Wakeman Rejoins Yes

[Yesspaz]

Wakeman Rejoins Yes

http://www.yesworld.com/ywnews.html
http://rwcc.com/rwcc/code/notice_yes.htm


Yes are touring North America from 16 Jul (Seattle, Wa.) until mid-Sep: Anderson, Squire, Howe and White will be joined by Rick Wakeman. YesWorld and Rick Wakeman's Communication Centre have now confirmed Wakeman's return. The RWCC statement reports that: "Further countries are likely to be added for either later in the year or in 2003." A European leg next year has been rumoured.

Reports are emerging as to other specific tour dates, although these are yet to be confirmed: 22 Jul, Denver (City Lights Pavilion); possibly 26 Jul, Chicago; 23 Aug, Los Angeles (Universal Amphitheater). Full tour dates will be posted to YesWorld. (Previous reports suggesting that Wakeman would only be playing on selected dates on the tour appear to have been wrong.) The tour will be without last year's orchestral accompaniment. The RWCC also reports that, "it is likely that there will be a DVD made of the tour".

What any of this means in terms of set list is unclear, but Wakeman has said (RWCC):

I've not been in the band for nearly five years. they have played a lot of material, both new and old, during that period . Chris, Jon, Steve and Alan are really the ones who know what needs to go in the set this time around. I don't have a problem playing on stuff I didn't originally record as long as I have some freedom to stamp my own keyboard style wherever possible.
(There were various rumours saying that Trevor Rabin will be re-joining the band as well, notably one in German magazine Oxmox, but these have not been substantiated.)
Longer term plans
It is unclear what Wakeman's return will mean for Yes's long-term plans. In the YesWorld statement, Wakeman says, "I am so looking forward to this tour and hope that it may be just the start of more exciting musical events to come". In the RWCC one, asked "You have left before, how long do you see this lasting?", Wakeman replies, "A long time. YES appear to have strong management [...] and there seems to be a really good feeling about the future." The RWCC statement also reports that there are no plans for a new studio album this year, but "[s]peculation suggests that if all goes well a studio album could well follow sometime in 2003."

In an Oct interview, White said the band have plenty of material to start work on the next album and that they will hopefully do so in 2002. He also said the new album may include an orchestra again. In late Nov, in comments to fans after a show, White re-iterated that view, that he felt Yes should return to the studio in 2002 and, moreover, that he already had some demos prepared to bring to any sessions. In a Nov 2001 interview, he said, "I suppose that after the tour we'll take a couple of months off and then we will start to write something for the new album." In an interview, circa Mar 2002, White said: "Yes will keep me busy during this next period of down time."