Jon Anderson recently sat down for an interview with Rolling Stone, discussing the future of the Yes’s music and the possibility of a reunion. The band saw numerous lineup changes throughout the years, with Anderson being a constant presence until 2004 when health issues forced him to step down.
The band Yes, now comprised of Seventies guitarist Howe, Drama-era keyboardist Geoff Downes, and other musicians, has yet to show interest in reuniting with Anderson. Despite this, Anderson has continued to bring Yes music to the stage, collaborating with fellow Yes alumni Rick Wakeman and Trevor Rabin in 2016 as ARW. Last year, Anderson also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the album ‘Close to the Edge’ by performing it in its entirety on tour with young musicians from the Paul Green Rock Academy.
While fans of Yes would undoubtedly love to see a reunion featuring Jon Anderson and Steve Howe, the chances of that happening anytime soon seem slim even though he and Howe have worked together on his 2020 album, ‘1000 Hands.’ Anderson explained that he doesn’t know what the future holds when asked about the possibility of a reunion.
Jon Anderson’s words about the future of Yes with Steve Howe read:
“I’m a pessimist… I’m a pessimistic optimist. You never know in this life. And that was just him at that moment in time. I sang with him on my last album, ‘1000 Hands.’ At the very end, I had worked on a piece of music [‘Now and Again’] I started with Chris [Squire] and Alan [White] about 28 years earlier. I sent it to Steve [Howe] and said, ‘Would you play some lovely guitar at the end?’ And he did. All I could think of when I heard was to sing with it, and I did.”
He added:
“There’s a phrase for that: Imitation is the most sincere most form of flattery. [Laughs.] Well, it’s not going to happen, as far as I know. I’ve mentioned a couple of times over the years that I’m very open to giving it a whirl. In these days, though, you never know what will happen.”
The future of Yes may remain uncertain, but one thing is clear: Jon’s dedication to bringing the band’s music to fans across the globe remains as strong as ever. Whether through collaborations with former bandmates or performing with new generations of musicians, Anderson’s unmistakable voice and passion for Yes’ music continue to inspire and delight prog-rock fans around the world.
