Steve Howe hints at future Yes material

By Scott Munro
( Prog )
published

Yes guitarist Steve Howe says the band have “ideas” for the future - and reports that more work he did with late son Virgil could be released

Steve Howe
Steve Howe (Image credit: Getty)

Steve Howe says that Yes have given some thought to new material.

The guitarist reports that they have “ideas” but is currently keeping his cards close to his chest.

He tells Billboard: “We’ve got an interim period where we’re going to be fairly secretive about what we’re up to.

“Maybe we’re building up repertoire for a future project, but we can’t say. We’ve got ideas, but I can’t say more than this right now.”

Howe’s son Virgil died unexpectedly in September at the age of 41, shortly after he and the guitarist had completed recording their collaborative album Nexus.

It launched last month via InsideOut Music – and the guitarist says there’s enough material that wasn’t used for “another adventure.”

Howe continues: “Since Virgil passed away, I’ve done an update on what’s around. There’s a fair bit of material there that could be developed into the same sort of area, because I wouldn’t like it to be too radically different than Nexus.

“But basically there is sufficient music for another adventure.”

Reflecting on Nexus, Howe says: “It’s become a kind of memorial to him, his legacy. It’s a great opportunity to pay homage to him. It gives me pleasure. It’s very warm. It’s a record that’s made with great pleasantry and great ambitions and didn’t have an endless amount of problems.

“Now it’s had a big problem, if you like, in the fact that Virgil can’t be here to see this reaction. But I enjoy it immensely.”

Yes will head out on tour across the UK and Europe in March to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

Yes 50th anniversary tour dates 2018

Mar 13: Bristol Colston Hall, UK
Mar 14: Sheffield City Hall, UK
Mar 16: Glasgow SEC Armadillo, UK
Mar 17: Manchester Bridgewater Hall, UK
Mar 18: Gateshead Sage, UK
Mar 20: Birmingham Symphony Hall, UK
Mar 21: Brighton Centre, UK
Mar 23: Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, UK
Mar 24: London Palladium, UK
Mar 25: London Palladium, UK
Mar 27: Tilburg 013, Netherlands
Mar 28: Antwerp De Roma, Belgium
Mar 30: Paris Olympia, France

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Scott Munro
Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers and magazines as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. After initially joining our news desk in the summer of 2014, he moved to the e-commerce team full-time in 2020. He maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott grew up listening to rock and prog, cutting his teeth on bands such as Marillion and Magnum before his focus shifted to alternative and post-punk in the late 80s. His favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Drab Majesty, but he also still has a deep love of Rush.