situation with Yes and Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman reminds me of the BB's

[mabewa]

There's just been a tour announced of Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeup, all major former members of Yes, with the band called ARW.  They'll be playing Yes music plus new music. 

I just thought this was an interesting situation for Yes fans, and kinda like BB's fans.  The official Yes has Steve Howe, a stalwart early member, and then Alan White, a more minor member who joined after they got popular but who has since stuck with them through thick and then.  Most of the other players are latter-day replacements who didn't play on most of their best-known stuff, but they retain the bands name.  This reminds me of Mike and Bruce and the touring Beach Boys band. 

Meanwhile, ARW has Jon Anderson, the band's estranged leader who led the band and wrote or co-wrote almost all their classic stuff (kinda like Brian), Rick Wakeman, another essential early member who came and went a bit in their early days) (a bit like Al), and Trevor Rabin, a South African vocalist/songwriter/guitarist who helped the band regain some popularity with a very different sound...  kinda like Blondie. 

It's far from a perfect analogy, but still kinda interesting.  Hopefully, Yes fans will end up with two good touring versions of the band, and maybe they'll even get a grand reunion, which probably won't last but will be great while it does.

And actually, this has happened before in the history of Yes (two versions of the band, one official and one not end up combining), so it just might happen. 
It's not

[KDS]

Sadly, these fractured versions of bands are all too common the world of classic rock. 

I don't know much about the ins and outs of Yes, but I know Anderson was with Yes until fairly recently.  I think it might've been a situation where he sat out a tour due to health issues, and sorta lost his job because of it. 

Queensryche is another recent one.  Chris DeGarmo, the main creative force, left the band long ago, but it carried on with Geoff Tate and the remaining three.   Then, in 2012, Tate got the boot.  The other three carried on as Queensryche, and Tate tried to put together his own version of the band before changing the name of his ground to Operation: Mindcrime. 

Of course, the famous case of Pink Floyd when Roger Waters when solo and assumed the band was done.  But David Gilmour and Nick Mason went into the studio as Pink Floyd, then brought on Richard Wright, who'd been fired by Waters, to give them a three to one edge.  In 1987, Roger Waters's tour faltered as he had to compete with Pink Floyd.  He wouldn't tour again until 1999, five years after Floyd got off the road.

Then, there's CCR.  After CCR split, John Fogerty was so bitter about giving up the royalties to the songs he's written, he refused to do CCR songs in concert until 1997.  Stu Cook and Doug Clifford formed Creedence Clearwater Revisted, and it does sound like CCR, complete with Fogerty soundalike.  And Stu and Doug had the balls to actually try to sue John Fogerty recently for touring with the songs HE wrote.  I think it was because the tour used an image of John from his CCR days. 

There have also been competing versions of bands like LA Guns and Great White in recent years.

[Lonely Summer]

There's just been a tour announced of Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeup, all major former members of Yes, with the band called ARW.  They'll be playing Yes music plus new music. 

I just thought this was an interesting situation for Yes fans, and kinda like BB's fans.  The official Yes has Steve Howe, a stalwart early member, and then Alan White, a more minor member who joined after they got popular but who has since stuck with them through thick and then.  Most of the other players are latter-day replacements who didn't play on most of their best-known stuff, but they retain the bands name.  This reminds me of Mike and Bruce and the touring Beach Boys band. 

Meanwhile, ARW has Jon Anderson, the band's estranged leader who led the band and wrote or co-wrote almost all their classic stuff (kinda like Brian), Rick Wakeman, another essential early member who came and went a bit in their early days) (a bit like Al), and Trevor Rabin, a South African vocalist/songwriter/guitarist who helped the band regain some popularity with a very different sound...  kinda like Blondie. 

It's far from a perfect analogy, but still kinda interesting.  Hopefully, Yes fans will end up with two good touring versions of the band, and maybe they'll even get a grand reunion, which probably won't last but will be great while it does.

And actually, this has happened before in the history of Yes (two versions of the band, one official and one not end up combining), so it just might happen. 
It's not

Last summer, I saw Alan White playing with his own band called White - they did a lot of the 80's Yes music, which Alan loves,  but he can't play it in Yes cause Steve Howe refuses to play it. So it sounds like he might have a better time playing in ARW. The only 80's Yes song the band with the name Yes still plays is Owner of a Lonely Heart - because it's so freaking popular, they have to play it. Would that be like Brian's band playing Kokomo?

[mabewa]

There's just been a tour announced of Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeup, all major former members of Yes, with the band called ARW.  They'll be playing Yes music plus new music. 

I just thought this was an interesting situation for Yes fans, and kinda like BB's fans.  The official Yes has Steve Howe, a stalwart early member, and then Alan White, a more minor member who joined after they got popular but who has since stuck with them through thick and then.  Most of the other players are latter-day replacements who didn't play on most of their best-known stuff, but they retain the bands name.  This reminds me of Mike and Bruce and the touring Beach Boys band. 

