Jay Schellen officially joins Yes

[josuev80]

Haahahahahahahahahahahahahaa

oh wait your serious

let me laugh even harder

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

you realize most of the people who bought that song weren’t even alive when 9-11 happened

Sigh I just realized I am old

The Beatles ceased to exist just after Yes started but are probably thousands of times more popular with and known by today’s youth than Yes.

[rabin105]

The Beatles ceased to exist just after Yes started but are probably thousands of times more popular with and known by today’s youth than Yes.

Well there were comments about Kanye West discovering that old guy Paul McCartney….. so I wouldn’t be so sure about that

[True]

Jay Schellen is a very good drummer and competent to play any of the Yes material as far as I can see. And there are many great drummers who have spent years playing music other than quintessential "prog" music who could play Yes music very well. He's done an admirable job of acknowledging some of the Bruford nuances on the older material, yet he seems to be much more of a rock player, hence many fans noting that he reminds them more of Alan White. He has a natural sense of rhythm which works well with the shifting time signatures of so much Yes music. He seems more comfortable with the double pedal than either White or Bruford, there's a bit of Dave Lombardo wanting to be let out, but I'm sure he'll reign that in in a Yes context. I guess the important thing, as some have said here, is that the band likes working with Jay. They could bring in a stranger who is a technically superior drummer but at this point I am sure that they just want a professional whom they like personally.
I will miss the presence of Alan White very much - but at this point I hope that any new recordings will highlight Schellen. It will be a challenge for him to feel established if he does not have a chance to contribute meaningfully to the new output.

[Davy]

Well there were comments about Kanye West discovering that old guy Paul McCartney….. so I wouldn’t be so sure about that

Josuev80 is right, but anecdotally the Beatles massive popularity does seem to be fading a bit, at least around here. Also, they aren't played much on the local classic rock stations anymore, beyond a few late '60s stalwarts - Come Together, Let it Be, Here Comes the Sun, etc. Is this because of Apple or some other reason?

[Davy]

Although maybe this is a '60s versus '70s thing - Paul McCartney is still played a lot, as are the late '60s to '81 Rolling Stones.

[Somis Sound]

Schellen has always seemed like he should be in Whitesnake to me.

All those glam rock 80's cock rockers all loved Yes. I did always sense a connection to that style with Sherwood, Schellen, and Payne. They sort of parlayed it into prog, which was a wise choice. That 80's crap was the worst...

I bet he could do a great version of City of Love.

Seriously, When I saw him perform all of Drama, it was excellent. Power and finesse. I detect 75% White, 25% Bruford influence. He and Billy do have good chemistry too... so this is a good thing.

[Kenny]

Oh, it's no doubt he can play in a wide range of styles. But I think he does lean in an Alan White direction naturally, even if he does have some rock/hard rock/hair metal credentials. It seems to come natural to him, like he joined Yes in 1988 or something. He probably would be playing in the Yes/Asia style anyway even if told to play like that because he knows what approach the songs need.

That's a very reassuring assessment. I loved Alan's playing and it was a thrill to meet him in London. He was a true gentleman in addition to being a true legend.

[Soundwaveseeker]

Alan was the drum sound/spirit of Yes, so it's great to know Jay is pretty close to that and will do Alan proud. But I must say, it was a strange thing when I saw Yes last November and was looking at the drum station - hearing an Alan White/Yes sound but not seeing the man himself. Love Alan White, hope there's a good bit of him on the new album.