Yes - the history
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
The history of the band Yes is fraught with quitting, joining, rejoining, getting back together, suing, and making up. To this day there have been 15 people in the band since 1968. The band was started in a London club called La Chasse when John Anderson met Chris Squire. They decided to start a band, because they both liked Paul Simon and thought it would be nice to have a band with good lyrics AND good music. That was in 1968. John was a singer and songwriter and Chris was a bassist. Here is the band lineup arranged by year, and then instrument and reason for leaving.
1968 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Peter Banks, Bill Bruford
1970 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Steve Howe, Bill Bruford
1971 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Bill Bruford
1972 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Alan White
1974 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Patrick Moraz, Steve Howe, Alan White
1976 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Alan White
1980 - Trevor Horn, Chris Squire, Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Alan White
1981 - Yes breaks up
1982 - Band "Cinema" is formed, lineup:
John Anderson, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Alan White
Cinema changes name back to Yes
1989 - legal dispute over name, results in two bands:
Yes:
Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Alan White
ABWH:
John Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Bill Bruford
1991 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Steve Howe, Alan White, Bill Bruford
John Anderson - vocals, left in 1980 because of creative differences, left in 1989 to join ABWH
Chris Squire - bass, left in 1981 due to band breakup
Tony Kaye - keyboards, left in 1971 to join the band Flash
Peter Banks - guitar, left in 1970 to found Flash
Bill Bruford - drums, left in 1972 to play for King Crimson
Steve Howe - guitar, left in 1981 due to band breakup
Rick Wakeman - keyboards, left in 1974 because of creative differences, left in 1980 because of creative differences
Patrick Moraz - keyboards, left in 1976 because Rick Wakeman returned
Alan White - drums, left in 1981 due to band breakup
Trevor Horn - vocals, guitars, left in 1981 due to band breakup
Geoff Downes - keyboards, left in 1981 due to band breakup
1968 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Peter Banks, Bill Bruford
1970 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Steve Howe, Bill Bruford
1971 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Bill Bruford
1972 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Alan White
1974 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Patrick Moraz, Steve Howe, Alan White
1976 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Alan White
1980 - Trevor Horn, Chris Squire, Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Alan White
1981 - Yes breaks up
1982 - Band "Cinema" is formed, lineup:
John Anderson, Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Alan White
Cinema changes name back to Yes
1989 - legal dispute over name, results in two bands:
Yes:
Chris Squire, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Alan White
ABWH:
John Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Bill Bruford
1991 - John Anderson, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Tony Kaye, Trevor Rabin, Steve Howe, Alan White, Bill Bruford
John Anderson - vocals, left in 1980 because of creative differences, left in 1989 to join ABWH
Chris Squire - bass, left in 1981 due to band breakup
Tony Kaye - keyboards, left in 1971 to join the band Flash
Peter Banks - guitar, left in 1970 to found Flash
Bill Bruford - drums, left in 1972 to play for King Crimson
Steve Howe - guitar, left in 1981 due to band breakup
Rick Wakeman - keyboards, left in 1974 because of creative differences, left in 1980 because of creative differences
Patrick Moraz - keyboards, left in 1976 because Rick Wakeman returned
Alan White - drums, left in 1981 due to band breakup
Trevor Horn - vocals, guitars, left in 1981 due to band breakup
Geoff Downes - keyboards, left in 1981 due to band breakup