Meanwhile, ARW has Jon Anderson, the band's estranged leader who led the band and wrote or co-wrote almost all their classic stuff (kinda like Brian), Rick Wakeman, another essential early member who came and went a bit in their early days) (a bit like Al), and Trevor Rabin, a South African vocalist/songwriter/guitarist who helped the band regain some popularity with a very different sound...  kinda like Blondie. 

It's far from a perfect analogy, but still kinda interesting.  Hopefully, Yes fans will end up with two good touring versions of the band, and maybe they'll even get a grand reunion, which probably won't last but will be great while it does.

And actually, this has happened before in the history of Yes (two versions of the band, one official and one not end up combining), so it just might happen. 
It's not

Last summer, I saw Alan White playing with his own band called White - they did a lot of the 80's Yes music, which Alan loves,  but he can't play it in Yes cause Steve Howe refuses to play it. So it sounds like he might have a better time playing in ARW. The only 80's Yes song the band with the name Yes still plays is Owner of a Lonely Heart - because it's so freaking popular, they have to play it. Would that be like Brian's band playing Kokomo?

LOL, funny thought! Actually, if we can imagine an alternative universe in which Brian, Al and Blondie are the touring Beach Boys, it would be kinda like if they felt compelled to play 'Kokomo,' even though Brian and Blondie didn't play on it.

When Yes play 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' these days, Alan is the only person who played on it...

I really think that Yes should try to get original keyboardist Tony Rabin involved...  he's good friends with Billy Sherwood, who is kind of like the Jeffrey Foskett of Yes, and the band could easily use two keyboardists. 

When ARW first announced that they would be collaborating, several years back, it was rumored that original drummer Bill Bruford would also be involved.  Now, THAT would have been super-cool, though I'm sure he'd warrant an extra initial...  (ARBW?  ARWB?)

[Lonely Summer]

There's just been a tour announced of Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeup, all major former members of Yes, with the band called ARW.  They'll be playing Yes music plus new music. 

I just thought this was an interesting situation for Yes fans, and kinda like BB's fans.  The official Yes has Steve Howe, a stalwart early member, and then Alan White, a more minor member who joined after they got popular but who has since stuck with them through thick and then.  Most of the other players are latter-day replacements who didn't play on most of their best-known stuff, but they retain the bands name.  This reminds me of Mike and Bruce and the touring Beach Boys band. 

Meanwhile, ARW has Jon Anderson, the band's estranged leader who led the band and wrote or co-wrote almost all their classic stuff (kinda like Brian), Rick Wakeman, another essential early member who came and went a bit in their early days) (a bit like Al), and Trevor Rabin, a South African vocalist/songwriter/guitarist who helped the band regain some popularity with a very different sound...  kinda like Blondie. 

It's far from a perfect analogy, but still kinda interesting.  Hopefully, Yes fans will end up with two good touring versions of the band, and maybe they'll even get a grand reunion, which probably won't last but will be great while it does.

And actually, this has happened before in the history of Yes (two versions of the band, one official and one not end up combining), so it just might happen. 
It's not

Last summer, I saw Alan White playing with his own band called White - they did a lot of the 80's Yes music, which Alan loves,  but he can't play it in Yes cause Steve Howe refuses to play it. So it sounds like he might have a better time playing in ARW. The only 80's Yes song the band with the name Yes still plays is Owner of a Lonely Heart - because it's so freaking popular, they have to play it. Would that be like Brian's band playing Kokomo?

LOL, funny thought! Actually, if we can imagine an alternative universe in which Brian, Al and Blondie are the touring Beach Boys, it would be kinda like if they felt compelled to play 'Kokomo,' even though Brian and Blondie didn't play on it.

When Yes play 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' these days, Alan is the only person who played on it...

I really think that Yes should try to get original keyboardist Tony Rabin involved...  he's good friends with Billy Sherwood, who is kind of like the Jeffrey Foskett of Yes, and the band could easily use two keyboardists. 

When ARW first announced that they would be collaborating, several years back, it was rumored that original drummer Bill Bruford would also be involved.  Now, THAT would have been super-cool, though I'm sure he'd warrant an extra initial...  (ARBW?  ARWB?)

Do you mean Tony Kaye?

[mabewa]

There's just been a tour announced of Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeup, all major former members of Yes, with the band called ARW.  They'll be playing Yes music plus new music. 

I just thought this was an interesting situation for Yes fans, and kinda like BB's fans.  The official Yes has Steve Howe, a stalwart early member, and then Alan White, a more minor member who joined after they got popular but who has since stuck with them through thick and then.  Most of the other players are latter-day replacements who didn't play on most of their best-known stuff, but they retain the bands name.  This reminds me of Mike and Bruce and the touring Beach Boys band. 

Meanwhile, ARW has Jon Anderson, the band's estranged leader who led the band and wrote or co-wrote almost all their classic stuff (kinda like Brian), Rick Wakeman, another essential early member who came and went a bit in their early days) (a bit like Al), and Trevor Rabin, a South African vocalist/songwriter/guitarist who helped the band regain some popularity with a very different sound...  kinda like Blondie. 

It's far from a perfect analogy, but still kinda interesting.  Hopefully, Yes fans will end up with two good touring versions of the band, and maybe they'll even get a grand reunion, which probably won't last but will be great while it does.

