The Evolution of Yes
| It seems that Yes changes its personnel like the horse of Emerald City changes its colors. With each new album members come and go unlike any other band, with muscians sometimes becoming producers, and producers sometimes becoming musicians. Yet, Yes remains constant in its own way. The band's fan-base endures the underlying changes, has come to expect them, and even looks forward to them. Whether its the addition of a new member, or the welcoming back of an old one, Yes stays Yes, and instead of getting frustrated, we marvel at the elemental changes but overall cohesiveness of the music. That said, it seems that Yes is an entity beyond its membership now, and has become a force in and of itself. There is one member who was present in all of Yes' incarnations: bass-player, Chris Squire. In 1980, Yes released an album sans its trademark vocalist, Jon Anderson. If any Yes line-up was to be doomed, this would have been the one. Yet, the band survived and even thrived during the "Drama" period. So, here's their discography, highlighting the comings and goings of Yes' various members. (I omitted the retrospective and "Yesshows" albums from this list, as the timing of their releases do not reflect Yes's evolution as a band.) |
| The Evolution of Yes | ||
| KEY: Blue = New Member / Yellow = Returning Member / % = Departing Member |
 | Yes 1969 | Jon Anderson- vocals Peter Banks- guitars Bill Bruford- drums, percussion Tony Kaye- keyboards Chris Squire- bass, vocals Produced by: Paul Clay & Yes |
 | Time and a Word 1970 | Jon Anderson- vocals Peter Banks%- guitars Bill Bruford- drums, percussion Tony Kaye- keyboards Chris Squire- bass, vocals Produced by: Tony Colton |
 | The Yes Album 1971 | Jon Anderson- vocals Bill Bruford- drums, percussion Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Tony Kaye%- keyboards Chris Squire- bass, vocals Produced by: Yes and Eddie Offord |
 | Fragile 1971 | Jon Anderson- vocals Bill Bruford- drums, percussion Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Rick Wakeman- keyboards Produced by: Yes and Eddie Offord |
 | Close to the Edge 1972 | Jon Anderson- vocals Bill Bruford- drums, percussion Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Rick Wakeman- keyboards Produced by: Yes and Eddie Offord |
 | Yessongs (live) 1973 | Jon Anderson- vocals Bill Bruford%/Alan White- drums, percussion Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Rick Wakeman- keyboards Produced by: Yes and Eddie Offord |
 | Tales from Topographic Oceans 1973 | Jon Anderson- vocals Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Rick Wakeman%- keyboards Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Yes and Eddie Offord |
 | Relayer 1974 | Jon Anderson- vocals Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Patrick Moraz%- keyboards Chris Squire- bass, vocals Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Yes and Eddie Offord |
 | Going for the One 1977 | Jon Anderson- vocals Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Rick Wakeman- keyboards Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Yes |
 | Tormato 1978 | Jon Anderson%- vocals Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Rick Wakeman%- keyboards Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Yes |
 | Drama 1980 | Geoff Downes%- keyboards Trevor Horn%- vocals Steve Howe%- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Yes |
 | 90125 1983 | Jon Anderson- vocals Tony Kaye- keyboards Trevor Rabin- guitar, keyboards, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Trevor Horn (+Yes) |
 | 9012Live: The Solos (live) 1985 | Jon Anderson- vocals Tony Kaye- keyboards, vocals Trevor Rabin- guitars, keyboards, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Alan White- drums, percussion, vocals |
 | Big Generator 1987 | Jon Anderson- vocals Tony Kaye- keyboards Trevor Rabin- guitars, keyboards, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Yes/Trevor Rabin/Paul DeVilliers/Trevor Horn |
 | Union 1991 | Jon Anderson- vocals Bill Bruford%- drums, percussion Steve Howe%- guitars, vocals Tony Kaye- keyboards Trevor Rabin- guitars, keyboards, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Rick Wakeman%- keyboards Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Jonathan Elias (+Steve Howe/Trevor Rabin/Eddie Offord/Mark Mancina/Billy Sherwood) |
 | Talk 1994 | Jon Anderson- vocals Tony Kaye%- hammond organ Trevor Rabin%- guitar, keyboards, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Trevor Rabin |
 | Keys to Ascension 1996 | Jon Anderson- vocals Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Rick Wakeman- keyboards Alan White- drums, percussion Produced by: Yes |
 | Keys to Ascension II 1997 | Jon Anderson- vocals Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Rick Wakeman%- keyboards Alan White- Drums and percussion Produced by: Yes & Billy Sherwood |
 | Open Your Eyes 1997 | Jon Anderson- vocals Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Billy Sherwood- guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Alan White- Drums and percussion Additional Musicians: Steve Porcaro- keyboards on track 2 Igor Khoroshev- keyboards on tracks 1, 4, & 5 Produced by: Yes |
 | The Ladder 1999 | Jon Anderson- vocals Steve Howe- guitars, vocals Igor Khoroshev- keyboards, vocals Billy Sherwood- guitars, vocals Chris Squire- bass, vocals Alan White- Drums and percussion, vocals Produced by: Bruce Fairbairn |
