Beginnings (Steve Howe album)

Last updated

Beginnings
Steve Howe Beginnings.jpg
Studio album by
Released31 October 1975
Recorded1975
Studio Morgan and Advision Studios, London
Genre Rock
Length39:51
Label Atlantic
Producer
Steve Howe chronology
Beginnings
(1975)
The Steve Howe Album
(1979)

Beginnings is the debut studio album by English guitarist and songwriter Steve Howe, released in October 1975 by Atlantic Records. It was recorded and released during a break in activity from the progressive rock band Yes, after they agreed for each member to produce a solo album. Howe employed various guest musicians, including past and present Yes bandmates Bill Bruford, Alan White and Patrick Moraz, plus members of Gryphon.

Contents

The album reached No. 22 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 63 on the US Billboard 200. It was supported with promotional videos of "Ram" and "Beginnings".

Background and recording

In August 1975, Howe had been the guitarist in the progressive rock band Yes for five years. After the band finished touring their seventh album Relayer (1974) that month, the group agreed to take an extended break and have each member record a solo album. Howe began by selecting demos that he had collected over the years and aimed, before inviting guest musicians, to play by himself as many parts as were practicable. [1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]

AllMusic's retrospective review deemed Beginnings an artistic failure, summarizing that "The playing is strong throughout, but towards what end is the mystery -- none of the songs are particularly memorable, nor is the production[...] and Howe is such a weak singer that he'd have been better off[...] sticking to instrumentals." [2]

Track listing

All lyrics and music are by Steve Howe except where noted.

  1. "Doors of Sleep" (Steve Howe, Alice Meynell) – 4:08
  2. "Australia" – 4:13
  3. "The Nature of the Sea" – 3:57
  4. "Lost Symphony" – 4:41
  5. "Beginnings" (Steve Howe, orchestrated by Patrick Moraz) – 7:31
  6. "Will o' the Wisp" – 6:00
  7. "Ram" – 1:53
  8. "Pleasure Stole the Night" – 2:57
  9. "Break Away From It All" – 4:19

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1976)Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [3] 14
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [4] 49
UK Albums (OCC) [5] 22
US Billboard 200 [6] 63

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [7] Silver60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yes (band)</span> English progressive rock band

Yes are an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by lead singer Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Peter Banks, keyboardist Tony Kaye, and drummer Bill Bruford. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes throughout their history, during which 20 musicians have been full-time members. Since February 2023, the band has consisted of guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Geoff Downes, bassist Billy Sherwood, singer Jon Davison, and drummer Jay Schellen. Yes have explored several musical styles over the years and are most notably regarded as progressive rock pioneers.

<i>Close to the Edge</i> 1972 studio album by Yes

Close to the Edge is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes. It was released on 8 September 1972 by Atlantic Records, and is their last album of the 1970s to feature their original drummer Bill Bruford. After scoring a commercial and critical hit with Fragile and touring the album, Yes regrouped to prepare material for a follow-up, ideas for which had been put down some months before. The album's centrepiece is the 18-minute title track, with themes and lyrics inspired by the Herman Hesse novel Siddhartha. Side two contains two non-conceptual tracks, the folk-inspired "And You and I" and the comparatively straightforward rocker "Siberian Khatru". Bruford found the album particularly laborious to make, which culminated in his decision to quit the band after it was recorded, to join King Crimson.

<i>Relayer</i> 1974 studio album by Yes

Relayer is the seventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released in November 1974 by Atlantic Records. After keyboardist Rick Wakeman left the group in May 1974 over disagreements with the band's direction following their double concept album Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973), Yes entered rehearsals as a four-piece in Buckinghamshire. They auditioned several musicians, including Greek keyboardist and composer Vangelis, before settling with Swiss musician Patrick Moraz of Refugee who incorporated elements of funk and jazz fusion to the album. Relayer is formed of three tracks, with "The Gates of Delirium" on side one and "Sound Chaser" and "To Be Over" on side two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Bruford</span> English drummer

William Scott Bruford is an English former drummer and percussionist who first gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock band Yes. After leaving Yes in 1972, Bruford spent the rest of the 1970s recording and touring with King Crimson (1972–1974), Roy Harper (1975), and U.K. (1978), as well as touring with Genesis (1976). In 1978, he formed his own group, Bruford, which was active until 1980.

<i>The Yes Album</i> 1971 studio album by Yes

The Yes Album is the third studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 19 February 1971 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first album to feature guitarist Steve Howe, who replaced Peter Banks in 1970, as well as their last to feature keyboardist Tony Kaye until 1983's 90125.

