------------------------------------------------------- APRIL 22, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------- Source: Greensboro News-Record http://www.gotriad.com/article/articleview/8083/1/17/ Longevity of Yes By Jeff Hahne GREENSBORO — With sales of more than 40 million worldwide, it's no surprise that the band Yes is still going strong after 35 years. Songs such as "Roundabout" and "Lift Me Up" have kept Yes on the forefront of the prog-rock scene. After the recent release of "Ultimate Yes" in January, the band is ready to hit the road for its 17-date 35th Anniversary Tour that will stop Tuesday in Greensboro, the group's first Triad performance in 16 years. Guitarist Steve Howe recently toured with his solo project, Remedy, but is now looking forward to getting back on the road for the U.S. tour. "(This tour) will be a bit of a retrospective," Howe said by phone from his home in the countryside of England. "It does include some songs that we haven't played in a while. I think that's kind of expected." The band members had an idea when they started that they might be able to stand the test of time, but they didn't think it would last this long. "Jon (singer Anderson) said some time along the way that if we could make it to the millennium, that that would be something special," Howe said. Although band members felt pressure to continue the original sounds they created when they started, Howe also feels the band was able to overcome that to find success through "exploration" on different albums. A self-taught guitar player, Howe still plays the first guitar he ever owned. There are stories of him buying it a plane ticket to ensure its safety from one show to the next, which he confirms with a laugh. At number 69 on Rolling Stone's list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, Howe has created his own niche in the world of rock. Though he feels the band was often "left out" of Rolling Stone, Howe says he was "pleased" to be included on the Greatest Guitarists list. Roger Dean's album cover artwork is as identifiable as the musicians of Yes. Dean was asked to create a set for the band to use on this tour. Howe says a set creation by Dean was long overdue, but also needed to be done in an arena setting where a stage was large enough to hold whatever Dean came up with. After touring the U.S., the band will head to Europe. What the future holds and how long the band will continue remain to be seen. "Given the opportunity, I will do more touring," Howe said. "That's what I do." Yes' concert Tuesday will be the group's first Triad performance in 16 years. Yes When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Where: Greensboro Coliseum Cost: $25 and $45 Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, inquiries, corrections, or additions, contact yitp@yesservices.com