Jon Anderson - Independent Stateside (2023)

MAJESTIC 1982 BROADCAST RECORDING FROM THE EX\-YES FRONTMAN\nIn 1975, Yes took an extended break in order that each member could release a solo\-studio album. Jon Anderson chose to create a concept album, Olias of Sunhillow, about an alien race of four tribes and their journey to a new planet.\nBetween 1976 and 1979, Anderson recorded Going for the One and Tormato with Yes and completed their supporting tours. In February 1979, he reconvened with Vangelis to start recording as Jon and Vangelis. Their first album, Short Stories, was recorded in a matter of weeks with minimal preconceived ideas Released in January 1980, Short Stories went to number 4 in the UK.\nIn October 1979, Anderson travelled to Paris to record a new Yes album with producer Roy Thomas Baker. Progress staggered early into the sessions following disputes over the band\x27s musical direction; material prepared by Anderson and Rick Wakeman was not met with enthusiasm by their bandmates, who started to put down tracks without them that was released on Drama. \x26#34;Very quickly\x26#34;, recalled Anderson, \x26#34;the mood changed from enthusiasm to frustration and then complete confusion\x26#34;. Matters failed to improve when they reconvened in February 1980, and Anderson and Wakeman left in the following month.\nAnderson spent much of 1980 recording a collection of songs for Song of Seven with a group of musicians he named the New Life Band, which Atlantic agreed to release. When it was put out in November, it reached number 38 in the UK Anderson completed his first solo tour with the band, performing a mix of solo and Yes material in Germany and England.\nIn 1981, he released his second album with Vangelis, The Friends of Mr Cairo. The album produced two singles, ‘I\x27ll Find My Way Home’ and ‘State of Independence’. In 1982, Jon Anderson released Animation, his third solo\-effort. The album was promoted with a world tour on which Anderson performed songs from the album as well as several Yes classics, mostly in medley form.\nOne of the tour’s most cherished dates was played on the 6th August ’82 at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey, which was recorded for live FM radio broadcast and transmitted along the East Coast. A quite stunning performance by Jon and his band, this new release contains the entire event and is certain to become a top\-drawer collectable for fans of the great man.