Billy Sherwood
is the nexus for a number of projects involving other Yesmen, both
current
and former band members. On most of these projects, he has been working
with
Tony Kaye. CIRCA:
and Yoso also include Kaye and CIRCA: formerly
included White, while
Sherwood
features various Yes members on his various
tribute albums and a Jim Ladd's
Headsets
album. He also has a spin-off
from Conspiracy, no longer with Squire but with some new Yes
connections. Sherwood's main focus in 2010 is Yoso.
Yoso
is based around former Toto
vocalist Bobby
Kimball (MySpace page; lead vocals,
additional keys live), Billy
Sherwood (lead vocals,
bass; guitar and drums in
studio) and Tony
Kaye (keys). They are joined
by Scott
Connor (Genesis
tribute band Gabble
Ratchet; drums,
percussion,
backing
vocals)
and
Johnny
Bruhns
(Yes tribute band Roundabout,
worked with Ronnie Ciago, filled
in
at
a
Yes
rehearsal
in
2009; guitar, backing
vocals). Their
debut album, Elements, is now out on Frontiers
Records (FR CD 466) in Europe. A US
release has been
delayed in Sep as Frontiers are changing distributor. Touring in support follows in the
US (with CDs available ahead of release at gigs) and Europe. Tracks:
"Yoso"
(4:18),
"Path to Your Heart" (4:22),
"Where You'll Stay" (3:42), "Walk Away" (4:35), "The New Revolution" (3:44), "To Seek the
Truth" (4:25), "Only One" (3:42), "Close the Curtain" (4:44), "Won't End Tonight" (3:59), "Come
This Far" (4:19), "Time to Get Up" (3:52), "Return to Yesterday" (7:19) (samples here);
bonus live CD:
"Yoso" (5:30), "Rosanna" (6:17), "Owner of a Lonely
Heart" (6:18), "Walk Away" (4:47), "Good for
You" (3:37), "Yes Medley: Yours is No Disgrace/Heart of the
Sunrise/South Side
of the Sky/Starship Trooper/I've Seen All Good People" (8:59), "To Seek
the
Truth" (4:27), "Hold the Line" (4:17), "Cinema" (2:04), "Gift with a Golden
Gun" (4:20), "White
Sister" (6:17). These live tracks seem to be taken from the band's 2009
Mexican
shows,
with Jimmy Haun
(worked on Union, Jonathan
Elias, ex-Lodgic, ex-Conspiracy;
guitars, backing
vocals) and Louis
"Lou" Molino III (MySpace page; working
with Trevor Rabin, worked with Billy
Sherwood, The
Tubes, Julian Lennon; drums, backing
vocals). The
band's
origins date
back to late 2008 and they have played a handful of live dates in 2009
and early 2010.
About the band
Sherwood has explained: "Yoso
was
started when I suggested to Bobby Kimball we should write some new
music and form a band, we had been working together on various tribute
projects I was producing and one thing lead to another, before too long
we had 5 songs in the can and were well on our way to making a record
and thinking seriously about taking it to the next level. Once there
was a few songs underway the concept grew into the band we now have,
Yoso." Kimball and Sherwood first met at the beginning of the
1980s when
Sherwood was in Lodgic, and Kimball has appeared on a number of
Sherwood's tribute album projects. The It Can Happen tour of Italy by CIRCA:—i.e.
Sherwood, Kaye, Haun, Jay
Schellen (GPS, ex-Badfinger,
ex-Peter
Banks)—and Kimball was planned for Feb 2009
with a set encompassing CIRCA:, Toto and Yes material. (The full
line-up was also to include Michael
Sherwood
(Billy's brother; ex-Conspiracy, ex-Lodgic, worked with CIRCA:)
and then Matt
Brown (Brian Travis
Band, Gabble Ratchet,
Yes
tribute
Closer
to
the
Edge) on keys and backing vocals.) However, the tour was
cancelled late in the day.
