By late 1971, Yes's line-up comprised lead vocalist Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, drummer Bill Bruford, guitarist Steve Howe, and keyboardist Rick Wakeman. In March 1972, they wrapped their six-month ‘Fragile Tour’ of the UK and North America, which had been in support of their fourth album.
In June '72, they moved into Advision Studios in London with co-producer Eddie Offord to finish arrangements, record and complete the band's fifth album, Close To The Edge, released in the UK on 7th September 1972. It became the band's greatest commercial success at the time of release, reaching No. 4 in the UK and No. 3 in the US, where it sold over one million copies.
During the sessions, a complete DEMO version of the title track was laid down, and listening to this recording today, fans and completists will note how different it remains from the finished album version.
Yes's next studio album, Tales from Topographic Oceans, released in December 1973 in the UK, was their first album to feature drummer Alan White, following the departure of Bill Bruford.
Rehearsals for the new record lasted two months in London, during which the band decided to produce a double album containing side-long tracks based on four Hindu texts, ranging between 18 and 21 minutes each. In July, they settled into Studio 3 at Morgan Studios for a period of ten weeks.
Once again, during the sessions, a complete DEMO version of one of the tracks that would feature on the finished record emerged, this time 'The Remembering', which took up all of side two in its completed form. This DEMO is once more featured on this compilation.
1 Close To The Edge 17:18
2 The Remembering 20:22
3 The Revealing Science Of God 20:57