This week we have the pleasure of listening to Rick Wakeman’s 1980 double album, Rhapsodies, so that’ll be fun and we also have our two pence on the latest box set of Yes albums (yes another one).

This week we speak to YMP stalwart and accomplished author David Watkinson about his new book which is finally available to pre-order on Burning Shed’s website. Jon Anderson and The Warriors - the road to Yes is a remarkable achievement and sheds light on a period of music which was critical to the establishment of Yes and to the creation of the force of music Jon Anderson. Mark and I were delighted to be given the chance to read the book first in the world so do stay tuned for our reactions to it and plenty of detail from Dave himself.

This week Mark and I give our in-depth view of the new Yes album (or EP if you prefer), From A Page.

After our fantastic interview with Oliver Wakeman last week, it was even more interesting to listen carefully to the music he talked so engaging about.

We also have a copy of the CD mini box set to give away, courtesy of Sharon at The Publicity Connection, and the winner is revealed in this episode!

We were delighted to welcome Oliver Wakeman to the show this week to talk about the surprise new Yes album, From A Page.

We also have a copy of the mini box set containing From A Page and In The Present - Live From Lyon.

Here's the question you need to answer:

At which event did Oliver first see his dad playing 'with Yes'? You'll need to listen to the interview for the answer!

Send your answer to show@yesmusicpodcast.com and one winner will be chosen at random.

It’s somewhat of a bumper episode this week. Later on we speak to Dylan Howe about the Steve Howe Trio album, New Frontier and Mark and I also reveal the answers and winners of the Epic Competition but before all that, there is some pretty amazing breaking news which arrived literally minutes before I recorded today. It’s in the form of a press release:

Legendary Prog Rock band YES reveals four previously unreleased 2010 recordings, on the new ‘From A Page’ five piece mini-box set, personally overseen by ex-member Oliver Wakeman. OUT NOW!

This week, Mark and I have really enjoyed listening to the latest album from the Steve Howe Trio, New Frontier. 

As you may have heard, we are keeping the competition open for another week but if you have already sent an entry to show@yesmusicpodcast.com then don’t worry, you will certainly have bagged a decent prize. If you haven’t found the time to send some answers, then please do as soon as possible so that we can give away the many wonderful items we have. We hope to release the answers and the winners’ names on next week’s show.

Don't forget to send your entry to show@yesmusicpodcast.com

The huge news this week is certainly the 2020 UK tour announcement including the fact that the band will be playing the whole of Relayer which is something fans, not least us here on the YMP, have been hoping for for a long time. Mark and I will be talking quite a bit about what this news means in our Two Pence later it the episode.

Well, here we are at episode 400 and as a result we are going to break the structure of the episode for one week only because we have 2 major pieces of content for you - an interview with a certain musician you will certainly recognise and then our epic 400th episode quiz to win a ridiculous number of Yes and Yes related items.

This week Mark and I discuss the next musician to leave the band, Jo Anderson and what he did next. In the first part of our feature, we talk a little about the reasons Jon left in 1980 and the first solo record he released after leaving, Song of Seven. We will return to a more in-depth look at the album itself in a couple of weeks’ time.

We are gearing up for next week’s 400th episode of the show which will feature a great interview with someone you’ll recognise as well as an epic competition to win lots of Yes and Yes related items. You’ll need to have your Yes thinking caps on to stand a chance of winning something. Lots more on that next week.

This week Mark and I re-visit one of our favourite Yes collections, the box set, The Word Is Live. Hear our personal favourite songs and add your own to the show notes for this week.

This week Mark and I are considering what Yes Music might accompany each of the four seasons of the year. It’s an interesting topic so do please add your reflections to the show notes for this week.

This week is the second part of our look at what Patrick Moraz did after leaving Yes. So we’ve been listening to his second solo album, Out in the Sum which is a slightly surprising record.

This week Mark and I are starting our look at what the next musician to leave the group got up to next so we will be discussing Patrick Moraz a little later on.

