I’m very disappointed to see this announcement on Classic Rock Magazine’s blog today…
Jon Anderson out of Yes, replaced by tribute-band singer
Veteran proggers rockers Yes have gone the Journey and Judas Priest route and selected a tribute-band singer as their new frontman.
Yes’s iconic singer Jon Anderson is suffering from reactive airway disease, a condition akin to asthma, and is unable to tour or record at present.
The new guy in Yes is Benoit David from Canadian Yes tribute band Close To The Edge.
Benoit is also the singer in Mystery – check out their track on the prog CD we gave away free with Classic Rock issue No.122.
Bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe and drummer Alan White are arranging a new line-up of Yes with Oliver Wakeman (keyboards) and Benoit on vocals.
The band plan to tour North America towards the end of this year, with a break in early 2009 given Howe’s prior commitments to Asia, and then further Yes touring in other countries.
Here is Benoit David singing with Close To The Edge on YouTube.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3BFuxBayxg&hl=en&fs=1]
Did you watch the video of the new singer? He sounds just like Jon (in a weird stalker clone kind of way), doesn’t really have ‘the look’ (whatever that is), and is certainly not Jon Anderson (no one else like him). Jon is too big a part of Yes to try to replace him at this point. They tried it in 1980, and it didn’t work…although that Drama album was not half bad.
I’ve got to agree with one of the blog commenters here, either wait for Jon’s full recovery or hang it up and work on other projects. I’m very biased. Jon literally IS the heart and sould of that band! Right?!
I wish the best to Jon! Get well soon.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Yeah, I can hang with Oliver Wakeman, at least he’s in the family, but no thanks on the Jon Anderson sound-alike.
Do Journey fans feel the same way about Steve Perry?
September 10th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
I’ll never understand why legendary bands feel that it’s such a bad thing if they change their sound. I’m with you, Newms. I’m getting a creepy, stalker vibe from this dude’s voice. I’d pay to see him perform with his cover band, just for the sheer novelty of the show, but this is a major slap in the face to Jon.
At least Van Halen took a new direction when they showed DLR the door. Some liked the new sound, some didn’t. But they reinvented themselves, sold mllions of albums, and stayed in the public eye.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Mmmm…Hot chocolate in the UK did the same thing, with a tribute dude on vocals. I myself sing for Brian Connolly’s Sweet (brian sadly dying some years ago. ) I’ve never, ever tried to imitate him, I sing all the Sweet songs my way. I feel I’m just a puppet otherwise.
Good point about VH and DLR, though i prefer the original. 2 cases where I LOVED the change was when Deep Purple got Coverdale and Hughes in, and when Marilliuon got Steve Hogarth in place of Fish. But I’m just weird that way.
September 10th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Lousy idea! Looks like melodicrock.com and Classic Rock Magazine are confirming. I posted today at http://isorski.blogspot.com/2008/09/yes-pulls-journey-goes-to-youtube-for.html.
In terms of Journey, I actually think the new guy kicks ass, but the difference is, they have a whole album of new, really good material. If Yes trots out this new guy and does the same old songs, it’s not going to be that compelling.
Agree that new singers can take the bands in new directions. The Marillion example is a great one. But at this stage in Yes’ career? Come on…
September 10th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Why all the naysaying before you even hear what the guy sing a single note on stage with Yes? I, for one, will at least give him a chance, although he obviously has big shoes to fill and it will be an uphill battle to win over some Yes fans. Still, I’m a die hard Yes fan myself. And one thing that I have learned from being a Yes fan is that personell changes can be a positive thing and lead to some very creative music. Howe replaced Banks. Wakeman replaced Kaye. Moraz replaced Wakeman. White replaced Bruford. Downes replaced Wakeman. Rabin Replaced Howe…and they all lead to some very excellent, classic music. Som could Benoit David replacing Jon Anderson lead to some great things as well??…Why don’t we give him a chance and see how things go?
September 12th, 2008 at 11:18 am
The concept of the tour is to celebrate the music and see what happens in the future. No one person can ever replace Jon Anderson. However on many occassions the members themselves have expressed a phylosophy of YES continuing beyond their lifespan.The music is timeless and Chris’s vision is to tour with music that is generally not played( Jon would not sing anyway)
I look at this as an opportunity for Jon to heal and for YES fans to embrace and look beyond today.
