Jon Anderson Olias of Sunhillow Post-Video Interview

[tuktuktok]

Man, Jon looks BAKED in all these initial post Olias vids. Must have been pretty straining months in the garage. Lot of shrooms I bet.

[harmono]

Confirmed reptilian! Just kidding.

[foamulator]

They took down VZQ's channel, which was amazing and a huge loss for YT. Stupid Time Warner Fools.

[BooeyHogue]

enough talk

[220773]

How ENGLISH he was here... very Lancs, very very Lanky... no trace of Americanisms... and now he's become a naturalised American, cannae believe it...

[eennymo]

Still Jon's best album ever! He played all the instruments, did all the vocals, mixed and produced it all on his own, right? I heard he locked himself away and took quite a few months. He's a genius.

[jsilence418]

He has such a good speaking voice, not surprising that he sings so well, but look at his eyes he does seem " out there" ! thanks for the post.

[vinnypimentel]

jon is very tiny!

[HuntersMoon73]

@vinnypimentel But perfectly formed :)

A lot of cool guys are/were small: James Dean, Humphrey Bogart, Prince, Martin Sheen, etc.

[vinnypimentel]

@HuntersMoon73 Oh great! I'm tiny too! Yes I am, swear.

[DoctorAxe]

Olias is monumental. A follow-up is unthinkable!

[moosepie59]

This album has been a shining gem in my collection for ages. I have always envisioned it as a Broadway musical, though, not a movie. And, employing more "earthy" special effects, a la "The Black Rider" (Wilson, Waits, Burroughs). Because, to experience this incredible story, and all the love that it shares, through a "live" performance could be such an amazing thing to experience. Computer-generated ANYTHING in a movie version, would be unthinkable, to my sensibilities, anyway.

[studentjohn36]

IMPORTANT NEWS: I was speaking with Jon recently, [March 2010] and he dropped some heavy hints of a new OLIAS with orchestra. I hope that this comes to pass.

JG

[mcassano11]

Jon was in an extremely creative state of mind at this time (translation- he went through a period where he lived on LSD!)

[Beamshipcaptain]

Jon Anderson and Chris Squire formed Yes in late 1968 in London. Huge Beatles influence, "Eleanor Rigby", "Every Little Thing" was on the first album... Olias was genius, and transports me to the planet of sunhillow, were the inhabitants have to flee their planet, and build a starship out of organic materials. Theartwork of Genius artis Roger Dean makes the album art really special. Jon plays all the instruments.

[Topographer]

@Beamshipcaptain Eleanor Rigby was NOT on the first Yes album. And the artwork for Olias was not by Roger Dean.

[Beamshipcaptain]

@Topographer I never said Ealanor Rigby was on the first YES album! But that was the one song wich drew Chris Squire and Jon Anderson to form Yes. EVERY LITTLE THING was on the first YES album, however.

[paulvalletta01]

Olias will be recognized as a sheer masterpiece in the future times, as it is underrated at present times.

Actually future-times being one song from TORMATO, THAT jon had left over from Olias, now the significance of TORMATO (tormato hitting a photo of diviner on top of a Tor-mountain top)..may have been brought about because of some band memebers who thought the whole album was the obvious tomato?

Not me I loved the album nearly as much as Olias.

[Beamshipcaptain]

I boght Olias of Sunhillow back in 1976. It is a work of otherworldly genius from master science-fiction storyteller and songwriter John Anderson. Someone should do a video with the trailer from AVATAR or clips timed to "On the Moorglade-Mover", or the title track. Wishing Jon a speedy recovery. YES is playing at Penn Peak with David Benoit singing lead again tomorrow night, Feb 5the performance.

[pleased9]

One of my desert island disks.

Very near and dear to my heart.

I met Longwalker and Jon at the Mother's Day show. Being away from Yes at the time, Jon was very relaxed.

Healing energy to you brother. ~

[wardka]

I would rate Olias as second only to an epic Yes song like Awaken. It has that same climactic quality. The only thing that brings it down a little for me is that it ends a bit weaker than it begins. I wish Anderson could have found a way to end the proceedings with the huge sounding piece "Solid Space" instead of the weaker pieces that follow it. This is very minor nit-picking on my part though. Few things he has done solo since have come anywhere close.

[foamulator]

I bought Olias years and years ago, thinking it would probably be crappy.. ..man, was I ever wrong! It is an amazing production.

