My #1 desert island album. 100's of listens and it never gets old.

When asked "What is progressive rock?" I point at that album.

My favorite Yes studio album....EVER!!! The first time I heard it I was hooked!

I discovered ELP about a year after they formed. In '71, I was 12. By the second half of the year, all three three of their early albums were available to me. I was enthralled. I was aware of Yes from the hit song Roundabout... Did not do the deep dive until Yessongs came out... ELP warmed me up for Yes. I bought the studio version of Close to the Edge. Knocked me out even slightly more than ELP. Caught Topographic live in early '74. To my delight, the awe factor surpassed that of the ELP show I caught live about two months earlier. I bought the Lamb album by Genesis a day after it was released. TURNED DOWN a chence to see it performed live in 11/74. Had no clue PG was about to leave 6 months later.... So when they toured Trick of the Tail, I went both nights... and went all three nights to Wind/Wuthering. I really loved all three bands. Genesis was perhaps the most entertaining. However, I credit Emerson with triggering my interest in classical music and jazz and nobody could blend all three together as effectively. Having said all that, I usually put Close to the Edge at the top end of albums from the three bands. Sometimes, I put Lamb Lies Down as my #1 prog album of the era. It's a story about a dead guy who doesn't know he's dead until the finale of the double album. Those five guy together were incredible.

If I had to absolutely choose one all-time favorite album, Close To The Edge would be it. I can't place any other album above it, this is the pinnacle of music for me... I watched the first thirty minutes and will watch the rest later - amazing work as always on this documentary!!

A wonderful tribute to what is the pinnacle of the progressive rock movement - it simply does not get any better than this! 🥰 Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to what all of us Prog heads consider pure musical magic

I saw those guys play once: the amazing changes in the rhythm, harmony, (really all musical elements), was so disconcerting... it was like nothing else, my friends and I walked out onto the dark streets of Portland, Oregon, under it's spell...Wow they were truly great! Real musicians...we had been truly blessed by the sublime.

Ladies and gentlemen Chris Squire and Yes the greatest show on earth. I saw Squire and White 36 times from 75 to 2015.

By far my favorite Yes album and the pinnacle of prog ... for me.

Absolutely love the begining sound fx and keys. And the incredible beautiful amazing swirling soundscape of "i get up, i get down". That chord is right from heaven.

When the other kids in my class were listening to Kiss and Motley Crue and the like, I was listening to the Moody Blues, Genesis, Gentle Giant, and a whole lot of Yes - I couldn't get enough of Close to the Edge. Thanks for this wonderful analysis and presentation!

I remember this coming out and I thought...' cool.. music getting better from now on and its going to be even greater than this'....

THE greatest progressive rock album ever made. ❤

What a great succinct evaluation of this wonderful album.🙂

So well presented, Tom! We've waited 50 years for this & it's absolutely fabulous! A MASTERPIECE broadcast, no doubt. Thanks!!!

This is an excellent overview of the musical aspects of CTTE and its conceptual connection to Herman Hesse. I applaud the makers of this video. However, there is one major omission: Bill Bruford is largely not mentioned as the original drummer on the studio album. Alan White is a fine rock drummer, but Bruford is largely responsible for the creation of many of the counterpoint rhythms of this piece. Furthermore, his unique style in the way he hits the snare, for example, cannot be replicated by anyone. Again, I enjoyed the video because CTTE is one of my favorite pieces of music in ANY genre.

I've enjoyed your presentation very much. Looking forward for more from you. Best wishes and god speed.

One of Bruford's best albums.

There are few bands from the 70s that I still listen to. Yes is one of them. The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge I've listened to time and again never tiring of the genius therein. Btw, I play in a band that plays Close to the Edge and those time signature changes are a plenty. So true

An excellent tribute to an eternal masterpiece. Great work Tom!

Saw the tour behind the album, Close to the Edge. Alan White was introduced as new drummer of 3 weeks. It was 1st time hearing it. Mind blowing

Le meilleur album de tous les temps

A timeless masterpiece

My favorite group is King Crimson, but in the progressive realm, no group ever had two better albums back to back than close to the edge, and then Relayer!

