Bilbo Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 I am starting this as a seperate thread as I do not want to compromise the tribute thread elsewhere on the forum. Firstly, it remains to be said that any fan knows that Chris Squire was as much 'Yes' as anyone, even Jon Anderson I wonder what will happen with Yes now that Chris Squire is no longer with us. With absolute respect to all parties, Yes have never been shy of finding an opportunity to capitalise on their legacy but I wonder if the demise of this most unique of voices will make continuation of the Yes 'brand' untenable. The band has existed in various formats without Anderson, Wakeman, Bruford, Howe, White, Banks etc etc and AWBH was able to function at some level without Squire but Yes without THAT bass sound, coupled without those vocals? Is it viable or a step too far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 I respectfully think they should call it a day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) I think it'll go one of two ways. Either it will open up a door for Jon Anderson to come back in to try to regain some credibility or the whole thing might fold after the booked dates with Billy Sherwood. I really can't see them continuing long term with both Squire and Anderson missing. It's been looking a bit tired for a few years now. Glad I got to see CS playing some classic Yes on the last tour but it might be time to call it a day. Edited June 29, 2015 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Time to respectfully wind Yes up now in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 With the band's flexible membership arrangements throughout their history why should a replacement bass player be any different to a new vocalist, guitarist, keyboard player? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) But that's just it, until relatively recently (Drama aside) there had only been 1 singer and 1 bass player in the whole history of the band. Only 3 diff guitarists and 2 drummers since the late 60's, it's been keys that have been more of a revolving door. Other bands have had more changes in fewer years but the Anderson/Squire core was usually there to offer some stability. With both missing I just don't know... Edited June 29, 2015 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 Yes, but there HAVE been different singers and bass players (Tony Levin, Jeff Berlin). Why should Squire and Anderson be any more 'essential' than Wakeman, Howe etc etc. Could there be a different Yes project; White, Howe, Anderson, Moraz? Or WHAM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) Saw them with both recent replacement singers and tbh it was starting to look like a tribute act. The problem was that the new original material wasn't very strong either, sounded suspiciously like unused stuff Geoff Downes had left over from Asia. Edited June 29, 2015 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Tony and Jeff were never members of Yes. They were backing musicians in an offshoot called ABWH (playing the music of Yes). Chris has been the only bass player on a Yes stage. IMO they should call it a day otherwise they'll end up spoiling the memory in the same way daltrey and townsend have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 I can see some side projects, yes. But quite honestly, I think this should be the final sunset for Yes as a band/entity. Out of respect if nothing else. I believe Squire actually had first dibs on the Yes name, didn't he? Hence the Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/Howe project being 'ABWH' rather than 'Yes', despite being almost entirely comprised of original Yes members? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 That's right. Quite an acrimonious legal battle so I was very surprised when they got back together for the union tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Bands have a habit of not necessarily doing the right/respectful thing, though, don't they? I thought that after Jon Lord's departure and passing, Deep Purple would have called it a day. Ian Paice is now, strictly speaking, the only original member of that band, and there appears to be no way the others will consider working with Blackmore again (though to be fair, [i]Rapture from the Deep [/i]was a surprisingly good album). But I digress; somehow I suspect there will be enough demand for other members (current and former) of Yes to keep playing that they'll consider it viable. And if they do, then some incarnation of Yes will go back on the road, and we'll be on here having various discussions along the lines of "I saw them last week and they were good but gosh it's not the same without Chris Squire" - much like we've been doing lately for The Who! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 I was both amazed and disappointed when the Who failed to call it a day after Ox died. To paraphrase Lady Bracknell -- to lose one half of the world's best rhythm section may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like curtains. And has been said elsewhere, whilst Pino is frankly a bass god and a better player than I could ever hope to be, he is a million miles from being right for that band. In fact I can't think of many players who would fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Huge Yes fan as I am, I have to agree that the last 2 albums have been weak, and as noted in another thread, which included a Youtube clip from early this year, live they appeared to be struggling a bit. Please guys stop now, you have the best reason to with the loss of