Keith Emerson Said No To Yes

... (Classic Rock) Keith Emerson has revealed he once received a late-night phone call asking him if he'd like to join Yes, but it didn't take him long to decide the answer was "No." The Emerson, Lake and Palmer icon had just returned from a successful world tour when Rick Wakeman made one of his several departures from Yes. Emerson explains: "I got back to England and my phone rings at 11.30 at night. It was their then-manager, Brian Lane. "I couldn't believe that I'd been asked if I wanted to join Yes. My response was: 'Brian, why would I want to do that? I've just come off a tour playing 14,000-seat stadiums, sold out. I've got my own band - why would I want to join Yes?'" more on this story Classic Rock Magazine is an official news provider for antiMusic.com. Copyright Classic Rock Magazine- Excerpted here with permission. Keith Emerson Said No To Yes ... [ read more ]

Yes adds inaugural Yestival to summer schedule

... Grammy-winning rockers Yes have added their first-ever one-day Yestival to their summertime itinerary. The prog-rock outfit, comprised of singer Jon Davison (who joined the band earlier this year), bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Geoff Downes, will helm its inaugural namesake festival Sept. 3 in Camden, NJ. The band will perform 1971's "The Yes Album" and 1972's "Close to the Edge" in their entirety, along with other tracks, according to a press release. The late-summer event will also feature music from The Musical Box, Renaissance featuring Anne Haslam and Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy, among others. Yes adds inaugural Yestival to summer schedule ... [ read more ]

Yes To Launch Their Very Own Yestival Music Festival

... Progress rock legends Yes have announced plans to launch their very own music festival this summer, which has appropriately been dubbed Yestival. The inaugural Yestival will be a single full day event that will be taking place at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ on Saturday, August 3rd. Yes will be headlining the event and announced plans to play their 1971's The Yes Album and 1972's Close To The Edge albums in their entirety at the show. Yestival will also feature mainstage performances from The Musical Box, Renaissance featuring Anne Haslam, Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy, with additional artists still to be announced. The festival will also feature a second stage with performances by up-and-coming progressive rock bands including Scale The Summit and a special appearance by The School Of Rock, and an art showing by Roger Dean, whose has provided the visuals and album covers for many bands including YES, Uriah Heep and Asia. Chris Squire had this to say about the event, "This is a concept we've been trying to put into motion for some time, and only now we've been able to turn it into reality. We're looking forward to starting Yestival out in the Philadelphia area, which has been a Yes stronghold since the '70s." Yestival will be taking place in the middle of Yes's current World Tour, where the band is performing the 3 albums 'The Yes Album', 'Close To The Edge' and 'Going For The One' in their entirety. North American dates for the tour will kick off on July 6th in Paso Robles, CA at the Vina Robles Amphitheatre and will conclude on August 12th in Indianapolis, IN at the Murat Theatre, Old National Centre. 6 July 2013 Paso Robles, CA Vina Robles Amphitheatre 7 July 2013 Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery 9 July 2013 Phoenix, AZ Celebrity Theatre 10 July 2013 Anaheim, CA City National ... [ read more ]

Yes

(1968-)

Jon Anderson (vocals) 1968-1980, 1983-1990, 1994-
Chris Squire (bass, vocals) 1968-1980, 1983-
Tony Kaye (keyboards) 1968-1971, 1983-1994
Peter Banks (guitar) 1968-1970
Bill Bruford (drums) 1968-1972
Steve Howe (guitar, vocals) 1970-1980, 1991-
Rick Wakeman (keyboards) 1971-1974, 1976-1980, 2002-
Alan White (drums) 1972-1980, 1983-
Patrick Moraz (keyboards) 1974-1976
Geoff Downes (keyboards) 1980
Trevor Horn (vocals, bass) 1980
Trevor Rabin (guitar, vocals) 1983-
Billy Sherwood (various) 1997
Igor Khoroshev (keyboards) 1997-2000

Artistfacts®: You can leave comments about the artist/band at the bottom of the page.

They got a lot of exposure opening for Cream at their farewell concert and by appearing on John Peel's BBC program Top Gear.

From 1981-1982, they took a hiatus to work on solo projects. When they came back, Wakeman rejoined the band.

