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All My Yesterdays
- The Autobiography of Steve Howe
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
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All My Yesterdays
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Publisher's Summary
Renowned guitarist Steve Howe tells his own story in his own words, often unflinchingly as he recounts times of triumph and torment amidst the cream of the UK's prog rock bands.
Best known for his work with Yes, a group prone to sudden upheavals, and AOR supergroup Asia, Steve Howe's passage through these and other bands is a roller coaster ride of constant touring, tense recording sessions, and frequent trips to all corners of the globe. A workaholic, he soon realized that the temptations of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle weren't for him and instead dedicated his life to excellence in musicianship.
Born in North London in 1947, Steve got his first guitar at the age of 12 and thereafter devoted himself passionately to mastering its intricacies. After spells in psychedelic bands of the late '60s, he was invited to join Yes in 1970, thus finding himself in a spotlight that shines to this day. In the meantime, he raised a family, adopted vegetarianism as a lifestyle, and watched as many of his peers succumbed to the impulses he managed to avoid. As well as Yes and Asia, Steve has led bands of his own, released numerous solo recordings in many different musical styles, and amassed a legendary collection of priceless stringed instruments.
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What listeners say about All My Yesterdays
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jason Monaghan
- 27-05-2023
Straightforward telling of the great guitarist’s life story
As a great admirer we of Steve’s artistry I enjoyed this book, though it is probably fair the characterise it as being for fan’s only. Steve is a straightforward and honest chronicler of his life but the fact that he is naturally very reserved and tends to look down on the excesses of the rock and roll “lifestyle” means the narrative is mostly devoid of drama and excess (although they are certainly a part of the Yes story) and humour plays little role in the telling of the tale. Steve is an introvert and he offers little in the way of insight into the characters he has made music. What comes across (and will not be at all surprising to those familiar with the Yes story) is that Steve is very serious about his art and a perfectionist when it comes to both recording and performing. He also comes across as being a devoted family man. He largely avoids controversy (nothing is said about the rock and roll hall of fame, or the ARW rival version of Yes) and his characteristic English reserve sees him avoid talking about the painful loss of his his son Virgil and from revealing much of his feelings generally. He does however make clear his frustration at his musical colleagues who have lacked his devotion to always putting the music first. Perhaps it is not surprising that as much attention is given to his solo recordings as is given to Yes. The book was written prior to the recent burst of creativity in the Yes camp and recent interviews reveal a much more contended Howe who is clearly more at home in Yes now that he is calling the artistic shots. Perhaps in due course he might write an additional chapter dealing with this period. The book is well read by Simon Vance, but for the reasons indicated it will really only appeal to those who are already Howe fanatics. Firmly falling into that category, I am grateful that Howe took the time to share his side of story.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 06-08-2022
And The Word Is...Dull
Urgh, what a slog. Howe has stronger defenses up than Constantinople. You learn a little about Howe as a person (family, musical influences, macrobiotic diet, etc) but it's all very carefully curated, no vulnerability or warmth. And if you're looking for any personal reflections on the people he played music with, don't bother. There is literally more insight given into a car that he owned for a few years in the 70s than people he was in bands with for 30 years. It's abundantly clear that there are certain members of Yes that he doesn't like, but his way of dealing with that is to barely mention their names and next to nothing about how they earned his displeasure (I'm sure he's still pissed at Wakeman for eating a curry on-stage in '74). Howe has to fill his book with something, and that ends up being lists of tour dates, venues, equipment details, and so forth. It sounds less like an autobiography and more like a career touring itinerary. The narrator is...fine I guess, but the banality of the material eventually had me attaching the same description to his tone.
Dull, dull, dull. I can't believe that a publisher gave Howe money for this. Gets 2 stars for the straightforward presentation of the facts but little else to recommend it. Phil Collins' book is 10 times better if you want a prog-pop rock story. Recommended for insomniacs only.
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