LIFELONG YES GUITARIST STEVE HOWE WEIGHS IN ON THE BAND’S NEW ALBUM AND HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE 1973’S TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS
By Andrew Daly
BEGINNING IN 2011, veteran prog-rockers Yes have been on an incredible run. To some, Fly from Here (2011), Heaven & Earth (2014) and The Quest (2021) rival much of what the London-born band managed to accomplish during its Seventies heyday. Regardless of whether you agree with that bold assertion, it goes without saying that after years of lineup shuffling and early to mid-2000s inactivity, Yes is a band invigorated. Moreover, that late-career renaissance continues in the form of the group’s latest long-player, Mirror to the Sky.
When asked about Yes’ refusal to settle in as a legacy act, guitarist Steve Howe says, “We’ve been on a great run with these last few albums, and that’s been a blessing. Of course, there are classic songs that we want to play and that we should play. But a throughline from the old material to the new carries us along. We’ve never been keen on leaning on what we’ve done; we’re always tweaking things. We’re always searching for any indicators of excitement or interest. So if we have an opportunity not to repeat ourselves on stage, we will take it.”
Some 53 years since he first graced the stage with Yes, Howe is as vibrant as ever. Still following an ever-evolving creative muse, the unassuming virtuoso dialed in with Guitar World to discuss Mirror the Sky and more.
Is making a new Yes record at this stage formulaic for you?
Surprisingly, no. Mirror the Sky went a bit backward. We were almost done with the record, and our label was ready to release it. But then, I mentioned that we had further tracks at about 10 minutes each.
The label didn’t even know we had them, but they were all for them once we played them for them. One of those songs was “Luminosity,” which guided us stylistically. Working from that position sent us in a direction that dictated the entire album, which we feel in many ways is something that branched over from the last album, The Quest.
What’s the secret to keeping from being repetitive?
It seems simple, but it’s about picking the right songs. We write tons, so going with songs that have lyrics that will inspire us is imperative. It’s about crafting each piece with unique colors and defining texture. And truthfully, that’s what Yes has always done. We see our music as if it’s all connected but still able to stand alone as individual pieces, you know? And I think that by avoiding any prog-rock cliches,
