 Turquoise, cosmic and intricately elaborate, the fantasy portraits of graphic artist Roger Dean have become a calling card for Yes, the progressive rock band whose layered soundscapes match Dean's mythical landscapes to a tee. The textbook definition of art rock, the Yes sound has remained indulgent, densely harmonic and unshakable for 30 years despite dizzying personnel changes and intraband squabbles that have threatened to break the English rockers apart several times. Yes budded out of a conversation between two blokes at London's Marquee Club in 1968. Soon after, singer Jon Anderson and bassist Chris Squire found a drummer through the classified ads section of the Melody Maker, where Bill Bruford posed with the cheap drum kit that he had painted to look like a ritzier model. Guitarist Peter Banks and keyboard player Tony Kaye, each of whom lasted three years before quitting, joined Yes just in time to open for Cream's London farewell show. The first Yes album was a mixture of cover songs and originals that earned the band the title of "the next super group." Borrowing from classical music's traditional opulence, jazz's earthy rhythms and rock 'n' roll's raw edge, Yes debuted well with 1969's Yes. The band then infused thick, artsy string arrangements into their second album, Time and a Word - this tendency to layer symphonic arrangements over their music became a trademark of the group. While various former Yessers formed the band prog-rock super group Asia Anderson, Squire, Kaye, White and South African guitarist Trevor Rabin re-formed Yes, released 90125 (not-so-cleverly named for the album's catalog number and a zip code somewhere in California), spawned the No. 1 hit single "Owner of a Lonely Heart," and sparked a massive court battle. By 1989 Anderson had quit and defected to the side of Bruford, Wakeman and Howe, who sued the other members over the legal use of the name Yes. But happily ever after prevailed in 1991, when the foursome kissed and made up with Squire, White, Rabin and Kaye before launching a successful world tour. Unfortunately, the newfound harmony was fleeting -- Bruford and Howe left again in 1993, leaving the remaining members to record Talk in 1994. In 1997 Anderson, Squire, Howe, Sherwood, White and Khoroshev reunited to record a studio album of new material (titled Open Your Eyes) and launch a nationwide tour. Anni Layne
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