Yes are an English
progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by singer
Jon Anderson, bassist
Chris Squire, guitarist
Peter Banks, keyboardist
Tony Kaye, and drummer
Bill Bruford. The band has undergone
numerous formations throughout its history; nineteen musicians have been full-time members. Since June 2015, it has consisted of guitarist
Steve Howe, drummer
Alan White, keyboardist
Geoff Downes, singer
Jon Davison, and bassist
Billy Sherwood, with no remaining founding members. Yes have explored several musical styles over the years, and are most notably regarded as progressive rock pioneers.
Yes began in 1968, performing original songs and rearranged covers of rock, pop, blues and jazz songs, as evident on their first two albums. A change of direction in 1970 led to a series of successful progressive rock albums until their disbanding in 1981, their most successful being
The Yes Album (1971),
Fragile (1971) and
Close to the Edge (1972). Yes toured as a major rock act that earned the band a reputation for their elaborate stage sets, light displays, and album covers designed by
Roger Dean. The success of "
Roundabout", the single from Fragile, cemented their popularity across the decade and beyond.
In 1983, Yes reformed with a new line-up that included
Trevor Rabin and a more commercial and pop-oriented musical direction. The result was
90125 (1983), their highest-selling album which contained the U.S. number-one single, "
Owner of a Lonely Heart". From 1990 to 1992, Yes were an eight-member formation after they merged with
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe for
Union(1991) and its tour. Since 1994, Yes have released albums with varied levels of success and completed tours from 1994 to 2004. After a four-year hiatus, they resumed touring in 2009 and continue to release albums; their most recent is
Heaven & Earth(2014). In 2016, a new group of former Yes members began touring and named themselves
Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman.
Fragile is the fourth studio album by the English
progressive rock band
Yes, released in November 1971 by
Atlantic Records. After touring in support of their previous album,
The Yes Album (1971), the band entered rehearsals in London in preparation for their next studio album. Early into the sessions, keyboardist
Tony Kaye was fired over his reluctance to utilize more electronic
synthesizers. He was quickly replaced with
Rick Wakeman of the
Strawbs, whose experience with various instruments helped expand the group's sound with the addition of the
electric piano and harpsichord,
Mellotron, and
Minimoog synthesiser. Four tracks are group performances; the remaining five are solo pieces written by each member. The cover is their first illustrated by
Roger Dean, who would design many of their future logos, covers and stage sets.
Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1. "Roundabout" Jon Anderson, Steve Howe 8:30
2. "Cans and Brahms" Johannes Brahms, arr. Rick Wakeman 1:38
3. "We Have Heaven" Anderson 1:40
4. "South Side of the Sky" Anderson, Chris Squire 8:02
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1. "Five Per Cent for Nothing" Bill Bruford 0:35
2. "Long Distance Runaround" Anderson 3:30
3. "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" Squire 2:39
4. "Mood for a Day" Howe 3:00
5. "Heart of the Sunrise" Anderson, Squire, Bruford 11:27
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