Yes (Official Thread)

[dr wu]

Yeah you are right dr wu with regards to Close To The Edge cos even though I've never listened to it (at least knowingly) many music writers and fans claim it to be possibly the best YES album.

I only found out about 2-years ago that Steve Howe at one time back in the middle 1960s went to Holloway boys school in north London just over the back of our flats!!.

Back around 1984/85 I bought Tales From Topographic Oceans on a double-pre-recorded cassette tape which was very long and sprawling to listen to??

To be honest I don't really know to much about YES cos mainly I prefer blues/rock and straight ahead 1970s & 80s heavy rock.

Well....prog rock , Yes included, can be an acquired taste. It's not everyone's cup of tea.
Even in the late 60s I was into more expansive music like Procol Harum, Nice, and Moody Blues so when ITCOTCK came out I was already a fan of that coming style.
'Tales' is a hard one to get into....not the place to start if one wants to explore prog for the first time.
I would start with Yes lp or Fragile....easier to assimilate imho.
Since this is the Yes thread and you mentioned Howe,,,,this is his early band called Tomorrow....
(you might know this already)
My White Bicycle (1967)
(The "White Bicycle" story refers to the first public demonstration of LSD's effects by Albert Hofmann, who, after intentionally taking a dose, experienced a powerful psychedelic journey while being transported home by his assistant on a bicycle because wartime restrictions prevented car use. He described distortions, anxiety, and hallucinations but eventually found joy in the visual and mental experiences, which are now celebrated on Bicycle Day. )