alan WhiteAlan White (Yes drummer)Alan White is an English rock drummer known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969...
- drums