----------------------------------------------------- AUGUST 2, 2002 ----------------------------------------------------- Source: New Jersey Record Yesterday's and Today's Yes By Kris Nicholson WHO: Yes. WHAT: Progressive rock. WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday and Tuesday. WHERE: Saturday, Jones Beach Amphitheater, Wantagh, N.Y., (516) 221-1000; Tuesday, PNC Bank Arts Center, Exit 116, Garden State Parkway, Holmdel, (732) 335-0400. HOW MUCH: Saturday, $22 to $52; Tuesday, $19.75 to $50.75. Box office or TicketMaster. When Yes arrives at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel on Tuesday, veteran fans will be delighted to find the same lineup that rose to the top of the progressive-rock movement in 1972. Singer Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, and drummer Alan White have reunited for a tour with keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman for the first time in 30 years. And Howe, for one, is happy to be there. "Over the years, we've tried different tricks and different avenues to keep Yes going. Yes has always been stronger than the sum of its parts, and having Rick back reinforces that idea," he said. The seeds for the band that would become Yes were planted in 1968, when Anderson and Squire met in a London bar. As part of the embryonic progressive rock movement, Yes, along with King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Genesis, crossed the traditional boundaries of rock by incorporating odd-time signatures and sophisticated arrangements as well as jazz and classical themes. In their 30-odd years, Yes has released more than 20 studio albums, a handful of live and best-of collections, and even had a few hit singles. Despite numerous personnel changes, Yes has been able to maintain a presence throughout the eras of disco, punk rock, new wave, hair bands, and grunge to the current music scene that's dominated by hip-hop, rap rock, boy bands, and pop divas. Yes made its debut in 1968 with a self-titled album, followed with the orchestrated "Time and a Word" in 1969. In 1970, it recorded "The Yes Album." A year later, Wakeman joined the group, and with Howe in for guitarist Peter Banks, the "classic" lineup was in place. With their fourth LP, "Fragile," the band scored its first Top 20 hit. But it wasn't until the release of their next album, "Close to the Edge," in 1972 that the legend was cemented. "I think we built our particular niche by going from the 10-minute piece to the 20-minute piece," said Howe of the effort. "It was a step nobody really anticipated. We definitely found a new style of music that was truly our own. It gave us a sense of pride." Soon after, a revolving door of personnel began taking its toll on fans and critics. Though "Owner of a Lonely Heart" was a hit single in the Eighties, and the dance-oriented song won new fans, veteran Yes followers didn't like the commercialization. By the Nineties, Yes-spotting became rare. Still, while grunge music raged against the machine, the group kept moving on. Fans were once again delighted when Yes conjured up a musical déjà vu in 1991 with an album called "Union" and a tour featuring all of the band's members from various lineups, except for Banks. Classic Yes music then regained the spotlight in 1998 in the cult film "Buffalo '66," and in "Almost Famous" in 2000, further testament to the group's staying power. And with the 2001 release of "Magnification" and "Symphonic Live," a concert DVD featuring new and classic Yes playing with a 45-piece orchestra, the group has come full circle stylistically. "Rick's return has a lot of the promise that we hoped it would have," said Howe. "The chemistry we have is the same chemistry we had back in the Seventies, and it's been a long time coming, but a lot of good things are worth waiting for." Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com