Big Generator (song)

Last updated

"Big Generator"
Song by Yes
from the album Big Generator
Released28 September 1987 [1]
Recorded1985–1987 (exact date and location unknown)
Genre Hard rock, pop metal
Length4:33 ( Big Generator version)
3:41 ( The Ultimate Yes version)
Label Atco Records
Composer(s) Jon Anderson, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Chris Squire, Alan White
Lyricist(s) Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin
Producer(s) Yes, Trevor Horn, Trevor Rabin, Paul De Villiers

"Big Generator" is a song by Yes that appears on their 1987 album, Big Generator . The song was remixed for a radio promotional single [2] exclusively in the U.S. It appeared on every show on the Big Generator tour, but has not been performed live since. [3]

Contents

Composition

Chris Squire used a 5-string bass tuned to A on the lowest (B) string to achieve a much lower sound on the opening riff of the track. [4]

Personnel

Notes and references

  1. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 42.
  2. Yesworld Archived 3 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine Yes official website, retrieved 30 January 2007.
  3. Forgotten Yesterdays Archived 30 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Yes tour log, retrieved 30 January 2007.
  4. Yes – Big Generator (Guitar Pro) , retrieved 15 November 2022

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Buggles</span> English pop band

The Buggles are an English new wave band formed in London in 1977 by singer and bassist Trevor Horn and keyboardist Geoff Downes. They are best known for their 1979 debut single "Video Killed the Radio Star", which topped the UK singles chart and reached number one in 15 other countries and was chosen as the song to launch MTV in 1981.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Squire</span> English bassist of rock band Yes (1948–2015)

Christopher Russell Edward Squire was an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes. He was the longest-serving original member, having remained in the band until his death and appearing on every studio album released from 1969 to 2014. In 2017, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes.

XYZ were a short-lived English rock supergroup. The name XYZ is taken from "eX-Yes-Zeppelin" as the group consisted of ex-Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, along with ex-Yes members Chris Squire and Alan White (drums).

<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, at that time comprising 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.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Sherwood</span> American musician (born 1965)

William Wyman Sherwood is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer, record producer and mixing engineer. He is best known for his tenures in the English progressive rock band Yes as guitarist and keyboardist in 1994 and from 1997 to 2000 and as bassist since 2015, following the death of original bassist Chris Squire. He is also known for working with former and current Yes members on other projects.

<i>Big Generator</i> 1987 studio album by Yes

Big Generator is the twelfth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 28 September 1987 by Atco Records, their last album of new music for the label. After touring in support of their previous album, 90125 (1983), which saw the band move from progressive rock towards a pop-oriented and commercially accessible direction, Yes started work on a follow-up in 1985 with producer Trevor Horn. It was a laborious album to make; recording began at Carimate, Italy, but internal and creative differences resulted in production to resume in London, where Horn ended his time with the band due to continuing problems. The album was completed in Los Angeles in 1987 by Trevor Rabin and producer Paul DeVilliers.

The Syn are an English band that were active from 1965 to 1967, and then reunited as a progressive rock band in 2004. The band was founded by Steve Nardelli, Chris Squire, Andrew Pryce Jackman, Martyn Adelman and John Painter. Chris Welch, in his book, Close to the Edge: The Story of Yes wrote, "The Syn were very similar to Yes in fact. It was very much a precursor of Yes."

<i>Talk</i> (Yes album) 1994 studio album by Yes

Talk is the fourteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes. It was released on 21 March 1994 by Victory Music, and is their last studio album to feature guitarist Trevor Rabin and keyboardist Tony Kaye.

<i>Highlights: The Very Best of Yes</i> 1993 compilation album by Yes

Highlights: The Very Best of Yes is the fourth compilation album by English progressive rock band Yes, released in September 1993 on Atlantic Records. It contains 12 tracks that span most of the group's history, from their debut album Yes (1969) to Big Generator (1987). The set reached gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling 500,000 copies in the US.

"Shoot High Aim Low" is a song by Yes. It appears on the band's 1987 album, Big Generator. The song reached position #11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the 1980s. It appeared on every show on the Big Generator tour, but nowhere else to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leave It</span> 1984 single by Yes

"Leave It" is a song by English rock band Yes. It appears on their 1983 album, 90125, and released as its second single, following "Owner of a Lonely Heart".

"The Solution" is a song by Yes. It appeared as the closing track of the 1997 album Open Your Eyes. The song itself was never played live, but the closing ambient section opened every show of the album's tour, followed by a tape recording of "Firebird Suite" by Igor Stravinsky. It did not see a single issue.

"Heart of the Sunrise" is a progressive rock song by British band Yes. It is the closing track on their fourth album, 1971's Fragile. The compositional credits go to Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, and Bill Bruford, though keyboardist Rick Wakeman contributed some uncredited sections.

<i>9012Live</i> (video) 1985 live video album by Yes

9012Live is a 1985 concert film featuring the English rock band Yes, recorded at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on 28 and 29 September 1984 on the band's tour in support of their eleventh studio album, 90125 (1983). The film features a line-up of singer Jon Anderson, guitarist Trevor Rabin, keyboardist Tony Kaye, bassist Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White. In addition to the concert performance, the film includes special effects by Charlex and a colourised version of the short film Young Man's Fancy (1952), produced by Edison Electric.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Will Find a Way (Yes song)</span> 1987 single by Yes

"Love Will Find a Way" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes, from their 1987 album Big Generator. It was released as the first single from that album, reaching number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late 1987. It also topped the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart, holding onto the number one spot for three weeks.

<i>A Life Within a Day</i> 2012 studio album by Squackett

A Life Within a Day is the only studio album by the musical project Squackett, featuring English musicians Chris Squire (Yes) and Steve Hackett (ex-Genesis). It was released on 28 May 2012, although it had been written and recorded a few years earlier. The title track, "A Life Within a Day" won the 'Anthem' award at the 2012 Progressive Music Awards. The song "Aliens" was first written as a Yes song titled "Aliens " which was performed during the first leg of Yes's In the Present world tour, but had never been released on an album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Pomeroy</span> English musician

Lee Pomeroy is an English musician, best known for performing bass guitar and backing vocals with several artists, including Jeff Lynne's ELO, It Bites, Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman, Take That, Steve Hackett and Chris Braide. He has also worked with Take That's Gary Barlow as a solo artist. Pomeroy is a member of Rick Wakeman's English Rock Ensemble and the progressive metal band Headspace, founded by Wakeman's son Adam and Damian Wilson.