Editing Yes (band) (section)

=== 1974–1980: ''Relayer'', ''Going for the One'', ''Tormato'' and the Paris sessions ===
Several musicians were approached to replace Wakeman, including [[Vangelis Papathanassiou]], [[Eddie Jobson]] of [[Roxy Music]] and former Atlantis/Cat Stevens keyboardist [[Jean Roussel]]. Howe says he also asked [[Keith Emerson]], who did not want to leave [[Emerson, Lake & Palmer]].{{sfn|Howe|2021|p=108}} Yes ultimately chose Swiss keyboardist [[Patrick Moraz]] of [[Refugee (band)|Refugee]], who arrived in August 1974<ref>{{cite news |title= News Briefs |magazine=Billboard |date=31 August 1974}}</ref> during the recording sessions for ''[[Relayer]]'', which took place at Squire's home in [[Virginia Water]], Surrey. Released in November that year, ''Relayer'' showcased a [[jazz fusion]]-influenced direction the band were pursuing. The album features the 22-minute track titled "[[The Gates of Delirium]]", which highlights a battle initially inspired by ''[[War and Peace]]'' by [[Leo Tolstoy]]. Its closing section, "Soon", was subsequently released as a single. The album reached No. 4 in the UK<ref name=officialchartsuk/> and No. 5 in the U.S.<ref name=allmusicalbumchart/><ref>Welch 2008, p. 154.</ref> Yes embarked on their [[List of Yes concert tours (1960s–70s)#Relayer Tour|1974–1975 tour]] to support ''Relayer''. The compilation album ''[[Yesterdays (Yes album)|Yesterdays]]'', released in 1975, contained tracks from Yes's first two albums, the B-side track from their "Sweet Dreams" single from 1970 titled "Dear Father", and the original ten-minute version of their cover of "America".<ref>{{Cite news|title=Relayer & Yesterdays|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Ken|last=Barnes|date=19 June 1975}}</ref>

Between 1975 and 1976, each member of the band released a solo album. Their subsequent [[List of Yes concert tours (1960s–70s)#1976 Solo Albums Tour|1976 tour]] of North America with [[Peter Frampton]] featured some of the band's most-attended shows. The show of 12 June, also supported by [[Gary Wright]] and [[Pousette-Dart Band]] at [[John F. Kennedy Stadium (Philadelphia)|John F. Kennedy Stadium]] in Philadelphia, attracted over 100,000 people.<ref>{{cite news|title=Yestour '76 – Laser Show Intrigues Audiences|work=Circus Magazine|date=13 September 1976|author=Peter Crescenti}}</ref> Roger Dean's brother Martyn was the main designer behind the tour's "Crab Nebula" stage set, while Roger and fabric designer Felicity Youette provided the backgrounds.

[[File:Yes 11111977 01 400 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Yes performing in 1977]]
In late 1976, the band travelled to Switzerland and started recording for their album ''[[Going for the One]]'' at [[Mountain Studios]], [[Montreux]]. It was then that Anderson sent early versions of "Going for the One" and "[[Wonderous Stories]]" to Wakeman, who felt he could contribute to such material better than the band's past releases. Moraz was let go, after Wakeman was booked initially on a session musician basis, before being convinced by Squire to re-join the band full time.<ref>{{cite AV media|title=Yesyears documentary 1991}}</ref> Upon its release in July 1977, ''Going for the One'' [[List of number-one albums from the 1970s (UK)#1977|topped]] the UK album charts for two weeks<ref name=officialchartsuk/> and reached number 8 in the U.S.<ref name="allmusicalbumchart"/><ref name="wel166"/> "[[Wonderous Stories]]" and "Going for the One" were released as singles in the UK and reached numbers 7 and 25, respectively.<ref name="wel166">Welch 2008, p. 166</ref> Although the album's cover was designed by [[Hipgnosis]], it still features their Roger Dean [[Yes bubble logo|"bubble" logotype]]. The band's [[List of Yes concert tours (1960s–70s)#Going for the One Tour|1977 tour]] spanned across six months.

''[[Tormato]]'' was released in September 1978 at the height of [[punk rock]] in England, during which the music press criticised Yes as representing the bloated excesses of early-1970s progressive rock. The album saw the band continuing their movement towards shorter songs; no track runs longer than eight minutes.<ref>{{Cite news|title=The Yes Decade|date=17 October 1978|website=Circus Magazine|first=Kurt|last=Loder}}</ref> Wakeman replaced his Mellotrons with the [[Birotron]], a [[sampler (musical instrument)|tape replay keyboard]], and Squire experimented with harmonisers and Mu-tron pedals with his bass. Production was handled collectively by the band and saw disagreements at the mixing stage among the members. With heavy commercial rock-radio airplay, the album reached number 8 in the UK<ref name=officialchartsuk/> and number 10 in the U.S. charts, and was also certified platinum (1 million copies sold) by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]].<ref name="allmusicalbumchart"/> Despite internal and external criticisms of the album, the band's [[List of Yes concert tours (1960s–70s)#Tormato Tour|1978–1979 tour]] was a commercial success. Concerts were performed [[Theatre in the round|in the round]] with a £50,000 revolving stage and a 360-degree sound system fitted above it. Their dates at [[Madison Square Garden]] earned Yes a [[Madison Square Garden Gold Ticket Award|Golden Ticket Award]] for grossing over $1 million in box office receipts.<ref>Wooding, p. 197</ref>

In October 1979, the band convened in Paris with producer [[Roy Thomas Baker]]. Their diverse approach was now succumbing to division, as Anderson and Wakeman favoured the more fantastical and delicate approach while the rest preferred a heavier rock sound. Howe, Squire and White liked none of the music Anderson was offering at the time as it was too lightweight and lacking in the heaviness that they were generating in their own writing sessions. The Paris sessions abruptly ended in December after White broke his foot while rollerskating in a roller disco.<ref name="lithiummagazine.com 21 March 2014">{{cite web|url=http://lithiummagazine.com/interview-chris-squire-yes-march-19-2014|title=An Interview with Chris Squire of YES – March 19, 2014|work=Lithium Magazine|date=21 March 2014|access-date=22 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322030334/http://lithiummagazine.com/interview-chris-squire-yes-march-19-2014|archive-date=22 March 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

When the band, minus Wakeman (who had only committed to recording keyboard overdubs once new material would be ready to record), reconvened in February to resume work on the project, their growing musical differences, combined with internal dissension, obstructed progress. Journalist Chris Welch, after attending a rehearsal, noted that Anderson "was singing without his usual conviction and seemed disinclined to talk".<ref>Welch, Musicians Only, 14 June 1980, p. 5.</ref> By late March, Howe, Squire and White had begun demoing material as an instrumental trio, increasingly uncertain about Anderson's future involvement. Eventually, a serious band dispute over finance saw Anderson leave Yes, with a dispirited Wakeman departing at around the same time.