There are now two bands called Yes

[Marley's Ghost]

There is no Yes without Chris Squire IMHO. Just the other guys going for the dough.

Didn't Gilmour and Waters bury the hatchet some time ago? I'd heard they made up and collectively decided not to make any more Pink Floyd albums. (The endless River being the exception since it was a tribute to Richard Wright.)

OT, they agreed to stop suing each other. Gilmore and Mason still hate Waters (with good reason) but they've softened a bit.

 

[NortyFiner]

You just have to call it a day somewhere down the road. It's as simple as that. FWIW, I've never ever seen/heard any artist (Jon Anderson) that has been given so much public image persona of "love, peace & understanding" and is present in most of his lyrics, but at the same time, behind the scenes being at WAR most of the time with band members, and management. Hypocritical and belligerent. Yes, have had more drama (ha!) than anything in Leo Tolstoys books.

Seems like a lot of people in big time bands have that problem of being appealing on stage and reprehensible otherwise. The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Metallica are just the first three that spring to my mind.

 

[Tim de Martino]

The vitality has long since gone unfortunately. I remember thinking at the ripe old age of 14 years old that Yessongs was pale in comparison to the studio albums. I got the feeling that as soon as they knew how to play the songs, the ship had already sailed. I loved 90125 because it sounded fresh and had really nice continuity. I like Drama for energy and different direction.

My point is that all those lines they play have sounded old for a long long time. I saw them play for the first time 2011 or so out of duty and was bored through the whole show, except for about twenty seconds near the end of Yours is no disgrace when Squire and White actually jammed and boy did it rock!

I wil;l always pull out the originals from time to time cos they are great but as far as a going concern, those days are long gone. Now it's just money and unwillingness to retire.

Compare Krimson - musically they wont stand still for a minute, still vital, still creative.

 

[hrodbert696]

Anderson,Bruford,Wakeman and Howe were the band Yes just minus Squire but the Yes album titled Drama did not include Anderson but the band name stuck to Yes. I think Squire owned the name.

You might try reading the articles linked in the OP. Squire did not own the name, it was co-owned among several people and there are several companies that are "Yes ___ LLC," each owned by different combinations of present and former members. The notion that Squire was the sole owner is an internet rumor that never had any evidence to it, just a presumption because he was the last original member left in the band. He himself said that wasn't the case in interviews, but... internet.

Without Squire, it is all a bit of a drag, but Anderson is the only original member in either camp, and something in my mind tells me the brand should fall to him. Howe and White, much as I love them, really aren't original members.

So what? Founding members of companies and partnerships - and bands - leave all the time, quitting or being fired by other shareholders. The company carries on without them. If Anderson had died and Tony Kaye put a band together, would that be the real "Yes" because he happened to have been a founding member?

I wish they would both quit using the "Yes" name. They're both missing key elements of what makes Yes Yes, Chris Squire being awfully crucial. Just let the name live on without dragging it through the mud. If you all think you have worthwhile contributions to give to the music world, present them on their own merits, not by trying to give them legitimacy by attaching Yes's name to them.

The irony here is that this isn't how Chris Squire himself saw it at all. When he was asked in interviews about the future of a band that's had such revolving membership and whose original members were aging, he liked to envision a band still carrying on a hundred years from now called "Yes" still making great music, the same way a symphony does with old members moving on and new ones joining. He didn't think they were dragging the name through the mud, he thought it was still a creative enterprise. Fly From Here may not have made the same impression on fans that Fragile did, but the band members saw it as where they had evolved to.

 

[brianrost]

This isn't the first time the band has split into two. Not surprising that the loss of Chris Squire has led to another split.

 

[J-Bassomatic]

One could be called NO

Or 'Maybe'.

 

[Ric5]

Or 'Maybe'.

Or one called Yes and one called Affirmative

 

[Ric5]

 

[Honch]

There is no Yes without Chris Squire IMHO. Just the other guys going for the dough
OT, they agreed to stop suing each other. Gilmore and Mason still hate Waters (with good reason) but they've softened a bit.

I think it's just about who holds grudges the longest. In Pink Floyds case, Waters has now - in hindsight - seen that Waterless Floyd didn't make that much more money, and didn't make much more albums anyway, and Gilmour has the same hindsight as in "look-he-didn't-make-it-anyway-with-his-solo-albums". Floyd has made as many post Waters albums as Waters has made solo albums. They finally came to grips with that their work, and the majority and best work is behind them, and they don't see the reason to hold grudges any longer. It was finally Dave Gilmour who compromised first, when givin in to the live 8 gig. He was humble enough to back down first. However, they had a lot of lawyers around when they had band meetings, and managers too. Sort of hockey/soccer referees who blew the whistle as fast as any of them started to go near "nasty" conversations of the past. Especially what songs they should play at that live 8 gig.

