Hei.

Jeg "klippet og limet" hele chat'en med Alan 31/8-2004, og siden MSN ikke har lagt den ut enda, gjør jeg det. Hilsen Lasse.

DishDiva says: Alan, welcome to MSN Live! It is great to have you here today!
Alan_White_Live says: Love you all.

Brandon_Loves_YES in Onstage_1 asks: What is your favorite song to play live?
Alan_White_Live says: It's a very difficult question, Brandon, but one of my favorites, actually there is a toss up between "Heart of the Sunrise," "Gates of Delirium."

»¤Ð rûmš4ƒûñ¤« in Onstage_1 asks: What was your favorite preformance?
Alan_White_Live says: Yeah, I think when we broke the record at Madison Square Garden for playing the most nights in a row, we played 7 nights in a row. And Rock in Rio where we played for 350,000 people. Those things stick out in your mind but we love playing for people so much.

WonderingWanderer___ in Onstage_1 asks: Can you tell the story of how you came up with the song round about? I mean whats the story behind it? Every song has a story doesn't it?
Alan_White_Live says: Absolutely. It's very basic, the song "Round About" was written before I was in the band and the story behind it was the band and all the equipment would travel in one vehicle and they were driving through the mountain and in the England we have things called roundabouts, and Jon looked up at the sky and saw the sky just standing there. So it's a traveling song.

LocalMarceloPerea in Onstage_1 asks: Hi Alan,I 'am Marcelo from Peru,met you and Gigi backstage in Atlanta 2002.Having played with John Lennon and George Harrison's best wrintings, how do you adapt drumbeat to each personality?.(besides you being the amalgam in any formula)
Alan_White_Live says: It's different. At that time, basically it's what's needed for the song and whatever song comes up in my face. Being a Gemini I can play drums straight but I can also adapt to any situation. They are all beautiful songs and if they need a simple beat that's what you play, if it needs a stronger beat and more technical, that's what you do.

Southrightdownthur in Onstage_1 asks: Hi Alan, how was it learning how to play live on a revolving stage with Yes?
Alan_White_Live says: (laughs) Well we haven't used the revolving stage for quite a while but we are able to create your own environment on stage. Everything is around you whether you're on a front stage or a round stage. It's easy, Southrightdown, it's just the crowd that changes.

olhach in Onstage_1 asks: Mr. White. Please talk about MerKaBa Magic to us?
Alan_White_Live says: I just finished an album with what's left of MerKaBa and the new band is called White.
I didn't like it at first, but now I'm used to it. We just finished an album that is ready to go. The name of the album is Loyal.
Everybody in the band seems to love it. Chris, Jon and Rick all love it. I'm looking forward to releasing it, whether we do it online or another way. I'm just hoping to release it. Roger Deane is working on it in the studio right now.

gmuny2002 in Onstage_1 asks: I saw Yes in Cleveland, OH in '75, you played the solo from "Ritual" and you and the kit spun around very fast, how can you do that w/o getting sick or dizzy?
Alan_White_Live says: (laughs) Gmuny, basically you just get used to it and focus on what you are doing and the rest of the world spins around you. I focus on what I'm playing and the actual physical experience you don't feel it when you are up there.

johneboy2003 in Onstage_1 asks: Alan, I saw Yes play Newcastle City Hall in 1997, do you prefer smaller venues or the big arenas, and will Yes play small venues in the UK in the future?
Alan_White_Live says: I think the band is talking about doing a more intimate tour next year. Right now we're playing to venues and amphitheatres around 7,000 people. We're adapting to that state of mind where it's outdoor theaters. The intimacy playing to a smaller crowd also appeals to us, they are all great experiences.

DishDiva says: Have fans changed much in the past 30 years?
Alan_White_Live says: I think so because the fans have kind of grown up without music. So we're seeing teenagers at shows now, almost a third generation. It must be a brainwashing from their parents (laughs) their parents are teaching them to like our music. The music is stretching out to the masses.
Lasse0286 in Onstage_1 asks: Alan, you've been my inspiration from childhood. Thanks! What sort of projects are you involved in besides YES?
Alan_White_Live says: Like I said I've been on and off working on a solo/band album. I have quite a few projects going, Lasse, I have a band album planned and the singer sounds a little like Peter Gabriel and it's a good sound we've made. I have a home studio and I'm working on some solo projects as well. Of course I have to deal with working with Yes (laughs) So I get some time inbetween.