Anything can happen as long as the music is preserved and possibly New Music is recorded.
God Bless Jon and YES!!
To Be Over…..or To Be Continued??
Much Love…..Doc
September 13th, 2008 at 12:26 am
I’m with you – Jon Anderson is the soul of Yes.
If you listen to the entire clip of this guy, he’s not only flat, but sounds like a strange mechanical clone trying to re-create an album he’s listened to 8000 times. Creepy.
Thanks for the post though- I hadn’t heard about it.
September 13th, 2008 at 1:23 am
I’ll still go, but it’s not 100% the same. I put an article on my blog, too. I just got a bunch of Yes DVDs on the mail (mostly live), which will fill the void for me.
The name is actually spelled Benoît David.
September 13th, 2008 at 4:04 am
Dude, did you just call me out for not having a little arrow over the ‘i’ in Benoit?
Stop.
September 13th, 2008 at 4:17 am
I have watched the YouTube vids of Mr. B. David and the CTTE tribute band, and while I applaude his efforts at covering the vocals in a Yes cover band, having this guy join the band for a tour “honoring the music of Yes” is an insult to all true Yes fans. Simply put, Yes does not exist without Jon. This is a cynical play by Squire, Howe and White, in a last ditch effort to keep the Yes fire burning. I am as big a fan of Yes as exists, but I wouldn’t go see the “In the Present” lineup if they were playing in my backyard and handing out $100 bills to all comers.
To Chris, Steve and Alan: Let it go, guys, please. For the sake of the memories of your truest fans, let it die gracefully.
September 13th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Lets get a reality check in here shall we. Mainly, I’m with Yesdoc. It is well documented that Yes have always spent loads of money and paid for it with constant touring. Also, the main driver for getting Trevor Horn in was because they had a massive lucrative tour booked and didn’t want to cancel.
At the end of the day I can’t see a ‘reinvention’ of Yes here, they are all at the end of their career, touring money pays the bills and they probably genuinly enjoy playing and the buzz from the crowd. If Jon can’t tour anymore (and I hear/read that he says he will never tour with Yes again) then I would rather that they just got someone in who could reach the high notes (Trevor Horn couldn’t) and let us hear some great seldom-played Yes music live. Let’s not get too precious about it, Jon is not some sort of demi-god.
One thing I would concede is that perhaps they should go for more of an ABWH feel, ie make it clear to people that this is not the classic Yes touring but an evening of yes music with some ex Yes members. They should not mislead.
I will go if they play the UK.
September 13th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Thanks for the ‘reality check’…but I prefer to remain precious about it.
September 14th, 2008 at 3:02 am
Benoit will do fine, he won’t try to be Jon, how could he? I actually know him personally and he will do justice to the yes repertoire. This will be his finest hour, do yourselves all a favor and go the shows. Benoit will surprise you because at the end of the day he is the bands biggest fan.
Go Ben go!
September 15th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Benoit has been, and remains to this day a truly devoted musician ,artist and vocalist. I have had the opportunity to work with him where we discussed music at length. I think he has what it takes to do a GREAT Job because he knows alot about and LOVES YES. He is comforatble singing in diverse situations and I want to wish him well…..Bravo Benoit (Ob1) like the old days.
Ciao SLY (vestro)
September 16th, 2008 at 12:37 am
This is a sad day. we loose Rick Wright and now Jon gets replaced? Don’t Steve and Chris remember the Drama tour? sniff
September 18th, 2008 at 6:59 am
I must say, as a retired Pulmonologist son, the first thing I did when I heard the 40th tour was cancelled because Jon had acute respiratory failure was consult with my father, who has more than 40 years experience as a respiratory failure expert. His remarks were quite clear based on the press release that was issued, his comment was he should be fine in 6-8 weeks with proper treatment. Although he did say that he could have more wrong than mentioned. It could be copd, or emphasima, or even quite possibly lung cancer. All of these conditions have similar symptoms at the onset.
I just wish that if any of the above was truly the case, that Jon would make a formal press release to confirm. If he truly only has a temporary condition, I wish the band would wait for his full recovery. If Jon was just ready to hang up his microphone, then why doesn’t he come out and say so, and endorse Benoit David.
