Rock band Yes back on tour with old songs

[Photo/Agencies]

Yes, one of the pioneering British progressive-rock groups that thrived long before disco, punk rock and rap pounded from subwoofers, kicks off a new US tour on Friday.

Joining such other indestructible '60s-era war horses as the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and The Who, Yes take to the road in West Wendover, Nevada with a new twist on some of their old classics.

So what can fans expect from the band whose grand, symphonic style, cosmic lyrics and arcane album titles (think "Tales from Topographic Oceans") helped define the late 1960s and 1970s?

"Something completely different - and a first for us," said bassist Chris Squire, who co-founded the band in 1968.

"We don't have a new album, so instead we're going to perform three of our classic albums - 'The Yes Album,' 'Close to the Edge' and 'Going for the One,' all in their entirety, at each show. And the fans all seem to love the idea," Squire told Reuters.

Squire, who is hitting the road with guitarist Steve Howe, singer Jon Davison, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Geoff Downes, admits that the concept is ambitious.

But he notes that the original vinyl releases were each about 40 minutes long.

"It's not that staggering in terms of length," Squire said. "Each show will be about two hours - far shorter than a Bruce Springsteen concert."

Choosing three albums from a catalog of some 20 releases spanning five decades was not so difficult, Squire said.