The year 2018 marks half a century since the formation of the legendary group YES, one of the biggest bands in prog rock history and true pioneers of the genre. To celebrate the milestone, YES–Steve Howe (guitar since 1970), Alan White (drums since 1972), Geoff Downes (keyboards; first joined in 1980), Jon Davison (vocals since 2011) and Billy Sherwood (guitar/keyboards in the 1990s and the late Chris Squire’s choice to take over bass/vocals in 2015)–will embark on a 50th Anniversary North American summer tour, on the heels of a European outing which kicks off tonight (March 13) in the UK.
Beginning June 2018, the cross-country trek will bring the 2017 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees to such markets as Philadelphia, New York and Seattle, among many others. Look for the official details and dates to be revealed next week.
In other news, on March 25, YES will release Fly From Here – Return Trip, a new version of their album, Fly From Here, featuring the Drama lineup and new lead vocals by Trevor Horn. The original 2011 release of the album featured the late Chris Squire, Howe, White and Downes, with Benoit David on lead vocals and Horn as producer. In addition to featuring Horn on lead vocals and remixed parts, Fly From Here – Return Trip–a labor of love for all involved, recorded over the last two years following Horn’s guest appearance with YES at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 2016–also contains a previously unreleased song, “Don’t Take No For an Answer,” recorded in 2011 featuring Howe on lead vocals, and the full-length version of “Hour of Need,” previously only available as a Japanese bonus track. Fly From Here – Return Trip is a long-awaited treat for all YES fans and, following Squire’s passing in 2015, represents the last chance for fans to hear a follow-up to the classic YES release Drama. The album is available to pre-order now exclusively via PledgeMusic here: https://yesthedramalineup.pmstores.co/
