Beginnings (Steve Howe album)

Beginnings
Studio album by Steve Howe
Released	October 31, 1975 (UK) November 19, 1975 (US)
Recorded	1975 at Morgan & Advision studios
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	39:51
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Steve Howe and Eddie Offord
Steve Howe chronology
Beginnings (1975) The Steve Howe Album (1979)

Beginnings is Yes guitarist Steve Howe's debut solo album, released in 1975.

The five Yes band members each released a solo album in 1975/6. Members Alan White and Patrick Moraz from that line-up guest on Beginnings, while Howe performed on White's Ramshackled album. The album also features former Yes drummer Bill Bruford on "Pleasure Stole the Night" and "Break Away From It All". There are also members of the English medieval progressive rock band Gryphon, Graeme Taylor, Malcolm Bennett, Dave Oberlé on one of the songs.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

AllMusic's retrospective review deemed Beginnings an artistic failure, summarizing that "The playing is strong throughout, but towards what end is the mystery -- none of the songs are particularly memorable, nor is the production[...] and Howe is such a weak singer that he'd have been better off[...] sticking to instrumentals."

Track listing

The words and music are by Steve Howe except where noted.

1. "Doors of Sleep" (Steve Howe, Alice Meynell) – 4:08
2. "Australia" – 4:13
3. "The Nature of the Sea" – 3:57
4. "The Lost Symphony" – 4:41
5. "Beginnings" (Steve Howe, orchestrated by Patrick Moraz) – 7:31
6. "Will o' the Wisp" – 6:00
7. "Ram" – 1:53
8. "Pleasure Stole the Night" – 2:57
9. "Break Away From It All" – 4:19

Personnel

• Steve Howe – electric and acoustic guitars, bass, lap steel, mandolin, Moog, organ, washboard, vocals
• Graeme Taylor – guitar (3)
• Malcolm Bennett – bass, flute (3, 8)
• Colin Gibson – bass (4)
• Alan White – drums (1, 2, 4, 6)
• Bill Bruford – drums (8, 9)
• Dave Oberlé – drums (3)
• Patrick Moraz – piano on (4), grand piano, harpsichord, moog on (5), Mellotron on (6)
• Bud Beadle – saxophone (4)
• Mick Eve – saxophone (4)
• Patrick Halling, William Reid – violin (5)
• John Meek – viola (5)
• Peter Halling – cello (5)
• Chris Laurence – double bass (5, 8)
• James Gregory – flute, piccolo (5)
• Sidney Sutcliffe – oboe (5)
• Gwyd Brooke – bassoon (5)

Charts

Year	Chart	Position
1975	Billboard Pop Albums	63
1975	UK Albums Chart	22

External links

• Yescography entry