Yes in the 1990s: Decades

by Simon Barrow

Yes are widely recognised as pioneers of progressive rock through their defining work in the 1970s, including classic records such as Fragile and Close to the Edge. The band then went on to completely re-invent themselves in the 1980s. They achieved huge commercial success with the album 90125 and global hit ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’. But there has been little acknowledgement of their achievements in the ten years that followed, paving the way for three more decades in an extraordinary 50 plus-year-long career. Examining six more albums, the arrival of multi-instrumentalist Billy Sherwood, successful tours, solo and film projects, a move into the digital age, and consolidation of a worldwide fanbase, Yes in the 1990s adds a fresh twist to the story of this revered band. Simon Barrow followed Yes closely in the ‘90s, seeing them dozens of times on both sides of the Atlantic. He charts an underestimated era of development in the Yes sound, encompassing multiple personnel changes. Bookended by notable tours for Union and The Ladder, the ’90s is a tale of Yes-intransition, as the search for new musical horizons sees their influence mutate across everything from art pop to global fusion.

176 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 29, 2026

About the author

Simon Barrow is Director of the beliefs, ethics and politics think-tank Ekklesia. From 2000 to 2005 he was assistant general secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, the official ecumenical body. He has written and contributed to numerous books, editing Scotland 2021 and A Nation Changed? The SNP and Scotland Ten Years On (with Gerry Hassan - Luath Press, 2017). He is also co-founder and chair of the Scottish Football Supporters Association, and lives in Leith, having relocated to Scotland from England in 2010.