---------------------------------------------------- DECEMBER 15, 1997 ----------------------------------------------------- Source: Rolling Stone http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bio.asp?oid=1527&cf=1527 Yes Biography By Anni Layne Turquoise, cosmic and intricately elaborate, the fantasy portraits of graphicartist Roger Dean have become a calling card for Yes, the progressive rockband whose layered soundscapes match Dean's mythicallandscapes to a tee. The textbook definition of art rock, the Yes sound hasremained indulgent, densely harmonic and unshakable for 30 years despitedizzying personnel changes and intraband squabbles that have threatened tobreak the English rockers apart several times. Yes budded out of a conversation between two blokes at London's Marquee Club in 1968. Soon after, singer Jon Anderson and bassist Chris Squire found a drummer through the classified ads section of the Melody Maker, where Bill Bruford posed with the cheap drum kit that he had painted to look like a ritzier model. Guitarist Peter Banks and keyboard player Tony Kaye, each of whom lasted three years before quitting, joined Yes just in time to open for Cream's London fare well show. The first Yes album was a mixture of cover songs and originals that earnedthe band the title of "the next supergroup." Borrowing fromclassical music's traditional opulence, jazz's earthy rhythms and rock 'n'roll's raw edge, Yes debuted well with 1969's Yes. The band then infused thick, artsy stringarrangements into their second album, Time and a Word -- thistendency to layer symphonic arrangements over their music became a trademark of the group. In 1971 Banks began a Yes tradition that would stretch for two and a halfdecades: He quit the band. All told, the band received eight letters ofresignation -- one or more from every founding member except Squire, and atotal of three from replacement keyboardists Rick Wakeman and PatrickMoraz. In the end, there existed two Yes camps, each one fighting for legaluse of the name and finally waving the white flag. In 1991 the two sidesreconciled, recording the album Union and touring the world with aneight-player lineup. The Union crew consisted of Yes members who had seen the bandthrough every conceivable era -- from 1971's groundbreaking and wildlypopular The Yes Album to 1983's streamlined and virtuallyunrecognizable 90125. In the early '70s, Yes was known for itsvirtuoso musicianship and dense vocal harmonies on songs like "StarshipTrooper" and "I've Seen All Good People." Also released in 1971,Fragile was the first to sport a Dean cover and the first to trulydefine progressive rock album with its elaborate arrangements and emotionaljourney a la vinyl. This album and the next went gold. Tales From Topographic Oceans took critics and fans by surprise withits long, psychedelic and self-gratifying solos. Apparently out of linewith Rick Wakeman's vision, the 1973 album drove a wedge between him andthe rest of the band, prompting a hasty departure and an even hastierreplacement by the classically trained Patrick Moraz. The new lineupexperimented with jazz on 1974's Relayer, released somepre-recorded songs on Yesterdays (which sold very well) and took a yearoff. When Wakeman returned to Yes in 1977 he spearheaded a new movement towardtighter, shorter song structures on Going for the One and theill-named Tormato before quitting once again, bringing Anderson withhim. An unlikely pair from the band responsible for MTV's first music videoever, the Buggles, then joined Yes for Drama in 1980. Trevor Hornand Geoffrey Downes were in the band mere months before Yes collectivelycalled it quits. While various former Yessers formed the band prog-rock supergroup Asia,Anderson, Squire, Kaye, White and South African guitarist Trevor Rabinre-formed Yes, released 90125 (not-so-cleverly named for the album'scatalog number and a zip code somewhere in California), spawned the No. 1 hit single "Owner of a Lonely Heart," and sparked a massive courtbattle. By 1989 Anderson had quit and defected to the side of Bruford,Wakeman and Howe, who sued the other members over the legal use of the nameYes. But happily ever after prevailed in 1991, when the foursomekissed and made up with Squire, White, Rabin and Kaye before launching asuccessful world tour. Unfortunately, the newfound harmony was fleeting -- Bruford and Howe left again in 1993, leaving theremaining members to record Talk in 1994. In 1997 Anderson, Squire, Howe, Sherwood, White and Khoroshev reunited to record a studio album of new material (titled Open Your Eyes) and launch a nationwide tour. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com