Ailing Jon Anderson Slams Yes' 40th Anniversary Tour
Yes frontman Jon Anderson says his bandmates royally dissed him by announcing they will tour with a replacement singer. Anderson, who is on doctor-ordered bedrest for the rest of the year after suffering acute respiratory failure in June, states he is "disappointed and very disrespected."Anderson explains via his official website that he is "disappointed that, with the exception of one phone call from Alan [White], none of the guys have been in touch since my illness, just to find out how I am doing, and how we will foresee the future for Yes. And disappointed that they were not willing to wait till 2009 when I'm fully recovered."
Recently, Yes announced a 40th anniversary tour and supplanted Anderson with Benoit David, a singer they found in a Yes cover band on YouTube. If that methodology sounds familiar, Journey also used the site to find its latest singer, Arnel Pineda. In a similar move, Boston 's new singer, Tommy DeCarlo, was plucked from MySpace.
"I feel very disrespected, having spent most of this year creating songs and constant ideas for the band, spending time with Roger Dean creating a stage design, also working with VH1 and Sirius and XM Radio to help promote the welfare of Yes," Anderson continues. "Getting sick was not 'on my radar.'"
Posted by John D. Luerssen on Sep 22nd 2008 12:00PM
Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News











Reader Comments(1 of 1)
dannikrashat 9-22-2008
Yes, shame on all of you! Yes is not Yes without Jon singing, total B.S.!!! Shame on his band mates.
-Danni Krash
dannikrashat 9-22-2008
Total B.S.!!! Shame on the remaining members.
-Danni Krash
lifskrat 11-05-2008
Yeah this was B.S. Jon is the TRUE voice of YES. Chris Squire is a money hungry SOB. All he does is rehash old concerts in a different bag.
~L~
Kenat 5-08-2009
I agree. I saw clips of the show and they were, well... Let's just say I'm glad I didn't waste my money on tickets for this one.