Pre-order from
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In early 2009, Sherwood tweeted
about what he
called the Hybrid Project, before the new band was announced under the
name AKA. However, in Jul 2009, Sherwood said to ProgressiveEars.com: "Due
to
the trademark "AKA" being taken we are renaming the band." Thus the new
name Yoso. However, Schellen withdrew, given commitments to Asia
Featuring
John
Payne, and Molino took over for live work in late 2009. He too then
stepped aside
given other commitments and by the beginning of 2010, Jody
Cortez (ex-ETC... with B. Sherwood, ex-Cinderella, ex-Boz
Scaggs)
was on drums. By then, Yoso had become managed by Derek Shulman
(ex-Gentle Giant;
managed Yes; signed World Trade, Dream Theater) with Leonardo
Pavkovic. Sherwood then explained those changes were another new
drummer (Connor) and
that Haun has
withdrawn to focus on commercial work. Sherwood explained late Apr to
Yesfans.com:
Bobby, TK
and me remain Yoso and are moving forward with the debut CD
[...] We will
be changing the guitarist and drummer. [...]
Jimmy
Haun our long time dear friend has decided to devote all his musical
skills into jingles and doesn't want to tour on the level that is on
the horizon for Yoso.
On that note, we/Yoso bid Jimmy a fond
farewell as he slips the surly bonds into the mystical realm that is
the musical advertising world, whilst we forge ahead, onto the live
stage playing shows and moving forward with Yoso.
[...] then there's the drums [...]
Introducing a fantastic musician and a super nice guy
{who some of you here already know}, ladies and gentlemen please
welcome Mr. Scott Conner [sic]
{of Gabble Ratchett fame} into Yoso !!
Scott,
TK and me jammed last week in my studio and it was locking and
rocking... Scott is very into prog and that is really what's needed for
Yoso. We intend to stretch things out and alter arrangments of things,
tricky timings etc... and Scott has a handle on the clock for all that
strange time signature stuff we want to explore.
Yoso thanks
Jody Cortez for his service {albeit a short stay} his grooves and
passion for music will be remembered along with his overwhelming love
and kindness...
In a follow-up post, he continued:
While
it's sad Jimmy resigned, we in Yoso view it as a cross roads for
Yoso where we are actually are getting "serious" about it all and
preparing for take off with no fears of flying. Signing a deal for the
record, touring on the horizon. Proper management and agents in place
etc... Yoso are ok to go
I've been working within the Yoso elelment for some time now, we lost a
lot of good men out there [...] sorting out how Yoso really works} but
still I see the dream and won't be detoured from it.
In an Apr 2010 interview,
asked about the band's future beyond the debut album, Kaye
said:
We're definitely talking about more
music because really that is our inspiration to actually take Yoso to
the level that we wanted, and not just playing Yes music. Although we
play a fair amount of the album that's going to be out in July on the
road now. But obviously the future is important to us on a personal
musical level with the band.
Yoso have been working on a second album. In a May
2010
interview, Kaye said they
were "working on more Yoso music right now". He also described the
second album as "a little more complex progressive thing". He went on,
"We've started thinking about writing stuff, and I know Billy's started
writing stuff" and said how he hoped that "in 9 or 10 months, we'll
have a follow-up to Elements". Asked about whether Yoso is
permanent, Kaye said, "We're all very positive for Yoso. Hopefully it
will blossom into something."
Debut album, Elements
The debut album began in Apr 2009: Sherwood
tweeted about writing and recording 10
songs
across that month, with music by him, lyrics
by Kimball. In a May
2010
interview, describing the final album, Kaye said most of the
lyrics are by Kimball and practically all of the music is by Sherwood.In a Jun
2010
interview, Kimball
described writing the album, Sherwood handling the music and him the
lyrics: "After Billy and I wrote all of the songs for the CD, the other
guys came in and added their parts to make it a band CD."
On 25 May, Sherwood said to Yesfans.com: "10 songs well on their
way but still needing TLC."
