Well, I hate to say I told you so, but it looks like my being ‘precious’ about Yes and not really accepting their new direction to replace Jon Anderson with Yes tribute band singer, Benoit David, is now proven to be the way Jon sees things too. Just moments ago Jon Anderson posted this blog post to his MySpace friends…
“Not Yes”
September 18, 2008
Disappointed, and very Disrespected
Disappointed that, with the exception of one phone call from Alan, none of the guys have been in touch since my illness, just to find out how I am doing, and how we will foresee the future for YES. And disappointed that they were not willing to wait till 2009 when I’m fully recovered.
And I feel very disrespected, having spent most of this year creating songs and constant ideas for the band, spending time with Roger Dean creating a stage design, also working with VH1 and Sirius and XM Radio to help promote the welfare of YES.
Getting sick was not “on my radar”, and I thank my own angel Janeee and my family for helping me through this difficult time, and the many well wishers, friends and fans alike, for understanding that ”things happen”.
Of course I wish the guys all the best in their ‘solo’ work, but I just wish this could have been done in a more gentlemanly fashion. After all YES is a precious musical band.
This is not YES on tour…
I send best wishes to one and all,
Jon Anderson
September 2008
So I’m with Jon on this one and I won’t be supporting the ‘Not Yes’ band that will be touring for the actual Yes’ 40th Anniversary. But I will see Jon when he tours solo when he makes his full recovery in 2009. Sorry Benoit…I hope you have a blast and make some nice ducats, but unfortunately your rise to fame isn’t coming up completely roses.
Best wishes, Jon… see you in 2009!
September 19th, 2008 at 2:08 am
oh!!!
so sad.
you know it’s a cool opportunity and a great brek for this benoit dude, but what a bad karmic situation to bank from. :(
September 19th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Wow. I don’t see how this tour can really work when it doesn’t have Jon’s blessing, and I’m saddened at the apparent disregard for his position from the other members. Monsieur David will be performing in a wriggling can of worms, methinks.
September 20th, 2008 at 1:44 am
to me Jon is Yes and vice-versa; recover my friend and create while your at ease. sit back relax; “take your time”
later
dtrebel
September 20th, 2008 at 1:46 am
p.s.
i am willing to got on tour with you.
later…
dtrebel
September 20th, 2008 at 1:47 am
e-mail updated (just in case)
later;
dtrebel
September 22nd, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Chris Squire exercising his YES name ownership rights. It is his way of sticking it to Jon a little. Forty years is a long time and they have their band-family resentments I’m sure, LOL. Steve is always up for making a buck, and Alan just does what he is told, he is just a good guy. Getting Oliver Wakeman in the mix is a good thing, I don’t see Rick coming back. Anderson will get over it and he will be back in 2009. Yes will draw good crowds on the tour because they have not toured in awhile and people will be curious. The You-Tube footage of Benoit David is very good the guys voice is dead on YES perfect, he is young and not bad looking. This will make for a load of boot Cd’s and DVDs and that is always fun. It gets the music media talking about YES. And I want YES to carry on with new members for another 20 years as long as Chris keeps writing and producing, keeping a hand in it so to speak, that is a good thing. I hope when Jon returns they go right into the studio.
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:38 am
I hate the way they went about it, not talking to Jon and doing this on the sly as it were. On the other hand, I’m looking forward to hearing Tempus Fugit live. In spite of the fact that Jon does not sing on that song, it is one of my all time favorite Yes songs. It the most musically coherant song written since Roundabout.
I hope that they and Jon can make nice, but this seems to be a low blow. This band seems to have a history of being mean to each other, and sometimes it is quite evident in their music. There is a world of difference in the music between when they are all getting along and when they are fighting amongst each other over who is most important.
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:55 pm
“Best wishes, Jon… see you in 2009!”
Um, probably not. This respiratory condition Anderson’s suffering from sounds chronic. I don’t think any amount of rest is going to fix him up enough to do more than a one-off show here or there.
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:12 pm
At ease, Bob. It seems like you just have some anti-Jon stance that you’re determined to fight for, and some of us over here just feel like Jon was what made the band so magical and special. I’m not mad at Benoit at all, and would do the same thing if I were in his shoes…duh! But, FOR ME, and some others who have commented here, we are not into a Yes without Jon Anderson at this place in their career. Agree to disagree. Cheers! And report back after you see them on tour. Shit, write a review…I’d love to publish it here!
