Editing Jon Anderson (section)

===1962–1968: The Warriors and early singles===
Anderson had no particular desire to become a singer at first until his brother Tony took up singing and joined [[The Warriors (British band)|the Warriors]], a local group also known as the Electric Warriors.<ref name="biography"/> After one of the backing vocalists left the group, Anderson filled in the position, and found music more enjoyable and a better choice for money than manual labour. The group performed mainly cover songs from several artists, including [[the Beatles]],{{sfn|Morse|1996|p=2}} and performed across Lancashire{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=18}} and the club circuit in Germany for over a year.{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=19}}{{sfn|Hedges|1982|p=13}} "We wanted to be Beatles. That’s all we ever wanted to be in the '60s," he recalled.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spacek |first=Nick |date=1 September 2017 |title=Yes co-founder Jon Anderson on the band's history and influences |url=https://www.thepitchkc.com/yes-cofounder-jon-anderson-on-the-bands-history-and-influences/ |access-date=22 March 2025 |website=The Pitch |language=en-US}}</ref> Anderson is heard on their first two recorded songs, "You Came Along" and "Don't Make Me Blue", released in 1965.{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=19}}{{sfn|Hedges|1982|p=13}} After the Warriors split in Germany in late 1967, the band returned to England while Anderson stayed behind. He briefly became singer in the Gentle Party, a band from Bolton who were in Germany.{{sfn|Hedges|1982|p=13}}

After returning to London in March 1968, Anderson met Jack Barrie, owner of the La Chasse drinking club in [[Soho]] who befriended the rest of the Warriors after they had relocated to the city.{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=21}} With no money or accommodation, Barrie allowed Anderson and Warriors keyboardist and vocalist Brian Chatton to stay with him. Anderson helped out by working at La Chasse; during this time he got talking to [[Paul Korda]], a producer for [[EMI Records]] who took him on to sing several demos.{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=21}} During the search for material to record, Barrie got in touch with [[Elton John]] and [[Bernie Taupin]] of [[DJM Records]] to put some music together, but felt Anderson did not like much of it. Meanwhile, Anderson travelled to the Netherlands to join Les Cruches, a band he met in London, but promptly returned when he found out some of his demos were to be released as singles by [[Parlophone Records]].{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=21}}{{sfn|Hedges|1982|p=20}} Released under his pseudonym Hans Christian, the first, an orchestrated cover of "Never My Love" by [[the Association]] with "All of the Time" on its [[B-side]], received a positive reception from ''[[New Musical Express]]'' and [[Chris Welch]] for ''[[Melody Maker]]'' who wrote in March 1968, "A blockbuster of a hit from a young fairy tale teller with an emotion packed voice."{{sfn|Hedges|1982|p=20}}{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=22}} Anderson's second single, "(The Autobiography of) Mississippi Hobo"/"Sonata of Love", was released two months later; neither song was successful.{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=22}} Barrie and Korda then took Anderson to see local group [[The Gun (band)|the Gun]] and together rehearsed for well received gigs at the [[UFO Club|UFO]] and [[Marquee Club|Marquee]] clubs in London, the latter as an opener for [[the Who]], which led to several gig offers.{{sfn|Hedges|1982|p=20}} However, the rest of the group believed they could reach success without a lead vocalist and sacked Anderson.{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=23}}