This is the Pinnacle Progressive rock album. Every time I listen to this album it is a journey like reading a book or watching a sci fi movie but much deeper and unrelenting, this album is part of the back bone of my life

This is the FIRST TIME that i have witnessed someone successfully break down the meaning and creation of this GREAT album. I am so glad that you also gave some insight into the "inside baseball" aspect of the studio process. I have always heard making this was torturous for everyone but Howe and Anderson. Over the years little tidbits and rumors leak out about the band in the studio. I think i remember that there was one member that would literally sleep in the studio through most of the process because it was so boring and meticulous to create. Also I think Bruford also mentioned that after awhile he just could not stand listening to Anderson's singing voice after so many years of hearing it. I honestly believe this is the BEST progressive rock album EVER created.🏆

Great review and video. I saw YES in concert in 1973 at Lehigh University, "In The Round" with front row seats! I was blown away. Getting the seats gifted to me by a friend who went to Lehigh and also produced a local band that became one of the best in the area. The lead guitar player going on to back BB King whenever he was in the Northeast. I saw YES a number of times over the years and met Chris at a club in NYC a few years before he passed. One of my favorite bands. And as a fingerstyle guitar player, I try to work out Steve Howe's licks now and then. Thanks for putting this together. Well done.

The greatest of all Prog Rock albums. I was too young to see the CTTE tour but I got there aged just 12 to see the TFTO tour in April 75 at Newcastle City Hall, UK. Umpteen occasions later, I remain a fan. Never has such vituosity been so clearly marked as on this incredible album

This album was my introduction to prog. My mind was well and truly blown. Yet I never delved into the origins of each piece. Thank you so much for explaining the background as well as allowing each section to play out.

Great work, love the content and bands you cover.

My favorite band ever and CTTE is perfection. Bruford knew could never be topped.

The Stravinsky segment at the start of this documentary was performed and recorded by terrific musicians and sound engineers. Very nice to hear this version at the onset. I appreciate marrying of Yessongs audio to enhance the movie footage, along with the explanation of the amoeba footage in the film. I prefer watching Yes perform, as opposed to single cell organisms, and I realize the original filmmaker(s) may have encountered difficulty with the original footage and needed to patch-up the holes. Your work bringing superior audio to that footage is appreciated, and I understand the amount of time and frustration such editing requires. Excellent work here. The narrative throughout and the musical choices are fantastic. Hats off to The Yak!

THANK you for synching the good audio with the famous film footage. It is so much more enjoyable to watch!

It's rated very appropriately among prog fans but among the general (ie non prog rock crowd) it's pretty underrated and even unknown to many people.

Wonderful eloquent presentation of my favorite Yes album.

I always thought Howe’s solo at the beginning of ‘Siberian’s’ outro sounded like he was fishing around for the right notes, then he takes off when he goes to the upper register. It makes sense now that you say he laid it down without listening to the other tracks. Never knew that. 👍🏾

😊Absolutely brilliant video presentation ! As always informative, entertaining, engaging and straight to the point. I love how you dig into the origin of the album, its background stemming from literature, prose, poetry and into the worlds of fantasy and spiritual experiences. This video is A "MUST SEE" for all musicians and prog-rock fans. Bravo !

Tom, this is by some distance the best, most comprehensive review and technical breakdown of CTTE I have ever seen. Genuinely, you transported me back to Manchester's Free Trade Hall when as a 15 year old I was initially taken aback by a thunderous power and volume that overwhelmed my senses. My older brother was in a group around 8 years earlier and I'd seen them play on the same stage as The Rolling Stones (as they were then) and Johnny Kidd and the Pirates (featuring the awesome Mick Green) so I'd heard live music played pretty loud but this was something else! But very quickly, what had been painful and intimidating suddenly became dynamic, exciting, electrifying. I was hooked! Fast forward many years and my wife casually asked me, "Of every album you've heard, what's your favourite?" Without hesitation, I replied, "Close to the edge." A few weeks later she handed me my wedding anniversary present - a personalised CTTE vinyl record wall clock complete with Atlantic label. She's good like that... Sorry to ramble on but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate this project and why. Thanks, Tom - this is your best yet!!

My favorite album forever period. I listen to the song CTTE almost every day. 😅. The entire album is Awesome. Thank you for this informative video/documentary!

Thanks for all your work on this. The Yes Trilogy - The Yes Album, Fragile and Close to the Edge. A musical journey like no other.

