When I first started listening to YES in the 70’s I was very young and really didn’t have a clue who Steve Howe was or what instrument he played or what great music his influence would inspire, not only for YES, but for the emerging Prog Rock segment of the Pop/Rock industry. All I really knew was that I really loved the music YES made.

It wasn’t until the early eighties when I was in college that I re-discovered YES and wanted to know who was behind the music. I found the answer pretty quickly; Steve Howe was this Genius. Not to demean the efforts of Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Alan White, etc…, as they were all virtuosos in their own rights, but somehow I just couldn’t get the catchy riffs, moving rhythms, innovative and daring solos and great melodies out of my mind and Steve Howe was the key to this almost magical sound.

The songs they made were more like modern classical compositions than standard pop or rock (any song on “Tales From Topographic Oceans” will illustrate this) as they incorporated fragments of blues, bluegrass and rockabilly, classical, jazz and many other forms spliced together to make it all one cohesive performance. I still can’t understand how a band can compose such complex and different songs and be able to make them appeal to so many people.

Steve Howe particularly amazes me when I see him play, whether it’s a lute, classical acoustic, and electric, pedal steel or whatever type of guitar he uses, his technical skill looks and sounds both so fluent and melodic that he makes it seem easy and simple. I have tried to cop some of his licks and songs and believe me they are anything but easy (of course, I’m just this side of lousy on a guitar talent wise), but still I putz around all the time and most of his music is a challenge to say the least.

I saw YES on a reunion tour about 5 or 6 years ago and then later that year I saw Steve Howe’s one man show. I was so blown away. I already had “Not Necessarily Acoustic” so I kind of new the material he would cover, but even so, my expectations were exceeded by many times. It helped that it was a small auditorium and it was a very intimate concert in which Steve interacted with the audience quite alot. Truly a fantastic show I will never forget.

I have to attach a video from one of YES’ live shows that I found on youtube, but it is such a great little solo performance by Mr. Howe I can’t resist linking to it here-enjoy:

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