The band Yes could be described as the Great Grandfather’s of Progressive Rock. Founded in 1968, Yes have survived successes and failures that few other bands can even imagine. They have weathered numerous lineup changes, survived inner band turmoil, excesses, ego trips, financial hardships, and financial windfalls and even made a splash onto the Top 40, the true Holy Grail for anti-pop bands. All Progressive Rock bands since, and into the future, bow to the alter of Yes and pay homage to them as the true creators of the genre.

Bass player, and founding member, Chris Squire recently announced that Yes will be hitting the road giving rock nerds of all ages an opportunity to relish in the band’s unique exquisiteness. “We’re doing a small spring tour from March through April. It’s a tour that sweeps around the United States. We’re going to be doing a lot of different songs that we have not been doing over the last several years. We like to do that in order to keep it interesting for people,” Squire explains, “Yes have a really large library of material that we have amassed over the years so we are able to do a lot of different things. Obviously, we have to combine playing the more popular songs that people want to hear with songs that are not so well known. We have been looking at different eras of the band and we are going to be playing some very interesting things on this short tour.”

When asked how Yes keep things fresh for long time band mates Steve Howe, Alan White and himself, Squire chuckles and says bluntly, “[We] change the other guys in the band.” The changing of the guard, while nothing new in Yes, has been the topic of debate recently when founding member, and fan favorite vocalist, Jon Anderson was replaced by tribute singer Benoit David, discovered on YouTube. Anderson claims he requested the band slow down but was refused. Squire is matter of fact about the circumstances that led to Anderson being replaced as well as the number of fans who are upset about the change. “I find that to be the minority of people at the moment, as far as I am concerned. Obviously, there are going to be people who will miss him or whatever but life must go on. Believe you me, if Jon was up and his health was good, then it would be a different situation, but that is not the situation. We decided at one point to go one with Benoit. Otherwise the band would have just slipped into obscurity.”

Yes fans were shocked when it was announced that they would carry on without the distinctive Anderson, they were more surprised when David turned out to be up for the challenge. “We were very lucky to find someone who can basically do the job. He pretty much has all of the ideas surrounding the job as well,” Squire admits, “Believe me; it isn’t easy to replace anyone in Yes. It took a while for him to fit in but we are working on a new album and we are building things from the ground up. He will probably be very proud when we release a Yes album with brand new music on it with him, and not Jon, singing. The next thing you know he will want more money.”

David is not the only new kid on the block, however. The Yes family tree continues to grow, this time with an offshoot of keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman’s DNA. “I remember Oliver [Wakeman] when he was five years old. I never thought of him being our keyboard player back then. When he became a teenager I thought there was a good possibility that he may show up one day. I really enjoy Oliver’s playing and the audience really seems to enjoy his presence as well.” Squire goes on to admit that Oliver and Rick aren’t the only Wakeman’s he has shared the stage with, “We played in Yes with Rick’s other son, Adam, when we had a problem with permits for the Russian keyboard player we once had in the band. We’ve had three Wakeman’s in Yes at different times.”

Squire is enjoying playing with the newer, and younger, members of Yes, “Any injection of new talent into the band tends to revitalize the bands energy. Benoit and Oliver are quite young so they have a lot of energy to give. It has been a very cool experience playing with those two and I think the band has been playing extremely well in this situation.”

Squire talks about new music but reminds us the spring tour comes first, “There is new music being written, however, we won’t be playing any new music until the summer tour but that is not to say that you shouldn’t come to this one.” When asked if the songwriting approach is different with the new members of the band, Squire explains, “We try to get everyone involved in the songwriting, whoever they are. I have tried to make it a collaborative effort because I think the best music comes out that way. When two or more heads are put together then it tends to lead to more interesting music. I think that has pretty much always been the Yes principal.”

The new album will also bring another former member, and producer, of Yes into the fold. Squire won’t let the cat completely out of the bag but he does hint at what the era of Yes the new album may remind one of, “We have Trevor Horn onboard as producer so that should tell you something. Of course, Trevor was the producer of the 90125 album but he was also the singer on the Drama album. You may get a bit of an influence from that era.”