Brandon_Loves_YES in Onstage_1 asks: How old were u when u took up the drums?
Alan_White_Live says: I was 12. I played piano from the age of 6, Brandon, and my uncle got me a set of drums and I started playing and they said I was a natural at it.

DishDiva says: If you weren't a musician, what would you be doing?
Alan_White_Live says: I was studying to be an architect in college.

LadyShari3 in Onstage_1 asks: Have you ever tried to play electric drums ? Greetings from Germany.
Alan_White_Live says: Yeah, the set I'm using and playing with tonight is a Roland V8 system, LadyShari, and I have a few generic drum sets I use sometimes. I'm more of an acoustic player and believe in drums that will enhance that.

Cooknntouch in Onstage_1 asks: Glad you could make it here Alan White! where are you located now? Which Country?
Alan_White_Live says: I live in the USA in Seattle, which I love. I love to go through all the seasons, Cook, and my wife is from here and loves it and when I'm on tour it's nice for my wife to be around family.

Lasse0286 in Onstage_1 asks: Is it difficult to "keep the cool" always as you seem to have this calm attitude, with these strong headed guys around you all the time?
Alan_White_Live says: Sometimes it's difficult, there are a lot of egos in the band and they are what they are, Lasse. I try to maintain a presence and I am like the mediator. It's not as band as you might thing, we're just a driving force musically.

LocalMarceloPerea in Onstage_1 asks: How is it to keep the beat with Chris Squire's unusual bass style? Fast, jazz,electric. etc.
Alan_White_Live says: Very easy, Perea, I've been playing with him for 32 years. It's almost like a marriage in the rhythem section. (laughs) And it's nice to understand where it's going and what's it's doing and I think he feels the same way about me.
»¤Ð rûmš4ƒûñ¤« in Onstage_1 asks: Will you be touring with your new project?
Alan_White_Live says: I think eventually we will, Drums. I get back home at the end of September and will start in October and there's a possibility of going out with Chris' band Conspiracy. It's an L.A. based kind of thing and I have a Seattle based kind of band so we may go out as two bands and play Yes at the end.

DishDiva says: Alan, what do you do just before you go onstage?
Alan_White_Live says: That's a difficult question, I usually go to the bathroom. (laughs) Yes songs are long and I need to do that before I go on stage. I do stretch before I go out on stage as well.

DishDiva says: How many sticks do you go through in one set?
Alan_White_Live says: Usually one pair lasts me the whole sets and I rarely bread any heads. Drummers that break heads have to be drumming pretty hard. If you are drumming the right way you shouldn't break anything.

WWYJr in Onstage_1 asks: Alan. What's with the kilt during the acoustic set? I presume there's some Scottish in your blood?
Alan_White_Live says: Actually my grandmother was Scottish. I'm English of course but there is a little bit of Scottish in my blood. I kind of like wearing a kilt from Seattle Kilt Company. Spike from KZOK wears a kilt every day. (laughs) It's kind of a hip thing to do right now, wearing kilts.

Mrdean4674 in Onstage_1 asks: WHAT IS THE HARDEST YES SONG FOR YOU TO PLAY?
Alan_White_Live says: That's a good question. Songs like "Close to the Edge," "Gates of Delirium" and "Ritual" are difficult. One song we don't play anymore because it's so difficult to play is "Endless Dream" from Talk.

DishDiva says: Alan, thanks for taking the time to talk with fans about Yes, the tour and your solo projects.
Alan_White_Live says: Keep listening for new music coming down the line and we're ever creating. It's a daily job for us and we're happy to be of service. One of the biggest satisfactions in life is to see everyone's smiling faces while playing on stage.
DishDiva says: Thanks to Alan White for joining us today on MSN Live!