Union 30 Live

[Sunlight Caller]

Steve Howe mentioned that they had recordings of 6-7 Union shows. Unfortunately I’m assuming that this box isn’t sourced from those tapes, but from various boots that you can find wherever. Otherwise why include audience recordings at all? I’ll bet whoever $5 that Wembley on this set is just a straight copy of the radio broadcast not even pulled from the BBC archives.

Which band members have actually signed off on this release? I’m assuming Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman are onboard, but what about Howe, Bruford, White, Kaye and the Squire estate?

Overall this thing looks kinda cool, but doesn’t seem to be delivering very much. Still, I’d be interested in a standalone CD set or FLAC download of Shoreline, if its’s the complete show, which seems to be the only non bootleg source, and the retro concert t-shirts look fun.

The famous BBC radio broadcast was 79 touring Tormato, it wasn’t Union. I do not believe there are professional recordings of the Wembley Union show, which is a shame as it was a brilliant night.

I was a completist until all of the recent tribute show live albums started, so I can happily leave this one alone too. I love the Progeny set and would buy anything of that quality and historical note, but I’m not shelling out for rebadged audience boots

[bondegezou]

1969-87 material would be controlled by Rhino now, so whatever unheard stuff still exists would reside there.

Is owned by Rhino (Warner), but not necessarily residing with them. Tapes could have ended up with band members, for example.

Henry

[bondegezou]

Ask and ye shall receive... granted hastily shot with my phone and the last two pages are just credits and another photo.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AHT...ew?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Tw...ew?usp=sharing

Wow! Many thanks for this. Do the credits say who played on the tracks?

This is all definitely different from the original release, where the liner notes talked about the individual tracks, except a layout mistake meant you just got bits of the text, and the text referred to a different track list than was actually used on the CD, IIRC!

Henry

[Frumious B]

The famous BBC radio broadcast was 79 touring Tormato, it wasn’t Union. I do not believe there are professional recordings of the Wembley Union show, which is a shame as it was a brilliant night.

I was a completist until all of the recent tribute show live albums started, so I can happily leave this one alone too. I love the Lrogeny set and would buy anything of that quality and historical note, but I’m shelling out for rebadged audience boots

https://youtu.be/Gn0AOdi7ArA

June 29, 1991 at Wembley was recorded and partially broadcast by the BBC much like October 28, 1978 was. It’s my most oft played Union tour recording.

[iguana]

^ love the still pic. is that rick or trevor doing the rabbit ear victory sign on steve?

i paid a hefty sum of money for this 2CD in 1992. while i quickly dispensed of all other old CD boots of YES (not really worth holding on to these days) i am keeping this one.

10398480-1CBA-467E-859A-CEC7464F0AD8_1_105_c.jpg

[Frumious B]

^ love the still pic. is that rick or trevor doing the rabbit ear victory sign on steve?

i paid a hefty sum of money for this 2CD in 1992. while i quickly dispensed of all other old CD boots of YES (not really worth holding on to these days) i am keeping this one.

10398480-1CBA-467E-859A-CEC7464F0AD8_1_105_c.jpg

The radio broadcast is not the complete show. Say Yes is an audience recording of the same gig, but it is actually quite listenable. The only problem with that CD set, which I used to own also, is that it runs slightly fast. There is a speed corrected version of Say Yes on yessongs.nl with a few other fixes done by The Tooleman and that is really the one to have.

[Frumious B]

This is really not a new release. It is a super duper “deluxe” reissue of the Union Live set that Gonzo put out in 2010 with a ton of extra packaging and a bunch of bootlegs that you can all ready get for free. They are touting it as a new release, but if you examine what is included and read the promo copy carefully there is no new content at all from official sources.

[arturs]

If ARW's team are coordinating this, I suppose this means the newly remastered boots will come with special added audience applause and crowd noise

One thing you can definitely say about the Union Tour is that they did *not* need to add applause...

Thanks also, everyone, for the tips about the Wembley show. I am checking that out now.

[zeprogmeister]

Is there a single dvd and or cd version of the Union tour in print at the moment?

[arturs]

Is there a single dvd and or cd version of the Union tour in print at the moment?

It looks like Union Live (the Mountain View show) is OOP but Greg Walker is still listing it:

YES
UNION LIVE (2 CD) $16

[Frumious B]

https://youtu.be/JMskI2HwIqw

Wonky mix, but the complete Denver show. This was on the previous Union Live but isn’t part of the new set.

[Aquatarkus]

There were minor differences over the course of the tour. "City of Love", "Take the Water to the Mountain" and "Soon" were played at the first show in Pensacola and never thereafter. "Hold On" was dropped midway through the European leg.

"Saving My Heart" was the only song added during the tour--and not exactly a positive!

Agree about Saving My Heart. Dreck! I remember it live. Sounds like the Pensacola FL show was the best setlist! I rather enjoy the Bruford drumming on Take the Water to the Mountain.

