YES IS IN!!!!! (RnR HOF)

[HammondDave]

I am sorry, but I have to respectfully disagree. Sherwood is a great player, but so is Lee Pomeroy. However, Sherwood's bass does not sound like a Rickenbacker.

I don't think the HOF performer selection will be about who sounds more authentic. Sherwood has more Yes pedigree, and I think Squire's "endorsement" would be a factor as well, since he basically hand-picked Sherwood to replace him.

 

As for the Rick, I happened across this Q&A with Sherwood about that:

 

Q: Did you ever consider picking up Chris Rick and using it for the current tour? It would have been quite a moment.

 

A: Yeah, you know that was the biggest conversation going on when all of this broke. I had so many people asking are you going to play the Rick? and even people offering their Rickies to play. The reality is Ive just never been a Ricky guy.

When I was growing up, as much as I worshipped Chris, when I went to go buy my first bass, I finally had enough money to buy a nice bass and there was this beautiful black 4001 at the guitar store in Vegas and I went down there and I played it and for me, ergonomically, right where I like to pick is where that pick guard thing is that covers the pickup. So immediately I was like Oh my god! Wait a minute!

 

I didnt expect that. Chris was a big guy so for him to back off that thing and pick behind it or in front of it was no big deal for him. But for me ergonomically speaking, I found it was starting to give me a weird cramp just from having to get in position to pick things. So I never really played a Ricky. Ive owned so many different basses. Never owned a Ricky, except for the one Chris gave me the signature model of his but thats more of a keepsake. I dont really even play that one. So, no, Im not going to be playing a Rickenbacker.

 

One of the last conversations I had with Chris, he said Look, Im watching the temperature out there of whats going on and it seems the YES fans are accepting of you coming in and standing in for me and everything like that and everything seems cool and I said Yeah, theres just one issue and he said Whats that? and I said Well, everyone is asking me, you know, are you going to play a Ricky, are you going to play a Ricky?? and Chris stopped me and he goes Oh my god! That would be so fucking ridiculous!

 

So I said Im so glad you said that, cause I dont want to play one, its just not my bag and he said No man, I know. You dont need to worry about that. You do what you do. Be yourselfhttps://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/forums/18/1/The_Keyboard_Corner and just play the music, you know what I mean? And be comfortable on whatever you want to play. Dont worry about that.

 

He did offer. He said You can play any of my guitars. Its not that I dont want you playing any of my guitars but I know how you are and youve got your own trip and you always have had. And thats kind of what I dig about you and I said Well, I appreciate that and Im just going to hold right there

 

from http://yesworld.com/2015/08/askyes-qa-with-billy-sherwood-25-august-2015/

 

Very interesting... I wondered why I never saw him play one. Makes sense to me now.

 

I also read the article... Here is my favorite passage about "doing your homework". I wish that every musician would do this:

 

Q. "Hey Billy. Did you and Jon D. have to rehearse very much to work out the backing vocals that you are now singing?"

 

A. "I had three days rehearsal! And thats not saying it in a bad way, like, we didnt have time. They actually wanted to rehearse for ten days and I said are you doing that for me? and they said Yeah and I said I only need a few days cause I got this, you know and they said really, okay, well hows three days? I said thats plenty.

 

I had already done my homework. I mean, Im a producer and an engineer and I make a lot of records and the one thing I learned a long time ago is that you dont show up to the session not knowing what youre supposed to do. And so thats been my mantra and my mindset through my entire career. Anything I do, I show up prepared. And, as was the case with this, I got my shit together."

[Baldwin Funster]

Sherwood is a stand in almost as a tribute player. Maybe the look isnt critical but the sound is. He could easily have a bass made or a rick modified so the sound was there if he wanted to. Can you imagine Hendrixes hand picked replacement guitarist with a Gibson? Emersons replacement with a Conn?

[HammondDave]

Sherwood is a stand in almost as a tribute player. Maybe the look isnt critical but the sound is. He could easily have a bass made or a rick modified so the sound was there if he wanted to. Can you imagine Hendrixes hand picked replacement guitarist with a Gibson? Emersons replacement with a Conn?

 

I think that they feel like the sound is "close enough". Also, after reading the interview I now appreciate how close Billy was to Chris, and it was a demonstration of pure grace and respect that Chris told Billy to play whatever he wanted. Total class!

[richforman]

@HammondDave, I've seen that video and that very moment you cite ,when the always-hilarious Wakeman sarcastically comments about the difficulty they have with the opening to "Long Distance Runaround," was my favorite.

 

Anyway I haven't seen it mentioned in this thread yet but did you guys see the comments from Rick yesterday about the hall of fame induction, this is from memory but pretty close: "I will in no circumstances take any part in it, nor will I attend." YIKES!!!

[dje31]

FWIW, re: Sherwood's basses, I know he's been a Spector player for quite a while now, despite the Kubicki in the Circa video I posted.

 

Not sure what he's been playing on the current Yes tours. Anyone know?

[HammondDave]

@HammondDave,...

Anyway I haven't seen it mentioned in this thread yet but did you guys see the comments from Rick yesterday about the hall of fame induction, this is from memory but pretty close: "I will in no circumstances take any part in it, nor will I attend." YIKES!!!

 

Wow... That's sad. Maybe he is pissed that they dragged their feet for so many years before inducting Deep Purple.... and Jon was dead by the time they got around to it. Jon and Rick were friends.

[HammondDave]

Can't say that I blame him.

 

"The news of wholl be inducted next year into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is just a few hours old, and already there is controversy.

 

Former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman says, I would have been [pleased] if it had happened years ago when it was really well deserved. I find it hard to come to terms with the fact that so many bands are inducted into the Hall of Fame too late in their careers after key members have passed away. A classic example is Deep Purple and Jon Lord, and now Yes and there will be no Chris Squire Under no circumstances will I be any part of it, neither will I be attending.

 

No word yet if former Journey singer Steve Perry will attend, as he has said in the past that he has no interest.

 

Another potential minefield is between Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan, the onetime ELObandmates who have not spoken in 30 years.

 

This years other inductees are Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur and Joan Baez. The induction ceremony takes place in Brooklyn, New York on April 7th."

[HammondDave]

I guess that Tupac ain't showing up either... wow... an evening of Joan Baez and Pearl Jam! Should be dynamite!

[Baldwin Funster]

Toupac is in? How about Biggie? There could be gunfire if Biggie is snubbed.

[Sundown]

If it matters to them, then I'm happy for them. It certainly doesn't matter to me. It's nothing more than an overgrown Planet Hollywood / Hard Rock Cafe.

 

 

[Baldwin Funster]

Funny how the RRHOFis seen by nonmusicians though. I lived in Columbus and my folks who lived out of state, knowing i played in bands, akways asked me if id been to Cleveland to see the RRHOF. I told them i didnt see it as more than an overblown wax museum with guitars. Theyd give me a strange look. They see it like its the Official Baseball league HOF or something like that. They cant understand that its just a list of Jan Wenners favorite bands, not my list.

[HammondDave]

Non musicians usually have no idea about these things. They usually don't care about the inner workings of the business.