THE FIGHT CLUB: Yes vs.Pink Floyd

[bluefox4000]

in the end it all really comes down to Echoes.

 

Floyd wrote it......Yes didn't

 

Ballgame, lol

 

Mick

[HemiBeers]

I think the difference was that Floyd was always about the concept or the story of their song with less focus on laying down off the charts chops. Whereas Yes was more about musical experimentation and less about trying to tell a (coherent) story. You can throw Yes lyrics out the window...they're total acid trips that make little sense to a mind not under influence. Based on the music that I've heard both bands play, I can fairly say that in comparing the musical chops of both bands, every Yes member has shown better chops than their Floyd counterparts. I'm not saying Floyd sucks...but musically they just don't venture outside the box as much as Yes.

 

In the end, the question is highly subjective, so to each his own. But I tend to listen more to the musical composition rather than the singer or lyrics.

 

Flame away I don't care.

[Digital Dad]

Piper>Yes

Saucerful>Time and A Word

The Yes Album> More

Fragile=Ummagumma

CTTE>Atom Heart Mother

Meddle>>>>Tales

Obscured By Clouds>Relayer

Dark Side of the Moon=GFTO

WYWH>>>>>Tormato

Animals >Drama. This is the closest to call Animals is simply fecking brilliant

The Wall>90125. Again barely

The Final Cut > Big Generator

After that its a wash.

 

 

 

[djflex]

in the end it all really comes down to Echoes.

 

Floyd wrote it......Yes didn't

 

Ballgame, lol

 

Mick

 

 

Lol, legit post

 

 

One thing i will say is to me listening to floyd makes me stop and think about the song every time i listen to them. Not sure if that makes sense or not

[bluefox4000]

ohhh comparisons. bold indicates which i prefer

 

Piper at the Gates of Dawn vs. Yes

A Saucerful of Secrets vs. Time and a Word

More vs. The Yes Album.

Ummagumma = Fragile

Atom Heart Mother vs. Close to the Edge

Meddle vs. Tales

Obscured by Clouds Vs. Relayer

Dark Side of the Moon vs. Going for the One

Wish you Were Here vs. Tormato

Animals vs. Drama

The Wall vs. 90125

The Final Cut Vs. Big Generator.

 

Mick

[goose]

I like Yes but in actuality I find I listen to Floyd way more often. I connect more with their music.

Me too.

[goose]

in the end it all really comes down to Echoes.

 

Floyd wrote it......Yes didn't

 

Ballgame, lol

 

Mick

 

 

Lol, legit post

 

 

One thing i will say is to me listening to floyd makes me stop and think about the song every time i listen to them. Not sure if that makes sense or not

It does.

[geezer]

I can't really decide: it would be Yes for the musicians and Floyd for the feelings.

I'm gonna toss a coin.

[cygnify]

In their respective primes, very tough question. Both bands are in my personal top 5. Yes had more technical musicianship, but applied very tastefully - Floyd had much less technical musicianship, but applied very tastefully. Both produced epics and lots of beautiful music.

 

However, looking at their later careers and how they both tailed-off, I would say Yes did alot more to damage their memory. I like the Rabin stuff - perhaps about the same as Gilmour-led Floyd (or "Pink Fraud" as some might call them), but Yes really degraded themselves with some of their post-prime output. Some real stinkers there!

 

I think I'll go listen to King Crimson!

Edited December 23, 2015 by cygnify

[custom55]

Tough one for me but I'm going with YES.

 

Jon Anderson's vocals are something special.

 

I was at this show at MSG in 2004 and shed a tear when the crowd stopped YES in its tracks with applause ( around 2:50). What a powerful concert moment for me.

 

Edited December 24, 2015 by custom55

[Entre_Perpetuo]

My dad says Pink Floyd. I can't decide. Both amazing bands, but it's like apples and oranges for me.

[Digital Dad]

My dad says Pink Floyd. I can't decide. Both amazing bands, but it's like apples and oranges for me.

 

Funny you should mention

 

[HemiBeers]

My dad says Pink Floyd. I can't decide. Both amazing bands, but it's like apples and oranges for me.

