Timeless prog rockers YES returning to Chicago
Very few of the classic progressive rock bands from the 1960s and '70s still survive, yet the stalwart YES returns to Chicago for two nights next week at the House of Blues.
Over the 42 years of the band's existence, the line-up has changed repeatedly, but there has never been an album or tour without founding member and bass player Chris Squire.
"We started in 1968 and cut our first album in '69, which is the year the Beatles essentially broke up," Squire said. "I thought at the time, wouldn't it be great if we had a career that lasted seven years like them? Well, now look at us!"
Longtime members guitarist Steve Howe and drummer Alan White join Squire for the current tour, which now includes Oliver Wakeman (son of former YES member Rick Wakeman) on keyboards, and a new front man and lead vocalist, Benoit David, replacing co-founder Jon Anderson.
Since much of the YES sound is attributed to Anderson's high tenor vocals, the prospect remains that the new line-up might not be accepted by hardcore fans.
"We haven't ruled out the possibility of doing something with Jon again in the future," Squire said, "but Jon elected not to tour for health and personal reasons, so we hired Benoit."
David was a vocalist for a Canadian YES tribute band, Close to the Edge, and he is described by many as a "young Jon Anderson." Squire had seen YouTube videos of David performing YES material and was impressed. The young man not only sounded like Anderson, he looked like him as well.
"The current line-up allows us to play stuff that we haven't done with previous incarnations, such as cuts from 1980's 'Drama' album (the only YES album not featuring Anderson on vocals), which is one of my favorites, as well as other rarities," Squire said.
YES achieved the big time in the early '70s when progressive rock was massively popular.
Their hits include such FM mainstays as "Roundabout," "I've Seen All Good People (Your Move)," "Long Distance Runaround," and "Owner of a Lonely Heart," but their greatest works are epic-long album tracks such as "Close to the Edge," "Heart of the Sunrise," "And You and I" and "The Gates of Delirium." The band still performs many of these pieces, some more than 20 minutes in length, today.
It's been nine years since the last YES studio album of original material. Squire promises that a CD is forthcoming.
"The new line-up started putting some music together last year and I expect to go into the studio after we finish the tour," he said. "It will be the first YES album since 'Drama' without Jon, but I guarantee listeners will be surprised. Benoit is terrific."
Squire, now 61, is befuddled why the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has consistently ignored popular progressive rock acts such as YES, Jethro Tull, King Crimson and even the Moody Blues.
"I don't understand it," Squire admitted. "Steve Hackett just told me that Genesis is finally being inducted, but then they also had an era that was very mainstream pop oriented. I guess Rolling Stone never liked progressive rock. Yet we still sell out tours and have a massive, worldwide following.
"Go figure."
YESWhen: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 18 and 19Where: House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., ChicagoTickets: $57.50 in advance; $63 at the doorInformation: (312) 923-2000 or houseofblues.comFalse20001496Bass player Chris Squire, shown here at the Allstate Arena in 2004, has performed with YES in all its various incarnations.Daily Herald file photo by John StarksFalse