about igor
 

i have never been sure about igor. i think he's got some chops, but sometimes his playing doesn't come off so well. live, i thought he rocked. he could play the classic stuff. some of his contributions to the band's original music didn't seem up to his full potential. maybe that isn't all his fault, maybe the band didn't give him a lot of breathing room.

I think what you say about the band giving him breathing room is probably right. But I did really enjoy his moment with Jon on "Awaken," on the House of Yes DVD.

Thumbs up for Igor!
 

Igor might be a strange guy, but I still would prefer him to Rick Wakeman. Well, he always appeared a little bit like a wakey-follower, but he enhanced that style. I reccommend a listen to the universal-show from the 97 tour. Igors playing is rich, colourful, sometimes like a fountain of fresh sounds. And I think, he excactly knew, how to deal with Yes-Music, how to stick to the originals, but to give them new dimensions. His playing on The Ladder is something good too. Yesish but with a lot of new ideas and facettes, like on Face to Face or New Language.

And this was just the first album he really did. I bet, he would have developed. I was not happy, when he left/had to go. The reasons? Well, there are quotes and rumours, that he behaved really unpolite and arrogant. But at that time I thought, he was sacrificed for a return of Rick, at least in the long run.

Greetings

peter

Re: Thumbs up for Igor!
 

Odd, that. It could be argued that he should've fit right in with the rest of our guys! ;)

Just a little razzing. Please tell the angry, torch-weilding villagers to stand down. I've removed the bolts from my neck.

Re: about igor
 

so many keys dudes-so little time, aye??
i didnt mind igor-i love the ladder-a LOT..
so-howe didja get those bolts out of yer neck again bcs?? lol!
igor might have done a great job IF he had been around longer..
i always wonder howe much of the 'differences' were caused by the age gap..
wonder that about brislin, as well.
what IS igor doing now-anyone know??

Re: about igor
 

I honestly couldn't wait for True You True Me to come out. I think its a shame that it never will, I thought the prospect of Igor and Jon together would have been wonderful.

Dee

Re: about igor
 

Yuppers,very dissapointing True You,True Me got dumped or misplaced!?

Re: Thumbs up for Igor!
 

It wasn't rumor. He was charged with assault of a female security guard at a concert. That's more than just unpolite. It's true that he's a playful guy, but a pretty immature one by most accounts. I met him twice and there was an undercurrent of being awfully in love with himself. At the meet and greet in Milwaukee, when he walked into the room nobody really paid much attention as they were talking to Jon, Billy, Alan and Chris mostly. As I turned to walk toward him, he spread his arms out looked around the room and said in a thick Russian accent, "Where is everyone? I am rock star!"

That, I think, would qualify as arrogant. I just don't think the fit was there and he was more of a distraction than a real addition at the end of the day. I don't think there was any nefarious plot to oust him in preparation for Rick's return. That came two years afterward. Before he died, Bruce Fairburn talked about Igor being a very good keyboard player and that he used mostly all live keyboard takes on The Ladder. Igor has said he wasn't real happy about that and would have preferred more studio and writing time, but Fairburn liked the presence of his live takes better. The True You True Me project would have been nice, but I think it's pretty clear Igor's relationship with Yes in general and certain band members in particular was soured and over. Too bad, really, because I enjoyed his playing very much. He is one helluva good keyboard man.

Re: about igor
 

Igor is teh rulllzzz LOOOOLLZZZ

Okay but seriously now, The Ladder wouldn't be as good without Igor. Wakey would make that album over the top with his blasting keyboard sounds that would sometimes explode on top of Chris's bass.

Re: about igor
 

IMHO, Igor certainly had chops, although his playing did show alot of immaturity. This was to be expected for his age. He did impress me most of the time at the shows I saw him play. I think over the long term of tenure in the band, that there were just too many instances of poor judgement on his part, of a personal nature. The famous security guard incident was just the tip of the iceburg. That type of situation had been an ongoing one. I have it from very credible sources, that on many occasions, at parties, ect. here in the LA area that he was asked to leave or not even allowed to enter many events. All due to his, well overly friendly nature (being nice here). His reputation certainly preceded him, and the old foggies of Yes, just couldn't get over it all. Apparently this type of behavior had been discussed with him on several occasions, but to no avail. Jon was his biggest backer, but Steve was the main catylst for his departure. Although, they all have their moments, I think the age issue was just too much to get over though. Igor will more than likely learn someday, but not likely soon enough to ever join the Yes camp again. Sad, because he's one of the more talented players they've had over the years. But in most cases, talent doesn't outway the fact that you act like an a*shole............

Re: about igor
 

Smatt,
I'm not sure that I follow you on the comment that Igor's keyboard playing was immature. How? Could you explain that a little more? On Homeworld just past 6 minutes into the piece, his keys do sound a little "hair-band-like" LOL, but on the whole, I think his live work was rather refreshing.

Re: about igor
 

" a whack alcoholic"

Re: about igor
 

Igor was incredible. When I think about the music he took on from the band's past, and his contributions on The Ladder and The Masterworks tour, it breaks my heart that he was kind of brushed to the side for Wakeman. In sports anyway, a veteran sometimes has to vie for his job in training camp against a rookie, and they sometimes lose out. I love Wakeman, but imho he's probably 4th place on the Yes KB roster after Igor, Geoff and Pat. He was there in the heyday, but doesn't really have anything fresh or exciting to bring to the table these days. Heck, Downes and Moraz probably don't either. Igor is fresh, exciting. A stunning player, and willing to tap into ANY part of the catalog with zest. We really lost out folks. (RW is 1st place for personality though. One of my favorite CD's is his one on one show on XM radio. I could listen to him tell stories all night.). Going through a little obnoxious drunk period was not enough of a reason to let Igor go. Happens to us all at some point. Some current members included. I sure hope he and Jon someday resurrect their project together. Would have been awesome.

Re: Thumbs up for Igor!
 

Yes, I heard various tittle tatle type rumours that he'd been arrested at an airport for misbehaving etc - BUt, I can only speak as I found him...and on the OPen Your Eyes Tour - some friends and I met igor, Chris and Alan in their hotel after the gig - and he was (or seemed) like a Yes Fan who had been given his dream job...to play in the band...he was quite a drinker - but hey who in rock n roll isn't or hasn't been at some stage (and being half as young - and then some as the rest of the band) - he was fun - amiable and paid for his round when it was his turn - he was open to criticism and discussion about yes etc...and basically seemed like a OK person - more friendly than 'some' of the band anyways.


By the way does anyone know what happened to the planned CD release Igor & Jon had done together ??? - it was all set to come out - then disappeared in the ethers somewhere !......I for one was loooking forward to hearing that.

Koko.

Re: Thumbs up for Igor!
 

Well, Koko, from what I know, after the whole thing with Igor and Yes, Jon doesn't want the album to be released ever, at least he has said so in several interviews....

Re: about igor
 

Ditto!! I never read this before, but great post!

Re: about igor
 

Igor and I share a birthdate. He is just a little younger! :cool:

I never met him, but thought he was as good as any person that attempted to play keyboards for Yes. I think, with everything that I have read, that the guys in the band prefer Wakeman, and anyone else is just a replacement!

Hmmm, but wasn't Wakeman a replacement for Tony Kaye? ;)

Re: about igor
 

Tony was just keeping the chair warm for Wakeman..........

KMCc:)
www.kurtmichaels.com