Tales from Topographic Oceans

I recently borrowed this Yes album from the library. Two reasons: I had never listened to it, yet I had it pegged as typical, dinosaur-rock, musical self-indulgence; a few months ago I borrowed Rick Wakeman's The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth (about which I had similar beliefs) from a friend, and thought it was pretty good.

I had always assumed that Tales was largely a creation of Rick Wakeman. There is a vision I have of Rick, surrounded by keyboards, playing his heart out, obviously in some sort of ecstatic condition, and I’m yawning, waiting for him and the rest of the band to jump into Yours is No Disgrace or Parallels.

In the last few weeks, I found that I was wrong on several counts. First, I enjoy Tales immensely. Second, it was apparently the brainchild of Jon Anderson and Steve Howe. Third, Rick Wakeman didn’t care for it all that much, at least at the outset.

My apologies to all involved!

Does this mean that I should go back and listen to Tormato again?