[dougienancy]

Its a work of real "labor of love" proportions. He played every instrument including all Vangelis's gear. Its unique and has a magical quality Ive never heard before or since, a true genius.

[wakclips]

Very accurate Observation!

[Ears14U]

Agreeably an incredible piece of work from Jon. Incredible work with the rest of Yes also.......+++++ Nice post

[s0undch4s3r]

yea...this whole copyright thing is ruining a lot of videos. Even crappy sounding audio is getting pulled.

anyway....love Jon Anderson....he's one of the best.

[yesmuseum]

Someone pulled the music video down, claiming copyrights. This is a shame. I hope the "owner" finds some means of sharing this with the fans. I have the feeling the music companies use sound-wave recognition to identify their tracks and pull them. They flagged a home movie that I created for my brothers, just because it had a Carpenters song in the soundtrack. It was a home movie of my brothers and I goofing around 37 years ago. Anyway, the video of Jon is out there if you search. G

[timweather]

I got this album when it was released - blowaway cool. So what if he seems stoned...Gee whizz - the 70s. I wonder? He is making sense in this interview, and even admitting, in an odd way to his 'Napoleon' streak. Jon has the most beautiful voice in rock and the keenest sense of what makes sense musically for the band we all love. At the core, what other band has always been giving off peace and love as the message? And what else matters in life?

I love Yes music...Gives me the shivers.

[PhilistineTheArtLuvr]

I shook his hand once, I was able to put my hand on his shoulder when he walked by me a few years ago, now I want to give him a big hug!!!

We all love you, Jon. See this August in Orlando!!!

[ASeasonedWitch]

Had a similar experience in San Juan Capistrano. Was there to see Chris Squire's band. We knew Jon was in the audience to see the show. I walked up to the bar and there was Jon. I made eye contact and went for a pen for an autograph. Couldn't find one so offered him a hug which he generously returned. He was all in white and looking very healthy, happy and holy. Later on I spent 45 minutes with Squire after the show when everyone was gone home. Needless to say an evening I will treasure forever.

[beaverliqour]

is eyes look like 2 pissholes in the snow

[sidbolero]

he does look absoloutely zonked

[yesman90125]

Jon did live the wild life-"there is a reason to experience Psycedelic so we could see"

Steve Howe actually talks about how he and Jon got stoned in a hotel room and wrote the Ideas for Tales From Topographic Oceans by candlelight-however this is Jon this is how he is and he often trails off into strange conversations and diatribes-I remember seeing Yes on the Union tour and Jon dedicated All Good People to all the people on Grass-or on the grass.

[diomanUK]

Jon's either as mashed as a potato, or Whispering Bob is having some cosmic effect on him.

[minihats]

Haha, can't imagine him being angry.

[beatlesdylanyes]

hahaha

[sleece6]

I can

[mtopper66]

The question here is not "whether or not Jon is on drugs"--it's *what* drugs, how many, how much did he take before the interview, and whether or not he was peaking--sure seemed like it to me!!

Olias, is, nonetheless, a brilliant album, and all the more so for being a brilliant album to trip out to...

[Softrockman]

E up thur Jon't lad of't go now n'get t'ovis forit tee.

[tuktuktok]

Man Jon's stoned! He keeps nodding off for a microsecond all the time and his eyes look at different directions. No surprise after spending months in a cellar. Anyhow, Olias is great album!

[rcknrol1]

Well, I'd say he's quite articulate for someone who is supposedly "stoned." :)

[foamulator]

@rcknrol1 I agree. He seems very tired, but he is explaining how he developed a concept album in his mind, and how he brought it to fruition. Not an easy thing to explain. He has a divine gift of melody and an incredible voice.

[JimSVoit]

@rcknrol1 I know, right? Who cares if he's stoned or sober, anyway?

[DanielMumby]

This kind of reflects what Rick Wakeman said about Jon Anderson: "He tries to save the planet while being on another one". He's off his rocker

[Invizziblenemy]

Yes he is from Accrington near the english scottish border as i remember - i once spent a lovely day with him and anotherr friend when he was in new york with one of his later Yes incarnations in the 80's - such a gentle, nice soul with an ethereal voice and imagination

[bilbobass88]

Actually Accrington is in Lancashire which is about 100 miles south of the border. That's actually a relatively large distnace in this small country. I quite agree though, a wonderful and unique voice.

