Not only have I been a huge fan since the early 1970’s ( my older brother’s influence there ), but I got to do something I never imagined. I got to meet my personal rock and roll hero, Jon Anderson.
In the late 1990’s, ABC’s Monday Night Football aired it’s halftime show hosted by Chris Berman from the ESPN Zone in Times Square in NYC. I shot it during those years. My work consisted of the fast-moving Steadicam shots in the beautiful and visually overstimulating Screening Room area, which features two immense projection screens with tons of smaller monitors all around them. The show would open with my shot, then move to Chris who was around the corner on the same level. Fun stuff. Typically if a sports or entertainment star was going to be coming in, they’d send word on and have seats held for them in the Screening Room area. In that way, they got the finest seat in the house ( but not at all “private”, they were surrounded by other fans ), and got a few seconds on t.v., courtesy of my shots.
My Director for that show was also a big Yes fan, and told me on headsets early on that there was a rumor that Jon and Janey Anderson were coming in that night. Couldn’t have rehearsed it any better- as he told me this, they walked up the stairs and into the staging area.
I’ve been with and around tons of “celebs” and whatnot and I almost never lose my cool. THIS was tough. I smiled, walked up and introduced myself and asked if they were there for the broadcast. Jon explained that Janey was a serious NFL fan, and had turned him into one as well. He said that when not out on the road, they’d spend all of Sunday watching as many games as they could. He said that she figured he was the one always in the limelight, on t.v., etc. Here was her chance to sit near Chris Berman, get on t.v. and watch it all. I informed them both that there were no audience angles for Chris’s work, but I could in fact design a shot that would include both of them.
I mentioned to Jon that I was a serious fan and had listened to ABWH Live ( It’s called " An Evening With Yes Music, Plus " and is amazing… ) on the way in that day. That earned me the polite professional smile that is given when one is told " I’m a huge fan !! " That was it for the gushing, for me.
She was delirious and in the very sweet way that someone has when the love of their life is being given a gift, he was grateful and happy. I told my Director what I had in mind, he cleared it with the Producer and I walked them to where I wanted them to stand. Told Security to allow them both through before Half-Time to that area, and walked them back to the area where Chris always did his show. There are tables all over there for folks to sit and watch the live broadcast and eat and drink, but none are seen on air.
Jon motioned for me to come and sit, and so much to my delight, I spent perhaps half an hour alone with the man. I knew better than to be a stupid fan, but instead was able to enjoy just a serious conversation. We talked about kids, about spouses, about life on the road, etc. A totally gentle soul, he is all that we see on stage and in videos. Quick to smile, even when very tired. ( more about that in a moment. 
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I went down to the gift store and bought Janey a lovely heavy ESPN Zone baseball jersey as a gift from the crew. She asked Chris to sign it, which he graciously did. I did the shot, which allowed both of them to be in a medium shot from which I backed away quickly. It allowed them to SEE themselves on the projection monitors as well, as I did the shot. Instant gratification as they say.
She was just so jazzed, the second my tally light went off, she was on the cellular to her girlfriends on the West Coast. Jon was grinning, came over and grabbed my arm and said, " aaahh you made her VERY happy, thank you so much".
As I was wrapping, he came by and asked me my name. I knew what was up, the group was to perform at The Beacon Theatre that week for a few nights. I looked the man in the eye and said look, Jon, this is a rare treat for me to have been in a position to make YOU and your lady happy, for all of the years of happiness your music has given me, I’d say we are even.
He insisted, I knew enough not to decline. My Director, the prop lady and I got comped tickets and backstage aftershow passes. Whipped as the fellow was after a long and great show, we were escorted backstage afterwards and he spend another five or ten minutes talking with the three of us. My Director had not met Jon the night of the broadcast, so it was a special treat to be brought back after the show.
Gracious to the end, a genteel and spiritual soul. Not at all a put-on or an act. This feeling was reinforced rather strongly a few years ago. Yes came to Madison Square Garden ( I want to think it was 2003, in the spring, but I’m unsure ). Lacking a ticket, I just dumped my camera gear in the car after the job, left it in the garage and headed down. Bought a good seat from a guy whose cousin had bailed on him, and enjoyed a spectacular show. It was the 35th Anniversary tour. ( 2004? 2003 ? Hmm. )
Near the end, Jon introduced a woman who he said was his spiritual guide. She said a prayer blessing the crowd and band. I want to think she was speaking Hindi but I am unsure to be honest.
The prayer took perhaps 3 minutes, and the audience underwent a very ugly transformation. Not nearly everyone, but a vocal section of the audience starting making negative comments. A few quiet boos here and there. Jon was obviously very upset by this, and the group finished the show and he left quickly. There ws a rather long wait after they left, and I thought that he might have insisted that there be no encore due to the poor manners of the audience.
It was dismaying, to hear such negative things be shouted out. It seems that the audience, or part of it, was glad to bask in the glow of the classic line-up, listening to their old faves ( the second half of the show was mostly 100 % acousic and my god what a rare treat that was ), but weren’t interested in the person who moves Jon to create some of those spiritually moving lyrics.
He came out, along with the group, leaned into the mike and said, " I wasnt’ going to, but this one’s for Damien" ( his son ). They did Starship Trooper, and they left. A great show but a sobering dynamic.
Not only did I get to meet my rock and roll idol, but the gentleman did not disappoint. His wife’s a strong, smart lovely person as well.
