Saturday, November 3, 2018

This Day in Music History: Yes/Keys to Ascension 2 (11/03)

As a follow up to the previous album from a year earlier, Yes released Keys to Ascension 2 on this date in 1997. It also followed the same format as its predecessor having live tracks with new studio tracks. Also, more Roger Dean ya'll:



Like the first seven tracks on the previous album, the first six tracks on Keys to Ascension 2 were recorded live in San Luis Obispo, California in March 1996. The second disc features studio recordings made in November 1996. Rick Wakeman wanted these studio tracks to be released with Jon Anderson's working title Know, with the disc of live tracks thrown in as a bonus. Wakeman's preference was not honored and by the time Keys to Ascension 2 was released, he was no longer in the band (again).

 "Mind Drive" would be Yes' eighth and last song over 18 minutes until "Fly from Here" in 2011. The song was originally a concept that the band XYZ, which featured Chris Squire, Alan White and Jimmy Page, wrote and demoed in 1981. It was later incorporated in a drum duet between Alan White and Bill Bruford on the 1991–1992 Union tour.

 "Bring Me to the Power" references the original title of Talk, History of the Future.

 "Children of Light" was originally written by Jon and Vangelis in 1986 as "Distant Thunder". It was later demoed by Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH!) during the recording of their self-titled album, later appearing as a hidden track on the 2011 limited edition of the album. The lyrics to "Distant Thunder" ended up in Yes' Union tour book in April 1991.

During a Mother's Day concert on 12 May 1996, Jon Anderson performed "Children of Light" and said he hoped it would appear on a Yes album, which it did. "Lightning", Rick Wakeman's introduction to "Children of Light", was mixed out before the album's release, but was restored to the track on the 2001 compilation Keystudio, leaving out the vocal intro.



Studio Tracks
1) Mind Drive
2) Footprints
3) Bring Me to the Power
4) Children of Light
a) Children of Light
b) Lifeline
5) Sign Language

I have covered each song in another post here.

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