In 2012, following the sudden departure of then-singer Benoit David from progressive rock band Yes, the band were on the lookout for a new lead singer. Filling the role wouldn’t be easy, as whoever took it on would need a tenor voice resembling that of the band’s original lead singer and co-founder, Jon Anderson. Thankfully, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins had just the right guy for the job, and recommended to Yes bassist and founding member Chris Squire Hawkins’ longtime close friend, Jon Davison. It would be the perfect match.
In the 14 years since joining Yes, Jon has recorded five live albums with the band, along with four studio albums, including their latest, Aurora. The 24th studio album from the band features the line-up of Davison, Steve Howe (guitars), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Billy Sherwood (bass), and Jay Schellen (drums), with Howe serving as producer for the third consecutive album.
With this line-up celebrating close to 10 years together, the consistency and genuine camaraderie are evident in the music on Aurora, arguably the most progressive release in the band’s recent trilogy, which also includes 2021’s The Quest and 2023’s Mirror to the Sky.
Jon Davison and I have been talking about Yesmusic since 2018, when we first got on a call to discuss his journey to front the band he grew up loving. Earlier this year, we discussed his upcoming shows paying tribute to his late father-in-law, John Lodge of The Moody Blues, and we knew at some point we’d chat again to dive into Aurora. You can watch that conversation below.
Listen on Apple podcasts here.
Listen on Spotify podcasts here.
Thanks to Jon Davison of Yes for his time and continuing support of Biff Bam Pop! You can also see my recent interview with Billy Sherwood about Aurora here. You can order Aurora in various configurations directly from the band’s official website, Yesworld.
