An English progressive rock band formed in London in the late 1960s. Their music uses complex arrangements, unusual time signatures, virtuoso musicianship, dramatic dynamic and metrical changes, a blend of musical styles and oblique lyrics. Despite the many changes to its lineup, the band has continued for nearly 40 years and retains a strong international following.
Yes was formed by vocalist Jon Anderson and bassist Chris Squire. In May 1968, the two met in a London Soho nightclub, La Chasse, where Anderson was working. They had a common interest in vocal harmony and began working together soon afterwards. Yes was previously known as the psychedelically named Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, and the band had been formed by composer-singer-guitarist Clive Bailey and drummer Bob Hagger early in 1966. Squire and Peter Banks joined in 1967 and Anderson followed in April 1968. Bill Bruford replaced Hagger in July 1968 and Mabel Greer’s Toyshop became Yes. After a short stint away from the band, Banks returned and organist/pianist Tony Kaye also joined. The classically trained Kaye had already been in a series of prior groups (Johnny Taylor's Star Combo, The Federals and Jimmy Winston and His Reflections). Banks came up with the three letter name, with the rationale that it would stand out on posters. The last gig for Mabel Greer’s Toyshop was in May 1968 in Highgate, London. The line-up was Squire, Anderson, Banks, Bailey and Hagger.
Yes played their first show at East Mersey Youth Camp in England in August 1968. Soon after this, they opened for Cream at their 1968 Farewell Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Early on, influenced by bands like 1-2-3 (later Clouds), the group earned a reputation for taking other people's songs and drastically changing them into expanded, progressive compositions. In September, they substituted for an absent Sly and The Family Stone at Blaise's and as a result of that appearance gained a residency at the Marquee Club. Soon after, they made their second radio appearance on John Peel's programme (after previously having played the show as Mabel Greer's Toyshop) and, when Melody Maker columnist Tony Wilson selected them and Led Zeppelin as the two bands most likely to succeed (as he states on the liner notes of the band's debut album), it appeared that their future was assured.
Their first album, Yes, was released in July 1969 and received favourable reviews. In 1970, the band released their second album, Time and a Word, this time accompanied by a 30-piece orchestra. The album featured mostly original compositions, but did also include a cover of Everydays by Stephen Stills, originally recorded by Buffalo Springfield. The orchestra (and keyboardist Kaye) overpowered guitarist Banks and much of the vocal work, leaving Time and a Word somewhat uneven. Before the album's release, Banks was asked to leave and ex-Tomorrow guitarist Steve Howe was hired.
Yes's songs often extended into lengthy multi-part suites lasting 20 minutes or more, in the 1970s progressive rock style. Vocal verses alternated with atmospheric instrumental interludes, frenetic ensemble passages and extended guitar, keyboard and bass improvisations. The band's sound featured Anderson's distinctive high-register lead vocals, the group's strong vocal harmonies, Rick Wakeman (and Patrick Moraz) and Howe's respective keyboard and guitar solos, Bruford's and later Alan White's polyrhythmic drumming and Squire's melodic bass playing. Squire also adapted electronic guitar effects such as tremolo, phasing and the wah-wah pedal to the electric bass, which gave the band a distinctive sound.
The group's emerging style coalesced on their next album, the critically acclaimed The Yes Album, which for the first time consisted entirely of original compositions by the band. It was also the record that united them with long-serving producer and engineer Eddie Offord, whose studio expertise was a key factor in creating the signature Yes sound.
In 1971, original keyboard player Kaye left the band to form the group Badger (and later teamed with Banks in the progressive rock band, Flash). He was replaced by the classically-trained Rick Wakeman, who had just left the Strawbs. Wakeman was a studio musician with credits including David Bowie and Lou Reed and was a skilled improviser. As a soloist, Wakeman proved to be a good foil for Howe. He also brought two vital additions to the group's instrumentation: the Mellotron (which Kaye had been unwilling to employ) and the Minimoog synthesizer. Surrounded by banks of keyboards, Wakeman's flowing blond hair and sequined cape provided a strong visual focus on stage.