Also, Jon Anderson has released the first chapter of his memoires this week so Mark and I have a chat about that in our two pence segment.

After the news last week that the 2003 Glastonbury Festival concert is to be released as a CD next year, Mark and I decided to watch the DVD version and see if we thought it will be worth it. It’s a wonderful performance and a very interesting moment in Yes history so have a listen to our views and add your own on the show notes for this week.

Here we are, back with part 2 or (b) of our look at what Rick Wakeman did next after the first time he left Yes. SO we've been listening to The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table!

Also, we take the opportunity to congratulate Yes on listening to episodes of the YMP and following our advice on the new album ;-)

Mark and I are back this week to a more normal episode where we listen to the new Yes live album and give our views on it. YES50 Live was recorded during the historic YES50 tour and features guest keyboardists Tony Kaye and Patrick Moraz.

In a slightly 'bare bones' episode, we start our look at the next man to leave the band, Rick Wakeman. What did he do next?

Also, we were delighted to welcome Dave Watkinson back onto the show to talk about his long-awaited new book about Jon Anderson's time before Yes which also includes the earliest days of the world's greatest progressive rock band. It sounds amazing!

This week we have a slightly different format to the episode. Mark and I enjoyed listening to three different live versions of Gates of Delirium a few weeks ago but we didn’t get around to posting our thoughts - so that’s what you’ll hear first.

Then, we did a great interview with Yes book author, Tim Morse, this week for the Patreon community and I wanted to include some of that here because Tim once collaborated with Jon Anderson and also recently released his third solo album so there’s plenty to learn about him.

So I’ve clipped out a few parts of our conversation to play here and if you want to see the complete video of our chat, complete with various drinking vessels and Tim’s cat, you need to head over to Patreon. If you are already a patron, it’s all there for you and if you have yet to join in, you can do that at the same time.

This week we finally get back to the second part of our look at what Bill Bruford did after leaving Yes. So Mark and I talk individually and then together about King Crimson’s Larks’ Tongues in Aspic.

This week we had a great conversation with Miguel Falcão about his now annual PlayForChris video project and also his own Yes bass covers - a long time listener and several times interviewee we always love speaking to Miguel.

We also have a two pence from Mark which might prove controversial - and that’s of course the whole idea.

It’s a packed programme this week because not only did Mark go to the Toronto Royal Affair tour show but we also welcome Jon Kirkman back onto the show to talk about his brilliant new project.

This week we have the first part of our next what did they do next series and we’re considering Dr Bill Bruford and his unexpected move to King Crimson to record Larks’ Tongues in Aspic.

This week, Mark and I talk about the Royal Affair Setlist - so, obviously, if you don’t like spoilers, don’t listen!

Also, We mention later on that Mark is going to a Yes concert next week which we will them talk about - but it’s actually 2 weeks until that event so there will be something different from us in between.

This week’s episode contains set list spoilers for the upcoming Royal Affair Tour. If you don’t want to hear those, then feel free to come back and listen later.

Mark and I have been listening to One Live Badger tis week so we are ready to share our thoughts with you - listen out for that in a few moments. We also felt it was important to discuss two major pieces of Yes news in our two pence section - an announcement from Yes management and that set list spoiler from Alan White.

This week it's half term for me and the family so there's been no time to record a full episode. Instead, here are three reviews Mark did a long time ago - Flash, In The Can and One Live Badger. We hope to be back with our full episode on One Live Badger next week as usual.

This week we begin our two-part episode on the second musician to leave Yes, Tony Kaye. Mark and I will be set the scene for our exploration of One Live Badger and there's also news from around the crazy world of Yes.

Mark and I had a very enjoyable conversation with Jim Cushing this week about his Yes blog and YouTube channel. He has collected together an amazing collection of rare Yes ephemera for your delectation and he’s a lovely guy as well. Listen to the whole of our interview in a few moments.

This is part two of our exploration of Peter Bank's activities after Yes - and specifically the first Flash album. After starting this last week, we received great input from listeners so thank you for that.