On 7 Jun, he tweeted, "Working on
backing vocals for the "AKA" record... 6 songs near completion, 4 to
go"; in late Jun, about recording Kaye's final organ parts
for the album. In mid-Jul, he
tweeted about a recording session for "Higher Road" with
Kimball and said they only had three more lead vocals to record. Mixing
followed in Aug. In mid-Aug, Sherwood said
to Yesfans.com: "The new
record {cd} is almost completed. I am mixing it now. 3 Songs
mixed, 9 to go." In Sep 2009, Sherwood announced
that
they had finished mastering (with Joe Gastwirt) the album
(dur. 53:30). The album was initially recorded by Sherwood (vocals, all
instruments) and Kimball (vocals). Kaye then came in to record keyboard
parts, and likewise Haun on guitar and Schellen on drums (the plan at
one stage was for 4 songs to feature Schellen). When Molino replaced
Schellen, he then recorded alternate drum parts for the album, but with Haun's and Molino's departure,
the eventual release uses Sherwood's initial guitar and drum tracks.
The initial plan was also to self-release the album under the name Yoso, but a deal with Frontiers Records was
then signed and they asked for a separate album name, thus Elements. Band logo and artwork were by
Michi
Sherwood (Billy's wife), but
Frontiers Records also produced new artwork, although the Michi's logo
remains. In Jul 2010 to Yesfans.com, Sherwood explained:
Jim
[Haun] made it known early on he would not be able to make the full
comittment to Yoso in the way we knew ultimately we needed {touring
bands require a lot of time from people and from their lives}. With
that as the backdrop...
I had all the gtr and drum parts tracked and done {I sketched out some
keys but didn't bother much knowing TK was into it from the word
go...}. Jay did play a few tracks as did Jim, then Jay left the band
and knowing Jim was destine to as well... I went back to the original
tracks I had already cut and finished the record.
In a subsequent post, he said:
The
way
we
got
where
we are now {Frontiers records} was a journey filled
with twists and turns, members coming and going, 1st we were to self
release it {when there was no label} and so in the mastering we/Yoso
were set to call the record "Yoso". This is on the "mastered" disc info
and subsequently is now embedded onto the disk that went to the
manufacturing plant. Once the label jumped in everything changed, art
work {Frontiers with the exception of our Logo}, format {Frontiers
wanting to include bonus CD} and title {Frontiers wanted the CD to have
a "title" hence "Elements"}.
The
band are being promoted on their links to Yes and Toto, a
combination reflected in their name. On 1 Sep 2009, Sherwood said:
"It's an inter[e]sting
mixture of styles. Of course it has the Toto/YES/Circa: elements which
come by proxy of the people involved but... there is something all it's
own about the sound." And then:
my
personal choices are 3 songs that are super strong, hooky, radio
friendly....
1: Yoso
2: Where You'll Stay
3: Walk Away
In Oct 2009,
Sherwood described the band: "Sounds like a hydrid of
Toto/Circa:Yes/Steely Dan/The Band and others in the tradition of
classic rock." Kimball blogged
in
Apr
2009, "The CD [...] has so many
elements from Toto/Yes[ ]and Asia in the music." Asked about the style
of music in Apr 2009, Sherwood said:
The
arrangments are more straight ahead and song oriented, Where CIRCA:
stretches those limits "AKA" remains within the traditional bounds of
classic song writing structures. That said it remains very musical.
In mid-Jun 2010, Sherwood
explained to
Yesfans.com about the inclusion of a bonus live disc:
We/Yoso
would
have
been
perfectly
fine
{and had planned}to release Yoso as a
stand alone "preimere debut release"
Frontiers wanted to have a "bonus cd".
[...] Record labels will do what they wish.
[...] There's no shame in releasing music in any format... As long as
it's presented with integrity. TK and I have our YES pasts as Bobby has
Toto past, these will never not be in play as far as media and record
promo, it is what it is and they will do what they do...
The heart of the matter is 12 new tracks from Yoso. [...] This is what
it's about for us as the artists. We want to push forward and we are
doing so, [...] The ends justify the means in our case, We just want to
be Yoso... the label and machine behind it all are the ones reminding
everyone of our not so hidden pasts lol. Don't expect that to change
anytime soon.
All that said.. the bonus CD has some kick *** versions of some beloved
YES and Toto material. For that I am proud, it's an honor to play the
music, and by no means a shame.