The first recording by this lineup (Anderson, Bruford, Howe, Squire and Wakeman) was a dynamic 10-minute interpretation of Paul Simon's America. With Wakeman, Yes cut two albums which were both major hits in the US and UK: Fragile (1971) and Close to the Edge (1972). Yes benefited from the tremendous advances in live music technology that were taking place at that time, and they were renowned for the high quality of both their sound and lighting. Fragile also marked the beginning of a long collaboration with artist Roger Dean, who designed the original version of the group's logo and illustrated their album covers, as well as designed their stage sets.
Before the release of Close to the Edge, and at the height of the band's success, Bruford quit the band to join King Crimson. He was replaced by former Plastic Ono Band drummer Alan White, a more conventional rock drummer and a distinct contrast to the jazz-influenced Bruford. White was brought into Yes several months before the September 1972 release of Close to the Edge.
Their early touring with White was featured on their next release, the 3-record live collection Yessongs, recorded on their world tour in late 1972 and early 1973. Yessongs was an ambitious project and a major gamble for their label, Atlantic Records. It was one of the first rock triple-album sets, featuring live versions of all-original material from the previous three studio albums and presented in a lavish album package with Roger Dean's artwork spread across a triple gatefold cover. A film of the tour, released under the same name, featured concert footage intermixed with psychedelic visual effects.
Their next studio album, Tales from Topographic Oceans (1974) polarised fans and critics. The album was based upon a book of Shastric teachings that Anderson had read while on tour and is peppered with religious and spiritual references. Wakeman was not pleased with the album and disliked playing it while on tour. Increasing tensions between Wakeman and the rest of the band, as well as his own burgeoning solo career, led him to quit at the end of the Tales tour in 1974.
Wakeman was replaced by Swiss musician Patrick Moraz for Relayer in 1974. The vast difference between Moraz's contributions to Yes and Wakeman's was more of a novelty than a disappointment, Moraz being a distinctive electric-jazz musician in his own right. Following an extended tour through 1975–1976, Yes took a brief break a band, with each member of the group releasing his own solo album. These included Olias of Sunhillow (Anderson) and Fish Out Of Water (Squire), as well as efforts from Howe, White and Moraz. Several of these solo efforts involved collaborations from other Yes members, past and present.
During this same period, Yesterdays was released by Atlantic, containing tracks from the first two albums, as well as America as the opening track. After this hiatus, the group commenced sessions for a new album. After negotiations, Wakeman rejoined the band on a session musician basis and Moraz was asked to leave. After hearing and being impressed by the new material, Wakeman once again became a permanent band member. The resulting album, Going for the One, was mostly made up of shorter songs. This album and the next, Tormato (1978), featuring the same lineup, were successful in spite of being released at the height of the punk rock era in Britain and the band enjoyed successful tours in 1978 and 1979 utilising for the first time a rotating circular stage and calling the tour 'Yes - In The Round'.
In October 1979, Yes commenced sessions in Paris but did not produce an album, with some dissent over the material. In December, the sessions ended when White broke his foot. It is also rumoured that Anderson and the remaining members of the band had a falling out over financial issues. By May 1980, the situation reached a conclusion with Anderson departing Yes as no agreement could be reached over musical direction and financial remuneration.
With Anderson leaving, Wakeman followed suit, thinking that Yes could not continue without its primary voice. Anderson subsequently recorded several albums with electronic composer Vangelis as Jon and Vangelis.
Squire invited the Buggles duo of Geoffrey Downes (keyboards) and Trevor Horn (vocals) to help out on a new Yes album. Initially, the plan was that Downes and Horn would help write some new material but they were then invited to join as full-time members. Drama displayed a heavier, harder sound than the material Yes recorded with Anderson in 1979 and was accompanied by a North American tour in September 1980.
