In the Yesyears-Video/DVD-Biography Rick Wakeman has the vision of a Yes even after the original members will have quit making music. Well, which musicians could carry on the Yes-Spirit? Billy Sherwood for sure is one, who is able to do so. He already did a great job as an Yes-member from 97 to 2000. And I hope, he will return to Yes some day.

Billys work on the underrated Open Your Eyes is marvellous, as a guitar-player and on the keyboards. Even on The Ladder, his second Yes-album, he has his merits, as a creative composer as well as background-singer. And he used the little space on guitar, he got from Steve Howe, made the best out of it.

Like Trevor Rabin in 82, Billy Sherwood was chosen by Wizzard Chris Squire in 97 to be a Yes-whizz-kid. After a longtime friendship and work in Chris Squires band, CS-Experience. Chris knows/feels, who can be a Yes-Cat, and Billy for sure is one. He is as passionate as every good Yes-musician, an inventive/creative guitar-player, a joy on the keyboards and probably a good-bass-player too. But it's not just virtuosity, Sherwood is a great Producer (Keys To Ascension), Arranger and Composer as well.

He prooved some of this, when he was in Yes, and convinced even more on his two fantastic solo-albums, The Big Peace (1999) and No Comment (2003) and of course on the two Conspiracy albums with Chris. Billy has this YesSense for alchemistic mixtures of technology and natural sounds, for surprising bridges and the interplay of those intricate, but cliche-free beautiful and exotic melodies and rhythms.

Think, it was a failure though to integrate Billy as a guitar player. There is no space left besides a Steve Howe. I always thought, he could be an option for the Yes-keyboards. His style is modern, urban, futuristic, but warm and natural too. He is not a king of solos, more of a creative team-player. But he knows how to ornament a sound-picture.

What do you all think about Billy Sherwood?

Greetings

Peter

Peter, I remember that Sherwood was vastly under-rated and unappreciated on all the Yes websites I was visiting at the time. Most wanted him gone.

Then I had 5th row for The Ladder tour, right in front of Sherwood, and it was a beautiful mix.

I left that gig with a huge impression of Billy, listening to marvelous fill-work all evening long. It was understated and kept low in the mix, probably so as not to damage any egos, but awesome and thoughtful.

He is both talented, and pretty cool, in my book.

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"Just below the surface of our everyday world lie riches." - R. Fripp

I experienced excactly the same during my shows of the Open Your Eyes and The Ladder tours. And his background-singing was so good. Steve Howe easily could have given him more space without losing his reputation. But maybe Steve was anxious, that Billy could develop into another Trevor Rabin.

Greetings

Peter

I liked Billy in the band. He is perfect since he's so musically talented. He can play guitar, keys, bass and is a great singer. What a job he did on Cinema on The Ladder tour. When he had his time to shine he shone every night. I'd like to see him back in the band alongside Steve.

I liked Billy in the band. He is perfect since he's so musically talented. He can play guitar, keys, bass and is a great singer. What a job he did on Cinema on The Ladder tour. When he had his time to shine he shone every night. I'd like to see him back in the band alongside Steve.

I wouldn't min if Billy was added to the line up again, personally....I don't think Mr. Howe agrees though, unfortunately...It would open up all kinds of song possibilities in the live set....I would love to hear Homeworld return to the stage & Billy plays the Rabin stuff very well also....

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"Control yourself, or you'll spurt!" ~ John Lennon in A Hard Day's Night


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I agree with you for the most part. As a guitarist, Billy was about as good as Steve Howe is a singer. As a writer/arranger/producer I think he made some worthy contributions. In a live Yes setting, I think he was best suited for the utility role he played on the Talk tour. Having that extra vocal certainly helped, as Steve Howes vocal contributions are just this side of worthless. But since its damn near impossible to make money off of a record anymore, why bother having someone take an extra slice out of the pie on the stuff you ARE getting paid for....especially considering the projects they undertook after his departure? Rick Wakeman coming back virtually guarantees that there won't be anymore slices of the pie given out. Until Yes proves me wrong, (which would please me), I think it was more of a business decision than an artistic one. Maybe they will throw Billy a bone someday and toss a little money at him to produce a record for them if they are ever sufficiently motivated to make one again. If Billy is smart, he will get paid upfront for his troubles.

KMCc:)

Billy Sherwood was definitely a first-rate backing vocalist and vocally better than Chris, that's for sure. I miss that part of his presence.

But as for the guitar playing, it was the guitar equivalent of Tony Kaye. His faked Rabin solos were a little embarassing at times.

Chris has proven several times he had a nose for talent....He was the one that phoned Rick and invited him to a rehearsal, He brought Trevor Rabin to the band and indeed Billy Sherwood.

I think Billy did a tremendous job within Yes. He produced KTA 2, was heavily involved in OYE, witch all though is not my favorite album still has a couple of excellent tracks on it, and it certainly was refreshing to see someone within an very much ego driven band, who was willing to take a back seat and play an (underated) role in the background.

The line-up with him and Igor certainly did a tremendous job live and I think they brought back a lot of fans to the fold who had lost sight of Yes over the Years. They did the most exstensive touring any line-up ever did with a total of 229 shows (147 on the OYE tour (most shows Yes ever did on a tour) and 82 on the "the Ladder" tour) within a time span of 2 1/2 years.

It's a shame that some bandmembers let their ego get in the way of things (I'm certain that this is why Billy had to go) and Igor couldn't keep his hands to himself, because as far as I'm concerned this line-up would have had lots of interesting stuff to over when it comes to creating new music, something that has sadly been missing with the reunion of the classic line-up.....

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"The epitome of creativity is the state of dynamic tension between extreme forces in opposition". Not only the state of dynamic tension, but also the state of dynamic balance." - Patrick Moraz

Judging from Billy's Solo-albums like The Big Peace, which I again highly reccomend, he could have taken Yes to territories of the unknown. This album, TBP, is a great blueprint for a Yes in the 21st century. The soundscape is really adventureous.

But maybe Billy will rejoin Yes some day. Chris might be interested in that. And this guy is one talented keyboard-player.

And yes, it is sad, that 2002 till 2004 were kind of wasted years. Well, let's be happy, that they are around at all. But they could have used that time much more better. Rick just wasn't the kick - Billy Sherwood would. (tiny little poem here).


Greetings
Peter

Peter...making word jokes here??... ....and did I really write "to over" instead of "to offer"?....Darn, the batteries in my translation mode must have been low....LOL

But other then that, you and I agree, execept maybe for the fact that I doubt if Billy will ever return, but I do hope we'll hear lots of music from him and Chris as Conspiracy, they work very well as a team and "the Unknown" is a great album....

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"The epitome of creativity is the state of dynamic tension between extreme forces in opposition". Not only the state of dynamic tension, but also the state of dynamic balance." - Patrick Moraz