Line up change

[Sharp On Attack]

Just saw on Facebook an official statement from YES management that Alan White will not pe playing with YES for the next tour. Jay Schellen alone takes over drums duties.

[pianozach]

Just saw on Facebook an official statement from YES management that Alan White will not pe playing with YES for the next tour. Jay Schellen alone takes over drums duties.

😢 Thanks for the update.

Here's the full text of the announcement:

YES MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCE CHANGE TO UK TOUR LINE-UP

YES Management have announced today that due to current health issues Alan White will not be taking part on the forthcoming 50th Anniversary Close to the Edge UK Tour.

Alan was really looking forward to playing live again preparing to celebrate 50 years with Yes, having joined the band for the July 1972 Close to the Edge Tour, coming full circle in 2022. Alan’s close friend Jay Schellen will be taking on drumming duties in Alan’s place.

The Album Series Tour 2022 which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of YES’ iconic album Close to the Edge and will feature the album, performed in full, along with other classic tracks from YES’ extensive catalogue.

The tour line-up will feature Steve Howe (guitars), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (vocals), Billy Sherwood (bass guitar and backing vocals) with Jay Schellen (drums and percussion).

The show will comprise full production and a high-definition video wall directed by Roger Dean who will also be joining the tour with an exhibition of YES related art.

A full performance of the Relayer album will now be featured in a future UK tour in The Album Series. European dates were recently announced for rescheduled dates in 2023.

The 10 date UK and Eire tour starts on 15th June - full dates are:
Wed 15th June Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Fri 17th June Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Sat 18th June Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Mon 20th June Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Tues 21st June London Royal Albert Hall
Wed 22nd June York Barbican
Fri 24th June Birmingham Symphony Hall
Sun 26th June Newcastle O2 City Hall
Tues 28th June Dublin Vicar Street
Wed 29th June Cork Opera House

Tickets remain valid for the rescheduled shows.

[alex peters]

Alan White was a great one for a long time. A great drummer and a wonderful human being. He was a stabilizing personality in a band of competing personalities. Age catches up to us all eventually. I wish Mr. White and his family well in their retirement years.

[JMKUSA]

In reality this isn’t much of a change, since Jay has been doing the vast majority of drumming anyway. I wish Alan well and hope he makes a full recovery.

[Frumious B]

I mean, if you saw and heard Alan White in the news reports following the theft of his Imagine drum kit then it was pretty obvious that he sadly wouldn’t be traveling great distances and playing drums any time soon, if ever again. Really the band should have probably announced that White wouldn’t be playing at the same time they announced the set list change from Relayer to CTTE because they surely could have known at that point.

[Mr. Holland]

I mean, if you saw and heard Alan White in the news reports following the theft of his Imagine drum kit then it was pretty obvious that he sadly wouldn’t be traveling great distances and playing drums any time soon, if ever again. Really the band should have probably announced that White wouldn’t be playing at the same time they announced the set list change from Relayer to CTTE because they surely could have known at that point.

I can imagine they felt it was Alan's call. And Alan just loves Yes, Yes music and Yes fans so much that it must be hard and devastating for him to have to make that call and I can imagine him waiting as long as possible to make the call, to see if he could make it. But he's also a pro of course, so he eventually did make the call. But as said, I understand after 50 years of service the band wanted to leave the call up to him.

[Mr. Holland]

Alan White was a great one for a long time. A great drummer and a wonderful human being. He was a stabilizing personality in a band of competing personalities. Age catches up to us all eventually. I wish Mr. White and his family well in their retirement years.

I echo that sentiment.

[Davy]

Sorry to hear this, hope Alan feels better soon!

[pianozach]

Alan White was a great one for a long time. A great drummer and a wonderful human being. He was a stabilizing personality in a band of competing personalities. Age catches up to us all eventually. I wish Mr. White and his family well in their retirement years.

Indeed. We've lost so many to death, but we also lose them to "retirement". They just cannot tour or participate anymore, sometimes just too infirm, or perhaps just to have a normal life, with only a few changing their minds.

John Deacon
Huey Lewis
Garth Brooks
Linda Ronstadt
Joni Mitchell
Tina Turner
Bill Wyman
Ray Thomas
Cher
Ozzy
John Entwistle
David Lee Roth
Malcolm Young
Cliff Williams
Neil Diamond
Bill Bruford

Alan White 😢

I know there's far more . . . these are just the ones off the top of my head.

I know that there's a few that are just had, or are planning retirement tours this year or the next:
Elton John
Paul Simon
Aretha Franklin

[alex peters]

Indeed. We've lost so many to death, but we also lose them to "retirement". They just cannot tour or participate anymore, sometimes just too infirm, or perhaps just to have a normal life, with only a few changing their minds.

John Deacon
Huey Lewis
Garth Brooks
Linda Ronstadt
Joni Mitchell
Tina Turner
Bill Wyman
Ray Thomas
Cher
Ozzy
John Entwistle
David Lee Roth
Malcolm Young
Cliff Williams
Neil Diamond
Bill Bruford

Alan White 😢

I know there's far more . . . these are just the ones off the top of my head.

I know that there's a few that are just had, or are planning retirement tours this year or the next:
Elton John
Paul Simon
Aretha Franklin

I would pay top dollar to see Simon and Garfunkel 1 more time

[alex peters]

Indeed. We've lost so many to death, but we also lose them to "retirement". They just cannot tour or participate anymore, sometimes just too infirm, or perhaps just to have a normal life, with only a few changing their minds.

John Deacon
Huey Lewis
Garth Brooks
Linda Ronstadt
Joni Mitchell
Tina Turner
Bill Wyman
Ray Thomas
Cher
Ozzy
John Entwistle
David Lee Roth
Malcolm Young
Cliff Williams
Neil Diamond
Bill Bruford

Alan White 😢

I know there's far more . . . these are just the ones off the top of my head.

I know that there's a few that are just had, or are planning retirement tours this year or the next:
Elton John
Paul Simon
Aretha Franklin

I remember seeing Alan White and Yes for the 1st time in the early 1970's. Unbelievable drummer. I also remember the Big Generator tour. If I remember correctly they used the same stage setup as the 90125 show. The BG tour was almost 90125 continued.

At the end of the show when they took their bows Alan White almost fell off the front of the stage from pure exhaustion. The stage elevated from front to back and Mr. White lost his balance as he came down from his drum perch. The other players laughed and took their curtain call to the full house screaming for Starship Trooper.


White gave it his all on every performance.

[ragtime]

I would pay top dollar to see Simon and Garfunkel 1 more time

I think that's an extremely unlikely possibility for quite a number of reasons ... but you never know ...

[Ceasar’s Palace]

I’d rather have Alan playing on albums if he’s up to it and retiring from performing, than him sitting on stage shaking a tambourine.
That would reduce him to a mascot. Let’s not go there (again).

[Chrisklenox]

I really hope his health takes a turn for the better, just for his sake as a person. I wonder if we will see him with Yes again at this point? It would be nice to see him contribute to writing and recording in some way if he’s into that. My gut tells me this is a transition into retirement though.

[Soundwaveseeker]

Sad to hear but Alan White has earned the right to step down, hopefully temporarily, to take care of himself. Like with other powerhouse drummers (Phil Collins, Neil from Rush), eventually there will be some rag and tear on the body, He made the right call. Fortunately Jay Schellen is a very 'Alan White' type drummer and Yes are in good hands with him. I like Jay and if Alan is gone for good, it's not the end. Jay will make it work and the drum transition will be smooth. He already has put the time in Yes and fits well. But in saying that, to me Alan White will always be the Yes drummer. All the best to him.