[crispaddiction]

Thats right no where near Scotland in UK terms but almost as cold and wet. Accrington Stanley

are our classic team currently going from strength to strength. I wonder if Jon A supports them? He used to work half a mile from them at the dairy I'm told. I wonder if he used to sing at work ?

[mlw2005]

Thanks for posting this.

[DTebar]

I'm looking for people to do a cover of Olias of Sunhillow. I play synth and guitar and sing a bit like him, i can reach his hi pitch register... --DTebar

[crispaddiction]

A great and original man from my home town of Accrington, he used to work a mile from where I am now. Still has the local accent even today after all that LA thing and all that weed!

[arisdey]

What weed? C'mon.

[BaddaBigBoom]

"Accrington Stanley! who are they!?" "...Exactly!" Remember that? LOL

[bunyipper]

I love this guy! I saw Yes several times in the 70's at Maple Leaf Gardens in TOronto. I love YouTube because I can finally see these guys without paying a fortune or travelling far.

[arisdey]

I couldnt agree with you more!

[thx1138X]

somehow i will find my way home... he still hasn`t. what a great album Olias..

[onkyo2]

Was he stoned or what?

[arisdey]

Who cares? He is the cutest thing on the planet! That voice, that personality, that talent!!

[bonham2112]

I totally agree, thats exactly what i thought

[theeEqualizer]

Nope. He never was a drug user. He just really is that relaxed.

[Smitty489]

hahahahaha, no jon is quite familiar with drugs

[arisdey]

God, I love Jon Anderson. He is so cool. Nobody like him! I am 33 and I wish I could have been around back in the day to see him when he was young!

[bonrocker]

he was beyond hippy.

[Purplemoonfish]

What a space cadet, he's not tired he's been tripping again! God bless him!

[synthforhire]

Fantastic!!!

[anim8er2]

Olias was a landmark piece. I think Enya made a career out of imitating the style Jon INVENTED with Olias. Sadly, Jon has never really matched this first effort with his later works. (Not without Vangelis or others.)

[squatog2]

no , I think The Friends of Mr Cairo matches Olias

[sonnenberg]

I love Jon, but have to say I've never gotten inside this record. It sounds decidedly home made to me, and the whole story thing is just as obscure as it can be. God bless Jon, nonetheless! If I had 'caught the bus' when it was released and my mind was pliable, I'd a prob'ly got it.

[spotswoodthenewt]

i always love this record...even the cover was great!

[Brawk]

here here well said all around. Thanks for this!

[WJamzMan]

I'm a HUGE Yes fan and Olias is probably one of my favorites of EVERYTHING. The vocal arrangements are brilliant and the production is stunning. A great album and thank you Yesmuseum for the post!

[marilinalg]

I think Olias is the one of the best albums ever!

[shadowsfromthesun]

He looks like Floyd Landis with long "Jesus" hair. He probably looks burned out due to all the dope he was smoking in his garage while making the album. Quick, call Moog and find out how to get Twinkie crumbs outta the keyboards. ;)

[whiterobin5151]

Tired? He looks completely pixillated, poor guy!

[TrueBeginner]

Wow, the gems you find on YouTube! Thanks YesMuseum for cracking open the door of your museum!

[klukkluk]

Yes, Olias is still the best soloalbum Jon did and he said that there will be a kind of Olias part two in the future, but I'm afraid it will never happen.

Songs like Set Sail proves he still can make beautiful songs, so you never know.

Thanks for upload this and other great old Yes stuff!

[winstonarntz]

Totally agree there, Olias maybe the jewel in Jon's crown.

[winstonarntz]

Jesus Anderson after finishing Olias, he looks tired...

He nearly went mad making this album.

[yesmuseum]

I'd have to agree, but the result was nothing less than one of the greatest Yes-related LPs ever.  From this point on, Yes moved away from the CttE, TfTO, Relayer sound to a more Radio-friendly sound (in general).

[wigginsdesign]

Absoulutely my sentiments. OLIAS is a timeless landmark piece of work. Emotionally moving on many levels. After RELAYER Yes strayed away from the world music influences which is very prevalent in those 3 YES recordings you mentioned. It was something I noticed and missed immediately starting with GFTO.

[andrewnorris2]

@yesmuseum Tremendous album but I do regret that move away from concept albums to, as you say correctly, more radio friendly. I loved most those albums that took the listener on a journey, gave them an experience that is lacking in works after TfTO and Relayer. Having said that after TfTO was really, for me, the pinnacle of their creative achievement. Still my favourite band though since 1976.