There's also a Two Pence about the forthcoming YES50 Live album.

We are trying out a new approach starting this week. We will be doing 2-part episodes so that listeners can have a better chance of getting involved. First of all, we are looking at the first thing Peter Banks did after leaving Yes - Flash.

This week I’ve been on holiday with the family so this episode will be a quick one. Mark and I have been listening to Asia’s first album on account of the upcoming Royal Affair Tour and more on all that in a few moments.

With Jon Anderson playing two songs from Olias of Sunhillow live on his 1000 Hands Tour, we felt it was time to watch/listen to some recordings of Olias material from through the years. This is music which has not been performed very often - and we think it should have been.

This week we abandoned our original plans because we felt it was important to talk about the news surrounding the Yes Summer 2019 North American trip which is called the Royal Affair Tour. Mark and I give our views on that so this episode is a little bit different in format to usual as a result.

As we approach the 30th anniversary of ABWH, we go back to consider whether it's actually a Jon Anderson solo record, as suggested by Stephen Lambe in his book, YES every album every song.

Also, Mark suggests a 2 pence topic on videos...

This week Mark and I got our hands on 1000 hands - or at least our virtual hands as we received a review download copy. So we have pooled our initial reactions to the music and that’s coming up in a moment.

Also, we have a 2 pence on the Anderson final Yes project rumours so it’s an Anderson rich episode.

This week Mark and I have been listening to the first Yes album to link in with it being released on coloured vinyl for this year’s Record Store Day 50 years after first appearing. We also consider what we would release for Record Store Day if it was up to us.

This week, Geoff Bailie pointed out to me another gaping hole in my knowledge of Yes and the surrounding music. It’s Jon Anderson’s EP or single, depending on your viewpoint, Open from 2011.

Mark and I tackle the question of Awaken this week and consider its importance for Yes. We also chat about the recent Jon Anderson interview where he talks about the upcoming 1000 Hands Part 1 album and tour.

This week I discovered something I didn't know about Yes...wow! So as a result Mark and I listened to 3 different versions of Starship Trooper featuring not 2 but 3 different Wakemen!

Also, we approach a difficult 2 Pence about the quality of Yes performance on the recent Cruise to the Edge.

After seeing Fernando Perdomo's Peter Banks replica Yes guitar, we were inspired to watch some early Yes videos featuring the original guitarist.

We also find time for a quick 2 Pence on a single song we would both like to add to the Cruise to the Edge set list!

This week, Mark and I listened to a bootleg compilation from shows on the Open Your Eyes Tour. Igor, Billy and the rest of the band made a big impression as you’ll hear...

This week, we listen to a little-known album which should be better known to all Yes fans, White by the Alan White-led band, White. We also have time for the return of our two pence segment and we consider whether Jon Anderson should be concentrating on 1000 Hands or ARW...!

This week, Mark and I look through and laugh quite a bit about some of the Yes Yes related items we received around Christmas. I managed to find a couple of highly obscure items I never imagined I would own so I do get a bit excited as you’ll hear…

Mark and I will be back next week with a full episode but in the meantime, here is a brief update and another reminder about the new 2019 Patron activities - get involved!

As we reach the end of 2018, it's time to look back at what the 50th Anniversary of Yes has brought - and the output of the YMP.

So Mark and I have collected together a few of our favourite moments. We hope you enjoy them.

This week Mark and I take a look at Trevor Rabin’s collection of demos and early versions entitled 90124. It’s a fascinating set of proto-yes music, if you can get hold of a copy. I am indebted to Ken Fuller for mine.

In our somewhat delayed episode, Mark and I speak to The Syn front man, Steve Nardelli this week. It was an amazing conversation which delved deeply into all parts of The Syn's story including a residency at The Marquee Club, supporting Jimi Hendrix,  inventing the Rock Opera, trying to get Chris Squire to turn up to gigs on time and the influence of Peter Banks amongst many other topics.

Also this week, I announce the dramatic changes to the Yes Music Podcast which are planned for 2019. You can't afford to miss this information. Next year is going to be very special.

