1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:00,920 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 2: This friend of mine, John Imick, send me a video 3 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 2: of these guys, the Bang Geeks, playing hard of the 4 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,399 Speaker 2: Sunrise and it kind of freaked me out how good 5 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 2: they were. 6 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 3: So I got in touch with Richie. 7 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: I said, let's go on tour and he said, is 8 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 2: that Johnson for sure? 9 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 3: I said yes, it is. 10 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast podcast where Buzz 11 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: Night talks with musicians about their creative process, their influence, 12 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: and their latest projects. Today, a returning guests to the 13 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk Podcast and one of the titans of 14 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 1: progressive rock, John Anderson, the former lead singer of Yes, 15 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: out touring with the band Geeks and creating a new 16 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 1: album called True. Here's Buzz with the great John Anderson 17 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: on the Taking a Walk Podcast. 18 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 4: Welcome back to one of our favorite guests of all 19 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 4: time on Taking a Walk, mister John Anderson. Congratulations on 20 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 4: Anderson and the band Geeks and new music True on 21 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 4: Frontiers Music. 22 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 3: Hello John, Hey there, Buzz. 23 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 4: So when we last spoke, you had been doing dates 24 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 4: with the band Geeks. You were having a blast. You 25 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 4: were in the process I know, of creating this Gem 26 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 4: which I bloody love, and tell me about the process 27 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 4: of creating this with Richie Costellano. I love saying the 28 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 4: name Castellano too, and the band Geeks. 29 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 3: I love the record excellent. 30 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 2: Well, basically, this friend of mine, John Imick, sent me 31 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 2: a video of these guys, the Bank Geeks, playing hard 32 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 2: of the Sunrise, and it kind of freaked me out 33 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 2: how good they were. So I got in touch with 34 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:54,559 Speaker 2: Richie and I said, let's go on tour and he said, 35 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 2: is that Johnson for sure? I said, yes, it is, 36 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 2: and we went on tour for twelve gigs and they 37 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: actually worked. 38 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 3: On so many great yes pieces of music. 39 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,839 Speaker 2: We did the tour, and at the end of the tour, 40 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 2: I said, let's make an album as well, because this 41 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 2: sound just like Yes. They're happy, they're grateful, they're thankful, 42 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 2: just like me. So we'll make this album and we started. 43 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: Originally the idea was I sent some song ideas to 44 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 2: Richie because he's the kind of organizer producer of the band, 45 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 2: and we co produced the whole thing together using Zoom 46 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 2: and the way we did it. I sent him some music, 47 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 2: he sent me some music of his, and then after 48 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 2: a week or so, he sent me some incredible productions 49 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 2: of counties and countries, and I realized this guy, Richie 50 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 2: is a very talented guy, and so we bounced off 51 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:01,799 Speaker 2: each other. But we got together with the musicians on 52 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 2: the Tuesday just to sort of two or three hours 53 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 2: of chatting about the music, chatting about where we're going, 54 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 2: what could be doing, etc. And it reminded me of 55 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 2: the seventies me working with Yes, because I was always 56 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 2: very crazy, like let's try this kind of a piece 57 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,239 Speaker 2: of music now, and all we're doing that music now, 58 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,519 Speaker 2: but try And thankfully the guys in the band, Chris 59 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: and Steve and Rack and all the guys, Bill and 60 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 2: Alan and you know, they always actually said, Okay, John, 61 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 2: we'll try it out. 62 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 3: So here we are. 63 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 2: Fifty years later, performing Yes music from fifty years ago 64 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 2: and then making an album that all intents and purposes 65 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 2: sounds like Yes in my mind. 66 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 3: Anyway, I think you're absolutely right. 67 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 4: I think True is in so many ways. It's, you know, 68 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 4: the Yes album that Yes fans have really been looking 69 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 4: out for, right, And what are some of your favorite tracks? 70 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 4: I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. Well. 71 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 2: It started off the first song I sent to Richie's 72 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 2: True Messenger that I'd written with a good old friend 73 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 2: of mine. 74 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 3: Who does music for South Park. 75 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 2: Then I sent him Counties and Countries, which originally it 76 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: was just me on guitar with some keyboards in the background, 77 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 2: and he made it into a solid production. 