And actually, this has happened before in the history of Yes (two versions of the band, one official and one not end up combining), so it just might happen. 
It's not

Last summer, I saw Alan White playing with his own band called White - they did a lot of the 80's Yes music, which Alan loves,  but he can't play it in Yes cause Steve Howe refuses to play it. So it sounds like he might have a better time playing in ARW. The only 80's Yes song the band with the name Yes still plays is Owner of a Lonely Heart - because it's so freaking popular, they have to play it. Would that be like Brian's band playing Kokomo?

LOL, funny thought! Actually, if we can imagine an alternative universe in which Brian, Al and Blondie are the touring Beach Boys, it would be kinda like if they felt compelled to play 'Kokomo,' even though Brian and Blondie didn't play on it.

When Yes play 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' these days, Alan is the only person who played on it...

I really think that Yes should try to get original keyboardist Tony Rabin involved...  he's good friends with Billy Sherwood, who is kind of like the Jeffrey Foskett of Yes, and the band could easily use two keyboardists. 

When ARW first announced that they would be collaborating, several years back, it was rumored that original drummer Bill Bruford would also be involved.  Now, THAT would have been super-cool, though I'm sure he'd warrant an extra initial...  (ARBW?  ARWB?)

Do you mean Tony Kaye?

Sorry, getting Tony and Trevor's names mixed together!  Yeah, if Kaye were involved in Yes, it would give them more credibility, and he's already got a musical project with Sherwood, so it seems that it would be feasible to get him back with Yes. 

[D409]

Went to see the current version of Yes last week. A phenomenal gig despite the issue of the band's current "is it really Yes without so and so ?" lineup (Steve Howe, Alan White, Geoff Downes, vocalist Jon Davison and bassist Billy Sherwood).
Playing the albums Drama and Fragile in full plus other highlights, Steve Howe in particular was on fire, bassist Billy Sherwood did a sterling job covering the much-missed Chris Squire and I found a new appreciation of how tricky their music can be.
It was loud, pompous, excessive, prog-tastic and on this showing, I'd definitely go and see them again.

Setlist :

Onward (Chris Squire tribute)

Drama set -

Machine Messiah
White Car
Does It Really Happen ?
Into The Lens
Run Through The Light
Tempus Fugit

Time & A Word
Siberian Khatru

Interval

Don't Kill The Whale
Owner Of A Lonely Heart

Fragile set -

Roundabout
Cans & Brahms
We Have Heaven
South Side Of The Sky
Five Percent For Nothing
Long Distance Runaround
The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
Mood For A Day
Heart Of The Sunrise

Starship Trooper

[Smilin Ed H]

Can't stand them. Can't stand Anderson's voice. At his best, he sounds like Brian's high voice at its worst, but, but, but... lots of people love'em and this sort of thing infuriates me. Look around you guys, your contemporaries are dropping like flies. Get together and give it a go again before it's too late. Ditto Genesis.

[Sjöman]

Went to see the current version of Yes last week. A phenomenal gig ... prog-tastic ... Starship Trooper

Can't stand them. Can't stand Anderson's voice.

What do you think of this?

[mabewa]

Went to see the current version of Yes last week. A phenomenal gig despite the issue of the band's current "is it really Yes without so and so ?" lineup (Steve Howe, Alan White, Geoff Downes, vocalist Jon Davison and bassist Billy Sherwood).
Playing the albums Drama and Fragile in full plus other highlights, Steve Howe in particular was on fire, bassist Billy Sherwood did a sterling job covering the much-missed Chris Squire and I found a new appreciation of how tricky their music can be.
It was loud, pompous, excessive, prog-tastic and on this showing, I'd definitely go and see them again.

Setlist :

Onward (Chris Squire tribute)

Drama set -

Machine Messiah
White Car
Does It Really Happen ?
Into The Lens
Run Through The Light
Tempus Fugit

Time & A Word
Siberian Khatru

Interval

Don't Kill The Whale
Owner Of A Lonely Heart

Fragile set -

Roundabout
Cans & Brahms
We Have Heaven
South Side Of The Sky
Five Percent For Nothing
Long Distance Runaround
The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
Mood For A Day
Heart Of The Sunrise

Starship Trooper

Thanks, lots of good stuff there.  Some of the songs are somewhat odd choices (for example, no-one in the current band played on 'Time and a Word') but they are all quality musicians, and my feeling is that the fans will benefit from having 2 incarnations touring. 

[KDS]

Can't stand them. Can't stand Anderson's voice. At his best, he sounds like Brian's high voice at its worst, but, but, but... lots of people love'em and this sort of thing infuriates me. Look around you guys, your contemporaries are dropping like flies. Get together and give it a go again before it's too late. Ditto Genesis.

I wouldn't rule out the three man Genesis touring again, especially since Phil Collins is apparently feeling better healthwise these days. 

But I'd be very surprise to see a full blown reunion of the five man 70s lineup. 

Also, like it or not, the three man hit machine version would put a lot more puts in seats.  Maybe they could do a show in halves, first half late 80s / early 80s hits.  Then Hackett and Gabriel come out for the second half.