Steven Shinder

After The Yes Album (which was certified silver in the UK and platinum in the US) advanced Yes music, the band toured successfully, even playing shows in America for the first time. Following that tour, keyboardist Tony Kaye was asked to leave the band, and Chris Squire called Rick Wakeman of The Strawbs late at night to ask if he wanted to join the band. After speaking to Yes manager Brian Lane, Wakeman decided to play with Jon Anderson (vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), Steve Howe (guitar), and Chris Squire (bass), and the rest was history.

Many people have compared the actors who have played Batman in live-action films. And just recently, fans have been debating whether or not Robert Pattinson is a good choice for Matt Reeves' The Batman. But one topic that has never really been debated is live-action Batman actors on television. The reason for this is that there has pretty much only been one: Adam West.

For many Yes fans, The Yes Album is where much of what Yes is most known for really started. Part of that has to do with the recruitment of guitarist Steve Howe, who helped define their sound throughout the 1970s. He joined Jon Anderson (vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), Tony Kaye (keyboards), and Chris Squire (bass). And the songs were getting lengthier than before. Gone are the cover songs, a few of which they put on their first two albums. While the title The Yes Album is definitely an odd one given that it is their third album, perhaps it is deserving of that title if only for the fact that these tracks are all compositions solely by the members of Yes. The band wanted to move forward, and this album, the first of several produced by Eddy Offord (who was an engineer on Time and a Word) helped them reach more ears when it was released on February 19, 1971.

Swamp Thing is the third live-action show on DC Universe, following the releases of Titans and Doom Patrol's first seasons. While those two shows take place in the same universe, Swamp Thing is kept more self-contained. While it may not be as great as Doom Patrol, it has been well-acted. Crystal Reed plays Abby Arcane, who witnessed tragedy in her past and investigates a virus in the swamp. She gets the help of scientist Alec Holland (Andy Bean), but then events result in the creation of Swamp Thing, whose human side is conveyed convincingly by Derek Mears. Even though the pacing was slow at times, the great acting makes it a shame that it got cancelled after the first episode premiered. DC Universe did release all ten episodes, and they advertised the last one as a series finale. But it does not feel like a series finale because it leaves loose ends, keeping fans wondering what could have been. This will be discussed in the spoiler section, which will be marked.

Yes' first album may not have made the biggest splash, but it showcased some of the adventurous drive that would remain within the band for years to come. Original members Jon Anderson (vocals), Peter Banks (guitar), Bill Bruford (drums), Tony Kaye (keyboard), and Chris Squire (bass) could have very well remained content and done another similar albu. And in some ways, Time and a Word is similar, even right down to having eight tracks, two of which are covers. But it was decided that an orchestra conducted by Tony Cox should be included, thus giving Yes' second album a different flavor. Released July 24, 1970 (just a day short of the one-year anniversary of the first album's release), Time and a Word showcased an early instance of the continuous evolution of Yes music.

The newest official release from Yes is a live album from Rhino Records titled Yes: 50 Live. Its general release is August 2, 2019, just a day short of the 51st anniversary of the first Yes gig. However, the live album has been available at live shows during The Royal Affair Tour that Yes, Asia, Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy, and John Lodge of The Moody Blues have just completed. As far as the cover art goes, Roger Dean has done it again, capturing the fantastical and epic feel that Yes music can evoke.