Big Generator

In February 1985, the Yes line-up of Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, keyboardist Tony Kaye, drummer Alan White, and guitarist and vocalist Trevor Rabin, ended a twelve-month world tour in support of their eleventh studio album, 90125 (1983).[2] That album marked a considerable change in direction for the group, moving from their pioneering progressive rock sound of the 1970s towards more accessible and pop-oriented music, helped by the production of Trevor Horn and Rabin's demos, which formed most of the album. 90125 became the band's highest selling album, helped by their first and only US number one single "Owner of a Lonely Heart". The album also earned Yes's only Grammy Award, winning Best Rock Instrumental Performance for "Cinema". Later in 1985, the group started work on a follow-up.

Rehearsals began in August 1985 in Hollywood, California with Horn resuming his role as producer.[3][4][5] Rabin felt nervous and pressured when their label, Atco Records, informed him that they wished for another hit like "Owner of a Lonely Heart", but he wanted to move from the band's past and do something different regardless of its success.[6][7] Anderson, wishing to "extend the musicianship" of the band and its new music, wanted to capitalise on its now larger fanbase and attempt "more adventurous" songs for the album. Horn was not interested, however, and isolated Anderson from the writing process until songs were near complete. Anderson called it a "big mistake" as he wanted to encourage Rabin to "jump on a Stravinsky-ism" and "go crazy wild" with musical ideas.[8]

Recording for Big Generator began at Lark Studios, by Castello di Carimate in Carimate, Italy

At Rabin's suggestion, the band agreed to relocate to Lark Recording Studios, a facility situated by Castello di Carimate, a castle in Carimate, Italy.[3] He thought that such a location would help the band bond together and bring some new ideas to the music which would create a better album as a result.[7][9] Rabin first spoke of the friction between Anderson and Squire during this time three years after the album's release, which suited him as it "created a great vacuum for me to work in".[10] Squire maintained that Rabin made the choice to record there as a step to save money and for tax purposes, and called it the wrong move, a view that Rabin denied years later and clarified that "It was never the intention to save money, although I don't want to waste money."[11][9][7] Squire recalled more time being spent on what recording equipment to use than the music itself during the entire project, which also affected the tense situation.[12]

After three months in Carimate, most of the backing tracks had been put down but progress on the album was affected by internal problems.[11] Rabin recalled a lot of partying going on and not enough substantial work getting done, calling it "a real drug time" which affected unnamed members to focus on work.[7] This led to Horn suggesting they halt production and resume in London.[9] For the next several months, recording took place at SARM East, SARM West, and AIR Studios in London.[3] However, when the move was not enough to improve internal relations and differences in the album's direction, Rabin felt it was time to relocate the recording once more, this time to Los Angeles where he had settled, when he once entered the studio by himself on a Sunday to work, and later found it the happiest time of the entire experience.[9] While in London, Horn found himself unable to finish producing the tracks as the band could not agree and ended his association with the project, adding: "It wasn't a case of being a committee. It was just warring factions trying to kill each other".[11] Rabin later revealed that Horn's departure was also partly due to his differences with Anderson and Kaye.[13]

After failing to finish the album in London, Rabin returned home to Los Angeles and completed it at Southcombe, Westlake, and Sunset Sound Studios with producer and engineer Paul DeVilliers.[3][4] Rabin also worked on the album with a 24-track studio at his home studio in the Hollywood Hills, which inspired him to work on all of his musical projects in the studio which he named The Jacaranda Room, since 1988.[14] Rabin estimated the album cost $2 million to make.[15]

At the beginning of the songwriting process, Rabin recalled the group used Abbey Road (1969) by The Beatles as a model and influence for the music on Big Generator. He explained: "If we come up with an idea, why pressure ourselves into making it a song? Just have it there. If you can't come up with a chorus, don't throw it out because it's not a complete song and don't put a bad chorus around it".[9] Such an approach led to the album having tracks longer than common pop songs of the time, peaking at seven minutes in length.[9] Rabin described Kaye's role as a greater one than he had on 90125, but continual clashes between Kaye and Horn resulted in his keyboard parts being recorded in another studio away from Horn.[7]

"Jon Anderson had an idea for that sleeve, which was basically a drawing of a scroll," designer Garry Mouat (who had worked on 90125) told Classic Rock. "It was like something you may have done at school. I remember saying, 'I like where you're coming from, but how about another idea?' The band were all looking out of the windows, avoiding eye contact and leaving me to pay lip service to Jon."[19]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[20]
Pitchfork	0.0/10[21]

Released on 21 September 1987,[22] Big Generator peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 during its 30 weeks on the chart, and number 17 on the UK Albums Chart. On 8 December 1987, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling 500,000 copies in the US. On 29 April 1988, it was certified platinum for selling one million copies.[22] Like 90125, the album earned Yes a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Three singles were released from the album. "Love Will Find a Way", the first, reached number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second, "Rhythm of Love", peaked at number 40 on the latter chart. In 1988, "Final Eyes" was released as the third single.

Big Generator was remastered in 2009 by Japanese producer Isao Kikuchi and released in Japan by Warner Music Japan as part of a series of Yes reissues on Super High Material CD. This mastering was also included in the compilation box set The Studio Albums 1969–1987 (2013).

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[3]

Yes

• Jon Anderson – vocals
• Trevor Rabin – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, string arrangements
• Tony Kaye – Hammond organ, piano
• Chris Squire – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Alan White – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Lee R. Thornburg – horns on "Almost Like Love"
• Nick Lane – horns on "Almost Like Love"
• Greg Smith – horns on "Almost Like Love"
• Jimmy Zavala – horns on "Almost Like Love", harmonica on "Love Will Find a Way"

Production

Books

• Welch, Chris (2008). Close to the Edge – The Story of Yes. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84772-132-7.
• Morse, Tim (1996). Yesstories: "Yes" in Their Own Words. St Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-312-14453-1.