Yes Songs turned me onto The Firebird Suite.

Tom, I wish I could give this 1,000 likes. This is the best presentation I've heard of this fantastic music. I also appreciate your explanation of the meaning of the lyrics. The first time I heard any music from this album was at Arie Crown theatre in Chicago on Sept. 22, 1972. You can imagine how "Close to the Edge" must have blown us away hearing it for the first time--live! It's my understanding that the album was released a couple of weeks before, but I didn't know about it. I thought I was coming to hear music mostly from the Yes Album and Fragile.

Yes had an incredible run of albums in the early 70s starting with the Yes album. Then Fragile followed by Close to the Edge. They made more great music over the years but those 3 albums stand the test of time. The reissues they’ve released over the past few years of those albums are excellent too,including previously unreleased music from tours from that era. I saw them in the round in 78 and they were amazing. I had a bootleg of the tour and I wore that album out. Too bad the band is splintered now with Andersen and Howe fronting different bands. Long live Yes!

Brilliant, love it, hooray Tom! I learned a lot about one of my all time fav albums and my respect for these guys has somehow managed to grow even deeper as a result. How? Anyway, much appreciate the great work and insights!

This is put together very nicely, BUT you have somehow missed the Album that (Probably) started the 'progressive ball' rolling and that is 'Pet Sounds' by Beach Boys...Released 16th May 1966; it was a direct influence on The Beatles; in particular John Lennon who cited it as the best album in modern music Before they recorded and released 'Revolver' on 5th August 1966; some 4 Months After the release of 'Pet Sounds'. Both Lennon & McCartney later said that the Recording Techniques and Ideas used by Brian Wilson on Pet Sounds 'inspired them to greater heights when writing and recording 'Sgt Peppers'. However, I do regard "Close To The Edge" as being the Greatest Leap in Modern Music and remains my favourite album of all time. I was lucky enough to be at the premier of 'Close To The Edge' at The Crystal Palace Bowl (Open Air) September 2nd 1972 for the princely sum of £1 and 70 pence. It was Alan White's first Gig proper with Yes. A very warm Sunny Day that will stay with me all my days.

This is absolutely marvellous, as was your three-parter on the genius of Keith Emerson. Keep 'em coming!

Way back in 72 a friend made a Close To The Edge Poster I took to their Shown. I love your T-Shirt

Just watched it complete thru for the 2ND TIME!🎉 soooo good

Well, thank you very much, Tom. I loved this breakdown of a classic masterpiece. I shared this with my friends as well. It's hard to believe this is 52 years old. 5 guys with so much talent came together for the perfect storm and gave birth to an album that can not and will never be repeated by any others. I enjoyed this very much and look forward to more of your content.

Absolutely FANTASTIC video Tom...brilliant!..you couldn't make this homage to a masterpiece any better!

At 5:31. I just had to stop watching because I had the need to say. I love Yes. I sometimes think that I owe them my life. That is how grateful I am to have shared my life together with these amazing musicians. I grow up with was played on the wireless. Rather early I started to listen to a lucky combination of the common stuff, Beatles and classical music. Then came Deep Purple and my first contact with Yes. If my interest for music could be described as a tree Yes became the trunk of that tree steady on roots well set in the above. When it comes to the album “Close to….” I have to say it blow my mind and opened up my mind to what music could be. Despite all that and all the other highly acclaimed Yes album I have to say….sorry Bill and sorry Rick, that for me Relayer is by far the best Yes album, maybe one of the best albums ever recorded, at least one of the best 25. Thank You for your documentary and thanks for all your nice work on Yes. Love to all, Yes forever❤ (Please excuse my rather bad English)

Enjoyed watching Tom. It's a bit unfortunate that we can only find video of this song with Alan White behind the kit. I think people need to know that that is not Bill back there in the video.

That was a great documentary. Thanks and Cheers!

Dear Tom, another top notch presentation you've just deliverd. Great intro, nice to see you have a T-shirt that goes with every presentation.. :) I agree, the is an essential piece in the prog-rock history. But to be honest, for me ,'Awaken' is the pinacle of their music. My favorite yes song. Anyways, so glad you did this documentary. Thanks so much.