After the Drama tour, Yes reconvened in England to decide the band’s next step, but after the criticism directed toward them, and members' interest in pursuing different projects, the band officially split up in the spring of 1981.
White and Squire continued working together, beginning sessions with former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. The band was to be called XYZ (said to be short for 'ex-Yes-and-Zeppelin', but nothing came of the sessions. Downes and Howe went on to form supergroup Asia with former King Crimson and UK bassist/vocalist John Wetton and Carl Palmer from Emerson, Lake & Palmer on drums, while Horn went on to begin a successful career as a producer.
In 1983, over two years after the breakup of Yes, Squire and White formed a new group, dubbed Cinema with guitarist Trevor Rabin (late of the band Rabbitt). Original Yes organist Kaye was invited to participate as Squire felt that Kaye's textural approach to keyboards would suit the band.
Originally, the lead vocals were shared between Rabin and Squire, but in early 1983, Squire played Anderson some of Cinema's music at a party in LA. Impressed with the band's new approach, Anderson was invited by Squire to add his vocals to the new project and Anderson accepted the invitation, resulting in the 'accidental' reformation of Yes. Many fans call this lineup Yes West given the band's relocation to LA and the more American, radio-friendly, sound. The band's first album since the reunion, 90125, was a radical departure from their earlier sound with more advanced electronic effects (mainly attributable to producer and former Yes member, Horn). Yes' most commercially successful album by far, 90125 eventually sold over six million copies and secured a new lease on life for the band, who toured over a year to support it.
In 1986, Yes began recording Big Generator. Unfortunately, interpersonal problems (chiefly between Squire and Anderson) kept the album from timely completion and it was finally released in 1987. Although the album was not as successful as 90125, it still sold well. The 1988 tour ended with a gig at Madison Square Garden as part of Atlantic Records's 40th anniversary celebrations, but left Yes members exhausted and frustrated with one another.
Anderson grew tired of the musical direction of the new Yes line-up and wanted the band to return to its classic sound. Following the 1988 tour, he began working with former Yes members Wakeman, Howe and Bruford as ABWH (they were contractually prevented from using the name Yes). The project included session bassist Tony Levin, brought in by Bruford after the two had worked together in King Crimson. Appealing to old and new Yes fans, their eponymous 1989 album went gold in the US. After the album's release, legal battles (sparked by Atlantic Records) soon followed over the title of ABWH's tour, An Evening of Yes Music Plus, which alternated between music from AWBH and vintage Yes classics.
Meanwhile, Yes were working on their follow-up to Big Generator. The band had been looking for a new singer in case Anderson would not be involved and working with ex-Supertramp Roger Hodgson. Hodgson enjoyed working with the group but thought it unwise to attempt to pass off the music as Yes. Arista, ABWH's new label, sensed the commercial possibility of a union of Yes and ABWH which would lead to the end of Yes having new albums released by Atlantic Records.
In 1991, Yes joined ABWH for the Union album. Each group did its own songs, with Anderson singing on all of the tracks, except for the instrumental penultimate track and Howe's trademark acoustic guitar solo. Squire sang backing vocals on a few of the ABWH tracks (with Levin doing all the bass on those songs). A world tour united all 8 members on one stage in a short-lived Mega-Yes line-up of Anderson, Squire, Howe, Rabin, Kaye, Wakeman, Bruford and White, but the album itself proved somewhat less than the sum of its parts. Clearly a combination of two different versions of Yes, none of the songs on Union featured all 8 members at once. Nearly the entire band have publicly stated their disliking for the finished product due to the secret involvement of session musicians after the initial sessions. Bruford has disowned the album entirely and Wakeman was reportedly unable to recognise any of his keyboard work in the final edit. The Union tour itself featured tracks spanning the band's entire career. Among other unique aspects, the concerts featured a Bruford/White drum duet, as well a musical duel of sorts between Wakeman and Rabin. It was one of the highest grossing concert tours of 1991 and 1992.