This week Mark and I speak at length and in depth to Dave Kerzner all about his Yes 50th Tribute Album Yesterday and Today which we reviewed a couple of weeks ago. Do listen right to the end of the interview because Dave also shares a tiny snippet of his forthcoming album which features, amongst many others, Jon Davison on lead vocals - and bass? Dave tells us about the remarkable concept for the new album and the story which underpins it - it’s fascinating stuff. 

This week we listen to Billy Sherwood’s excellent Chris Squire Tribute album A life in Yes. We also discuss what Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman could have brought to that album if things had been very different - which is a topic suggested by Steven Shinder and not Daniel Krohn as I say later on in the episode - sorry Steven.

This week Mark and I listen to the new 50th Anniversary Tribute collection from Dave Kertzner, Yesterday and Today. We also consider in our two pence whether Yes could do something similar.

While we wait for the German version re-issue of Time and a Word on Record Store Day Black Friday, we decided to listen again to the original record and choose our favourite songs. We also muse on the recent trend of private pressings in our 2 pence segment.

As it's half term for me and my family this week, I dipped into the archives and found the episode I released almost exactly 5 years ago. It was recorded in my car as I travelled to Nottingham for work. It tells the story of finding a Leave It 12 inch single in a charity shop and includes my thoughts on the item. It's a bit of a blast from the past! 

In a week when Jon Anderson's new solo album 1000 Hands is released for pre-order, we look at 3 old Anderson singles. It's a random selection but hopefully interesting, all the same. We also talk about the Yes plans for Japan in our 2 pence segment.

This week we enjoyed choosing and watching some Yes promotional videos - see which ones we went for in a few moments and add your choices below. We also consider what Yes releases on Record Store Day in our 2 Pence segment.

This week we speak to Bob Cesca, cover artist for Magnification and Symphonic Live who also shot, directed and produced the promotional video for Don't Go and a documentary on the DVD. Bob shares all sorts of untold stories which I'm sure you will enjoy!

Yessongs the movie - a different beast to the album of the same name, this is an iconic record of the band arguably at their peak. This week, Mark and I watch the film on DVD/Blu-ray and see what we think from the vantage point of 2018. There's also a Roger Dean/Yes 2 pence.

Tormato, undeniably the greatest Yes album ;-) celebrated 40 years recently. So this week, Mark and I listen again to the much-maligned record to try and find out what everyone else seems to hate. We also dedicate our 2 pence to the 1978 'classic'.

• Was the production really that bad?
• Are there any aspects people who don't listen are missing out on?
• Are there any decent songs?

This week Mark and I have been considering Songs From Tsongas in order to re-live the last time Howe, White, Anderson and Wakeman were together on stage along with the late great Chris Squire. With the recent ARW and Yes live offerings perhaps only offering us part of the story, does Songs from Tsongas now seem like the full picture?

We're back with an in-depth review of Yes Featuring ARW's live new album. There are several different audio and video versions and it looks and sounds great!

As promised, here is the second of two short episodes during the time I'm off on holiday. I hope you enjoy re-listening to my Jon Anderson interview from September 2016, in the context of ARW today!

As promised, here is the first of two short episodes during the time I'm off on holiday. I hope you enjoy finding out a bit about ARW's fist concerts of the new leg of their tour and also about Leonard Bernstein's Yes connections! Thanks to Paul Raybould and Jeremy North!

After thinking about Patrick Moraz last week, this week we've turned our attention to what happened after he left the band. Rick Wakeman returned and Going for the One was created. We listened to the studio recordings and the live recordings of the three Going for the One songs on Yesshows and discussed what happened when Yes changed once again.

With the 'news' that Patrick Moraz might be joining Yes live in 2019 to play the whole of Relayer, Mark and I discuss the possibilities and challenges this presents. We listen to/watch recordings from when Moraz was in the band playing the songs from Relayer and then have a chat about it all.

• How could Moraz be integrated into the current Yes band?
• What instrumentation is needed for Relayer?
• Are the songs similar to other Yes music?

