YES - It Matters: Jon Anderson In His Own Words...
Date: Sunday, October 19 @ 21:00:00 UTC
Topic: Band News (tours, comings/goings, etc)


Recently, Dan Forth at Classic Rock Forever spoke with Yes' Jon Anderson, who had been sidelined by health problems and unable to go on tour with Yes - dates that were cancelled. Although the band is now set to embark on a tour next month, it will be without Anderson. Below is an excerpt from Dan's interview with Jon. Visit the Classic Rock Forever website for the full interview:

We take it for granted ? or maybe forget ? but hearing "Roundabout" on the radio in 1972 was a very big deal. People didn?t quite know what to make of it ? especially when it was sandwiched between Donny Osmond?s "Puppy Love" and a Bobby Vinton song. There was a lot going on with that tune - and it didn?t fit into any particular music box. After the usual "classical meets rock" observations, chatter seemed to revolve around the same two things ? the lyrics ("mountains coming out of the sky?") and "that guy's" voice.



The creative force of Jon Anderson and his distinctive voice was our companion as we moved from AM to FM and our record collections expanded from singles to albums. [...] Fast forward 35 years and we're all grown up ? empty nesters maybe. We've been to more concerts in the past year than we've been to in the past ten. Most of the bands that really meant something to us are on tour, and damn it, we?re going to see them this time ? because we might never get another chance to see them again. Bands like YES. Well, maybe.

"The YES 40th Anniversary tour was cancelled this past summer after Jon Anderson was put out of commission and ordered to rest for six months due to a respiratory ailment. A few weeks later it was announced that there would be a tour after all. The "In The Present" tour would be kicking off in November ? fronted by a singer who hailed from a YES tribute band ? and discovered on YouTube. So we would have our chance to see YES in concert. Right?

Well, not according to "that voice." Soon after the new lineup for the tour was announced, Jon Anderson had an announcement of his own: "This is not YES on tour."

ClassicRockForever (CRF): It's been a couple of months since the news about your health ? do you have any updates that you?d like to share?

Jon Anderson (JA): As for my health now, I truly feel reborn, it?s gonna take some months before I can do shows, but my dreams are coming true. I have so many blessings, my wonderful Angel Janee, my beautiful kids, friends and family and fans alike. Their words of love and kindness have touched me beyond belief [...]

(CRF): Here?s a recent quote from Chris Squire to Billboard.com: "Unfortunately Jon has had these health problems for the last few years, which is why it?s taken such a long time (since 2004) to have any YES shows out there. We?ve had to be very respectful of the fact he?s not been well and he's been in and out of the hospital having quite a few major procedures. If Jon is well again next year, he'll be back." Do you see things the same way?

(JA): Like most people my age, I?m now 64 this month, the body/mind goes through so many changes. I feel that my health has always been strong enough for the band ? up until 2004. There had been too many tours, too much friction from outside of the band. This had made it impossible to keep touring the way YES truly should - and with NO new music, a lack of passion for the music and each other, and no real promotion of who YES truly is, etc., things just looked so bleak. That?s why I suggested a break for 6 months, maybe do a progressive acoustic CD, and tour on a different style of touring, semi-acoustic for a while, and less shows per year ? just for us to realize who we were. [...]

[Source: Classic Rock Forever]







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