Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's assesment of Yes

 

Yes is the most enduring, ambitious and virtuosic progressive band in rock history. By fusing the cinematic soundscapes of King Crimson with the hard rock edge of The Who and the soaring harmonies and melodies of Simon and Garfunkel, they took progressive rock from a small audience of aficionados to radio airwaves and football stadiums all over America. Hits like “Roundabout” and “I’ve Seen All Good People” appealed to rock fans who did not even think they liked prog rock, while album-side length epics like “Close To The Edge” and “The Gates Of Delirium” represent the genre at its absolute finest. Steve Howe remains one of the most underrated guitarists in rock history, while keyboardist Rick Wakeman, bassist Chris Squire and drummers Bill Bruford and Alan White will always be regarded as musicians simply without peer. Frontman Jon Anderson is an alto tenor singer who still hits the highest of high notes 45 years after forming the group. While many of their contemporaries wilted once punk hit, Yes managed to change with the times, and they reemerged in the 80s as an MTV-ready commercial force, landing massive hits on the charts like “Owner Of A Lonely Heart.” While prog giants like Pink Floyd, Genesis and Emerson Lake & Palmer retired years ago, Yes continues to tour (albeit with some new members) at a pace that would leave bands half their age breathless.  - See more at: https://rockhall.com/inductees/nominees/2016-yes/#sthash.MiTY2L2w.dpuf

 

Discuss freely.

He's always had that, didn't you ever notice that in every Rush gig there is a moment where Alex and Geddy start joking around? In an interview, I think on the Rush in Rio DVD he said about Geddy: "He sings, plays pedals with his feet, bass with one hand and keys with the other. That leaves one limb unaccounted for and I don't want to know what he does with that".

As for the topic of this thread, I stopped reading after this "they took progressive rock from a small audience of aficionados to radio airwaves and football stadiums all over America." 

 

Are you serious? Had they disbanded when Gabriel left, or even when Hackett left, the only way the band would be in the RRHoF is to take a bus to Cleveland and buy tickets at the door. They would be just another Brit prog eccentricity like ELP, Tull, Crimson and Yes -- uncool to the NY critic scene.