The British band Yes is certainly one of the most influential Progressive Rock bands of all time and inspired countless other groups all over the world. Two of them were Dream Theater and Rush, and the band’s guitarist Steve Howe talked in an interview with Cumulus Podcasts (Transcribed by Ultimate Guitar), about how he felt about being important to those two groups.
Steve Howe talks about Yes’ influence on Rush and Dream Theater
“Wow, they’re (Rush) almost like an ocean away from us. This was a Brit band, and they’re a Canadian band, and we much admired them. This was a very powerful trio, you know? I mean, trios are very rare that you can do that. ELP, Cream, there’s a handful.”
“They had an incredible power to do that. And when your drummer is admired as much as he was, and the other guys built up their reputation, Alex and Geddy, and I love the guys very much, particularly Geddy, who I had a chance to spend some time with a little while back. Basically, this is a great band with its own story,” Steve Howe said.
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson were the ones who inducted Yes into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 2017 and Geddy even played bass with the band during the ceremony filling in for the late Chris Squire.
He continued talking about Dream Theater
“They came from the embryo, if you like, of what ELP and Genesis and, Yes, started doing in the ’70s. And I say, bravo. I love Dream Theater’s adventurousness. They took on some of our ideas. But also, a heavy prog or metal prog or something. Basically, there’s any way you want to do it and fly. I think it’s quite flattering. It could never be annoying,” Steve Howe said.
Yes was formed in 1968 in London, England and Steve Howe became a member of the band in 1970. He then left the band in 1981, returning from 1990 to 1992, 1995 to 2004 and he has been a member of the group since 2008. He also released many other solo and collaborative albums. But his most successful work outside Yes was as a member of the supergroup Asia, which also had Carl Palmer, John Wetton and Geoff Downes.