Chris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 mmm...it depends on who 'owns' the name....if it's part of the Squire 'estate' .... it can be sold/licensed/rented out...whatever. There is (imo) still financial mileage, esp in the US, no-one is going to walk away from that...it's a business after all.. Harsh but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Although I'd miss Chris Squire dreadfully, I could still see Yes operating with Anderson & Howe as a core. I know Steve Howe hasn't been an ever=present member but I always felt that these three were the core of the band and they could probably survive with any two of them. For me, it's a little like The Who. With half the band gone it isn't the same but it's still fairly identifiable as The Who (although I agree with the above comment that Pino doesn't really fit properly - and I'm a huge Pino fan!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Trouble is, Yes haven't played with Jon Anderson for several years. Without him and Chris they're little better than a tribute band - Geoff downs and whoever the latest stand in singer is do nothing for me. Saw the fly from here tour and was very disappointed. Haven't even bothered to listen to the latest album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 I don't disagree with anyone on here but I do think there is a certain preciousness about bands that belies the reality of them as a means of expression and a means of generating income. Imagine if Apple had called it a day after the death of Steve Jobs. Or Rush had knocked it on the head after John Rutsey left. The Stones without Brian Jones etc etc. I understand that some members are more central to the band that others but a band like Yes that has had many, many permutations, each resulting in subtle changes to the 'product' should surely be able to carry on making music with people who they have an established bond with. I still think of Alan White as the new guy in Yes but he has been there well over 30 years.I say let them continue and we can all like them or dislike them depending on the work they produce rather than who is involved and who is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsmith Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) Alan White has actually been with Yes for over 40 years! During the Union tour (which was great, unlike a lot of the album), Rick Wakeman said he saw Yes as something tha could continue for decades, albeit with different players (almost like an orchestra). The music is the important bit, not who plays it, he implied. However it's hard to imagine Yes without CS's basslines (ABWH suffered a bit without it, however good Tony Levin was - and as for Jeff Berlin...). There's also something special about the way Chris & Jon's voices worked together, that has already been missing since Jon went. I did go and see them with Jon's first replacement, who actually seemed to make a good fist of it on the night, but was less impressive to hear on the recording of the show. However, for a band that always seemed so energetic and "close to the edge" in the older days, it just lacked any sense of adventure, which saddened me and I never went to see them again. Edited to remove spellcheck sabotage. Edited June 29, 2015 by jonsmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bikenbass Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Saw them in the 70's with what I consider to be the best line up, Anderson, White, Wakeman, Howe, Squire. Going For The One tour. Maybe, with the loss of Chris Squire, most of that line up could reform. Hell of a pair of banana boots to fill though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 As many other bands, Yes now is corporate bizniz - - a bizniz that will try to survive and will try and maximise profit. If my impression is correct that it was mainly Chris Squire who couldn't muster Jon Anderson anymore, I think there's no chance at all that the others are not thinking that they must at least do their very best to try and incorporate Jon Anderson again. Nobody knows if that will happen, of course, but my bet in that case is they will at least have talks with him, and I do feel we'll see "with special guest star" concerts rather soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) Seems a bit wrong to say "respectfully" call it a day to them, if they want to keep gigging the songs with a different line up / take on it, then good luck to them. If it doesn't work or draw the punters, thats their risk. Edited June 29, 2015 by lojo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Tbh the opinions of a bunch of crusty old bass players isn't going to make a hill of beans of a difference. Having said that, I think there will be another incarnation of Yes. There are too many expensive concert tickets waiting to be printed and purchased. Take them as they (presumably) come, or just fetch out the old albums and weep into your cocoa for the good old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 I saw them in Bristol on the Drama tour, at Wembley on the 90125 tour and last year with the current line-up. I saw Anderson on a solo gig with John Giblin on bass and Wakeman on a solo gig (piano only). I have seen Bruford loads of times in Jazz gigs so I think I have got most of them somewhere or other!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 To answer the OP... they stop as he was so very integral. Never my kind of thing, but now is not the time for that. I don't see how they can replace him, tbh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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