Howe was my #1 fave guitarist for many years.
My first Yes gig was at Hershey Park Arena on March 1st 1974, the Tales From Topographic tour. I went with a buddy and we were both somewhat, er, let's just say chemically enhanced, but boy what a show. The quadrophonic sound was mind-blowing. Ritual was effing amazing!! I actually smuggled in a cassette recorder and taped it but have long since lost the tape. Or I lent it to someone and they never returned it. I forget. Anyway there is actually a bootleg of that show available from some vendor, I bought it. Strange... it sounds kinda like my old tape...
They were my favorite band for years, never missed a show (I lived in Philly until 1989 and then moved to California) up into the 90s, when they sort of fell apart. I saw the Union tour and tbh Rabin blew Howe off the stage IMHO, which sort of PO'd me at the time, but since then have come to really respect Mr. Rabin. I saw them last in 2002, was a good show, entire "original" (with Howe & Wakeman) band, no Rabin/Downes/Banks. Howe was kind of... stiff, is the word I guess. Then, after they booted Anderson from the band, I kind of lost interest in them after that.
I really want to go see ARW, if and whenever they resurface.
As an aside... an ex-pat Brit drummer buddy of mine took his son to LA to see Asia back in early '00s, I think. They walked into the arena for the soundcheck I have no idea how they managed to get in there) and briefly conversed with the band, and when Asia discovered he was a Brit they invited him and his son to join them for dinner. He and his son had a great time, he said they were all great guys... except for Howe, who was not at all friendly and uncommunicative, "no personality" in his words.
