Reviewed by Andy Long

When this book dropped through my letterbox, let me tell you I said "Yes!". And verily brethren, I said "Yes!". Again, I said "Yes! Yes! YEEESSS!". You see, I'm a sad old hippy who thinks that Yes are one of the finest rock bands in the history of history itself. But Rick's life encompasses much more than supergroup stardom. This is a tale of three marriages, of family struggles, of a heart attack at the tender age of 25, of sudden wealth and of equally sudden near-bankruptcy. It's the story of a long battle with alcoholism and of a faith shelved in teenage years and beautifully restored some years later. It's a well written read which manages to avoid the dull habit autobiographers have of meticulously chronicling every time they go to the toilet or what they had for their sixth birthday. Rather, it maps out the major events in Rick's life, early session work, The Strawbs, Yes, solo projects as well as honestly examining the ups and downs, the mistakes and successes of a good, honest, incredibly talented muso.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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