Jon Anderson
Anderson discusses new album 1000 Hands and those inevitable Yes rumours.
His voice and lyrics have inspired generations, now Jon Anderson has broken the silence with a full UK release of his 15th solo album, 1000 Hands, which has been nearly 30 years in the making. Prog finds out about his fascinating musical journey with an impressive array of guest musicians.
“Four years ago [producer] Michael Franklin got in touch and suggested that I finish the album,” says Jon Anderson. “I said, ‘Which album?’ and he said, ‘The one that you’ve got in the garage.’”
From time to time we all unexpectedly come across semiforgotten possessions in cupboards, lofts, sheds and garages. But Anderson unearthed the tapes of an album, 1000 Hands: Chapter One, which he started nearly 30 years ago and which he reckons is one of the best things he’s ever done.
The album grew out of his collaboration with keyboard player Brian Chatton, who had been Anderson’s bandmate in his pre-Yes group, The Warriors. Speaking via Zoom from his home in California, he explains its genesis.
“I said to [Brian], ‘Why don’t you send me some music on cassette: keyboard ideas, chord progressions and things like that. He sent about eight pieces. I have a recording studio, where I’m sitting now, and I wrote songs to his music. And it was magical for me, because it felt natural to sing the songs. I didn’t have to work out the music with a band, I just knew what I wanted to hear.”
Anderson had hoped to get The Beach Boys involved at the start of the project back in 1990. “It never transpired,” he says. “But I’m thinking of asking them to sing on 1000 Hands: Chapter Two, which we are going to do next spring.”
However, the vocalist did manage to get Yes’ then rhythm section of Chris Squire and Alan White to play on some tracks. “I started thinking: ‘Wouldn’t it be great to get everyone I’ve known over the years to play on the music?’” he recalls. But then Chatton went off on tour and Anderson headed out on the road first with Kitaro, and then with Yes, and the album was, quite literally, shelved.
When Franklin resuscitated the project in 2016, he asked Anderson what he wanted to do. “I said. ‘How many people do you know who you can put on the record?’” Anderson recalls. “He said, ‘I toured with Chuck Berry for 10 years, I know everybody in the business!’”
“I had a dream that we all got together with Steve and everybody, just for the enjoyment of it, and that we would do Close To The Edge, Awaken and numerous other tracks that people love.”