78 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 3: So that was the breakthrough for me. 79 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 2: When he sent me Counties and Countries, I went, Richie, 80 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 2: you're a producer. 81 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 3: It's amazing. 82 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 2: And then got into doing other songs, of course, and 83 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 2: I loved a couple of songs I wrote ten years 84 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 2: ago with a friend built me an Ocean, and then 85 00:04:56,279 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 2: I sent Richie a small chant sort of thing. 86 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 3: Which became Once Upon a Dream. 87 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 2: So these are the kind of things you know, you 88 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 2: send little two minute ideas and then Richie would open 89 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: them up a little bit here and there with his 90 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 2: bass and guitar and drum great drummer in the bangings Andy. 91 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 2: Because we would reconnect the following Tuesday, we could start 92 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 2: going through and building it more. So it took us 93 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 2: about two months doing these Tuesday zooms, and I think 94 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 2: we were on the path to get in the album 95 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 2: the nine songs eventually, and that's how we did it. 96 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 4: It's I gravitate to those epic songs myself, like like 97 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 4: Once upon a dream and you know counties and countries 98 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:52,679 Speaker 4: in particular. Yeah, well, to me, once upon a dream 99 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 4: in its own way, hearkens back to another one of 100 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 4: my you know, all time yes favorites, and you and 101 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 4: I bit, I don't know if I'm yeah, really cool sounding. 102 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 4: What I love about the album too. It's one of 103 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 4: these sort of you know, cover to cover. You know, 104 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 4: it really flows in the sense of the way albums 105 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 4: you know used to flow. I don't think they flow 106 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 4: that way anymore. Was that intentional that it flows like that? 107 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 3: I think we just stopped. 108 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 2: They needed a last song after a certain amount of time, 109 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 2: and I said, I do actually actually have this song, 110 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 2: which is opposite to this. 111 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 3: It's just a short. 112 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 2: Song called thank God, thank God I'm here, thank God 113 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 2: I'm home. 114 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 3: Maybe that would be a nice end ending to the album. 115 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 3: And Richie loved it, and we recorded that in a 116 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 3: couple of days. 117 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 2: And as you say, it all fits together, all the 118 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 2: all the parts make it work. 119 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 4: Tell me how much fun you've been having performing live. 120 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 4: The reviews have been sensational. I know you guys are 121 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 4: going back out on the road, but tell me the 122 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 4: enjoyment you're having performing live. 123 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 2: Well, it's magic because you know, we have the introduction music. 124 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 3: When people come in, there is music. 125 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: Playing, and it's what I used to play in the 126 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 2: seventies and it was It's music by vangel It's called 127 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 2: Creation Demand. It's a very relaxing piece of music. So 128 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 2: everybody's sitting down waiting for the event, you know. And 129 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 2: then we put on the end of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite 130 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 2: and it's a perfect build up for a band to 131 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 2: come on stage. 132 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 3: Yours haven't notice great, it's like and it works. 133 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,239 Speaker 2: And by that time, but I'm on stage started singing, 134 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 2: I'm locked in. We're on tour, We're doing a show. 135 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 2: The audience are having a great time. The next song 136 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 2: is perpetual change, and then we do close to the edge, 137 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 2: of course, so I'm already locked into the way the 138 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 2: band are playing. Its good and the audience get it. 139 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 2: And as I say, the show is exciting for us 140 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:12,239 Speaker 2: to perform because this is music from. 141 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 3: Fifty years ago. 142 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 2: Here we are and I think we'll just carry on 143 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 2: doing this for the next two or three years. But 144 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 2: we'll probably next summer we'll probably be doing the Yes 145 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: epics and classics and then true the new album I 146 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 2: hope fingers Cross will be doing both. 147 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 4: Oh I love it now. Okay, So speaking a live performance, 148 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 4: everybody these days is talking about the Sphere and the 149 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 4: performance you know out there in Vegas, and I know 150 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,959 Speaker 4: you went to see you too at the Sphere. I 151 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 4: would love to hear your take on that performance and 152 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:54,239 Speaker 4: the venue. 