“He told me how hard it is to live up to that innovation, year after year, tour after tour’: Former Live guitarist Chad Taylor has no regrets about meeting his hero Steve Howe

In 2015 Chad Taylor – co-founding guitarist of Live, who now fronts his own band Chad Taylor & Friends – told Prog about his admiration for Yes guitarist Steve Howe, and what happened when the pair met for dinner.

“In the progressive rock genre, to me, there‘s only one guitarist – and that’s Steve Howe. Yes were a part of my ethos – I was a 70s kid so I grew up with their music all around me.

The first song I heard that really made me pay attention to them was Owner Of A Lonely Heart, which was released later in their stage of mass popularity. But it really made me want to figure out who Yes were, and that ultimately led me to Asia, who I got heavily into as a kid.

I have friend called Michael Tate, who’d been Yes’ lighting and production designer through their biggest years. He remained friends with the band, and about a year ago I was invited to have dinner with Steve. I spent an evening listening to his stories of Yes and life on the road, and got to hear about how their musical and performance innovation came to be. Steve told me how hard it is to live up to that, year after year and tour after tour.

Yes - "Owner of a Lonely Heart" | 2017 Induction - YouTube

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I also got to speak to him about how he’s maintained his musical chops as he has aged. I’m not the same physically as I was when we started in my 20s – I’ve had to make adjustments to my own playing style. It was so great to talk to Steve about it, and hear how he’s done the same through the years. Anyone who knows his playing will tell you that his chops are just as good today as they were 30 years ago.

Another thing about Yes is their affiliation with Trevor Horn, who invented the sound of the 80s. He’s such a phenomenal producer – he’d be a dream guy to work with.

I’ve been so blessed in my career to have met so many guys who have inspired me. They all share a similar trait of being well known publicly, but privately introverted people. Steve definitely falls into that category.

He’s extremely bright, articulate and intelligent, with an incredible sense of honour. There is also a certain amount of wisdom about him – I learnt a tremendous amount even in that one evening.”