Q: Steve Howe has no "guitar heir"...Is Yes "done" after Steve's done?

[Gilly Goodness]

On that sad day when Steve is gone, or even just retired, I would not be the least surprised for Anderson to lay claim to the band and its legacy, given he already owns a significant portion of the rights (insofar as we non-attorneys can understand).

I wouldn't bet on Anderson outlastin' Steve. A lifelong vegetarian, measured, balanced personality. Anderson has a long history of respiratory problems.
But perhaps Anderson tourin' with all those young 40 year olds from the Geeks will give him a new lease on life. 😉😆😚

[Enlighten]

....or they just genuinely like the current line up.....

Which is entirely your right, my friend. I’m just agreeing with Erik in terms it being more Steve Howe’s Yes Experience and not the full spectrum Yes band that once knew so well.

[rabin105]

Which is entirely your right, my friend. I’m just agreeing with Erik in terms it being more Steve Howe’s Yes Experience and not the full spectrum Yes band that once knew so well.

But the Steve Howe yes experience would be

Max bacon lead vocals
oliver Wakeman keys
dylan Howe drums
Steve Howe guitar

and I have no idea who he would pick for bass but not Billy Sherwood


so sorry it’s yes

[JMKUSA]

But the Steve Howe yes experience would be

Max bacon lead vocals
oliver Wakeman keys
dylan Howe drums
Steve Howe guitar

and I have no idea who he would pick for bass but not Billy Sherwood


so sorry it’s yes

I don’t know about Max Bacon on vocals (pretty sure he’s retired from music), but I agree that if Steve was putting his own band together, it would be different. So let’s say in 2015 Yes ended when Chris died. I think Geoff would have stuck with Steve and we would have gotten Dylan Howe on drums and someone from Britain on bass (not Billy).

[Enlighten]

But the Steve Howe yes experience would be

Max bacon lead vocals
oliver Wakeman keys
dylan Howe drums
Steve Howe guitar

and I have no idea who he would pick for bass but not Billy Sherwood


so sorry it’s yes

A label or a Roger Dean cover doesn’t make it so.

[rabin105]

A label or a Roger Dean cover doesn’t make it so.

No but a collective musicians do


davison will with the new album have the second most albums out of all 4 lead singers

billy will be on 6ish yes albums with the new one
howe will be on more then any other yes member
geoff will be on 6 albums


again we could talk statistics all night but the truth is it’s yes

[Enlighten]

No but a collective musicians do


davison will with the new album have the second most albums out of all 4 lead singers

billy will be on 6ish yes albums with the new one
howe will be on more then any other yes member
geoff will be on 6 albums


again we could talk statistics all night but the truth is it’s yes

You’re talking statistics and having a conversation with yourself. I’m talking about timeless, epic, unforgettable music.

[Yesed]

Which is entirely your right, my friend. I’m just agreeing with Erik in terms it being more Steve Howe’s Yes Experience and not the full spectrum Yes band that once knew so well.

I would agree, there’s something to be said for sticking to the mission of a band. There’s always new influences and updated versions, but regardless of who’s in the band or who’s leading it there should always be a sensibility to expectations of loyal fans, imo. That could be subjective, so I’m giving Steve one more chance😅

[josuev80]

No but a collective musicians do


davison will with the new album have the second most albums out of all 4 lead singers

billy will be on 6ish yes albums with the new one
howe will be on more then any other yes member
geoff will be on 6 albums


again we could talk statistics all night but the truth is it’s yes

Squire is on more studio albums than any other Yes member even with Howe’s being on the next one if we are talking statistics.

[downbyariver]

Squire is on more studio albums than any other Yes member even with Howe’s being on the next one if we are talking statistics.

And it was Squire who was one of the prime movers behind choosing to continue on without Anderson in 2008. He also, in addition to likely being one of the three people in the band with final approval over bringing in Benoit David, was probably the member of Yes who had the most to do with Jon Davison joining the band in 2012.

Additionally, Squire was known to have pushed for more frequent new studio releases, and handpicked his protege, Billy Sherwood, to succeed him in Yes.

I don't really have much doubt that Chris Squire would be for this band continuing as Yes and making new Yes music. It's what he basically told Billy Sherwood to do. Squire personally selected the band's lead singer and bass player!

Steve Howe was of course in the band during the entire post-Anderson 2008-present stint, and so these moves and requests were made by Squire knowing that Steve was, and might continue to be, there.