However, as in the Yes case, they're still (at least Jon) on the warpath... or the Arw-path...(ha!). As if there was any kind of money in them these days to get sued or suing about.

 

[Honch]

Which one is The One?

Going For The One!

 

[TheOxRocks]

There WAS a legal issue at one point, as I recall. I think it was determined that only a band with Chris Squire - the sole original member - in it could call itself Yes. I'm guessing that with Squire's death, the gloves are now off.

How long is it before Anderson and Howe sue each other?

 

[Honch]

BTW Steve Howe led Yes. I remember seeing him with Asia couple of years back (original lineup) and boy did he play lots of clunkers. Asias music is more simpler even, and even that, he couldn't pull off as in the old days. One really have to have so much self confidence and humility to back down even when others tells you otherwise. And with all recent Yes shows, his solo numbers "The Clap" and "Mood For A Day" has turned into slow New Age ballads by now. But as it is, it's him who wrote them, he can do anything to them. "Artistic freedom" is it called otherwise. FWIW I did not think Howe fitted that well into Asia in the first place. He's not a "hard rocker" by any means, and can't even pretend to be. He's a bona fide Yes man and bona fide progger. With classical/jazz influences.

Actually I had no problems when their latest album came out, the slow and yawning meandering album. They made new music to their abilities of today, and didn't try to struggle with every note. Regardless of that the new music was totally lackadaisical and flew by over my head. I have no problems with musicians with lesser abilities than before does new music that suits their abilities of today. None at all.

Today, Yes seems to be struggling with every note, and vocal lines, when trying to play older material. It sounds forced and contrived.

 

[Honch]

How many of the other bands are carrying on in 2 versions simultaneously?

Wasn't it that with Asia too?
Bill Paynes Asia? Existed at the same time Asia reunited with original members.
Thin Lizzy existed too in two touring versions, one of them later changed name to Black Star Riders or something.
Glam Rock band Sweet, existed in two simulataneous lineups too.
Wishbone Ash existed as Martin Turners Wishbone Ash, and Andy Powells Wishbone ash.
Forgotten someone?

 

[mellowinman]

How many of the other bands are carrying on in 2 versions simultaneously?

Wasn't it that with Asia too?
Bill Paynes Asia? Existed at the same time Asia reunited with original members.
Thin Lizzy existed too in two touring versions, one of them later changed name to Black Star Riders or something.
Glam Rock band Sweet, existed in two simulataneous lineups too.
Wishbone Ash existed as Martin Turners Wishbone Ash, and Andy Powells Wishbone ash.
Forgotten someone?

I think at one time there were two Rod Stewarts.*








*joke

 

[Honch]

There where two Ian Andersons, however the other one called Ian A Anderson. Two Eric Johnsons too, as I can remember, one obsucre jazz guitarist that was much older than the Texas twister... Two Davey Jones back then, but the other saw it coming and changed stage name to David Bowie...

 

[Honch]

I wonder...if I put up a concert as ... say ... Buckethead.. and dress myself up in a KFC bucket and play guitar like hell, would anyone come forth and dispute my impersonation? If someone goes "hey, you're not Buckethead..!" I would go "hey, are you then?" Make proof of it... there can be more than one Buckethead.

 

[And I]

In college my band used to share bills with a band called Yep.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[AltGrendel]

To me, if Jon Anderson isn't doing vocals, it's not Yes.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

How many of the other bands are carrying on in 2 versions simultaneously?

Wasn't it that with Asia too?
Bill Paynes Asia? Existed at the same time Asia reunited with original members.
Thin Lizzy existed too in two touring versions, one of them later changed name to Black Star Riders or something.
Glam Rock band Sweet, existed in two simulataneous lineups too.
Wishbone Ash existed as Martin Turners Wishbone Ash, and Andy Powells Wishbone ash.
Forgotten someone?

On a heavier note there is Venom and now there is also Venom Incorporated. Venom is the singer/bassist with replacement guitarist and drummer while Venom Incorporated are the original guitarist and drummer with replacement vocalist. I have noticed also there are a few versions of Ratt going on right now as well.

 

[Honch]

Where there not 3 bands calling themselves "Covenant" at one point? Some sort of industrial metal... they existed at the same time. Without knowing about each other, though, as opposed to the Yes WARs...