Story of I
Encyclopedia
Story Of i is the title of a 1976 album by former Yes
keyboard player Patrick Moraz
. After the success of Relayer
, the band made a decision that next, each member would make a solo album. Story Of i is the first solo album by Moraz, and by the time it was released he was no longer a member of Yes, but it is considered one of his strongest albums. The title Story of i did not appear on the original release. The "i" is really Moraz's personal logo, a triangle-like shape standing on its tip and a sphere resting above it; this sign, interpreted by Moraz as "Star Peace", is how the album was identified both on the spine of the LP cover and in magazines and release material at the time. For reasons of convenience it has come to be referred to as The Story of i although the explanatory story that serves as a unifying link of the pieces on the album is not reprinted on most modern CD releases (on the original LP it was printed on the left side of the inner gatefold cover). Many people at the time assumed the title to be "i" or self-titled ("Patrick Moraz").
The concept album is based around a romantic story of a massive tower in the middle of a jungle. The tower lures people from all over the world to go inside it. Inside the tower, people are able to experience their wildest desires and fantasies. The only rule is that the people inside the tower may not fall in love with each other. However two people inside do so and decide to escape since the tower acts also as a prison which inhabitants are slaves of their own desires.
The album consists of fourteen relatively short tracks related to the story. The disc, particularly the percussion section, is strongly influenced by Brazilian music. Much of the Latin percussion was recorded in Rio de Janeiro
over two days in August 1975 and dubbed on to the tracks. The album is also notable for its rich use of pitch-bend controls on the synth/organ notes and its multi-layered, heavy but rhythmically agile synth and keyboard textures. Despite an unusual array of keyboards the music avoids sounding weighed down, repetitive or predictable, due to Moraz's ability to make his playing partly improvised, something which has long been recognized by listeners and which remains a part of his approach to playing keyboards and composing. Story Of I received many warm reviews and was chosen as the album of the year by Keyboard Magazine
.
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
keyboard player Patrick Moraz
Patrick Moraz
Patrick Philippe Moraz is a progressive rock keyboard player. He is best known as the keyboardist for the progressive rock band Yes, from 1974 to 1976, and the Moody Blues from 1978 to 1991...
. After the success of Relayer
Relayer
-Personnel:*Jon Anderson – lead vocals*Steve Howe – acoustic and electric guitars, vocals*Patrick Moraz – keyboards*Chris Squire – bass guitar and vocals*Alan White – drums, percussion-Production:*Produced By Yes & Eddie Offord...
, the band made a decision that next, each member would make a solo album. Story Of i is the first solo album by Moraz, and by the time it was released he was no longer a member of Yes, but it is considered one of his strongest albums. The title Story of i did not appear on the original release. The "i" is really Moraz's personal logo, a triangle-like shape standing on its tip and a sphere resting above it; this sign, interpreted by Moraz as "Star Peace", is how the album was identified both on the spine of the LP cover and in magazines and release material at the time. For reasons of convenience it has come to be referred to as The Story of i although the explanatory story that serves as a unifying link of the pieces on the album is not reprinted on most modern CD releases (on the original LP it was printed on the left side of the inner gatefold cover). Many people at the time assumed the title to be "i" or self-titled ("Patrick Moraz").
The concept album is based around a romantic story of a massive tower in the middle of a jungle. The tower lures people from all over the world to go inside it. Inside the tower, people are able to experience their wildest desires and fantasies. The only rule is that the people inside the tower may not fall in love with each other. However two people inside do so and decide to escape since the tower acts also as a prison which inhabitants are slaves of their own desires.
The album consists of fourteen relatively short tracks related to the story. The disc, particularly the percussion section, is strongly influenced by Brazilian music. Much of the Latin percussion was recorded in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
over two days in August 1975 and dubbed on to the tracks. The album is also notable for its rich use of pitch-bend controls on the synth/organ notes and its multi-layered, heavy but rhythmically agile synth and keyboard textures. Despite an unusual array of keyboards the music avoids sounding weighed down, repetitive or predictable, due to Moraz's ability to make his playing partly improvised, something which has long been recognized by listeners and which remains a part of his approach to playing keyboards and composing. Story Of I received many warm reviews and was chosen as the album of the year by Keyboard Magazine
Keyboard Magazine
Keyboard Magazine is a magazine that originally covered electronic keyboard instruments and keyboardists, though with the advent of computer based recording and audio technology, they have added digital music technology to their regular coverage, including those not strictly pertaining to the...
.
Track listing
All songs written by Patrick Moraz & John McBurnie (McBurnie's input is mostly limited to the lyrics in English). The tracks are joined into each other except at the point between tracks 7 and 8, where the LP went from side A to side B, but keyboard figures at the end of (7) and the beginning of (8) mimic how a seamless passage would have been made at the time if it had been possible to do without a break.- "Impact" (3:31)
- "Warmer Hands" (3:31)
- "The Storm" (0:52)
- "Cachaça (Baião)" (4:07)
- "Intermezzo" (2:49)
- "Indoors" (3:44)
- "Best Years of Our Lives" (3:59)
- "Descent" (1:43)
- "Incantation (Procession)" (1:51) (includes a brief piece of a field recording of Amazon Indian music)
- "Dancing Now" (4:38)
- "Impressions (The Dream)" (2:49)
- "Like a Child in Disguise" (4:05)
- "Rise and Fall" (5:34)
- "Symphony in the Space" (2:56)
Personnel
- Patrick MorazPatrick MorazPatrick Philippe Moraz is a progressive rock keyboard player. He is best known as the keyboardist for the progressive rock band Yes, from 1974 to 1976, and the Moody Blues from 1978 to 1991...
- keyboards, piano, synthesizers, organ, marimbaphone, additional assorted percussion - John McBurnie - lead vocals
- Vivienne McAuliffe - vocals and additional lead vocals
- Ray Gomez - electric lead and rhythm guitars
- Auguste DeAnthony: electric lead & rhythm guitars
- Jeff BerlinJeff BerlinJeff Berlin is an American jazz, jazz fusion and progressive rock electric bass player.Jeff Berlin's bass playing is somewhat similar to that of Jaco Pastorius, though Berlin plays a fretted bass and has stated his distaste for Jaco imitators.-Early life:Jeff Berlin was born to parents who were...
- electric basses - Alphonse MouzonAlphonse MouzonAlphonse Mouzon is a well-known jazz-fusion drummer and percussionist, and the Chairman/CEO of Tenacious Records. He also composes, arranges and produces, as well as acts...
- drums (1-7) - Andy NewmarkAndy NewmarkAndrew "Andy" Newmark is an American musician, best known as a popular session drummer, and for playing with the funk band Sly & the Family Stone from 1972 to 1973....
- drums (8-14) - The Percussionists of Rio de Janeiro
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Pop Albums |
132 |
Production
- Arranged & Produced By Patrick Moraz
- Recorded & Engineered By Chris 'Snoopy' Penycate & 'Professor' Jean Ristori
Trivia
- Jon AndersonJon AndersonJon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
was involved with coming up with the concept of Story Of i. While Anderson and Moraz were on tour with Yes they saw an old massive tower. They started to think what was inside the tower and invented many theories which they shared with each other. Jon Anderson encouraged Moraz to do the solo album with the concept of the tower.