Trevor Horn and Geoffrey Downes were members of the Buggles, whose song "Video Killed The Radio Star" was the first video played on MTV.

In 1989, Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe released an album under the name Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe. Due to legal issues, they weren't allowed to call themselves Yes. (thanks, Mike - Mountlake Terrace, Washington, for all above)

Howe and Downes were both in the supergroup Asia.

Yes holds the record for the most performances at New York City's Madison Square Garden during the 1970s. (thanks, Chester - St.Catharines, Canada)

Founder member Peter Banks played with Yes for their first two albums, '1969's Yes and 1970's Time And The Word, but a disagreement about the direction of the band led to his dismissal before the release of the second LP. Banks was found dead in his London home on March 8, 2013 due to heart failure. He was reportedly discovered after failing to show up for a recording session.

The band's name came from their first guitarist Peter Banks because it was "Short and sweet." (thanks, Patrick - Des Moines, IA)

Prior to Jon Anderson rejoining Yes for the recording of 90125, the other bandmembers Chris Squire, Alan White, Tony Kaye, and newcomer Trevor Rabin had formed as a new group and called themselves Cinema. This lineup is also known by Yes fans as Yes West, because their recordings were held in Los Angeles. (thanks, Randy - Colerain Twp., OH)

One of their first gigs was opening for Cream at their Farewell Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1968. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

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Comments:

Yes is my very favorite band ever. They bring such joy to listen to them. I saw them live in Seattle about 6 weeks ago, and they were great.

- ..., Seattle, WA

Anyone who has seen the circus that Chris Squire is presenting as yes, you have to say... Yep they sold out.

- michael, charlotte, NC

Yes... one of the greatest (my personal favorite) bands of all time. Outside of my family, nothing gives the complete and pure joy that listening to Yes in concert (to this day) does.

For those of us who were teenagers in the early 70's there was the new innovation of FM radio. With that came FM music which was not "pop" but more album rock where you could here a bit of Yes.

I was introduced to Yes by my boss at the little store that I worked at in Montgomery Al. Guy and his girlfriend came down from South Bend IL, 1974. Very young, hip fellow. (Also introduced me to another new innovation called "compact cassette" tapes. Never thought they'd beat out 8-track...

Oh, and Steve Howe is the greatest guitarist of m generation. If you have a chance give a listen on youtube to the Yes remake of Simon & Garfunkel's "America". It's the old promo of a studio session where the boys (young 'uns, really) are having a rollicking good time. Howe does phenomenal work (much longer/better than studio or live versions). Ok, the video quality is atrocious and the audio is not a lot better, but you'll be glad you took the time.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Guy, where ever you are!!!

- Ken, Powder Springs,

As Steven, Conyers, of the United States said
" The problem is that 99.9% of radio stations dont want to play music that seems too DEEP. The average radio listener does not have the brain capacity to deal with real music. They want little cute tunes that they can sing in the car. So much good music never got air play. " That is so true. Taking all of Yes's music into account, there isn't an album they wrote that isn't good. You could listen to Yes everyday and once you knew every album/song...you'de figure out that Yes is good for every mood you could ever expieriance. I have everything they ever released including a Bootleg "Yes ~ In The Round. Yes is such an amazing Band that in my opinion, had never recieved what they deservr in recogition as being one of the best. No one has the angelic voice of Jon Anderson, or is as talented as Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman or Chris Squire and Bill Bruford. I'm soo sorry that Jon is ill at present, and hope with all my heart he'll be able to return to share more of his True God GIVEN TALENT with us all. Yes will forever hole the title as being the BEST PROG ROCK BANDS OF ALL TIME !!

- John, San Leandro , CA

RANDY, GTR HAD STEVE HOWE AND STEVE HACKETT EX GENESIS IN ITS LINE UP.

- ROD, NOTTINGHAM, England

I vaguely remember Steve Howe being in a group called 'GTR'- which I believe released only one album. But does anyone else recall that group, and who else was in the band?

