Two males with a history in dynamic songs, among them an unique prima donna and also the various other a noticeable multi-instrumentalist, were with each other in the UK cd graphes for the very first time in the very first weeks of the 1980s. Jon Anderson of Yes and also Vangelis Papathanassiou, recognized on disc as Jon & Vangelis, included the hit cd Short Stories to the solitary from it that was currently climbing up the bestsellers, “I Hear You Now.”
It might from a range have actually appeared a not likely pairing, of the singer from Accrington in Lancashire and also the key-board gamer from the Greek port community of Volos. However they had actually interacted previously, in 1975 when Anderson supplied vocals on the track “So Long Ago So Clear,” from Vangelis’ Heaven and also Hell cd. In fact, they might have been bandmates, because Vangelis auditioned to replace Rick Wakeman in Yes, but lost out to Patrick Moraz.
They reconvened for the initial recordings on Short Stories in the early part of 1979, with Vangelis in the production chair. “I Hear You Now,” the low-key but attractive lead single, made its chart debut in the first week of the new decade of 1980, and on the January 26 chart, climbed 25-17 on its way to No.8. That week, the album debuted at No.31, going on to a rewarding No.4 peak and reaching an altogether more modest No.125 in America.
Listen to uDiscover Music’s Jon & Vangelis Best Of playlist.
Short Stories was entirely the work of the duo, apart from the acoustic guitars of Raphael Preston. The collaboration was so harmonious that Jon and Vangelis soon did it again, reappearing with 1981’s The Friends Of Mr. Cairo. Two years later, they were with each other once more for Private Collection, which included the single “He Is Sailing,” and also 1991 brought the launch of their Page of Life pairing, tape-recorded in 1986.
Buy or stream Vangelis’ 13-disc Delectus box collection.
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