As you would expect with a group of such talented creative types, there has been a number of falling outs over the years. To be a Yes fan means that you also have to put up with the soap opera which has been the line up changes that have dogged the band.
Yes first hit album was "The Yes album" which was recorded by Jon Anderson (vocals), Chris Squire (bass), Steve Howe (guitar), Bill Bruford (drums) & Tony Kaye( piano and Hammond organ). They had recorded two previous albums with guitar played by Peter Banks, but it was the introduction of Howe that took the band to the all important level of musicianship that would be the hallmark of their sound.
As the band toured the album, they introduced a synthesizer and to accommodate that sound into the studio Kaye left (was he pushed or did he jump?) and "keyboard wizard" Rick Wakeman joined. This line up produced the albums "Fragile" and "Close to the Edge" to critical acclaim. Just as the band was about to tour the second album Bruford announced that he was leaving and the band recruited drummer Alan White, who had played with John Lennon's band. These five became known as the "classic " line-up.
They actually only recorded one studio album, however, (The double concept album, Tales of Topographic Oceans) before Wakeman left as his solo career took off . He was replaced by Patrick Moraz for one album, before he left and Wakeman returned for two more studio albums.
Then came the first real jaw dropping line up change when Anderson and Wakeman both left to be replaced by Trevor Horn (vocals) and Geoff Downes (keyboards), who were better known as The Buggles best known for their pop single "Video killed the radio star". An album "Drama" followed which rocked a bit more than previous albums and they toured including 3 nights at Madison Square Garden. Horn however was more a producer than a singer and the band dis-integrated, with Howe and Downes leaving to form "Asia" and Squire and White originally looking to do something with Jimmy Page. When that didn't happen they met up with South African multi-instrumentalist Trevor Rabin and started a new band "Cinema" produced by Trevor Horn! (Hope you're keeping up!!). Technically at this point "Yes" no longer existed, but Anderson heard the recordings and with Tony Kaye coming in to play keyboards the only logic was to call the band "Yes" especially as Squire "owned" the name!
What followed was period of popular success during the 80's, built on a chart hit "Owner of a lonely heart" and two albums were recorded which brought particular success in the USA.
Then Anderson left to join with Bruford, Wakeman and Howe in ABWH , which was "Yes" but as Squire owned the name they couldn't use it so there were now two versions of the band. As the official one wasn't doing anything, however, that could last for long. Indeed it didn't as the next "Yes" album "Union" (1991) was as the name suggests a joining of the two factions with Anderson singing for both parties! They also toured with as many as eight musicians on a circular stage!
The "Owner of a lonely Heart" version then went on to record a studio album "Talk" (1994) which they toured but it didn't really have any commercial success.
In 1996 therefore the "classic" line up kissed and made up and recorded a series of live dates and6 new studio tracks which were added to the two live albums rather than as a studio album. Wakeman then left again and the remaining four with additional keyboard and guitar support released three new studio recordings and toured. In 2003 (the band's 35th anniversary) again the classic line up got together and they toured and released live DVDs and live albums but produced no new studio material.
In 2008 Jon Anderson suffered a serious respiratory disease than meant that he couldn't do the planned tour and Wakeman also bailed out (again). Rather than wait for Anderson to recover, however, the band took the strange decision to recruit a new singer (Benoit David) from a Yes tribute band and Wakeman's son Oliver was recruited to take over his dad;'s role! They have toured since 2008 and I have not wanted to see them as as Anderson is now recovered and he should be restored as singer?
Now the latest twist. The band have recorded a new studio album "We can fly from here" which gets it's name from an old track written at the time of Drama but not recorded but played on the accompanying tour. Yes have now recorded it and it was produced by Trevor Horn, who got the Drama era keyboard player Geoff Downes to play on it. Now Wakeman junior is out and Downes has rejoined the band, so that Yes now are the Drama era band with a decent singer.
Meanwhile, Anderson, Wakeman and Rabin are working on some tracks so we could yet again have two versions of the band!
2013 sees the 45th anniversary, I still think that the classic line up has one tour left in it but who knows. We could yet see a tour with upwards of 10 members on stage!