Great video Tom thanks

Great doco Tom. Following on from Yes's seminal work Fragile, CTTE (the track) remains one of the undisputed masterpieces of Prog Rock (along with Awaken, yes?) You clearly put tons of effort into this work - well done! 🎬

I bought it when it was New. Love it

Was introduced to yes through a mind blowing song called awaken

As much as it pains me to say it, as Bruford is by far my all-time favorite drummer, nothing beats 2002's Symphonic Live version of Close to the Edge (that piece alone). Simply epic!

I've been a great YES fan since the summer of 1974 when Relayer was new. How much I love YES I'll never stop being disturbed by Chris and Steve's terrrible sounding voices. In another band, they would never been alowed to even open their mouth's.

Thank you very much and we know we passed the audition.

ありがとうございました。

Hello Mate! I really like what you’ve done here, I believe you should do the same with RELAYER the Seventh studio album but I believe equally impressive, and copied much more by classical professionals and symphonies I believe more so then CTTE album

l sure wish Bruford would have stayed for this tour. He left in an awful hurry. Bromance with Fripp.

Excellent video! Yes has been my favorite band for many decades now. Unfortunately, l didn’t get to see them live until the 90125 tour… although l discovered their stunning earlier output starting in about 1977. Even their albums l would rank at the bottom of their oeuvre have a decent song or two. Close to the Edge is definitely the gem 💎 and high water mark of their catalog. You’ve got a new subscriber and l look forward to future videos. As well as - of course - catching up on your older fare, too. Cheers from The Big Apple. 🍎 Rock Out and Prog On… … In each and every lexicon! Frog 🐸 On! Your clone and mine, ~ The Definitive and Divine Doppelgänger of Davey Cretin, from CRETIN CLASSICS.

Do Relayer next :)

prog heaven

La Divina Commedia del rock. 💖

I heard that Eddie was the joint roller

Si-dar-tha ❤

So does anyone know what the string sounds are, starting around 16:55? I know it's keyboard, but does anyone know what keyboard from that era? I think they sound better than some of the stuff they have now.

❤

Welcome to my very personal musical world folks.

FYI Yak … Prince Siddartha was also known as Gautama, a.k.a. Buddha.

Great. Keep up the good work !

If Squire hadn't turned up late to the sessions, it would probably have been a different album. Think about that.

1972, Genesis released "Foxtrot"

Your intro doesn’t mention Fragile?

Bill Bruford described this Yes album as the "daddy" for him. That's why he left the band. The next Yes album for him, had he stayed, would have been "Close to the Edge" Part 2. He couldn't go any further with that band. Would love to have heard him playing "Siberian Khatru" live with Yes. Don't think he ever did. I know he came back in 1990 for the "Anderson, Bruford, Howe and Wakeman" re union and played a lot of the old songs, but l don't think "Khatru" was one of them. It,s a shame, because when I heard them playing it live, Bruford had already left and Alan White was on drums. It never worked for me, as l don't think Alan was able to connect to the groove of the song in the same way that Bill did. I love the album version, but just can't stand listening to the live one.

Are you saying that Jon's lyrics mean something to you? xD lnteresting. l just think he's a genius at putting words and phrases together.

Firebird は小澤征爾だろう！😅

1967 Jimmy Hendrix released Are You Experienced? Credit needs to be given where credit is due. There are 2 types of guitar players- Those who came before Hendrix and those who came after Hendrix. I'm not his number one fan, and I think his skill is overrated. However, as an Artist, he is a mountain. Just ask his opening act, YES. 🙃✌ (Also, he was kinda Prog) PS- I absolutely love Close To The Edge. Easily in my top 10 list.

No offense, but not enough commentary-at 19 mins so far.

Thank you Tom this was awesome I’ve been a YES Fan since the beginning & while not a musician I’ve always considered it amazing that when I listened to YES music it touches me on a such a deep level, & truthfully at 65 years old it’s the only band/ music my ears want to hear!!! One more thing I have only one tattoo & it’s the YES Bubble Logo from Tales, YES IS BEST, thanks again & GOD BLESS.

Sorry people …… Time and a Word for me

なぜ日本語に堪能なのですか？

NO

Too many stupid adverts.

Basically some over exited never kissed a girl person playing the tracks and endlessly rambling on about them. Just listen to the album yourself and enjoy.

Never understood the love for this album. Not my cup of tea.