I report back from the amazing YES 50 Plaque unveiling ceremony in London where I met Bill Bruford, members of Chris Squire's family, Chris Welch and many other Yes fans.

Mark and I chat about the significance of he event and there's a 2 pence about the Patrick Moraz Relayer rumours and how Yes could perform and record as a collective in the future.

• How did the plaque unveiling go?
• Who turned up?
• Should we expand the idea of what Yes is?

A short discussion of the new music by Yes featuring ARW entitled 'Fragile' which has been released unofficially on YouTube.

Neither Mark nor I were able to get to the YES50 FanFest in Philadelphia but we took part as well as we could remotely. This week we are reflecting on some of the performances and the general feel we picked up remotely. We also have a two pence about whether Yes are playing too often these days.

I catch up with Dave Watkinson in a secret Westminster location to talk about YES50, his article about The Warriors in Record Collector magazine and a competition connected with it. Listen for details of how to win yourself a copy of The Warriors live in concert CD!

Also, Mark and I discuss some current Yes topics as well as James Bond themes!

We've (finally) reached the end of the Yes singles series with Heaven and Earth which didn't really have any proper singles at all. However, it does give us a chance to think about Yes' latest studio album again and we also have a bass focus in our 2 pence segment.

We consider the singles (if any) from Fly From Here this week and talk about this difficult time in the band's history - a bit. There's also a Two Pence segment where Mark is disappointed with his latest Pledge Music acquisition...

This week I'm preoccupied with arrangements for the family funeral but I managed to meet up with Mark to discuss a selection of Yes topics which I hope you will enjoy. Please do add your answers to the various questions I posed in the comments.

We consider the singles (if any) from Magnification this week and talk about that album alongside Symphonic Live. There's also time for a Two Pence segment on the ARW revelations this week!

• Were there any singles from Magnification?
• Does the orchestra work well?
• Did the band miss a keyboard player - including live?

A very short episode this week as I was unable to fit anything more in due to bereavement.

Both Yes and Yes featuring ARW are out on tour so this episode contains some set list spoilers - you might want to skip this one if you don't want to know what's being played. We also look at the singles from The Ladder and discuss in depth those set lists in our Two Pence section.

In a week which was supposed to be a holiday for me, we actually managed to speak to Tom Brislin about his new band The Sea Within as well as about YES50. Mark reviewed the self-titled album and we then got together to compare notes. Phew!

Mark and I have finally both received our remarkable box sets of the deluxe edition of Chris Squire's progressive masterpiece, Fish Out Of Water. It's an expansive set so we get stuck into as much of it as we can this week.

We cover the Keys to Ascension albums as well as Open Your Eyes this week in our look at the Yes singles. It's a complex and unclear picture!

We've reached Talk in our survey of Yes singles. It's a fairly sketchy picture but we know there was at least one single from this great album and possibly a couple more - as usual if you have copies of these singles, please do leave a comment int eh show notes!

In our Two pence segment we also have a chance to think about whether Yes have released too many live albums.

What was going on with Union? It’s a question which has baffled fans and riled members of the band ever since the record was released. This week, we take a look at the singles from Union and talk a bit about the politics as well. There’s also a contentious 2 pence about the forthcoming Steven Wilson mixes box set so get your commenting fingers ready!

Depending on your point of view, this week we take a detour from Yes - or not. It's time to look at Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe and the singles from that self-titled album. There are plenty of variations to consider and we also have time to think a bit about Lee Pomeroy and ARW as well.

Big Generator took a long time to create but, fear not, this episode isn't quite as long as that process was. We look at the singles generated by Big Generator and we also consider what extras might be included on new studio albums today.

We are finally back to the YEs singles series and we have reached 90125. It's an amazing set of singles plus a plethora of different versions and remixes. We also have a chance to reflect on the YES Featuring ARW 50th Anniversary announcements - wow - it's quite an episode.

As I’m currently on holiday with the family, Mark and I will be returning to full episodes next week hopefully with the singles from 90125.