It's actually surprising when you think about how unstable Yes' lineups have been through the years that four of the five people in the band in 2022 are exactly who Squire had been playing with or selected to replace him in 2014.

The only one in the band who doesn't meet that criteria is Jay Schellen (If he's been elevated to being an official member of the group from touring musician who's on stage playing with the band at every show), but I don't think there's any reason to believe that Squire would have objected to the band going forward with Schellen.

I think this is a situation where Squire lived long enough and said enough on this subject for fans to be pretty confident that he'd be happy to see Yes continuing on as Yes and making new music.

[Gilly Goodness]

And it was Squire who was one of the prime movers behind choosing to continue on without Anderson in 2008. He also, in addition to likely being one of the three people in the band with final approval over bringing in Benoit David, was probably the member of Yes who had the most to do with Jon Davison joining the band in 2012.

Additionally, Squire was known to have pushed for more frequent new studio releases, and handpicked his protege, Billy Sherwood, to succeed him in Yes.

I don't really have much doubt that Chris Squire would be for this band continuing as Yes and making new Yes music. It's what he basically told Billy Sherwood to do. Squire personally selected the band's lead singer and bass player!

Steve Howe was of course in the band during the entire post-Anderson 2008-present stint, and so these moves and requests were made by Squire knowing that Steve was, and might continue to be, there.

It's actually surprising when you think about how unstable Yes' lineups have been through the years that four of the five people in the band in 2022 are exactly who Squire had been playing with or selected to replace him in 2014.

The only one in the band who doesn't meet that criteria is Jay Schellen (If he's been elevated to being an official member of the group from touring musician who's on stage playing with the band at every show), but I don't think there's any reason to believe that Squire would have objected to the band going forward with Schellen.

I think this is a situation where Squire lived long enough and said enough on this subject for fans to be pretty confident that he'd be happy to see Yes continuing on as Yes and making new music.

But. C'mon maaaan. The Seventies??!!!?? 😭

[Mr. Holland]

And it was Squire who was one of the prime movers behind choosing to continue on without Anderson in 2008. He also, in addition to likely being one of the three people in the band with final approval over bringing in Benoit David, was probably the member of Yes who had the most to do with Jon Davison joining the band in 2012.

Additionally, Squire was known to have pushed for more frequent new studio releases, and handpicked his protege, Billy Sherwood, to succeed him in Yes.

I don't really have much doubt that Chris Squire would be for this band continuing as Yes and making new Yes music. It's what he basically told Billy Sherwood to do. Squire personally selected the band's lead singer and bass player!

Steve Howe was of course in the band during the entire post-Anderson 2008-present stint, and so these moves and requests were made by Squire knowing that Steve was, and might continue to be, there.

It's actually surprising when you think about how unstable Yes' lineups have been through the years that four of the five people in the band in 2022 are exactly who Squire had been playing with or selected to replace him in 2014.

The only one in the band who doesn't meet that criteria is Jay Schellen (If he's been elevated to being an official member of the group from touring musician who's on stage playing with the band at every show), but I don't think there's any reason to believe that Squire would have objected to the band going forward with Schellen.

I think this is a situation where Squire lived long enough and said enough on this subject for fans to be pretty confident that he'd be happy to see Yes continuing on as Yes and making new music.

I really don't think one can draw that conclusion with all definitety.

Yes, he worked with Davison and very much supported him, yes he chose Sherwood as his successor. So one can certainly say that he wanted things to continue at the time of his passing. But that's seven years ago. There's no way of telling he would for instance have agreed with the musical direction of The Quest, which is very much a Steve Howe led album, based in a Steve Howe musical vision. The more time passes, the weaker the argument "this is what/how Squire would have wanted it to go" becomes in my opinion.

[rabin105]

You’re talking statistics and having a conversation with yourself. I’m talking about timeless, epic, unforgettable music.

Which to me the quest is full of sorry but the new album rocks and I am hoping The blind owl or whatever it’s called rocks too

[Kenny]

But the Steve Howe yes experience would be

Max bacon lead vocals
oliver Wakeman keys
dylan Howe drums
Steve Howe guitar

and I have no idea who he would pick for bass but not Billy Sherwood


so sorry it’s yes

Annie Haslam on vocals?

[bondegezou]

A label or a Roger Dean cover doesn’t make it so.

A label does make it so (within the structures of modern capitalism, with which you are free to disagree).