[reynard]

This is really not a new release. It is a super duper “deluxe” reissue of the Union Live set that Gonzo put out in 2010 with a ton of extra packaging and a bunch of bootlegs that you can all ready get for free. They are touting it as a new release, but if you examine what is included and read the promo copy carefully there is no new content at all from official sources.

I completely agree. This really is a case for just having a bunch of physical cases.

Wow! Many thanks for this. Do the credits say who played on the tracks?

Henry

Credits are:

Vocals, Guitar, and Bass played by Trevor Rabin
Produced and Arranged by Trevor Rabin
All Songs Written by Trevor Rabin, except 'Promenade',
Mussorgsky/Trad., 'Miracle of Life', M. Mancina

Originally Released in 2003
Recorded in 1981/82/1990
2020 Remaster by John Hughes

and that's it.

[zeprogmeister]

https://youtu.be/JMskI2HwIqw

Wonky mix, but the complete Denver show. This was on the previous Union Live but isn’t part of the new set.

I was at that show so I'll give it a watch. Weird how video from the 90s looks so bad compared to current standards.

[Frumious B]

I have a lot of nostalgia for the Union era. I was still a relatively new fan. It was the first official Yes album, with that classic Dean logo and everything, I got to buy on release day though I was able to buy ABWH on release day too. The album gets a bad rap and I can see the weakness now, but I played the absolute snot out of it for that entire summer...every day, sometimes twice. The tour felt like the stuff of rock god legend to me. It was like a real life comic book superhero crossover event...Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin on the same stage! Two drummers! Two keyboard players! Bring it on. “Awaken, gentle mass touch!” You all know the drill.

I’d be beyond thrilled with the release of a single professionally mixed complete, uncut show in audio and video. 30 discs, and they still manage to not do that. Unless/until that shows up I’m totally fine with Union Live supplemented by bootlegs.

[Proglodite]

Isn't it funny how the blurb blasts the bootleggers charging up to $70/show, yet they conclude by saying "This item will undoubtedly become both desirable and HIGHLY collectable." Doesn't sound like they have a problem with fans paying through the nose someday for THEIR product --Peter

[Sunlight Caller]

I have no problem with the artist beating the bootlegger at their own game, but if the sound quality is little better than an audience recording, then I’ll take issue if the prices are unreasonably high. This release sounds dubious, and expectations have been set low.

[iguana]

I have a lot of nostalgia for the Union era. I was still a relatively new fan. It was the first official Yes album, with that classic Dean logo and everything, I got to buy on release day though I was able to buy ABWH on release day too. The album gets a bad rap and I can see the weakness now, but I played the absolute snot out of it for that entire summer...every day, sometimes twice. The tour felt like the stuff of rock god legend to me. It was like a real life comic book superhero crossover event...Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin on the same stage! Two drummers! Two keyboard players! Bring it on. “Awaken, gentle mass touch!” You all know the drill.

I’d be beyond thrilled with the release of a single professionally mixed complete, uncut show in audio and video. 30 discs, and they still manage to not do that. Unless/until that shows up I’m totally fine with Union Live supplemented by bootlegs.

here’s my silver jubilee recollection, suitably revived for the 30th. i agree with every single one of your sentiments.

https://manversusmedia.wordpress.com...on-album-1991/

[bondegezou]

Credits are:

Vocals, Guitar, and Bass played by Trevor Rabin
Produced and Arranged by Trevor Rabin
All Songs Written by Trevor Rabin, except 'Promenade',
Mussorgsky/Trad., 'Miracle of Life', M. Mancina

Originally Released in 2003
Recorded in 1981/82/1990
2020 Remaster by John Hughes

and that's it.

Thanks, H

[bondegezou]

I have no problem with the artist beating the bootlegger at their own game

This isn't even the artist doing that: it's the tour promoter doing it.

Henry

[JJ88]

Certainly not buying this, but...

Thanks also, everyone, for the tips about the Wembley show. I am checking that out now.

Me too. Have never really heard a show from this tour. For some reason I assumed there were more multi-tracks/soundboards (given its late vintage) than there actually are. Very clear audience recording, but it's a little shrill.

I don't love YesWest songs live (even though I rate 90125 highly). They tend to be much more 'produced' than 70s Yes IMHO, so are best heard in studio form.

This Wembley show is good but I notice how little of Union is played. 'Shock To The System' comes over well enough.

[Jerjo]

Is there a single dvd and or cd version of the Union tour in print at the moment?

I can't find one but I am hoping that we'll get a single or double disc, like they did with the Progeny box

It looks like Union Live (the Mountain View show) is OOP but Greg Walker is still listing it:

YES
UNION LIVE (2 CD) $16

The wonky search engine couldn't find this

[bondegezou]

I can't find one but I am hoping that we'll get a single or double disc, like they did with the Progeny box

I see no reason to hold that hope, but then I guess the nature of hope is such that it transcends what is likely.

Henry

[REFaust]

Yes, two nights! I was at the 2nd!

Three nights actually, I was at the first and third.
R E

[ronmac]

I missed this tour, because I was on vacation in Nova Scotia when they played locally. Looks like I'll miss it again.