Yes "Close to the Edge" ~ Roger Dean on the Ceiling and Two Tatami Mat Nights — Bobby (Satoru Tokuno)

There are many artists, bands, and singers who have influenced me, but my heavy rotation is Yes's "Close to the Edge."

Two Tatami Mat Canvas and Giant Speakers

I copied the album artwork onto a two-tatami-mat sized canvas, hung it on the ceiling, and slept while gazing at it. I built a huge speaker system that was popular at the time and often listened at high volume without regard for the neighbors.

What I hung on the ceiling was that inner sleeve illustration created by Roger Dean.

This Was Yes's Peak

For Yes, this album was their peak. Although they had worldwide hits afterward, I found them all boring.

I think everything they wanted to do was completed with this album, don't you?

Decoding the 3 Songs

There's an article that puts the appeal of this album into words better than I can, so I'd like to quote it here.

One of the most famous and best albums in progressive rock. It has arguably the greatest progressive rock song ever, making it truly a masterpiece. Song reviews:

Close to the Edge: One of the greatest progressive songs ever, if not the greatest. When I first heard it, I was blown away. Personally, this is the ultimate progressive epic. An absolute classic that deservedly takes first place, a wonderful title track.

And You and I: Despite the brilliant opening, And You and I also maintains excellent quality. A wonderful song with lovely, beautiful melodies. A brilliant second place.

Siberian Khatru: A brilliant final song, though not quite as good as the previous two. Still, a wonderful song that's a bit more groove-oriented with more upbeat guitar lines. A brilliant third place.

This album is truly a masterpiece. I like it just slightly more than Relayer, thanks to the title track. I think the title track is superior to Gates of Delirium, though I think Sound Chaser is better than Siberian Khatru, and To Be Over is better than And You and I. But both albums are brilliant, and I think Close to the Edge is Yes's definitive work.

An Unparalleled Progressive Rock Masterpiece

The hardness, the beauty, the wonderful harmonies, the unexpected developments, the diverse time signatures...

No matter how you look at it, it's an unparalleled progressive rock masterpiece (laughs).

Editorial Notes

Bobby, aka Satoru Tokuno, has been my music companion since my twenties — no, calling him an ally feels more fitting. He made his major debut with "CLAXON" on CBS SONY in 1987, but the band went on an extended hiatus the following year. After a quarter-century of silence, he quietly restarted as a singer-songwriter in 2014. Since then, from Season1 to Season6, he's been singing alone. Whenever we meet, he remains unchanged, walking through life as a true artist.

When I heard he chose Close to the Edge this time, I was so happy I laughed. Progressive rock, of all things! "I copied the jacket onto a two-tatami canvas and hung it on the ceiling" and "I built giant speakers and was a nuisance to the neighbors" — these two episodes alone bring that era's Bobby vividly before my eyes. The man who offered his entire bedroom to Roger Dean's universe.

The boldness to declare "Yes completed everything with this album" is also very Bobby-like. The words of someone who has stopped many times over 40+ years but always starts singing again carry an unwavering core. His affection for the "unexpected developments and diverse time signatures" mentioned in the referenced article also reflects the perspective of someone who has examined song structures as a songwriter.

In February 2025, he restarted with a solo style of singing while playing guitar alongside recorded tracks, now beginning to strongly express his message-oriented approach. His signature songs are "Ocean of pain" and "Aishite iru yo." He still performs at venues like Ehime's Hoshizora Jett, Otoyou, Tokara, and Salon Kitty. A troubadour who has never stopped singing for over 40 years — that's Bobby. Being able to preserve his writing on Album Sweet was a moment when I truly felt glad to be running this site.