Oh, and while we’re speaking of YES… I guess I forgot to post the link to The Daily Vinyl music video #42: “Ritual” by YES (special ‘Nous sommes du soleil’ rare edit)

Using a very rare DJ pressing of YES’s 1973 controversial double album “Tales From Topographic Ocean,” I created a unique VINYL version. (Guess this could have been the single edit, if they had just asked me!) The full length version is over 20-minutes.

The bulk of this video was filmed in East Tennessee out in the woods of Fairfield Glade. I was on a “spiritual retreat” so, of course, I brought my turntable. I filmed my drive back in the snow and it just felt magical. Wanting to bring the video out of the cold and into the blue sky & sunshine, I later filmed my drive to Florida the following Spring with this video in mind. (Look for the double rainbow… WHAT DOES IT MEAN???)

I hope you enjoy it.

And I have to say, as much as I love my records, if ever an album benefited from being remastered to CD, it’s “Tales From Topographic Ocean”. It simply sounds incredible. I realize that a double album with only 4 songs is not for the faint-of-heart, but it really is an incredible masterpiece of the genre that has become known as prog-rock.

Dedicated to the runners of the Country Music Marathon, April 30 2011. At this point, these athletes have already completed 19.4 miles!!!! and still another 7 miles to go. (Heck, I get winded running 2 blocks, so I’m amazed at all these people! Good on ya!)

The song “I’m Running” was recorded by the band YES and released on their 1987 album “Big Generator” — the follow-up record to 90125. (You may see a similar code on the lyric sleeve.) This song was always my favorite from “Big Generator” and the closest to that classic YES.

The filming was fun. It was hot and windy. You can actually watch the sun warping the record, hence the reason I used the LP jacket as shade. That seemed to help. Couldn’t stop the wind tho! Look out!!!

You can see the difference in album cover from vinyl to CD:

This is a new segment for TheDailyVinyl channel called “The Daily Vinyl presents ‘Off The Record with The Daily Vinyl’ ” (catchy, right?)

Episode #01: ARADHNA.
The first time I even heard of Aradhna was mere hours before their Nashville show. There was something about the little postcard-sized flyer that grabbed my attention… the two hippie lookin’ dudes playing sitar and acoustic guitar and it said they sang mostly in Hindi.

The duo’s performance (along with a drummer – their college-buddy who lived in the area) was astoundingly beautiful! There was such passion in their presentation. It was a Spiritual experience — at least for me (and my lovely goddess of a wife.) It was the kind of Spirituality that transcends dogma.

I sat down with Chris Hale the sitar player and learned about the formation of Aradhna, his time in India, what inspired him to pick up the Sitar, and their 2011 release “Namaste Sate”

To learn more about them, visit AradhnaMusic.com.

Namaste!

Aradhna MP3s on Amazon

Download Namaste Sate