<yessnob>Yes did not sell out! Rabin started a band with Squire and White, who brought in Tony Kaye, and before they knew it, Jon Anderson showed up and the suits talked them into calling the band Yes. It didn't start out that way. They didn't sell out and Rabin didn't "replace" Howe.</yessnob>
How is Anderson/Wakeman, by the way? Have you listened to it? It's something that's definitely on my radar.
Just picked up The Ladder and Big Generator. 2 albums I guess are over due. Next, Drama and Tormato. Or the first two albums. Kinda stinks knowing that the best is over. I guess that's why I held off for so long.
I like the Anderson/Wakeman album. I've only heard the first half or so, but it's good stuff, pretty much what you'd expect an album by the two of them to sound. The only real question was how cheesy it was going to be, if at all, or maybe how "out there" either of them got. The good news is that they seem to keep each other in check, and the result is a collection of rather nice songs.
A lot of it sounds like stripped-down Yes, which isn't surprising, but at the same time, they have a bit more freedom. Wakeman uses a variety of keyboards, which surprised me. For some reason, I was thinking he'd stay mostly with piano or some kind of electric piano sound, but he brings in the the synths and all his toys.
It's not as adventurous as, say, one of the Jon and Vangelis albums, but it's kinda similar.