Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | ABWH |
Origin | England, UK |
Genres | Progressive rock |
Years active | 1988–1991 |
Labels |
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Spinoff of | Yes |
Past members |
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH) were an English progressive rock band active from 1988 to 1990 that comprised four past members of the English progressive rock band Yes. Singer Jon Anderson left Yes as he felt increasingly constrained by their commercial and pop-oriented direction in the 1980s. He began an album with other members from the band's 1970s era: guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Bill Bruford, plus bassist Tony Levin (Bruford's bandmate in King Crimson).
The group released their only studio album, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe , in June 1989 which reached number 14 in the UK and number 30 in the US. Their 1989–90 world tour was well-received and spawned two live albums, An Evening of Yes Music Plus (1993) and Live at the NEC – Oct 24th 1989 (2012).
The thirteenth Yes album, Union (1991), featured tracks recorded in 1990 and originally intended for a second ABWH studio album, alongside songs recorded by Yes around the same time and a solo track by Howe. This marked the end of Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe and the start of the eight-member Yes formation which lasted until 1992, comprising Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe, Chris Squire, Trevor Rabin, Tony Kaye, and Alan White.
In 1983, singer Jon Anderson returned to Yes to record lead vocals on their 1983 studio album 90125 , which saw Yes adopt a musical direction that was more commercial and pop-oriented. The line-up during this time included bassist Chris Squire, drummer Alan White, keyboardist Tony Kaye, and guitarist Trevor Rabin, who wrote the majority of 90125. The release of 90125 saw Yes reach their greatest commercial success. It was followed by their 1987 album Big Generator , also a significant commercial success.
In September 1988, Anderson left Yes citing his growing dissatisfaction with the band's commercial direction. He had also felt sidelined from the creative process due to the machinations of other band members and producer Trevor Horn. [1] Anderson spent his summer on the Greek island of Hydra writing songs with Vangelis, [2] where he first came up with the idea of making music with other members of the 1971–72 Yes line-up of guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Bill Bruford. The only missing member from that line-up was Chris Squire, who remained in the then-current version of Yes.
On his return trip from Hydra, Anderson met Howe in London who presented him with his musical ideas including the chorus of "Brother of Mine" [2] and "Birthright". Five weeks were spent producing demo tracks at La Frette Studios in Paris. Anderson asked musician Milton McDonald to help with the project and play additional guitars. [2] Bruford recalled meeting Anderson, Howe, Wakeman, and former Yes manager Brian Lane, at the airport in London. He said, "Oh, we're in trouble here. This obviously meant it was some sort of Yes project ... I thought I was just going to put some drums on a Jon Anderson solo record". [3]
Recording moved to AIR Studios on the island of Montserrat for six weeks. [2] Bruford saw the recording location as "a deal clincher". [4] It was there when Bruford suggested to have his King Crimson bandmate Tony Levin play bass on the album. [2] Bruford noticed Anderson being "on strong form ... he conducted proceedings without fear of let or hindrance" from the problematic times recording with Yes. [4] When recording was complete, Anderson supervised the album's mixing sessions at Bearsville Studios with mixing engineers Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero. [2]
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe was released on 20 June 1989 through Arista Records, using catalog number AL85-90126. The album peaked at number 14 in the UK [5] and number 30 in the US. [6] It went on to reach the top 30 in Canada, [7] Switzerland, [8] Germany, [9] France, [10] Norway, [11] and Sweden. [12] The album sold 750,000 copies. [13]
On 31 May 1989, weeks before the release of their album and tour, the group were subject to a suit filed by Yes that wished to prevent Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe from mentioning the name "Yes" in their promotional material, suggesting or calling attention to Yes music, which they argued may cause "confusion in the minds of the public over which group is the real Yes", and prohibiting Anderson from speaking of his former membership in Yes. [14] The suit was based on a separation agreement entered into by each past and present member of Yes in May 1984 that specified who was entitled to use the Yes name; any "withdrawing partner" from the group could no longer use the name or mention they were in the band before, after a specified date. Yes argued that Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe had "wrongfully converted" the Yes name in an advertisement for Los Angeles Times that promoted their upcoming concert as "an evening of Yes music plus". [14] Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe filed a response on 5 June; their attorneys called Yes's suit "an outrageous attempt ... to stop the media and public from comparing ABWH's new recording with theirs". [14] According to former Yes tour co-ordinator Jim Halley, "the European promoters began splashing the name Yes all over the posters ... in the end they came to an accommodation". [3] Anderson stressed, "we never said we were Yes. It was the record company." [3] In June 1989, a U.S District Court judge ruled that ABWH could refer to its Yes heritage and material in promoting their tour. [15]
ABWH named the tour An Evening of Yes Music, Plus. [16] Rehearsals took place at Nomis Studios in London. [17]
ABWH and Yes produced a Yes album titled Union . [16] The album includes recordings originally intended for separate albums by both groups. Several songs originally intended for the second ABWH album, tentatively titled Dialogue, surfaced on the 1990s bootleg We Make Believe and the underground Yesoteric bootleg compilation. This material included demos by Anderson but without the other three that were subsequently released as part of Jon Anderson's The Lost Tapes box set series as Watching the Flags That Fly.
Songs from the ABWH album have been included on subsequent Yes compilations and Yes concerts.
Yes are an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by lead singer Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Peter Banks, keyboardist Tony Kaye, and drummer Bill Bruford. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes throughout their history, during which 20 musicians have been full-time members. Since February 2023, the band has consisted of guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Geoff Downes, bassist Billy Sherwood, singer Jon Davison, and drummer Jay Schellen. Yes have explored several musical styles over the years and are most notably regarded as progressive rock pioneers.
