Show #67: Steve Howe

April 30th, 2006

Steve Howe is the venerable guitarist best known for his work with Yes. He will be performing tonight at Shank Hall in Milwaukee so he gets the nod this week.

Before joining Yes, Howe spent the mid through late 1960s in a variety of bands. He started with The Syndicats in 1964. Four years later he recorded albums as a memeber of the psychedelic rock bands Tomorrow and Bodast. In early 1970 he replaced Peter Banks in Yes and brought with him his unique guitar sound which was greatly influenced by country legend, Chet Atkins. A couple years later, Howe would become probably the first and only progressive rock guitarist to use pedal steel. In 1975, the members of the band took a break from the grind of Yes and did solo albums. Howe’s first solo album was Beginnings. Four years later, the fate of the group was in doubt after singer Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman left. The Steve Howe Album was released at this time. Yes continued with Trevor Horn taking over vocal chores and Geoff Downes on keys. After an album and a tour, Yes disbanded in the spring of 1981. Howe reemerged a year later in the progressive rock “supergroup” Asia along with John Wetton (ex-King Crimson & UK), Carl Palmer (ELP), and Geoff Downes. His stint in Asia lasted a couple years. He then hooked up with former Genesis guitarist, Steve Hackett, in GTR. The band found great success and headed into the studio for a second album when the group fell apart.

In 1989, he reunited with Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, and Bill Bruford – a virtual reunion of the 1970-73 line-up of Yes. A massive “reunion” of Yes occurred in 1991 for one album and tour before Howe again went off on his own. Also in 1991, Howe released Turbulence, his first solo effort since 1979. He pursued his solo career until 1996 when he once again rejoined the band. And for the past ten years, Howe has been a part of Yes as well releasing solo albums.

Today’s show was recorded on 7 June 1995 in support of his Not Necessarily Acoustic. The performance was recorded in London at Union Chapel Hall.

Setlist:

Mood For A Day
Corkscrew
Beginnings
Heritage
Georgia’s Theme
Galliard
Classical Gas
Vultures In The City
Running The Human Race
Soon
Ram
Valley Of Rocks
Clap

(Pic from MHz.)

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Steve Howe

Related posts:

1. Show #25: Steve Hackett Acostic Trio
2. Show #48: Yes – We Have Heaven
3. Wakeman Comes to the Pabst
4. Show #66: Mayhem Symphony (Kansas)
5. In Class With Steve Earle