Friday 14 February 2014

DPRP 2013 poll

The results for the 2013 DPRP poll are out. As discussed before, there were not many high profile Yes-related releases in 2013, but let’s see how they did anyway with the 431 voters.

One might wish to count Steven Wilson as part of the Yes camp now he’s remixing the band’s back catalogue, and Wilson dominated the results. The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories) won Best Album. Tracks from the album were 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th in the Best Track category! Wilson and band came top overall for concerts, although in terms of individual shows, they were only 2nd and 3rd equal, with Camel’s 26 October show in the Netherlands winning. Wilson’s album and tour was 3rd in Biggest Happening (topped by Camel’s return). The album also did well in terms of individual performances, topping the list for Best Guitarist (Guthrie Govan, with Wilson himself also 11th), Best Bassist (Nick Beggs) and Best Drummer (Marco Minnemann). Adam Holzman was 2nd Best Keyboardist (won by Andy Tillison for The Tangent’s Le Sacré du Travail) and Wilson was 5th Best Vocalist (won by David Longdon for Big Big Train’s English Electric (Part Two)). The Raven… was also second in the Best Artwork category (won by Fish’s A Feast of Consequences). Wilson’s DVD “Drive Home” made 7th in Best DVD; Anathema’s “Universal” won.

Otherwise, however, the Yesmen were little to be seen. Rick Wakeman made 11th in Best Keyboardist for his guest appearance on Ayreon’s The Theory of Everything. The album itself was 8th in the Best Album category and 9th in Biggest Happening, although it was also 3rd in the Biggest Disappointment category (won by Dream Theater’s eponymous release).

The rise of prog cruises made 10th in Biggest Happening, with Cruise to the Edge specifically at 14th. Also notable is Tony Levin at 9th for Best Bassist (for Levin Minnemann Rudess).

Saturday 1 February 2014

Poll: Best Yes-related album of 1971

Our first two historical polls produced very clear results (Tomorrow's eponymous release winning best related album of the 1960s with 95% and King Crimson's Lizard winning best related album of 1970 with 67%), but 1971, the year of my and Jon Davison's birth, was much, much closer. With 70 votes, the results were:

1) George Harrison: All Things Must Pass (w/ White): 15 (21%)
2=) David Bowie: Hunky Dory (w/ Wakeman): 13 (19%)
2=) John Lennon: Imagine (w/ White): 13 (19%)
4) Mainhorse: Mainhorse (w/ Moraz): 10 (14%)  
5) The Strawbs: From the Witchwood (w/ Wakeman): 9 (13%)
6) Cat Stevens: Teaser and the Firecat (w/ Wakeman): 5 (7%)
7) Elton John: Madman Across the Water (w/ Wakeman): 3 (4%)
8) Colin Scot: Colin Scot with Friends (w/ Anderson, Wakeman): 1 (2%)
9=) Yoko Ono: Fly (w/ White): 0 (0%)
9=) Bell and Arc: Bell and Arc (w/ White): 0 (0%)

There was one 'other' vote, but with no choice specified.

The options were dominated by session work from either Rick Wakeman or Alan White, both still to join Yes at this point. White's two albums with former Beatles come first and joint second, although Wakeman's various appearances total marginally more votes (31 versus 28).