----------------------------------------------------- JULY 3, 2000 ----------------------------------------------------- Source: Reno Gazette-Journal http://www.renotahoefun.com/news/entertainment/961112056.html Be satisifed good people: Yes is on its way By Neil Baron Who: Yes and Kansas When: 7:30 p.m. June 20 Where: Reno Hilton Outdoor Amphitheater Cost: $45 and $27.50 Details: Hilton, 789-2285 or Ticket Master 787-TIXS In the 1970s, Yes was performing to stadium-sized crowds along with many of the other big-name rock bands of that time. With only a few exceptions, most of those other groups disbanded or reunited to capitalize on the nostalgia craze of the late 1990s. But Yes has continued for 31 years. It's survived the disco era, punk rock, new age, rap and even the teeny-bopper music that's so ubiquitous on top 40 radio today. But while Yes doesn't receive the radio play it once did, the band is still recording, touring and evolving. It recently finished a two-month tour of Europe in support of "The Ladder," which it released in September on Beyond/BMG Records. It is about to embark on its Masterworks tour with Kansas throughout the summer. The tour's first date is June 20 at the Reno Hilton Amphitheater. Most of the shows on this tour are at outdoor venues, a testament to the band's lasting popularity and also to its ability to put out new music that fans enjoy. "This is where the band's at right now," drummer Alan White said by phone from his home in Seattle. "It's great to be doing amphitheaters. With Kansas touring with us, I think it's going to be a great tour. I think we're playing better than ever. The band is pretty hot on stage. I think people appreciate that." During the tour, Yes will play most of its well-known hits, including "Starship Trooper," "I've Seen All Good People," "Roundabout," "Long Distance Runaround" and "Owner of a Lonely Heart." But the band, which developed its reputation for its willingness to experiment, has done something different for this tour. Yes asked, through an Internet survey, what songs its fans wanted to hear. That presents quite a challenge for the band members, who will arrive at the Reno Hilton a week early in order to rehearse for their opening date. "We picked some of the (songs) that were at the top of the poll to do on this tour, which is really challenging to say the least," White said. "So it will be a very interesting show for us as well as the public because we haven't played some of these numbers for a good 20 years." The task is made easier because the band contains most of its original members. That includes founders Jon Anderson (lead vocals) and Chris Squire (bass) and longtime veterans Steve Howe (lead, steel and acoustic guitars/mandolin) and White. The band also features Igor Khoroshev on keyboards and Billy Sherwood on guitars. All six provide vocals as well. The entire band was equally responsible for writing the music on "The Ladder." "It's the first album we've done (in many years) where we all sat in a room and wrote together for six weeks," White said. "A lot of the good stuff we do comes out of everybody writing. What we did was try to take some sounds and some kind of passages that reminded us of the '70s, '80s and '90s and roll it all into one album. The result, as you see, is a compilation of different styles through different years." When working together, White said the band doesn't concern itself with trying to write a radio hit. "When we make an album, we never cater to one area," he said. "I think if there's a hit on the album that appeals to the younger generation, that would be good. But we just create music." How long Yes will continue to perform is anyone's guess. But by looking at the past, White sees no reason why the band won't continue to make viable music well into the future. "The '70s were a very creative and experimental time for a lot of people," he said. "We really experimented a lot. Very few bands were attempting to do the kind of stuff we were doing. As we developed into the '80s, we took on another stance that was more of a commercial side of the band." That's when Anderson left to pursue solo projects and was replaced by South African guitarist-vocalist Trevor Rabin, who wrote "Owner of a Lonely Heart." "Trevor wrote on a more commercial level," White said. "He was a great musician who played really good guitar and (his style) was very successful for the band. At the same time, we carried with us the creativity that had come from the '70s." After releasing "Talk" in 1994, Rabin left the band to spend time with his family and work on movie projects. The four veterans got back together and released "Open Your Eyes" in 1997. "When we got to the '90s, we tried to make a compilation of the '70s and the '80s in the kind of music we were creating. We used our experience from the past in the '90s. We'll likely use all three of those decades as we continue into the next millennium. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com