1991 Yes – Union
Union is the thirteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on 30 April 1991 by Arista Records. Production began in 1990 following the amalgamation of two bands featuring current and previous members of Yes at the time: Yes, formed of Chris Squire, Trevor Rabin, Tony Kaye, and Alan White; and Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH), formed of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, and Bill Bruford. The album is a collection of tracks written by each group separately; the eight members do not all play together. Production was met with differences from the beginning, including the merger of ABWH and Yes, the group’s internal relations, and Anderson and producer Jonathan Elias’s decision to have session musicians play parts already put down by Wakeman and Howe.
On 2 July 1991, Union was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of 500,000 copies.
In 1992, “Masquerade” received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Howe described the nomination for his track as “pure justice”, following the difficulties in making the album.
Yes released three singles from Union in 1991. “Lift Me Up” was the lead single, released in April 1991. It became one of the band’s most successful singles, spending six weeks at number one from its third week on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, later known as the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It was number one from the week of 4 May to 8 June 1991. It reached a peak of eighty-six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The second single, “Saving My Heart”, released in July 1991, reached a high of number nine on the Album Rock Tracks chart a month later. “I Would Have Waited Forever” was the final single released.
Tracks
1 I Would Have Waited Forever (Jon Anderson; Steve Howe; Jonathan Elias) 06:33
2 Shock to the System (Jon Anderson; Steve Howe; Jonathan Elias) 05:08
3 Masquerade (Steve Howe) 02:17
4 Lift Me Up (Trevor Rabin; Chris Squire) 06:29
5 Without Hope You Cannot Start the Day (Jon Anderson; Jonathan Elias) 05:18
6 Saving My Heart (Trevor Rabin) 04:41
7 Miracle of Life (Trevor Rabin; Mark Mancina) 07:29
8 Silent Talking (Jon Anderson; Steve Howe; Rick Wakeman; Bill Bruford; Jonathan Elias) 04:00
9 More We Live/Let Go (Chris Squire; Billy Sherwood) 04:53
10 Angkor Wat (Jon Anderson; Rick Wakeman; Jonathan Elias) 05:23
11 Dangerous (Look in the Light of What You’re Searching For) (Jon Anderson; Jonathan Elias) 03:38
12 Holding On (Jon Anderson; Jonathan Elias; Steve Howe) 05:24
13 Evensong (Tony Levin; Bill Bruford) 00:51
14 Take the Water to the Mountain (Jon Anderson) 03:11
15 Give & Take (Jonathan Elias; Steve Howe; Jon Anderson) 04:29
The Band
Bass | Chris Squire |
Drums | Bill Bruford |
Drums | Alan White |
Guitar | Steve Howe |
Guitar | Trevor Rabin |
Keyboards | Tony Kaye |
Keyboards | Rick Wakeman |
Background Vocals | Steve Howe |
Background Vocals | Chris Squire |
Background Vocals | Alan White |
Background Vocals | Tony Kaye |
Vocals | Jon Anderson |
Vocals | Trevor Rabin |
Other Musicians
Bass | Tony Levin |
Bass | Billy Sherwood |
Chapman Stick | Tony Levin |
Guitar | Jimmy Haun |
Guitar | Billy Sherwood |
Keyboards | Jonathan Elias |
Keyboards | Billy Sherwood |
Synthesizer | Steve Porcaro |
Synthesizer | Jonathan Elias |
Synthesizer | Gary Barlough |
Synthesizer | Jerry Bennett |
Synthesizer | Sherman Foote |
Synthesizer | Brian Foraker |
Synthesizer | Chris Fosdick |
Synthesizer | Rory Kaplan |
Synthesizer | Alex Lasarenko |
Percussion | Allan Schwartzberg |
Background Vocals | Gary Falcone |
Background Vocals | Jonathan Elias |
Background Vocals | Deborah Leigh Anderson |
Background Vocals | Ian Lloyd |
Background Vocals | Tommy Funderburk |
Background Vocals | Michael Sherwood |
Background Vocals | Danny Vaughn |
Liner Notes
Producer – Steve Howe (Track 3)
Producer – Trevor Rabin (Tracks 4, 6, 7)
Producer – Eddy Offord, Mark Mancina (Track 7)
Producer – Eddy Offord (Track 9)
Co-producer – Billy Sherwood (Track 9)
Producer (Associate) – Jon Anderson (Tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Engineer – Brian Foraker (Tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Engineer – Steve Howe(Track 3)
Engineer – Trevor Rabin (Tracks 4, 6, 7)
Engineer – Eddy Offord, Stan Katayama (Track 7)
Engineer – Billy Sherwood, Eddy Offord (Track 9)
Engineer (Additional) – Buzz Burrowes, Chris Fosdick (Tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Engineer (Assistant) – Buzz Burrowes, Lolly Grodner, Matt Gruber, Michael Sweet, Paul Berry, Renny Hill, Richard Edwards, Sophie Masson, Steve Wellner (Tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
Engineer (Assistant) – Steve Harrison (Tracks 4, 7)
Mastered By – Greg Calbi
Mixed By – Brian Foraker (Tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Mixed By – Eddy Offord (Track 9)
Art Direction – Carolyn Quan
Design, Painting – Roger Dean
Graphics – Kai Krause, Roger Dean
Mastered At Sterling Sound
Mixed At Right Track Recording
Mixed At Power Station
Mixed At Vision Sound Studios
Mixed At One On One Studios
Mixed At The Grey Room
Mixed At Soundcastle
Mixed At Can-Am Recorders
Mixed At Westlake Studios
Mixed At Cherokee Studios
Recorded At Studio Miraval
Recorded At Studio Guillaume Tell
Recorded At SARM West Studios
Recorded At Record Plant, Los Angeles
Recorded At Vision Sound Studios
Recorded At Platinum Island Studios
Recorded At The Jacaranda Room
Recorded At Langley Studios, UK
Recorded At Cherokee Studios
Produced At SARM West Studios
Phonographic Copyright Arista Records Inc
Copyright Arista Records Inc
Jan Lücker on Facebook
October 30, 2016 @ 15:00
I have no clue on what track Steve is playing on this epic album.
Erik Teeselink on Facebook
October 31, 2016 @ 18:40
That is an EPIC album indeed !!!!!