In the meantime I’ve been having a bit of fun listening to old episodes of the podcast and my wife came up with an idea for a quick quiz.

This week I feed back from the amazing YES50 Fan Convention organised by Brian Neeson and Dave Watkinson. It was a fantastic day and I've tried to capture some of it to give you an idea of how it all went if you were unable to go.

• Who turned up?
• Who played?
• What was the atmosphere like?

We are taking a break from the Yes singles episodes because of the YES50 celebrations over the next couple of weeks. In an unusual episode this week, Mark interviews me about my own YES50 concert experience in Birmingham. There's some time for a brief news section as well.

John Holden has created a wonderful album for his debut release, featuring, amongst many other excellent musicians, Billy Sherwood and Oliver Wakeman. I spoke to John about his inspiration for the music as well as how he put it together - in musical as well as technical terms.

It's a great conversation and there are extracts from the album interspersed to whet your appetite!

Produced by Robert Nasir, Jeffrey Crecelius, Wayne Hall, Preston Frazier and Bill Govier

It's Drama this week which fits in well with the forthcoming launch of Fly From Here - Return Trip at the #YES50 Fan Convention in London next week. Mark and I also get to bang on about the set list for the first two concerts of the #YES50 tour and there is a huge amount of news!

We have reached 1978's Tormato in our survey of Yes singles which means listening to Don't Kill the Whale and couple of other songs.

There's also news of Yes' contribution to Record Store Day which has prompted a Two Pence section and there's a rising sense of excitement about #YES50!

In an extra episode, I was joined by Mark in Canada and Geoff Bailie in Northern Ireland to share our collective first impressions of the Trevor Horn re-working of Fly From Here.

We have reached Going For The One in our grand progress through the Yes singles so we listen to Wonderous Stories, Going For The One and their respective B sides as well as mentioning a few oddities!

The Two Pence section focuses on the new Trevor Horn re-working of Fly From Here - Return Trip which has us both quite excited.

This week, I'm on half term holiday with the family so I only had time to record 2 two pences with Mark. However, they will hopefully give you a chance to see if you agree with us!

In a detour, we talk about the singles from the Solo albums Yes members produced after Relayer. I couldn't speak live to Mark this week due to work and family commitments but we still recorded our own thoughts.

Produced by Robert Nasir, Jeffrey Crecelius, Wayne Hall, Preston Frazier and Bill Govier.

No singles were released from Tales From Topographic Oceans - unless you know differently...so we have skipped right along to Relayer and its single, Soon which had an edit of Sound Chaser on the B side. We also discuss Cruise to the Edge and there's plenty of other news as well.

Close To The Edge is, for most fans and commentators, the pinnacle of progressive rock music but did it have as much success in single format? We discuss this and also the recent picture shared by Billy Sherwood of a post-Yes-rehearsal meal...

Fragile elevated the band further than ever before. Rick Wakeman joined and Roger Dean provided the iconic artwork. The single was Roundabout - perhaps 'the' classic song. We also have a 2 pence about ARW's plans for a huge 50th Anniversary concert...

This week we discuss The Yes Album and its single, Your Move. It has plenty of variations around the world. We also manage to speak to Dave Watkinson about the #YES50 Fan Convention.

It's the second week of our exploration of Yes' singles and we have reached Time And A Word.

There's also the announcement of the winner of the DBA3 album and plenty of time for news.

For our first episode of 2018 - #YES50! - we start a new series about Yes singles from the first album to the last. This week we consider the two 45s released from the debut album.

Also, there's the chance to win a copy of the Downes Braide Association album, Skyscraper Souls and a show-and-tell session featuring our Christmas hauls - all great fun!

The second of two short episodes for Christmas and New Year 2017. Mark reviews the year and I present a quick quiz!

As usual at this time of year, I am on holiday with my family so full episodes of the YMP will return in the New Year. However, I do have time to announce the winner of the Mabel Greer’s Toyshop album competition and there are very brief seasonal messages from Mark and me.