The Styrous® Viewfinder: Yes

Well, here I go, posting another entry about a reel-to-reel tape (see: 101 Reel-to-Reel Tapes 1: The Beatles ~ Revolver ). The Yes, reel-to-reel tape was sold on eBay (see link below for others). Interested? Contact me by email but please, not through a comment.

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Ok, it was early in 1974 and I was still recovering from a disastrous love affair from the year before (see: 20,000 Vinyl LPs 15: The Family Dogg & Sixto Rodriguez). I was at a party and was quickly on my way to my fourth and penultimate trip. At that time I was VERY into progressive rock (still am but not nearly as much as then). Almost everyone was into it back then; you got loaded and tripped out on prog rock. Great fun, most of the time.

(click on any image to see larger size)

Tales from Topographic Oceans
album cover design and illustration by Roger Dean

photo of reel-to-reel tape box by Styrous®

Someone plopped a record on and I sailed away onto Topographic Oceans. It was the Yes album, Tales from Topographic Oceans. I'll never forget that experience. It was quite something. Naturally, I eventually bought the album but it was the reel-to-reel tape version. I later bought the record album just so I could have the full-size graphics.

Some background info on the album:

In March of 1973, while in Japan to promote, Close to the Edge, Jon Anderson discovered, "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda which describes four Shastric scriptures (Shruti, Smriti, Puranas and Tantras) that cover religion, art, social life, medicine, music and architecture. Anderson was introduced to Yogananda's work that month at the wedding reception of former Yes drummer Bill Bruford by Jamie Muir, then the percussionist for King Crimson.

Anderson was originally going to name the album "Tales From Tobographic Oceans", claiming he had invented the word "tobographic" that was based on one of Fred Hoyle's theories of space.

photo by Styrous®

Jon Anderson - lead vocals, timpani, harp, tambourine
Steve Howe - guitars, timpani, vocals
Chris Squire - bass guitar, timpani, vocals
Rick Wakeman - Minimoog synthesiser, Mellotron, Hammond organ, pipe organ, RMI Electra Piano, grand piano
Alan White - drums, percussion

All lyrics written by Jon Anderson & Steve Howe, all music composed by Anderson/Howe/Squire/Wakeman/White.

photo by Styrous®

Tracks on the tape:
Tape Side 1
Track 1: "The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)"       20:25
Track 2: "The Remembering (High the Memory)"       20:38
Tape Side 2
Track 1: "The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)"       18:35
Track 2: "Ritual (Nous Sommes Du Soleil)"       21:37

Tracks on the LP:
LP 1
Side 1: "The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)"       20:25
Side 2: "The Remembering (High the Memory)"       20:38
LP 2
Side 1: "The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)"       18:35
Side 2: "Ritual (Nous Sommes Du Soleil)"       21:37

photo by Styrous®

What a great time in music history it was.

Yes ~ Tales from Topographic Oceans, reel-to-reel tape on eBay

other reel-to-reel tapes on eBay

Styrous® ~ January 17, 2013

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I started the Vinyl LP series because I have over 20,000 albums I am selling; I also have pre-recorded, reel-to-reel tapes (see link below). Each blog entry is about an album from my collection. Contact Styrous® for more information.