 

Funny you should mention

 

http://youtu.be/w4aAgFnZgQ0

Wow that was a trainwreck.

[ReRushed]

By the way, regarding an actual physical altercation between these two bands I think the members of Pink Floyd would wipe the floor with the members of Yes, Bill Bruford being the exception.

[Segue Myles]

I am going to probably get the annoying fanboys telling me I am wrong and I need to change my mind, but Pink Floyd are just a lot of pretty noises and boring songs to me.

 

Yes are absolutely fantastic. Sure, they have passed their sell by date and I agree with many that Yes were only really Yes up until, say, 1979, and after that it's hit and miss until you reach Union, when I just give up.

 

Pink Floyd- 0

 

Yes- 10

[bathory]

By the way, regarding an actual physical altercation between these two bands I think the members of Pink Floyd would wipe the floor with the members of Yes, Bill Bruford being the exception.

 

I wouldn't be so sure. it's kinda hard to win a fight when you're so depressed over being a millionaire rockstar... I think the positive attitude of yes would give them the edge

[Lucas]

YES is another band that hit me right off the bat - I loved them the first time I heard Roundabout, and the more I heard, the more I liked ...

 

So much love ( justifiable ) is given to the musicianship with Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Bruford and White being so accomplished - both in chops and writing ..

 

Jon Anderson is sometimes overlooked as a vocalist - he did amazing and unique things, and he was able to be the voice of all that great musicianship ..

 

The YESSONGS VHS was the first videotape we ever bought, and my Dad and I completely found common ground and bonded over that amazing concert ... Great memories, and it was the positive vibe YES gave off that was so magnetic

 

Pink Floyd were just dour and unpleasant ... No bond whatsoever

 

 

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Edited December 25, 2015 by Lucas

[cygnify]

A few more thoughts: When you look at the individuals on paper, in terms of their technical proficiency on their instrument (which does not necessarily make a band better), it appears to be Yes by a mile (IMHO):

 

Chris Squire on bass >>>>>> Roger Waters on bass

Bill Bruford on drums >>>>>>>>>>> Nick Mason on drums

Alan White on drums >>> Nick Mason on drums

Rick Wakeman on keys >>>>>> Richard Wright on keys

Steve Howe on guitar >> David Gilmour on guitar (I know some may disagree, but looking at the diversity in Howe's playing, including classical acoustic pieces, he is a more complete player.)

Jon Anderson's vocals >>>>>>>> Roger Waters' vocals

Jon Anderson's vocals > David Gilmour's vocals (more subjective, I agree)

 

While the Floyd members were all ultra-tasteful and played for what the song required, this was partially limited by what their capabilities on the instruments were. Again, this "technical proficiency" does not necessarily mean "good music" (see "Dream Theater" ;) )

 

Floyd, however, is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. My wife (a non-musician) would rather listen to "Wish you were here" than "Close the edge" on any day; whereas I appreciate the greatness of both. Floyd just has an appeal that crosses over more demographics, I think.

 

I read recently that Steven Wilson (who I respect quite a bit) named Floyd his favorite progressive band of all-time:

 

"Because Floyd have made the most timeless records of the whole genre. One of the secrets is that they were so simple. There's nothing muso on there. Nothing has dated. The other secret is that Roger Waters wrote about human beings and planet Earth, and not robots and sci-fi. I think people love Floyd whether they love progressive rock or not. I think time has proved them to be really... You'd put them in the same category as The Beatles, the Stones, Led Zeppelin, they're in that company. They've become transcendent in that their records can appeal to anyone."

[Red Dwarf]

A few more thoughts: When you look at the individuals on paper, in terms of their technical proficiency on their instrument (which does not necessarily make a band better), it appears to be Yes by a mile (IMHO):

 

Chris Squire on bass >>>>>> Roger Waters on bass

Bill Bruford on drums >>>>>>>>>>> Nick Mason on drums

Alan White on drums >>> Nick Mason on drums

Rick Wakeman on keys >>>>>> Richard Wright on keys

Steve Howe on guitar >> David Gilmour on guitar (I know some may disagree, but looking at the diversity in Howe's playing, including classical acoustic pieces, he is a more complete player.)