When the tour was over in 1992, Bruford and Howe recorded an album of Yes instrumental music reinterpreted by an orchestra for RCA Victor, which featured Anderson's vocals on two of the songs. After the release of this album, Bruford chose not to remain involved in future Yes possibilities. Anderson began writing with both Howe and Rabin separately, but eventually Howe was not asked to be on the next album by the record label (Victory Music), which had approached Rabin with a proposal to produce an album solely with the 90125 lineup, to which Rabin initially countered by requesting Wakeman be included.
By 1993, Wakeman's refusal to leave his long-serving management meant he also could not play on the new album, which by then was well into production (Rabin and Wakeman have both expressed regret that they never played together on a Yes album - excepting the patchwork of Union - although Rabin did guest on Wakeman's Return to the Centre of the Earth album in 1999). Yes was back to its popular 1980s lineup of Anderson, Squire, Rabin, Kaye and White.
In 1994, Yes released Talk on Victory Music, one of the group's poorest selling releases. On the 1994 tour, guitarist/vocalist Billy Sherwood joined as a sixth member. By the end of 1995, Sherwood, Kaye and Rabin left, with Rabin going on to become a highly successful film score composer and Kaye temporarily retiring from music.
The band then surprised and delighted fans by reforming with the classic 1970s lineup of Anderson, Squire, White, Howe and Wakeman for a 3-night live performance in the California town of San Luis Obispo in 1996, with some of the performances released on the Keys to Ascension live albums. Wakeman left the group yet again before the release of those albums. Longtime collaborator Sherwood immediately rejoined Yes on keyboards and guitar as an official member.
Open Your Eyes, released in 1997, was originally intended as a project by Squire-Sherwood called Conspiracy. However, it was basically co-opted by Yes in order to fulfill a need to get a new record out by the then-current lineup. Squire and Sherwood eventually released a mostly newer set of songs as their first Conspiracy album.
The tour that followed featured only a few pieces from the new album, and mostly concentrated on the revival of classic 1970s-era Yes material. The tour also featured keyboards from Russian keyboard player Igor Khoroshev, who had played on a few of the Open Your Eyes tracks. Khoroshev was later made a full time member for the following album, The Ladder. Sherwood was let go prior to the 2000 Masterworks tour.
Months later, Khoroshev was fired after a sexual assault charge, just before the recording of the 2001 orchestral release Magnification. The band was not only backed by a 60-piece orchestra, but specific parts and arrangements were written by notable film composer Larry Groupé and performed by the orchestra, sounding as if the orchestra was a permanent band member. On tour, however, the band hired session touring keyboardist Tom Brislin to augment the orchestra since the orchestra alone could not faithfully reproduce some of the classic Yes keyboard material.
Wakeman announced his return to the group in April 2002, and a world tour for Yes followed, including a return to Australia after more than 30 years.
Since 2004, Yes has been on indefinite hiatus. While Howe, Squire, Wakeman and White have all expressed an interest in recording and touring, Anderson has been firmly opposed. Thus, band members have pursued varied solo projects. White formed a new group, White, featuring Geoff Downes of Asia (and Yes' 1980 lineup). Squire joined a reformed version of The Syn, one of his pre-Yes groups from the 1960s, in 2004. Plans for a joint tour by White, Syn and Howe, which would have included the Yes members (with the singer from White) performing songs from Drama, were cancelled as a result of visa problems for English members following the July 2005 London bombings. White joined the band for a tour in 2006. Later, in May 2006, Squire announced that he had left Syn. On the same day, the original members of Asia, including Howe and Downes, announced that they would be reuniting for a 25th anniversary tour, which commenced in September. Anderson and Wakeman toured together in October 2006, and the setlist for most shows featured Yes material along with songs from both their solo careers, and at least one ABWH song. In early 2007, Sherwood, Kaye and White formed a new band, Circa:.
In February 2007, Anderson said that Yes will possibly reunite in 2008 for a 40th anniversary tour and that Roger Dean is creating artistic projections for the shows.