Rhino Factoids: Drama at Madison Square Garden? Oh, Yes!

When it comes to bands where you can’t tell the players without a scorecard, there aren’t many that can compete with Yes, but although their lineup has changed a remarkable number of times over the course of their lengthy career, there was at least one instance where it was touch and go as far as whether or not the fans would still stick with them: when frontman Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman bid the band adieu in 1980.

Thankfully, those concerns were officially set aside 34 years ago today, when Yes kicked off the first of three sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. After all, if you can still sell out Madison Square Garden, you’re still doing pretty darned good, right?

At the time, Yes were touring behind the Drama album, which found the spots of Anderson and Wakeman being filled by Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes, respectively, otherwise known as The Buggles. Having just scored a #1 hit in the UK with “Video Killed the Radio Star,” Horn and Downes were Yes fans, and so when they realized they were working in a studio just next to the band, they introduced themselves. In turn, Chris Squire acknowledged his appreciation of The Buggles’ Living in the Plastic Age, and in surprisingly short order (no doubt due to the huge vacuum left by Anderson and Wakeman), Horn and Downes were invited to join Yes. Fans may have mixed feelings about the resulting album, but those who love Drama generally tend to really, really love it, and there’s no question that the new additions to the lineup helped get the band through a rough spot.

Unfortunately, despite Yes’s success with their ticket sales, Horn had to really push to match Anderson’s voice on the older material, and the toll it was taking became increasingly evident as the tour progressed, leading Horn to quit the band. In short order, Yes was no more.

Well, you know, for, like, a year. After that, they got back together with Jon Anderson and Tony Kaye, brought in Trevor Rabin, released 90125, and found themselves bigger than ever. But the point is that, even without Anderson, Yes managed to sell out Madison Square Garden, thereby confirming for the first time – but certainly not the last – that, when the band puts its mind to it, Yes can survive anything.