153 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 3: Well. 154 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 2: The neat thing about the Dome is that I've been 155 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 2: talking to another company that was creating another dome, another 156 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:09,319 Speaker 2: project on using the dome idea with Roger Deanism projected, 157 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 2: and I said, yeah, I'd do that, and then you 158 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 2: don't hear for them again for a year, and then 159 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 2: I heard about the youtuboe of the dome. And it's 160 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 2: interesting that when Yes first started, you know, I have 161 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 2: some papers from those days, and the gate to play 162 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 2: was the Marquee Club in London. So Tuesday would be YouTube, 163 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 2: Wednesday would be Yes, Thursday would be a big star 164 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 2: like Keith Emerson's band, which was the nice And then 165 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:48,079 Speaker 2: I got in touch with the guy at YouTube and 166 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 2: we went, Me and my wife and a couple of 167 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 2: friends went to the Dome and it was a magical experience, 168 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 2: very very As much as I would love to do 169 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 2: that kind of thing. You're surrounded by visualization and it's 170 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 2: so deep and strong and powerful, and it's a billion 171 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 2: dollar Marquee Club it is, and it surrounds you and 172 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 2: it comes and goes. The sound was great, the edge, 173 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 2: you know, we just know the Edge from those early 174 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 2: days at the Marquee Club. And he's such an beautiful 175 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 2: guitar player. He creates an orchestra with his guitar. You know, 176 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 2: you notice that when you see it's just a bass, guitar, 177 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 2: drums and good old Bonto having the time of his life. 178 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 2: You know, I would do it, of course I'd do it. 179 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:47,079 Speaker 2: And again, you could just fill it with Roger Deanism, 180 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 2: you know, if you're going to do seventies sort of music, 181 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 2: which is what we do. 182 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 3: But it's funny that I was always interested in that. 183 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 2: Idea, sort of all in three D, three D without glasses. 184 00:10:58,800 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 3: That's what I used to say. 185 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 4: Is it an amazing how everything comes full circle? 186 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: Right? Oh? 187 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's true. So yeah, next year, who knows. 188 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 2: If the energy is willing that we can do a 189 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 2: world tour doing the Yes Classics and the True album, 190 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,199 Speaker 2: because you got I think you can't just do one 191 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 2: or two songs from the True album. You have to 192 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 2: do the whole album, and I'm excited to be able 193 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 2: to sing once upon a dream and so, fingers crossed, 194 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 2: it will happen. 195 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 4: Absolutely. You never want to sit idle, so I know. Besides, 196 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 4: you know, working true and going out on the road. 197 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 4: You've always got a number of things project wise up 198 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 4: your sleeve, sir. 199 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 3: So what else are you are you working on? 200 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 2: Well, I made the big mistake listening to my son 201 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 2: who ten years ago said you should do a. 202 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 3: Follow up to Elias son of Elias Dad. 203 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 2: I said, okay, So I started working on that five 204 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 2: ten years ago and I'm still working on it. And 205 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 2: at the same time I started working on another piece 206 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 2: of music. It's kind of I call it opus Opus. 207 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 2: I was gonna call it opeless opus. It's going to 208 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 2: be called opus Opus and it actually works, and it's 209 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 2: three hours long. 210 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 3: But I don't know anybody who wants to hear three. 211 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 2: Hours of me tweetling along with sound effects and things 212 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 2: like that. I'm talking about nothing, but I can't say 213 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 2: that now. 214 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 4: But you cannot say that because mister Anderson, you were 215 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 4: at the top of the Prague Rock Mountain. 216 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:53,839 Speaker 3: In my view, sir, and. 217 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 4: It's such a pleasure to connect with you again on 218 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 4: Taking a Walk. Congrats on True and congrats on the road. 219 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:08,079 Speaker 4: And I'm indebted for the music you continue to grace 220 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 4: us with Search Tasmas. 221 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 3: I wish you well. All the best to you, John, 222 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:12,320 Speaker 3: see you soon. 223 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 224 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 225 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 1: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 226 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 1: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 227 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: and wherever you get your podcasts.