Close to the Edge is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released in the UK on 8 September 1972 and in the USA on 13 September 1972 by Atlantic Records. It is their last album of the 1970s to feature original drummer Bill Bruford, who found the album particularly laborious to make and felt unable to contribute better ideas, which influenced his decision to join King Crimson once recording had finished.
Tales from Topographic Oceans is the sixth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released in the UK on 7 December 1973 and in the USA on 9 January 1974 by Atlantic Records. It is their first studio album to feature drummer Alan White, who had replaced Bill Bruford the previous year. Frontman Jon Anderson devised its concept during the Close to the Edge Tour, when he read a footnote in Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda that describes four bodies of Hindu texts about a specific field of knowledge, collectively named shastras–śruti, smriti, puranas, and tantras. After pitching the idea to guitarist Steve Howe, the pair spent the rest of the tour developing an outline of the album's musical themes and lyrics.
The Yes Album is the third studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released in the UK on 19 February 1971 and in the USA on 19 March 1971 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first album to feature guitarist Steve Howe, who replaced Peter Banks in 1970, as well as their last to feature keyboardist Tony Kaye until 1983's 90125.
Union is the thirteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 30 April 1991 by Arista Records. Production began following the amalgamation of two bands that featured previous and then-current members of Yes: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH), consisting of vocalist Jon Anderson, drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Rick Wakeman and guitarist Steve Howe, and Yes, at that time comprising bassist and vocalist Chris Squire, guitarist and vocalist Trevor Rabin, keyboardist Tony Kaye and drummer Alan White. The eight musicians signed with Arista and a combination of unfinished tracks by both groups were selected for Union. The album's sessions were problematic from the start, including disagreements between some of the musicians regarding the "merger" of the two bands, strained relations during the recording process, and decisions by the production team of Anderson and producer Jonathan Elias to bring in session musicians to re-record parts that Wakeman and Howe had originally completed.
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe is the only studio album by English progressive rock band Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, released in June 1989 on Arista Records.
An Evening of Yes Music Plus is a double live album from the English progressive rock band Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, released in October 1993 on Fragile Records.
Keys to Ascension 2 is the fifth live and sixteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes. It was released as a double album in November 1997 by Essential Records as the successor to the previous live/studio album Keys to Ascension. After guitarist Steve Howe and keyboardist Rick Wakeman returned to the band in 1995, the group relocated to San Luis Obispo, California and started to write new material. The reunion of this particular line-up was promoted with three concerts at the city's Fremont Theater in March 1996, the five's first live performance together since 1979. Keys to Ascension 2 features the remaining half of the live set from the 1996 shows and five new studio tracks including two which marked a return to the group writing long-form pieces. It would ultimately serve as Wakeman's final studio album with the band.
Big Generator is the twelfth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 28 September 1987 by Atco Records, their last album of new music for the label. After touring in support of their previous album, 90125 (1983), which saw the band move from progressive rock towards a pop-oriented and commercially accessible direction, Yes started work on a follow-up in 1985 with producer Trevor Horn. It was a laborious album to make; recording began at Carimate, Italy, but internal and creative differences resulted in production to resume in London, where Horn ended his time with the band due to continuing problems. The album was completed in Los Angeles in 1987 by Trevor Rabin and producer Paul DeVilliers.
Yesshows is the second live album by the English progressive rock band Yes. It was released in November 1980 on Atlantic Records as the final album before the group disbanded in early 1981. Their first live album in seven years, it is compiled of recordings from their 1976, 1977, and 1978 tours from dates in North America and Europe with its mixing supervised by bassist Chris Squire.
The Word Is Live is a box set by the English progressive rock band Yes, released in August 2005 by Rhino Records. A triple album, the set is compiled of live recordings from radio broadcasts and concert tours between 1970 and 1988, mostly from guitarist Steve Howe's tape collection.
Talk is the fourteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes. It was released on 21 March 1994 by Victory Music, and is their last studio album to feature guitarist Trevor Rabin and keyboardist Tony Kaye.
The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection is a compilation album by the English progressive rock band Yes. It was originally released on 2 CDs on 28 July 2003 by Warner Music in the United Kingdom. A 3 CD edition with additional material, including new recordings from October 2003, was released in the US on 27 January 2004 by Rhino Records.
Fragile is the fourth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released in the UK on 12 November 1971 and in the USA on 4 January 1972 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first album to feature keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who replaced Tony Kaye after the group had finished touring their breakthrough record, The Yes Album (1971).
Live at Montreux 2003 is a 2007 live album and video from the English progressive rock band Yes. It is a live recording of the group's headlining concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival on 14 July 2003. The performance was filmed and is also available on DVD/Blu-ray.
"Lift Me Up" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes. It was the first single released from their 1991 album Union. It reached the number-one spot on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in May 1991, and stayed in this position for six weeks. It also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, their last single to do so.
The Close to the Edge Tour was a concert tour by progressive rock band Yes in promotion of their 1972 album, Close to the Edge. Lasting from 30 July 1972 until 22 April 1973, and including 97 performances, the tour began at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium, and ended at the West Palm Beach Auditorium in West Palm Beach, Florida. The tour was Alan White's first with the band.
Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman, also known as Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman (ARW), were a progressive rock band founded by former Yes members Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, and Rick Wakeman (keyboards) in an offshoot of the band. The three had previously worked together in Yes for the 1991–1992 Union Tour. The trio were first announced as working together in 2010.