Jon Anderson's vocals >>>>>>>> Roger Waters' vocals

Jon Anderson's vocals > David Gilmour's vocals (more subjective, I agree)

 

While the Floyd members were all ultra-tasteful and played for what the song required, this was partially limited by what their capabilities on the instruments were. Again, this "technical proficiency" does not necessarily mean "good music" (see "Dream Theater" ;) )

 

Floyd, however, is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. My wife (a non-musician) would rather listen to "Wish you were here" than "Close the edge" on any day; whereas I appreciate the greatness of both. Floyd just has an appeal that crosses over more demographics, I think.

 

I read recently that Steven Wilson (who I respect quite a bit) named Floyd his favorite progressive band of all-time:

 

"Because Floyd have made the most timeless records of the whole genre. One of the secrets is that they were so simple. There's nothing muso on there. Nothing has dated. The other secret is that Roger Waters wrote about human beings and planet Earth, and not robots and sci-fi. I think people love Floyd whether they love progressive rock or not. I think time has proved them to be really... You'd put them in the same category as The Beatles, the Stones, Led Zeppelin, they're in that company. They've become transcendent in that their records can appeal to anyone."

 

Absolutely.Always thought the musicians of Yes far out-weighed Floyd for technical ability!

[bluefox4000]

Yes as musicians were lightyears better. but floyds material just resonates with me more. And steve Howe will never make me feel what Gilmour makes me feel on guitar. David writes poetry with his guitar man.

 

Mick

[Texas King]

I like them both pretty much, but I have to pick Yes by a nose, for a sole reason of Close to the Edge, one of my all-time fave albums.

Both very quality bands with a lot of great material.

[goose]

I like them both pretty much, but I have to pick Yes by a nose, for a sole reason of Close to the Edge, one of my all-time fave albums.

Both very quality bands with a lot of great material.

I think Floyd's studio stuff sounds better than YES's, but I recently got to see YES live and Steve Howe was amazing. Mesmerizing, even.

 

I'll add that Floyd is a much easier listening experience for me. Classic YES takes far more concentration for me to enjoy.

[laughedatbytime]

By the way, regarding an actual physical altercation between these two bands I think the members of Pink Floyd would wipe the floor with the members of Yes, Bill Bruford being the exception.

This would be hilarious, especially the parts involving Steve Howe.

[Oracle]

YES is one of those bands that takes time and patience to appreciate. Pink Floyd was a band anyone could enjoy, they were so well rounded in just keeping things simple. With that said, I would take any of the people who played in YES over the people who played in Pink Floyd (with the exceptions of David Gilmour and Richard Wright).

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Hm... in general I kind of prefer the idea of Yes to Pink Floyd, Yes are perhaps more akin to my personality than the Floyd...but in general I think Floyd made better albums, and a few more great ones than Yes.

 

 

 

I mean when I think of Yes's best albums

 

The Yes Album

 

Fragile

 

Close To The Edge

 

One of them has a lot of (albeit catchy/interesting) filler while the other two are nearly perfect. Then their other best albums (that I've heard) always have some kind of major flaw:

 

Tales is just TOO much, TOO prog almost

 

90125 has excellent hits, but the deeper cuts are often too generic to be great.

 

GFTO sounds more like Styx or Kansas in places than Yes, and those bands do not do Yes as well as Yes...

 

 

 

Now when I think of Floyd's best albums:

 

DSOTM

 

WYWH

 

Animals

 

The Wall

 

Three are absolute masterpieces and one has the sole fault of being "mood music." But when I'm in the mood for it it's incredible. The other great floyd albums that I've heard also tend to be pretty captivating.

 

Meddle - Echoes is enough of a reason to love this

The Division Bell - perhaps it gets boring or samey in places musically, but lyrically is poignant as heck.

 

 

 

So for me, they're both great, but Yes had more misses than Floyd. Yes lost me more than Floyd. Floyd knew how to craft masterpieces easily. For Yes it seemed like more of an "everything and the kitchen sink" approach that often produced greatness, but not usually masterpieces.