Steven Shinder
Founding member
Bio
Author of fantasy horror comedy novel Lemons Loom Like Rain, which is available on Amazon. You can also read excerpts at stevenshinder.com and check out facebook.com/StevenShinderStorytelling.
Stories (81/0)
10 Reasons to Watch 'Community'
Ten years ago, the sitcom Community premiered on NBC. Chronicling the adventures of a community college study group, the production history of the show involved a showrunner change-up for the fourth season, a cancellation at the end of the fifth season, and a sixth season revival on the short-lived Yahoo! Screen. Despite all this and cast changes, the show made it to six seasons, bringing #SixSeasonsAndAMovie closer to completion. A movie would be very welcome, but for now, people can still watch the entire show. In honor of the tenth anniversary, below are ten reasons to watch (or rewatch) Community.
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Geeks
'Keystudio' - Take You There and Back Again
This particular album review is a bit of an odd one. Keystudio was released in 2001, but it's a compilation of material released years earlier. In 1995, Trevor Rabin and Tony Kaye left Yes. Vocalist Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White reunited with guitarist Steve Howe and keyboardist Rick Wakeman as what has been known as the "classic lineup," which had put out Tales from Topographic Oceans, Going for the One, and Tormato in the 1970s. In addition, Roger Dean returned to continue creating artwork for their albums.
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Beat
'Talk' - Dancing in the New Design
After the Union tour, it was clear that Yes would not be able to continue as an eight-member lineup. Bill Bruford and Steve Howe departed, though they contributed to a 1993 orchestral album by the London Philharmonic Orchestra titled Symphonic Music of Yes. There were plans for Rick Wakeman to take part on the next Yes album, but scheduling conflicts prevented that from happening. And so it came down to the "Yes West" lineup of vocalist Jon Anderson, keyboardist Tony Kaye, guitarist Trevor Rabin, bassist Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White.
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Beat
'Union' - Another Game of Exploration
In 1988, following the Big Generator Tour, Yes vocalist Jon Anderson reunited with Yes alumni Bill Bruford (drums), Rick Wakeman (keyboard), and Steve Howe (guitar) to form Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe. They recorded and released an album in 1989 and embarked on a tour. Yes fans came to know ABWH as "Yes East" and the lineup that made 90125 and Big Generator as "Yes West."
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Beat
'Titans': "Trigon" - Season 2 Premiere Reaction
Titans is back for another season on DC Universe, and the season 2 premiere really had my eyes glued to the screen! So here are my thoughts on the new episode, "Trigon," and how well it works as a season opener. I can only talk about it in spoiler-filled details. So if you have not seen the episode, go watch it, and then read this.
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Geeks
'The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance' Captures the Essence of Thra
Another world, another time... 37 years ago, The Dark Crystal was released. It was a Jim Henson film with absolutely no humans onscreen, just pure puppetry. It felt familiar, incorporating tropes seen in such franchises as The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. But it was also alien, with its own mythology regarding such beings as the evil Skeksis and the mystical urRu. It truly did feel like another world, a strange one with charm. And now, people get to experience more of it onscreen via the Netflix prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Futurism
'Big Generator' - A New Story Now
In 1985, following a successful tour, Yes returned to the studio to record their follow-up to 90125. The lineup still consisted of vocalist Jon Anderson, keyboardist Tony Kaye, guitarist Trevor Rabin, bassist Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White. Funny enough, this repeated the pattern of the first five Yes albums: two albums by the same lineup (the second of which has eight songs and begins with a "T"), then another with six songs and a different lineup, and then two more (one of them having nine songs) by a different lineup.
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Beat
'Young Justice: Outsiders' Is Overwhelmingly Crash!
From 2010 to 2013, Young Justice and its second season Young Justice: Invasion aired on Cartoon Network. When it got cancelled, DC fans were outraged. Including me, as I perceive Young Justice as the best DC animated show, what with its compelling character arcs and its skillful juggling of many characters from DC Comics. When it was on Netflix, fans streamed the show over and over in hopes that the show would come back. And their efforts were not in vain, as the show got revived for the DC Universe streaming service. Sometimes, shows get cancelled and never revived. Other times, shows are revived with subpar quality. But Young Justice: Outsiders is, thankfully, an instance where the revival maintains excellent quality. Plus, the show got renewed for a fourth season!
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Geeks
'90125'—Yes Moving Through Some Changes
After Yes' break-up and the failed attempt at forming XYZ (eX-Yes-Zeppelin) with Jimmy Page in 1981, bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White were looking for a new project. Around this time, South African guitarist Trevor Rabin (formerly of Rabbit) recorded demos for a solo album. He was also considered for Asia, which ended up being a prog rock supergroup that included Yes alumni Geoff Downes and Steve Howe. (A recording of an early version of "Only Time Will Tell" with Rabin on lead vocals exists.)
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Beat
'Drama' - A Step in Time to Move Together
After the the 1979 Paris sessions with Roy Thomas Baker (which were cancelled when drummer Alan White broke his ankle rollerskating), Yes were at a crossroads. Vocalist Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman were not interested in the direction of the band at the time, so they ended up departing. Wakeman leaving Yes was one thing, as the band had proven that they could excel with or without him. But the departure of Anderson was a bigger deal.
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Beat
'Tormato' - The Sum of Ten True Summers Long
After touring for Going for the One, the Yes lineup of Jon Anderson (vocals), Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass), Rick Wakeman (keyboard), and Alan White (drums) set out to record their next album. It was meant to be named after the peak, Yes Tor. There are different accounts of who actually decided to throw a tomato at the cover art, but whatever the case, it resulted in the album title changing to Tormato. Released ten years after Yes' formation, the album actually has eight tracks like their first two albums, Yes and Time and a Word. So it does feel a bit like coming full circle, which is appropriate given that the album was followed by a tour "in the round" on a rotating stage that included a 25-minute medley of Yes songs. Tormato was somewhat more eclectic than Going for the One, and listeners over the years have had mixed opinions on the album, especially when it comes to the mixing of it. Still, people are able to find what they love about Tormato.
By Steven Shinder4 years ago in Beat
