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MAY 8, 1996
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Source: SuperSeventies

http://www.superseventies.com/faq_yes.html

YES: A Short History of the Band

By Henry Potts

A short history of the band:

Chris Squire and Peter Banks had been in a band called The Syn, which was to mutate into Mabel Greer's Toy Shop. One night, Jon Anderson met Squire after a gig and the core of Yes was born. Anderson sang with Mabel Greer's Toy Shop a few times but a new band was to emerge of Squire, Anderson and Banks (who picked the name Yes), as well as Bill Bruford and Tony Kaye. As well as their own material, the early band also played numerous covers, some of which would later see release on _Yes_, _Time and a Word_ or _Yesterdays_; The Beatles and Stephen Stills were particular favourites. This line-up released _Yes_ (1969), which was well received in the music press. With the addition of a string section, the same line-up recorded _Time and a Word_ (1970). Eddie Offord was brought in by the producer as engineer, the beginning of his long association with the band. The original album cover was deemed too risque for the US (featuring a drawing of a nude woman) and it was replaced by a band photo. By that time, however, Banks had been replaced by Steve Howe, who had nothing whatsoever to do with the album. This cover was preserved for the CD.

Now with Howe, the band recorded _The Yes Album_ (1971). Kaye was the next to leave, forming Badger with David Foster, Anderson's partner in a band before Yes (The Warriors) and co-writer of some songs on _Time and a Word_. Both Kaye and Banks had had musical differences with the rest of the band and seem to have been sacked, although they were quite willing to go. Kaye was replaced by Rick Wakeman and the band recorded _Fragile_ (1972). _Fragile_ included solo pieces from each member, although, for contractual reasons, Wakeman was only able to contribute a 'cover' of a piece by Brahms as "Cans and Brahms". The same line-up next recorded _Close to the Edge_ (1972). Bruford left before the associated tour, to join King Crimson, feeling he could go no further with Yes. His replacement was Alan White.

The double album _Tales from Topographic Oceans_ (1974) followed. Wakeman, publicly outspoken against the album and the direction the band had taken, left after the tour. Anderson, Howe, Squire and White started work on the next album, to be joined by Patrick Moraz. This produced _Relayer_ (1974). At Anderson's suggestion, each band member then produced a solo album in 1975/6. Anderson made _Olias of Sunhillow_, a true solo album in which he played every instrument. Squire's _Fish Out of Water_ saw the return of Bruford, plus Moraz on keys. Both also guested on Howe's _Beginnings_. For _Ramshackled_, White turned to an old band of his, though Anderson and Howe guest on one track. Moraz made _The Story of i_. Some solo pieces were tried out on the subsequent Yes tour, but were soon abandoned.

Moraz then left the group (possibly sacked) and Wakeman returned for _Going for the One_ (1977). (Moraz would later record two albums with Bruford as Moraz - Bruford.) The line-up remained unchanged for _Tormato_ (1978). The band recorded two sets of sessions after _Tormato_, the so-called Paris and Golden Age sessions, but they were unhappy with the results. Anderson and Wakeman decided to leave; Anderson re-using some of the material in his subsequent solo album _Song of Seven_. One another piece would be re-used, much changed, as "Run Through the Light" on _Drama_ by Squire.

Squire, Howe and White continued as a trio. Meanwhile, Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes were in a band called The Buggles (best known for "Video Killed the Radio Star"). They approached Yes hoping to sell them some songs, but were invited to join the band instead. This new line-up released _Drama_ (1980). The tour, which saw two further new pieces ("Go Through This" and "We Can Fly From Here"), ran into problems with resistance to Anderson's departure. Horn was very uncomfortable about live performances and having to fill Anderson's shoes, and retired to concentrate on producing. (He also finished The Buggles' second album, _Adventures in Modern Recording_, which includes a different version of _Drama_'s "Into the Lens" as "I Am a Camera".) Yes went into dissolution.

Howe and Downes formed Asia with John Wetton (a former colleague of Bruford's in King Crimson and UK) and Carl Palmer (of ELP). Squire and White joined Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin to from XYZ (ex-Yes and Zeppelin). Demos were recorded but the band folded before any releases. (Squire has said that Page has re-used some of Squire's XYZ material in later projects.) Squire and White also released a single "Run with the Fox" (b/w "Return of the Fox", an instrumental version of the same piece), later released on _YesYears_. The duo were next joined by Trevor Rabin to form Cinema, with Tony Kaye later joining as well.

Cinema recorded some demos, re-using some material Rabin had recorded as solo demos. Horn came back to produce and Anderson then joined the band, leading to a name change (back) to Yes. Finally, _90125_ (1983) was released, containing the hit single "Owner of a Lonely Heart". Still with Horn producing, the band started on their next album. Horn soon left (possibly having been fired) and after years of further production work, _Big Generator_ (1987) eventually emerged.

Anderson then left the group and attempted to re-form the _Fragile_ band. The result was Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, or ABWH. Squire took out legal action to prevent them calling themselves Yes, further deepening the schism between ABWH and what is usually known as YesWest (Squire, Rabin, White and Kaye). ABWH released _ABWH_ (1989), on which Downes also receives a writing co-credit for some material re-used by Howe from his time working with Downes. Similarly, Vangelis' credit is for an unreleased Jon & Vangelis Anderson recycled. On bass, ABWH recruited Bruford's colleague from King Crimson, Tony Levin.

YesWest continued in name, although little was recorded. The exact course of events is unclear. Rabin was busy with a solo album (_Can't Look Away_) and seems to have actually left the band. Squire recruited Billy Sherwood and Bruce Gowdy from World Trade. Sherwood, Squire and White went on to form the Chris Squire Experiment, a band that only played live a few times. Sherwood continued to have peripheral involvement with Yes, while some Squire/Sherwood material eventually surfaced on World Trade's second album, _Euphoria_ (1995). ABWH, meanwhile, started work on a second album, to be called _Dialogue_, and recorded lengthy demos. The record company being desirous of 'hit' material, Anderson approached Rabin to write some songs for the album. Thus was the Union born. _Union_ (1991) consisted largely of ABWH material (mostly new as compared to the _Dialogue_ demos) combined with a few Rabin tracks and one Squire/Sherwood track, on which the YesWest band played. Anderson added his vocals to the YesWest material and Squire added backing vocals to the ABWH material. The ABWH material had an extensive input from producer Johnathon Elias. He brought in session musicians to re-record some parts, much to the distaste of Wakeman and Howe. A tour followed, seeing all eight playing on stage together.

The Union soon revealed itself as a marketing ploy. Bruford left immediately after the tour and Howe soon followed. Wakeman remained associated with the band, but his own solo career precluded active involvement on the next album. This left the same line-up as _Big Generator_ to release _Talk_ (1994). 1994 also saw Howe and Bruford, with Anderson guesting, work on David Palmer's _Symphonic Music of Yes_.

Rabin and Kaye then left the band, clearing the way for Howe and Wakeman to return, which is the current state of play. The next album, due this year, will be a douoble album consisting of half an album's worth of new, studio material with the rest being live material from concerts at San Luis Osbispo. Anderson, Squire, Howe and White are all committed to the band, but Wakeman's involvement beyond _The Keys to Ascension_ is uncertain.


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