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Yes: The Tormato Story

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Yes: The Tormato Story

By: Kevin Mulryne
Narrated by: Kevin Mulryne
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About this listen

The music of Yes indelibly shaped the original sound of progressive rock. But the true tale of this landmark band goes well beyond headline-making albums like Fragile and Close to the Edge. In this book, Kevin Mulryne tells the absorbing story of the final Yes album of the 1970s, Tormato, uncovering myriad fascinating twists and turns for the first time.

“Tormato was my introduction to the music of the world’s greatest progressive rock band, and I have spent years finding out all I can about it,” explains Kevin. “I have spoken to fans, experts and many of the people who were there during the technical setup of the equipment, the recording of the album, and the creation of the artwork.

“Along the way, I have learned a great deal about Yes, and the processes, frustrations and triumphs of recording a rock album in the late ‘70s. This is a deep dive into what makes an iconic band tick. I’m sure you will enjoy the journey as much as me!”

So what’s the real deal with Tormato? Be prepared to be surprised.

©2023 Kevin Mulryne (P)2023 Kevin Mulryne History & Criticism Music

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This is a "trainspotters" book in that it's packed with information about this much-maligned album but manages to tell the story in such a prosaic way that it makes a tough listen. If you've ever listened to the Yes Podcast then the authors style and voice will be be familiar; Mulryne co-presents the show and his clipped late night Radio 2 circa 1990 style of delivery works well in that format. He clearly writes his own scripts because this book comes over as a SEVEN hour podcast which is one of the things that makes it a tough swallow. The other thing is the nagging and growing realisation, as the book goes on, that in the hands of an actual writer, (say Mick Wall or |David Hepworth for example), this could have been a gripping read. There's a really good story here but it's presented as a teenage fan essay. The info is there and much research has been done and it's such an interesting (albeit niche) idea, that it's a shame it's been squandered

An interesting idea but rather badly written book

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First of all, Tormato is not my favorite Yes album. In fact, after finishing the book, I wiped off the proverbial dust, played the album again, and still wouldn’t rank it in my top ten.

That said, I found this book to be a thoroughly enjoyable and compelling read. It delves into a depth of technical detail that I found fascinating. The meticulous research is evident, and I was especially impressed with the insights into the equipment used during the album's creation.

Some have commented that the book is poorly narrated or written, but I strongly disagree. I feel that having the author read his own material adds a pleasing layer of credibility and authenticity to the work.

From what I’ve read elsewhere (though I could be wrong), Tormato wasn’t the easiest album to make. Perhaps more insights or a few golden nuggets about the band dynamics during that time would have enhanced the book further.

In my opinion, if you’re a fan of Yes and eager to absorb as much information about the band as possible, this book is absolutely worth a read. In fact, unless I’ve missed another book on the subject, it’s quite unique in its focus.

I do, however, wish the book had covered Going for the One, Close to the Edge, or Tales from Topographic Oceans.

Enjoyable and Absorbing !

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