Nevertheless, as a long term Yes fan since JFK in Philadelphia in 1976, and speaking honestly for all of the other true blue Yes fans out there, Jon owes us some kind of response. We have all suported all of their carreers and family fortune’ for 40 years.
The up side is that we may be able to hear things like Machine Masiah, and Tempus Fugit in their entirety.
In the end, Jon owes us a response to this news, and his condition, we all love him and with a response or endorsement, we should all be able to support the new project…. Remember one thing if nothing else, ” With Truth, Comes Compassion!” If Jon truly has health issues that prevent him from touring, he needs to come clean with the whole truth.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:45 am
I’m with the guy that thinks the “evening with yes members” is a better way to go. That way everyone wins – the musicians get to continue performing their best loved music, and the fans can turn up or not, but won’t be short-changed or lured into thinking it’s actually Yes. sadly, this sort of thing’s gonna happen more and more to the classic bands….eventually, in around, ooo, i don’t know – 100 years, it’ll just be a bunch of soundalike X factor wannabes – but one thing we will be able to count on…it will still be Keith Richards on guitar! ;-)
September 19th, 2008 at 2:19 am
[...] Says a Jilted Jon Jump to Comments 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 [...]
September 20th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
I am heartbroken over the trio’s readiness to dump the legendary heart and founder of this band. I am sorry to say that either Howe, Squire and White are easily changeable, but never Jon.
September 20th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Jon should get a 2009 touring band together with Rabin or Banks, Kaye or Moraz or even Vangelis, Levin, and Bruford. Yeah!
September 20th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Great idea, Newms – bring it on!
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Benoît David is not a “stalker”. What he is is an excellent vocalist in a Yes tribute band. Isn’t the whole point of a tribute band to recreate the sound of the original as closely as possible? (I suppose Denis Gagne of The Musical Box is a Peter Gabriel stalker then? ) If you’re still skeptical of Benoît’s talent then listen to his other band, Mystery. They are an all-original Power-Prog band and his vocals are superb.
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:48 pm
And yes, newmradio, you are being ‘precious’ about not accepting Yes’ new direction. Jon isn’t irreplaceable. (Ask Steve Perry of Journey.) Journey is making buckets of money with Arnel Pineda as their new front man. And no one seems to care except Perry.
September 25th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Making comparisons to the Drama tour/album is faulty–Jon had disappeared, and then quit. What was Chris supposed to do–retire, at age 32? Or disband the group? The vast majority of Yes fans accept that it was a unique time in the history of the band and an experiment that wasn’t a disaster, just not completely successful.
Here is another unique time for Yes–a tour that had been set up had to be scrapped, and for another reason unanticipatable. Another tough position for Squire–he has to take into account Oliver’s, Alan’s and Steve’s other commitments, the impact of the ever-increasing time since the last tour, the fact that they’re all getting older, and the desire not to repeat the Drama experience with Trevor–and, in my view, he made a defensible decision. Sure, we’d all like Jon to be available–and Rick too, for that matter–but they aren’t, and Jon’s future is still uncertain. I, for one, won’t join the chorus of disapproval.
September 26th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Who cares which lead singer shows up I go to see Chris Squire and as a bass player all the rest can stay home. I saw The Chris Squire Experiment 8/92 at the Boiler Room in Monterey, CA.
Alan White played drums didn’t miss the rest of the boys.
Saw Jon on the Animation tour, bass player while reading the charts for the Yes tunes made mistakes.
With YouTube Prima Donna’s will find the train leaving them at the station. Good Riddance.
September 26th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Yer fun.
October 19th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Well, seems that the comments favoring this lousy move by Chris and Steve (w/Alan as co-conspirator) all come from non-purists, people who are not really engaged in the traditional Yes mentality, and who do not really understand the mystical aspect only Jon can bring onboard.
Go ahead and waste your money, for all we care… you’ll never understand!
November 19th, 2008 at 5:18 am
Sorry, but this is one Yes tour I will pass on. Yes without Jon Anderson is unthinkable. This new guy can sing quite well, but the magic of Jon Anderson is what makes Yes. Get better Jon, we love you and we miss you.
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