Time And A Word: The Yes Story

Prog. rockers Yes probably polarize opinions more than just about any other band. To their army of fans, they are visionaries who have consistently raised the musical bar. To their detractors (and there are many), they represent all that is bad about progressive rock – bloated, self-indulgent and not connected to the real world.

It is doubtful that Yes are bothered by this opprobrium having sold over 30 million albums and played to packed audiences in a career that started in 1969 and continues to this day (with a very fluid band membership).

Martin Popoff is renowned for his metal musings but let the truth be told, he has been a closet Yes fan since the 1970s and was delighted to be asked to write this book. That fact alone will raise eyebrows.

The book follows the tried and trusted Timeline format, with key events from the birth of Jon Anderson (1944) to the present day. Recorded in painstaking detail, no stone is left unturned. If you’ve ever wondered how the Close To The Edge Album got its name, you’ll find out here. You’ll also learn why Anderson and drummer Alan White spent a lot of time in junkyards.

Popoff secured interviews with Anderson, Bruford, Howe, Wakeman and the late Chris Squire (in one of the last interviews he gave) along with other actors in the drama. He also got the views of contemporaries such as Steve Hackett (Genesis), Bill Ward (Black Sabbath) and John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia et al) to provide a rounded view of the prog movement.

This book will appeal to Yes fans old and new. There are plenty of both