Spock’s beard
Wait WHAT? Spock had a BEARD? Uh yeaheahuh. Anyone born in the 50’s knows that! There was a Star Trek episode (the original Star Trek…in the mid-late 60’s <—thank you so much, LUCILLE BALL!! Fun Fact…Desilu Studios (owned and sanctioned by Lucy) put up the money for Gene Roddenberry and Star Trek. Just a fun fact. And there was an episode within those 3 seasons called “Spock’s Beard”. That’s the back story for the name of this prog band. Look them up on Wikipedia. I’m too tired. Lol. Another band similar to YES in that they morphed and morphed. But the original lineup featured Neal Morse (and get this, when Neal performed, his keyboard was center stage - name another band that did that). His brother, Alan Morse, played guitar.
HOW did I find THESE guys? I didn’t. I have a friend (yea, even me) that I met at my club, Tennaqua. It started with platform tennis. I was wondering “who is this jamoke?” they paired me with for that evening’s match in the dead of winter in Chicago. He sucked. But I figured I could train him. So we got to know each other. And later that year, in the summer, after a tennis match, we’re all hanging around, having some dinner and a music discussion comes up. Ou of nowhere, Mike (now you know his name) says he likes YES! Wait, HUH? Dude. I pull him aside. It has been 30 years since I’ve found ANYONE that likes YES. “Well I do”, he fires back. “And so do my 4 high school buddies. Want to come with us to the next YES show?”. I checked my pulse, had i died and gone to heaven? “Oh HELL YES!!”
Fast forward a few years, a few YES shows, and we’re sitting around after pummeling the other team in a paddle match. “Dude.” “Yea dude.” “the boys and I have been going to see Spock’s Beard when they come to town”. “WHO, Dude?” “Never mind, check out this CD…it’s their fifth”. “FIFTH?” Now I’m wondering where have I been. No matter. On the way home, I throw the CD into the player in my car and put it on FULL BLAST! Did you remember that I am half deaf? Let’s keep moving. How could I ever forget the opening number…”At The End Of The Day”. Wow. I think I’ll go listen to it now. BRB.