Has Yes finally hit upon a replacement for Jon Anderson who long-standing fans will accept? Geoff Downes think so, principally because Jon Davison has an involvement in the creative process that Benoit David didn’t — and a comfort level that Trevor Horn didn’t.
“Jon Davison was a breath of fresh air for everybody, because he brings in this creativity,” Downes says in a newly posted talk with BackstageAxxess. “He’s a very creative musician; he has a good sense of musicality. And when people see Yes now, there’s a lot more of an acceptance, I think.”
Of course, Geoff Downes was also part of the group on the two previous occasions before 2014’s Heaven and Earth when Yes released albums without Jon Anderson — 2011’s Fly From Here and 1980’s Drama. The former featured Benoit David on a project that was built around leftover from the latter. Drama found future Yes producer Trevor Horn, a long-time bandmate of Geoff Downes’, in a one-project stint as frontman.
“After the Drama tour, he kind of felt like it wasn’t really for him,” says Downes, who was earlier in the Buggles with Horn. “He was getting quite a lot of schtick from the real diehard fans. I think he just got more comfortable being in the studio — which he’s terrific at.”
As for David, who also only lasted for a single studio effort, Downes likewise notes a “certain resentment. … I think that was somewhat misguided, because Benoit did offer a lot. I think he did a very good job on the Fly From Here album.” Like Jon Anderson before him, Benoit David was felled by a respiratory ailment, and Yes moved on to Jon Davison.
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Jon Anderson IS Yes, any other singer makes so-called Yes merely a cover band. And “Heaven and Earth” and “Fly from here” were garbage!
Yes have been quite ruthless in their treatment of Benoit David and Jon Anderson, but a band is more than just the sum of its parts.
I agree Anthony! I’ll buy their CD’s but I won’t go see them anymore! IMO, the way Yes “did” JA is reprehensible! I do think that Davison is pretty good though.
I’ve seen Jon Anderson without Yes. He still sings very well. I think there’s something missing from Yes when Jon A. isn’t part of the creative process.
The current album feels like they phoned it in. If they had such great confidence in it, they would have toured with that instead of, using Jethro Tull’s “Living in the Past” format and use three past albums for a concert.
YES without Jon Anderson is like the Rolling Stones without Mick Jagger, or Queen without Freddie Mercury. A lead singer with great vocal capacity and charisma is irreplaceable.
Jeff Downes is a joke talent wise. Wakewman’s one hand really shows him up. Downs skipped whole sections of AWAKEN and Turn Of The Century. I will never see them again and I was the ultimate fan. There is no YES without andertson…period
I sure miss YES but their chops aren’t what they once were, even Howe. Every song is slowed down so White, esp. can keep up. Embarrassing