by Tom Lounges

Formed in 1968, YES, is a band with a rather spotty, yet colorful history.

Internal feuding between members has resulted in steadily-changing personnel line-up over their 35-year career, with key figures in the band leaving and returning in a revolving door fashion.

Though each of the various YES incarnations have managed to create impressive albums along the way, the “classic line-up” has always been considered by fans and critics alike to be –– vocalist Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer/percussionist Alan White and keyboard wizard, Rick Wakeman.

Those five monster talents are the members who will be answering the “roll call’ on the proud group’s current “35th Anniversary Tour,” which is crisscrossing North America for month before returning to Europe and stops early this month at Rosemont’s Allstate Arena. All dates are sans support bands.

Squire spoke with Midwest BEAT in mid-April about the long musical history of YES, who spearheaded the progressive rock genre and set the bar high with such timeless FM radio staples as –– “Roundabout,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Yours Is No Disgrace,” “Starship Trooper”, and “Owner Of A Lonely Heart.”

Those vintage songs and other newer cuts have consistently maintained YES as the pre-eminent ensemble of the prog-rock genre.

Whereas one time rivals such as King Crimson, Genesis, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer withered away and/or altered their sound to fit with changing trends in music, YES have stayed true to their music and have maintained their ability to sell-out large venues, as legions of die-hard fans continue to flock to see and hear the progressive masters in action.

“The first leg of U.S. dates includes about 20 shows and will wrap up in May,” he continued. “Then we’ll take a few weeks off before going back to Europe for some shows. We look to return here to the U.S. for the second leg in the later part of the summer months. After that, I’m sure we have obligations to visit places like the Far East, Australia, etc., etc. So we’ll be out for quite some time.”

Though the band was still working out the set list and rehearsing at the time of our interview with Squire, he estimated that YES would be dishing out a two and a half hour performance in most cities. He spoke in “possible” terms of some of the repertoire selections being discussed by the band at the time.

“We’re still working out a lot of things right now, but we’ll probably be attempting to do one of the sides from our (1973) Tales From Topographic Oceans album this time out. I think we'll probably be having a short acoustic set somewhere in the middle of the show as well, which is something we haven’t done since the ‘70s. That seems very likely. We’ll probably not be doing too much from the 90125 and Big Generator era because as you know, Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman both were not involved in that particular era of the band.”

While old school YES fans were rather accepting of the departures by founding keyboardist Tony Kaye and guitarist Peter Banks, they grumbled very loudly when their celebrated replacements –– Wakeman and Howe –– eventually parted company with the band.

Howe was absent for a short time, compared to the long and deeply missed Wakeman.

“We actually got back with Rick back in the mid-‘90s when we did the [two part] album, Keys To Ascension, and we spoke to him then of re-joining the band, but Rick had commitments that he had to fulfill that didn’t allow for it to happen at that time. Everything has been fine with us since then, but it was a matter of clearing up schedules and two years ago, he was able to hook up with the band again.”

Traditionally, YES’s American fans have been consistently enthusiastic and supportive throughout the band’s career, but Squire said that the last tour in particular, which marked the return of Wakeman, got a exceptionally rousing response.

YES is a collective whose sum has always been greater than it’s parts, though solo albums have done respectably well for the members. Squire, Anderson, Wakeman and Howe have all released numerous solo albums that have fared well, though remaining “under the radar” of the general public.

Squire’s landmark Fish Out Of Water album, is often heralded by elder critics as “the lost YES album.”

“It’s interesting you brought up the Fish Out Of Water album, because I have recently been rehearsing material from that album with my own band, The Conspiracy. The nucleus of that band is myself and Billy Sherwood who was also a member of YES in the late 1990s,” said Squire. “We’re planning to do some live shows once the YES tour is done and I think a good deal of material from Fish will certainly be among the songs performed.”

YES fans unable to attend any of the anniversary tour dates can revel in the band’s vintage music through the newly released two CD set, The Ultimate YES: 35th Anniversary Tour Collection and the new 2-disc DVD collection, YESSPEAK, narrated by fellow British rock legend, Roger Daltrey of The Who.

The DVD captures the current live show, as it was taped during the European leg of the band’s “35th Anniversary Tour.” Along with all the classic YES tracks a fan would expect to find on such a live in concert collection, the DVD features off stage interviews with the various members.

Squire explained that the hoopla surrounding the anniversary releases and the current tour, along with taping their memories during the making of the DVD, has stirred up some great memories for all involved. “Sometimes it’s a good thing to reflect on things you’ve done. To take an accounting of what you’ve accomplished and what you still have to do,” he said.

“It’s amazing to me that we’ve actually had a career that has spanned 35 years,” said Squire humbly. “During the course of that fabulous time in which we’ve made music together, there have been quite a few peaks and memorable events and great shows. I don’t think I can pinpoint one or two particular high water marks of our time together, because they keep happening with us every time we work together.”

After pausing a few seconds to collect his thoughts, Squire continued. “For instance, the last tour found us playing to some of our best audiences ever. Of course, the ‘70s was a very exciting time for us, because it was all brand new and we were breaking down barriers with our music. There were also some great highs in the ‘80s when we did the very popular 90215 album and tours. We’ve certainly had a LOT of great moments. I’ve loved the whole journey and I look forward to it continuing. I know there are many more wonderful adventures and experiences still ahead for us.”

Queried on what might come next for the classic band, once all the anniversary hoopla is over, Squire explained that new YES will most likely be started.

“We’ve been discussing doing a new studio album and I’m sure during the course of this year as we are touring, we will start putting together different ideas for that project,” he said.

Given the tremendous level of talent in the group, the creative process within the ranks of YES has always been “very interesting” according to Squire.

“Everyone throws in suggestions and ideas, from lyrics, to riffs, to all kinds of things,” he said. “We then put all those ideas into the sausage machine, grind them up and out of the other end ultimately comes a YES song. It’s actually quite an eclectic creative process.”

With YES now in the twilight of its career, how might the band like their contribution to rock ‘n’ roll remembered in music history books...

Squire dismissed the question in a polite fashion, referencing the fact, saying that he and the band are not yet ready to rest on their laurels.

He then added –– “I think the music will speak for itself.” Squire suggests young music fans unfamiliar with his long-running group, introduce themselves to YES music via the new anniversary CD. “I think this new CD is a great starting point for anyone not familiar with our music,” he concluded. “You get a little taste of everything.”

“I certainly wouldn’t want people to remember the our attempts at commercialism,” reflected guitarist Steve Howe in an earlier interview. “That’s where I duck and say, ‘Look, this was not my idea!’ ”

Howe continued –– “I would like YES remembered for all that BIG about our music. As the rock band who actually took their music to a symphonic sort of length. I am proud of how YES took itself away from the three and a half minute songs where everybody was once living [musically] and saying –– ‘To hell with it!’ We started doing 20-minute pieces that completely broke the mold and that people thought were impossible. We had to buck radio and the record labels to get that kind of freedom, so I think that is an accomplishment which I would like YES remembered for...not the commercial stuff.”

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