September 24th, 2008 at 8:42 am
time for a ‘gentle’ Jon & Vangelis recording to heal us all!
later…
dtrebel
September 24th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Best wishes to Jon and I hope we will be able to see you in 2009, and as for the Yes reunion – or so to speak -, well from my point of view, it looks a lot like a tour to make money, no matter who is part of it… But experience speaks for itself, remember the Drama tour when Trevor Horn was the singer in the band, we all remember what happened and, most of all, Trevor himself will never forget the experience, as he quit singing after that tour and went on as a producer. Why ? Because NOBODY can replace Jon Anderson in whatever he does, and especially Yes, he has a special voice and charism and he is a very special human being to be replaced just like that, sorry Benoit David, nothing personnal… There are certain bands in which you can’t replace any of their members, The Beatles for example, for each and everyone of them is too precious for the sound of the band, it’s like replacing an electric guitar for a banjo or a keyboard for an accordeon, if you know what I mean. And yes, I do think that this is a disrespect for Jon Anderson, as it was not his fault if he got sick, I think that the guys could have waited a year to give Jon a chance to recover and get better before making plans for another tour. Anyway, I won’t be a part of that masquerade and spent some money on that tour, I prefer to wait another year and see what happens next, I just hope that the real true die-hard fans and YES purists will think twice before investing some money on that False Yes tour, for it is not Yes…
A real Yes fan…
September 26th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
You no what? It’s not Yes, but I’m 51 years old and nothing is what it was. I recently saw Foreigner and was pleasantly satisfied with Kelly Hansen on lead vocals. It wasn’t the Foreigner I saw in 1980, but it was good to be at a show dancing and singing to music I know and love. I have tickets to see Yes at a 1500 seat venue in Richmond, Va. Will it be the YES I saw in Baltimore in 1973? NO. Will it be the YES I saw in St. Louis numerous times in the 70′s/80′s? NO.
Will it be the YES I saw recently at Merriwether Post Pavillion and Virginia Beach Amphitheater?N O.
Will it still be YES? YES.
BTW, Jason Bonham rocked with Foreigner… It’s worth the price of admission to me to see Rick Wakeman’s son. If it’s sucks, so be it…
September 27th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
People,
I agree that what happened to Jon is wrong….period.However,as a Yes fan for 30 yrs,I do not have to remind you all that this has been going on since their inception into the prog rock world.I have not heard or read anyone talk about some of their best albums like relayer.Those 3 songs played with Patrick Moraz must be dear to any YES fans heart.Im afraid if not,you are really not a YES fan.This will be my 159th time seeing
the boys with too many musicians to write about,yet i feel compelled to see them as i am very curious to Oliver play,that in itself is the respect i feel i owe for all those Rick intro’s before the Khatru……..Jon will be back in 2009,i know these guys…..A real YES fan………..
September 27th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
I agree that these guys have engaged in this sort of behavior before. Jon just may be the latest “victim” of that “we’ll go on no matter what” mentality. And, come to think of it, we may not even be here discussing this if it weren’t for that very strong sense of determination.
I respect and love Jon, and I expect that his spirit will carry him through to the next Yes tour. But it’s not up to me to go to one extreme or the other on the subject. These guys will work it out. Yes is bigger than any single one of them. I look forward to seeing all of my fellow Yes fans at any Yes concert.
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
They’ll get not a dime from me. I saw Yes first in 1972, and there is no sub for Jon. Not a Canadian Elvis impersonator. Sorry, this is not YES.
They should call it MAYBE.
October 2nd, 2008 at 9:58 pm
LOL…Calling it MAYBE would actually legitimize it.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:43 am
sure wish jon was with the gang but hay none of these guys are geting any younger you got to do what you got to do. I thing benoit sounds pretty good . Steve and Chris back together sure makes me happy going to see them 10/7 if they play gates of delirium I would not care if they even had A singer. ya know bands are like a marriage Im sure these guys are pissed at each other you cant blame Steve and Chris for wanting to keep truckin Im sure they rehursed for this tour every one needs to make A little money I loveJons voice and yes is Jon, but look if you cant sing let the boys truck on and wish them the best . Jon hope to see you in 2009, and Im sure Steve Chris and Allen will welcome you back with open arms. we have enjoyed yes for many years come on guys dont mess up the good thing you have done for all of us.
October 16th, 2008 at 3:34 am
I really feel sorry for the way it went down, but how many versions of yes has their been and doesn’t everyone remember the ABWH without Squire and the called the tour “An evening of Yes Music Plus” Plain and simple fact the tour will generate money and I will go see them. So they got some guy singing for Jon, big deal Jon wasn’t always in yes what about the Buggles Version. Just get over it and next year we will have The ‘Yes Four-One Tour’ – The Forty First Anniversary is just around the corner. Hope you get well Jon and see you next year.
October 18th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I guess… you can waste your money for all I care. For me, it would SPOIL the good memories I do have. I’d rather wait and see, but to offer support to these two traitors is not my game.
Shame on Steve and Chris!
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