90125

90125
Studio album by Yes
Released	November 14, 1983
Recorded	Sarm Studios, London, Spring/Summer 1983
Genre	Progressive rock, Pop rock
Length	44:49
Label	Atco - 7 90125 0
Producer	Trevor Horn
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Pitchfork Media (7.8/10) link Rolling Stone link
Yes chronology
Classic Yes (1981) 90125 (1983) 9012Live: The Solos (1985)

90125 is the eleventh album by progressive rock group Yes, released in 1983. It was the first album since the breakup of Yes in 1980. It is also the first album to feature Trevor Rabin, and also features the return of vocalist Jon Anderson, who quit the band in 1979. It also marked the first time in twelve years that original keyboardist Tony Kaye had appeared with the group. The album is notable for marking a radical shift in style, with Yes largely trading in their trademark symphonic progressive rock sound for contemporary, synthesized 1980s pop.

The title of the album refers to its original catalogue number (79-0125-4), not an American ZIP code (which is not in use).

Background

This new incarnation of Yes came about almost by accident. In 1980, well-known members Jon Anderson (vocalist) and Rick Wakeman (keyboardist) had left the band, replaced by Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes respectively. The new line-up was short-lived: after an album (Drama) and tour, they disbanded at the beginning of 1981. Bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White continued to work together, including on the abortive XYZ project and releasing a single as a duo in 1981.

Guitarist Trevor Rabin had left his native South Africa in the late 1970s and had released a series of solo albums. There had been various attempts to place Rabin in a band, including a proposed quartet with Rick Wakeman, John Wetton and Carl Palmer in 1980 and a proposed trio with Keith Emerson and Jack Bruce. Rabin tried out in Asia, alongside Wetton, Palmer and former Yes members Steve Howe and Geoff Downes. However, he had also been put in touch with Squire and White and this was to be his path instead.

Squire, White and Rabin began working together in early 1982, initially considering some of the XYZ material. Trevor Horn was also associated with the nascent band from an early stage as the band's producer and, at one point, it was considered having him as the lead vocalist. The trio decided they needed a keyboard player to fill out their sound. Squire suggested to ask original Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye, whose sparse style he felt would suit the new band's direction. They christened themselves "Cinema" and in early 1983 began recording what they thought was their debut album, comprising mainly of original music Rabin had originally earmarked for a solo album, and produced by Horn.

Everything changed in the spring of 1983 when Jon Anderson was played some of Cinema's recordings by Squire. When Anderson professed interest and became keen to join, it was realized that Yes, essentially, were reforming. Rabin was dubious at first, not wanting to be perceived as Steve Howe's replacement, but rather the lead guitarist for a new group. However, he quickly changed his mind once Anderson brought in some new lyrics and put his distinctive vocals on the existing music tracks.

By this time, however, the band were without a keyboard player, as Kaye had fallen out with producer Horn, resulting in much of the keyboard work on the album being played by Rabin or Horn's hand-picked production team. When the band started preparing for a tour to support the album, Eddie Jobson, who had already been considered for the job in 1974, was asked to join, which he accepted. Jobson appeared in the video for the first single, "Owner of a Lonely Heart". In order to consolidate the legal position that this band was Yes,^{[citation needed]} Kaye was brought back. Jobson, unwilling to share the role of keyboard player, dropped out.

Release

Released that Autumn on Atlantic Records' subsidiary, Atco, 90125 launched Yes to the MTV age and to a whole new breed of fans. The music was catchy, contemporary and well-liked by reviewers and their new fans (many of whom had little clue of the band's previous incarnation). The lead single, "Owner of a Lonely Heart," became the band's first (and only) US #1 hit, driving 90125 to the Top 5 and helping it sell three million units, by far Yes's most successful album. "It Can Happen", "Changes", and "Leave It" all reached top ten on Mainstream Rock Tracks during 1984 and received heavy airplay. The British sales were not as spectacular, but still solid, and successive hits, such as "Leave It" and "It Can Happen" ensured 90125 had a lengthy chart life. In addition, "Cinema" won the 1984 Grammy for the best rock instrumental.

