Longtime Yes drummer Alan White has formed a new band with former Yes members Billy Sherwood on vocals/bass and Tony Kaye on keys. The band, Circa: has already completed their first album and is shopping it to labels. Also in the band in frequent Sherwood collaborator Jimmy Haun on guitar. Haun also has a Yes connection, as he appeared on the ABWH portions of the Union album.

This information is adapted from the terrific interview done by Mike Tiano over at Notes from the Edge (in Issue #300). Here's a link for the full interview. I can't wait to hear what these guys have come up with!!

http://www.nfte.org

Neal

This sounds like an interesting collaboration. However, this combined with the ongoing Asia reunion will most likely push a Yes reunion until next year.

Yes technically hasn't "broken up" - they are on a long hiatus after admittedly touring too much (one of the members - possibly Jon - copped to this in an interview), and this certainly pushes any hopes of a new album and tour back.

Still, new Yes-related music is new music and hopefully it will be good.

I think this collaboration came about because there will be no Yes until 2008. There have been recent interviews with several members that say they won't be regrouping until 2008.

You can check out a great overview of the happenings in the world of Yes at:

http://www.bondegezou.demon.co.uk/wnyesm.htm

Lots of details about their group and individual endeavors.

Neal

The other Yes side project that has me scratching my head is how Chris Squire re-formed The Syn, and put out a new album ("Syndestructable") about a year ago.

Back in the mid-'60s, they released two singles (count'em - two) that were just kind of vaguely psychedelic - "14 Hour Technicolor Dream" which is on Nuggets II, and "Created By Clive" -which I haven't heard The Syn's version of, just The Attack's.

Anyway, two mildly psychedelic singles, and Chris Squire gets back with the Syn's singer, but not their guitarist, fellow Yes-man Peter Banks, and does a full-blown Yes-style prog-rock album, with most songs over 7 minutes long.

I mean, Page & Plant get back together and don't call it Led Zeppelin, 'cause it's just the two of them. But Chris Squire and Steve Nardelli get back together, and they think there's mileage to be gained by reusing a barely-remembered name from 40 years ago? When the new record sounds nothing remotely like their TWO released singles? Just weird.