<i>Union</i> (Yes album) 1991 studio album by Yes

Union is the thirteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 30 April 1991 by Arista Records. Production began following the amalgamation of two bands that featured previous and then-current members of Yes: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH), consisting of vocalist Jon Anderson, drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Rick Wakeman and guitarist Steve Howe, and Yes, comprised at that time of bassist and vocalist Chris Squire, guitarist and vocalist Trevor Rabin, keyboardist Tony Kaye and drummer Alan White. The eight musicians signed with Arista and a combination of unfinished tracks by both groups were selected for Union. The album's sessions were problematic from the start, including disagreements between some of the musicians regarding the "merger" of the two bands, strained relations during the recording process, and decisions by the production team of Anderson and producer Jonathan Elias to bring in session musicians to re-record parts that Wakeman and Howe had originally completed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe</span> British rock band

Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH) were an English progressive rock band active from 1988 to 1990 that comprised four past members of the English progressive rock band Yes. Singer Jon Anderson left Yes as he felt increasingly constrained by their commercial and pop-oriented direction in the 1980s. He began an album with other members from the band's 1970s era: guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Bill Bruford, plus bassist Tony Levin.

<i>Going for the One</i> 1977 studio album by Yes

Going for the One is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 15 July 1977 by Atlantic Records. After taking a break in activity in 1975 for each member to release a solo album, and their 1976 tour of the United States and Canada, the band relocated to Montreux, Switzerland to record their next studio album. During rehearsals, keyboardist Patrick Moraz left the group, which marked the return of Rick Wakeman who had left to pursue a solo career after differences surrounding Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973). In a departure from their previous albums, Going for the One, with the exception of the fifteen-minute "Awaken", features shorter and more direct songs without an overarching concept, and saw Yes record with new engineering personnel and cover artists.

<i>The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection</i> 2003 box set by Yes

The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection is a compilation album by the English progressive rock band Yes. It was originally released on 2 CDs on 28 July 2003 by Warner Music in the United Kingdom. A 3 CD edition with additional material, including new recordings from October 2003, was released in the US on 27 January 2004 by Rhino Records.

<i>Keys of the Kingdom</i> 1991 studio album by The Moody Blues

Keys of the Kingdom is the fourteenth album by the rock band The Moody Blues, released in 1991. Although some of the tracks recall the songwriting on Sur la Mer, the failure of Keys of the Kingdom to produce any major hit singles would mark the beginning of the Moodies' decline in popularity with mainstream audiences after their success in the MTV video generation.

This is a discography of the English progressive rock band Yes. Over the years they have released 23 studio albums, 18 live albums, 15 compilation albums, 41 singles, and 23 videos.

Bill Bruford's Earthworks were a British jazz band led by drummer Bill Bruford. The band recorded several albums for Editions EG, Discipline Global Mobile and Summerfold Records.

<i>Fragile</i> (Yes album) 1971 studio album by Yes

Fragile is the fourth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on 12 November 1971 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first album to feature keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who replaced Tony Kaye after the group had finished touring their breakthrough record, The Yes Album (1971).

<i>The Steve Howe Album</i> 1979 studio album by Steve Howe

The Steve Howe Album is Yes guitarist Steve Howe's second solo album. It was released in 1979. The album features Yes band members Alan White, Bill Bruford and Patrick Moraz. Also featured is Jethro Tull's former drummer Clive Bunker on percussion on Cactus Boogie. Ronnie Leahy is also featured on keyboards for two songs; he would later play with Jon Anderson on his second solo album, Song of Seven in 1980.

<i>Live at Montreux 2003</i> 2007 live album by Yes

Live at Montreux 2003 is a 2007 live album and video from the English progressive rock band Yes. It is a live recording of the group's headlining concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival on 14 July 2003. The performance was filmed and is also available on DVD/Blu-ray.

<i>Ramshackled</i> 1976 studio album by Alan White

Ramshackled is the only solo album by Alan White, drummer for British progressive rock band Yes. It was released in 1976 on Atlantic Records, during a period when all five Yes band members released solo albums. White only performed drums on the album and neither wrote nor sang any of the songs.

<i>1000 Hands: Chapter One</i> Fifteenth studio album by Jon Anderson

1000 Hands: Chapter One is the fifteenth studio album by English singer-songwriter and musician Jon Anderson, originally released in March 2019.

<i>Yes 50 Live</i> 2019 live album by Yes

Yes 50 Live is a double live album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 2 August 2019 by Rhino Records.

References

  1. "Steve Howe: How it is to be solo". International Musician. November 1975. Retrieved 22 July 2021 via Muzines.
  2. 1 2 Eder, Bruce. Beginnings at AllMusic
  3. "Dutchcharts.nl – Steve Howe – Beginnings" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  4. "Swedishcharts.com – Steve Howe – Beginnings". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  5. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  6. "Steve Howe Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  7. "British album certifications – Steve Howe – Beginnings". British Phonographic Industry.