The album's logo was created and designed by Garry Mouat at Assorted Images on an Apple IIe computer, which would be used on Yes's next studio album Big Generator as well. 90125 (Atco 790 125) reached #16 in the UK. It also reached #5 in the US during a chart stay of 53 weeks.

In 2005, a Max Graham remix of "Owner of a Lonely Heart" reached #9 in the UK singles charts, bettering the original's #28 peak.

Remix albums

Yes released an album on the Atlantic label (ATCO Records) in 1984 called Twelve Inches on Tape (released on album as well, title unavailable). This (now) rarity offered listeners 4 remixes of their chart-topping singles of "Leave It" and "Owner Of A Lonely Heart." The track listing from "Twelve inches on tape" (4 "mixes" in total):

1. "Leave It" (Remix) (Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin/Trevor Horn)

   Produced by Trevor Horn. Engineered by Gary Langan)

2. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" (Red and Blue Mix) (Trevor Rabin/Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Horn)

   Produced by Trevor Horn. Engineered by Gary Langan)

3. "Leave It" (Hello, Goodbye Mix) (Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin/Trevor Horn)

   Produced by Trevor Horn. Engineered by Steve Lipson)

   Edited by Chris Squire and Stewart Bruce

4. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" (Album version) (Trevor Rabin/Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Horn)

   Produced by Trevor Horn. Engineered by Gary Langan)

Source: ATCO 7-90156-4-A Barcode #: 7567-90156-4

Track listing

Side one

1. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" (Anderson/Horn/Rabin/Squire) – 4:29
2. "Hold On" (Anderson/Rabin/Squire) – 5:16
3. "It Can Happen" (Anderson/Rabin/Squire) – 5:29
4. "Changes" (Anderson/Rabin/White) – 6:20

Side two

1. "Cinema" (Kaye/Rabin/Squire/White) – 2:08
2. "Leave It" (Horn/Rabin/Squire) – 4:14
3. "Our Song" (Anderson/Kaye/Rabin/Squire/White) – 4:18
4. "City of Love" (Anderson/Rabin) – 4:51
5. "Hearts" (Anderson/Kaye/Rabin/Squire/White) – 7:39

Bonus Tracks

90125 was remastered and reissued in 2004 with several bonus tracks. Bonus tracks include:

1. "Leave It (Single Remix)" (Horn/Rabin/Squire) – 3:56
2. "Make It Easy" (Rabin) – 6:12
   • First issued on Yesyears.
3. "It Can Happen (Cinema Version)" (Anderson/Rabin/Squire) – 6:05
   • First issued on Yesyears.
4. "It's Over" (Previously Unissued)" (Rabin) – 5:41
5. "Owner of a Lonely Heart (Extended Remix) (Previously Unissued)" (Anderson/Horn/Rabin/Squire) – 7:05
6. "Leave It (A Capella Version)" (Horn/Rabin/Squire) – 3:18

Personnel

• Jon Anderson: vocals
• Tony Kaye: keyboards
• Trevor Rabin: guitars, keyboards, vocals
• Chris Squire: bass guitars, vocals
• Alan White: drums, percussion, vocals

Studio personnel

• Stuart Bruce, Gary Langan, Julian Mendelsohn: engineers
• Keith Finney: assistant engineer
• Trevor Horn: production, backing vocals
• J.J. Jeczalik, Dave Lawson: keyboard programming
• Julian Mendelsohn: Engineer

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Reissues

1984 - Atco - CD
2004 - Rhino CD (Remastered with Bonus Tracks)
2009 - Audio Fidelity 24 Karat Gold CD (Remastered by Steve Hoffman)

Sources

• 90125, CD booklet essay, Brian Ives, c.2004.
• AllMusicGuide.com
• "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c.2002
• "Album Rock Tracks 1981-1995", Joel Whitburn c.1996