- Randy, Colerain Twp., OH

saw Yes in the "round" back in the 70's. i remember they had such an amazing sound! very complex music - rock with jazz and classical overtones. greta vocal harmonies. just saw jon anderson perform with "paul green's school of rock". the kids had all the licks down & rocked it! Having Jon Anderson there to sing very cool. it's easy to forget how difficult Yes's music is - now that we live in an age of studio samples and dubbed tracks.

- scott, philadelphia, PA

It is hard to establish when YES had the best lineup. Some say that the group was best when Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, and Alan White were the members. But I thought when 'Union' was released, the better songs were which Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe were performing, with Squire collaborating on backing vocals. I have recently heard that Steve Howe and Geoff Downes have reunited in order to reform ASIA. Will YES continue to perform with yet another lineup?

- Randy, Colerain Twp., OH

Yes is one of the greatest bands of all time, and is emptiomic of progressive rock. While it is true that they did sell out with albums like "90125", that lineup only lasted three albums. Their 2001 album, "Magnification", has Steve Howe, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, and Alan White, and the re-assembling of the classic lineup was complete when Rick Wakeman joined them for the album's tour. The album was the final step in the slow return to the "classic" Yes style following Howe's return in the late nineties, and the band's unfortunate interim years can be happily forgotten.

- Mike, Long Island, NY

Yes is such an incredible band. Chris Squire is obviously one of the best bass players ever and has inspired me for my now 6 years of bass playing. Anyone who has started listening to Yes, listen to "Roundabout", "Heart of the Sunrise", "Siberian Khartu", "And You And I", "Long Distance Runaround/The Fish", "Starship Trooper", "Yours Is No Disgrace", "I've Seen All Good People", "Mood For A Day", and "South Side Of The Sky".

- Greg, Oakville, Canada

Ive actually heard Close to the Edge twice on the radio. Man, it was so cool, it really took me by surprise. I thought the only songs they had by Yes were Ive Seen All Good People or Owner of a Lonely Heart. But they would play long ones like Roundabout, Yours is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper, and And You and I on special occassions. Thank you Yes for your amazing 70's music and thanks WRKI 95.1FM "i-95" for playing them.

- Derek, Monroe, CT

I have heard all of Yes' 70's music (except for "Time and a Word")...I only know of their earlier music from the "Yesterdays" album, and I feel that there was an acceleration in creativity starting with "The Yes Album" (and I realize that their peak years may be considered to be from 1970-72)...also, I enjoy the crisp production of "The Yes Album"...thanks, Yes

- David, Broomall, PA

wakeman is awsome in close to the edge!!!!! best yes song ever!!!!It's just sad you don't here it on the radio

- william, montreal, Canada

ROUNDABOUT

- Chris, Derwood, MD

Best band ever!

- nick, nyc, NY

I'd have to go with Mood For A Day. Trust me, you don't want The Clap.

- Ken, Dupont, PA

yes did not get bad, they changed but stayed amazing. I was fortunate to have amazing seats at the YES 35th anniversary tour and was witness to the gods that yes really are. Even with a speaker breaking, Steve played the best live solo ever.(ps if anyone has pics from this concert send them to german_pride_worldwide@yahoo.com)

- Cameron McIntyre, port colborne, Canada

A quick question: What solo song is better, Mood For a Day, or The Clap? I really cant decide.

- Cameron McIntyre, port colborne, Canada

Yes didn't really sell out. Yes is only a name, and a band is only as good as the musicians that form it. "Yes" could keep putting albums out under that name all they want, but look at all the personnel changes over the years. Yes got bad because the good lineup only lasted a few years, that being the Close to the Edge lineup. another classic addition to the list of bands that would have gone down in history if only they had died in a firey plane crash at their peak. nothing personal yes....

- Jon, Victoria, Canada

I would say that YES was only underrated because they got so little air play. And if they did it was always Roundabout or Ive seen all good people.
The problem is that 99.9% of radio stations dont want to play music that seems too DEEP. The average radio listener does not have the brain capacity to deal with real music. They want little cute tunes that they can sing in the car.
So much good music never got air play. King Crimson, Strawbs,ELP,Early Genesis etc.

- Steven, conyers, United States

This band seems so underrated yet they had alot of fans in the 70s. These guys were one of the best.

- Kevin, Danbury, CT

This band was really good until they sold out

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