- Title: VARIOUS: 70S BAND 'YES' REUNITE AND RELEASE A NEW SINGLE 'AMERICA'
- Date: 28th October 1996
- Summary: ON TRAIN TO PARIS (OCTOBER 28, 1996) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) RICK WAKEMAN SAYING WE DID THE CONCERT IN A SMALL VENUE AND WE DIDN'T ADVERTISE IT, BUT SOMEONE PUT IT OUT ON THE INTERNET AND THERE WERE 2,000 SEATS AND 50,000 PEOPLE CAME, THE TOWN OF SAN LUIS OBISPO WAS FULL, IT WAS HILARIOUS (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) RICK WAKEMAN SAYING HE HOPES YOUNG MUSICIANS WILL
- Embargoed: 12th November 1996 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SAN LUIS OBISPO, USA/TRAIN TO PARIS/ PARIS, FRANCE
- City:
- Country: France
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVAA6DNX6F1NKOIGGIUBHIATG4DB
- Story Text: Legendary rockers from the 1970s band 'Yes' are back together again, 20 years older, a few pounds heavier, but still breaking all the rules, so they say.
The erstwhile supergroup has re-formed and last week travelled to Paris to promote the single 'America' from their upcoming album 'Keys to Ascension One'. 'America' was recorded live during 'Yes' concerts in San Luis Obispo, California earlier this year. This latest, mellowed-out incarnation of 'Yes' comprises five members of the original line-up - Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman and Alan White. They played a selection of new and old "Yes music" - kind of hippy opera on a synthesiser. Resplendent in white flowing robes and with his long hair immaculately styled, lead singer Anderson soared through the set, still in unique voice after all these years. Bassist Squires and guitarist Howe rocked along happily, while keyboard player Wakeman grooved at his 'Moog'.
On board the Eurotrain from London to Paris, Wakeman said 'Yes' had to beware of nostalgia but insisted although "we can't all be 20 any more", the band still had something to offer. Wakeman said 'Yes' were pioneers in the 1970s because they "broke the rules" and would go on doing so "because now we're allowed to". He hoped this example would lead "some younger musicians to break the rules and then we'll get some real pioneer progressive bands coming through".
Wakeman and the other band members joined lead singer Anderson in the French capital, where they took in the sights and posed for the press near the Moulin Rouge theatre in Pigalle.
Anderson described the new double album as simply " Yes music", saying "it's just the way we are - there are so many fascinating people in the band with different styles, put them together and you get Yes music".
Anderson and Squire formed 'Yes' in London in 1968 and in the 1970s the band produced a series of mass-selling albums such as Fragile (1972), Close to the Edge (1972) and Yessongs (1973). Along with Genesis and Pink Floyd, in their heyday Yes were seen as pioneers of progressive rock, blending rock and classical music. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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