OK, I wrote here about how Yes lead singer, Jon Anderson, can’t tour right now due to respiratory illness and, the band decided to soldier on without him hiring tribute band singer, Benoit David, on the strength of YouTube performances.
Jon isn’t taking it so well. From his blog…
Disappointed, and very Disrespected
Disappointed that, with the exception of one phone call from Alan, none of the guys have been in touch since my illness, just to find out how I am doing, and how we will foresee the future for YES. And disappointed that they were not willing to wait till 2009 when I’m fully recovered.
And I feel very disrespected, having spent most of this year creating songs and constant ideas for the band, spending time with Roger Dean creating a stage design, also working with VH1 and Sirius and XM Radio to help promote the welfare of YES.
Getting sick was not “on my radar”, and I thank my own angel Janeee and my family for helping me through this difficult time, and the many well wishers, friends and fans alike, for understanding that ”things happen”.
Of course I wish the guys all the best in their ’solo’ work, but I just wish this could have been done in a more gentlemanly fashion. After all YES is a precious musical band.
This is not YES on tour…
I send best wishes to one and all,
Jon Anderson
September 2008
Kids, once again, I must stress that when you are releasing a negative statement about your band, always end on an up note. Like….
I send best wishes to one and all,
It enables you to say whatever the hell you want before that.
Basically, what Jon is saying is this; Don’t spend your money because, if I’m not there, it isn’t the real band. Those guys are a bunch of dicks and, I hope they fall on their asses (unless they are doing “solo” projects”). Have a nice day.
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Tags: Benoit David, jon anderson, lead singer, Yes
Sans Direction wrote,
“I mean no disrespect, but your mother cooks socks in hell.”
Link | September 25th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Kenski wrote,
“Sews socks & smells!”
When is a band not a band? Is Lynyrd Skynyrd still LS or are they now just a tribute band? Ego issues suggest that band identity is defined by the frontman. Legal eagles may disagree. The fans? Well, it depends on when they started listening. Genesis… Peter Gabriel or that bald bloke?
Perhaps everyone should go the Crosby/Stills/Nash/Young… Dozey/Beaky/Leaky/Snitch specific line up route.
But what about Milli Vanilli? They ‘made records’ without ever singing or playing an instrument…
YES… we have no bananas.
Link | September 25th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Sans Direction wrote,
Isn’t Peter Gabriel bald these days?
They should tour as Not Anderson, Walkman, Buttholes and How!
Link | September 25th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Pribek wrote,
If anybody ever says; “I mean no disrespect” to you, brace yourself.
Link | September 25th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
chris wrote,
I mean no disrespect, but brace your self, I feel it’s very pompous and greedy to restrict your fellow bandmates from using the brand name because you are missing. A yes tour is much more easily promoted without having to compromise the marketing. Let’s face it, yes hasn’t had a new hit in some time so everyone know’s going in that it’s probabley not the original lineup. These guys are not front page news so get over it a be a true bandmate. The purist out there that would pay to see would know for sure, and the rest probably couldn’t even tell you any of their names.Being a player you never want to be left out and it’s the hardest pill for a bandmate to ever swallow, but after the logistics and cost of putting a tour together I for one would have to take that medicine. Think of the next marketing possibility of a yes reunion tour, I might pay to see that one.
Link | September 25th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
J wrote,
Blame it on the Pall Malls.
Link | September 26th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Sans Direction wrote,
Chris, you may be right. The decision to go forward instead of waiting for John, who was the only one I’ve seen do media for Yes recently, might’ve been an OK decision. I can see both sides. But to do so without talking to him, without visiting him? That’s treating him like a sackable employee, not a member of the band. Way to keep classy, Steve and Chris.
Link | September 26th, 2008 at 9:09 am
col wrote,
I agree. You can say anything you like just as long as you say something nice at the end. He’s right too.
Link | September 26th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
I mean no disrespect, and hope all the best illnesses fall upon the new Peyton Place Players– but this is the Harper Valley PTA-est sidewinder KISS OFF that those grease paint faced monkeys could pucker. And it will sell tickets by the umptomillions of myspacers…. like a run on banks this morning, they will fight to get tickets. One of their own became a rock star…. and he is being pinned a spoiler like Mr Big on Sex indie City, and the demented hospital critical victim with some illness unexplained, like shooting Larry Hagman of Dallas at that.. is he really dead… need I continue?
[It's like this: to have any Soap Opera you need the dramaesque faces of humor and tradgedy, a good hospital scene, and free sources of some nubiles, preferably millions from which to choose from]
Funny ones above: ReRun RiBald and Demented…
BTW, Jack, Sorry to hear about your ED — electronic dysfunction.
With warmest regards, truly yours, in all situations, come happy or sad, with empathy and hope, because we love you all,
PD.
ps. my bank failed Friday morning yesterday: Washington Mutual, WAMU — how about yours? JPMorgan bought the whole basket of WAMU including the bath soap and powder, for only $1.9 billion.
Have a truly wonderful and blessed day! pd-in-full [until yesterday AM, that is]
Link | September 27th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Pribek wrote,
You’ll like this one, PD. I went to my bank, Stone County National, to deposit $20 of a $50 check and, pocket the other $30. You with me so far? So, I’m pulling in to the parking lot and it looks like they have some kind of “customer appreciation” thing going on. Looks like, from a distance, they are handing out hot dogs and Cokes in paper cups to a few folks. I’m not really in the mood for a hot dog so, I pull around to the drive thru. As I’m pulling up there I have to dodge the entire board of directors, dressed smart casual as they were stumbling over to the hand-out spot. They all kind of stare at me the way a pig looks at a drill press and, I figure well…that’s seems in order. So, I go up to the drive thru and, I’m waiting, waiting..waiting…the gal must be enjoying a hot dog or something is what I figure. Finally, she shows up and I complete my meager transaction and move on down the road.
The next day, I’m running in to all these people that tell me they were giving away free prime rib sandwiches at the Stone County Bank! Saying things like,
“I stopped off at the bank on lunch hour and so and so from the Board rushed over to tell me to grab some Free Prime Rib!!!. I called my entire crew and we had lunch on the bank’s dime!!!”.
I am the Rodney Dangerfield of Stone Couunty.
So, while banks everywhere are bellying up, Stone County Bank is sending a clear message; “We are doing great, have some Prime Rib!”
But, they aren’t sending the message to me.
Link | September 27th, 2008 at 12:29 pm