Live North American and European dates
have now been announced for the new line-up. 9 US
dates in August have been announced (see the band's
MySpace page), including a
semi-private gig on 21 Aug (Rancho
Murieta, CA, for the local home owners' association). European
dates follow:
UK dates in mid-Oct, including a London show, are expected.
Sherwood described a 2 hour
20 minute set in Jul, when the band were rehearsing. Full
pre-production rehearsals at Uncle Studios follow 1-7 Aug. In an Apr
2010 interview, Kaye said, "We
will be going to Europe, doing 2 or 3 weeks in Germany mainly, I think.
And playing, y'know, pretty sort of extreme outdoor gigs in Europe.
[...] We have other gigs coming up in the United States [...] Germany
is the end of August, September. We've got some
potential gigs with Asia at the end of August." (Asia are touring the US 2 Aug-8 Sep.) In a Jun
2010
interview, Kimball described
the planned set: "we're playing a
set list that has the major hit songs most of us participated on the
recording of from both "Yes & Toto", and then about 5 songs from
[...] "Elements". [...] I'm sure we'll be leaning
towards the new songs as we record more CDs in the future." Kimball
also talked hopefully about Italian dates. In May 2010, Sherwood
said the band was working on UK and Japanese dates. On 20 Jun, Sherwood
said of touring plans, "There is a lot being spoken of... it's all
good. As we have these gigs Back east and the record being released
soon... the momentum is building and discussions for other territories
to play Yoso shows are in affect." Sherwood's bass solo section
includes an extract of
CIRCA:'s[SPOILERS—highlight
to read] "Cut the Ties".
The band's live
debut
was 3 Mexican
dates
in Oct 2009 with Molino/Haun (tickets still had the old band name and
read "TOTO Y
YES
JUNTOS: AKA", or "Toto and Yes together: AKA"): a corporate gig for
Microsoft Mexico (~600 attendance) and two public concerts with
attendances around 2,000 each.
The set list for the opening night was [SPOILERS—highlight to read] "Yoso",
"Girl
Goodbye"
(Kimball
sang
lead
on
the
Toto
songs),
"Cinema",
"Good
for
You", "Hold On"
(Sherwood sang lead on the Yes songs),
"Walk Away", "Gift with a Golden Gun", "Owner of a Lonely Heart",
"Africa", "New Revolution", "Yes Montage" (with "Yours is No
Disgrace", "Heart of the Sunrise", "South Side of the Sky", "Starship
Trooper", "All Good
People"—vocals on "All Good People" only), "Where You'll Stay",
"Rosanna",
"Changes", "To Seek the Truth", "White Sister", "Hold the Line",
"Roundabout". The opening song can be heard in Doty's
2
Nov
2009
podcast while West Coast
Sound and
Light have
another podcast
available
with
an
extract
from
the
show. The band played the
Frankfurt
Musikmesse
Festival, Germany, on 24 Mar 2010 (with Cortez/Haun); set: "Yoso",
"Rosanna",
"Hold On",
"New Revolution", "Good
for
You", "Yes Medley", "Where You'll Stay",
"Africa", "Owner of a Lonely Heart",
"Walk Away", "Cinema",
"Girl
Goodbye",
"To Seek the Truth", "White Sister", "Roundabout", "Hold the Line",
encore: "Gift with a Golden Gun".
The
band (with Schellen/Haun) had played a showcase of ~45 min.s at Uncle
Studios,
CA on 1 May 2009 for a
promoter. The set consisted of material by Yes ("Roundabout", "Owner of
a Lonely
Heart", "Changes", "Hold On", "Cinema") and Toto ("Rosanna", "Africa",
"White Sister" and another piece). Sherwood explained
to AllGoodPeople.net
in Jun 2009 that a tour set would have "a lot of the new
AKA
material and
also play some YES / Toto /
Circa: and some Zep..." The latter, specifically "Stairway
to
Heaven", was
Kimball's suggestion.
In
Sep 2009,
Sherwood
said:
it looks like Yoso will be
playing the
Laserium Theater in Hollywood sometime soon !!
I have a feeling it will require a
set up period of at least 6 to 8 weeks. The band is ready to play but
Laserium will want lead time for promo etc...
Further news on Laserium shows did not materialise. Around the time of
the Mexican dates, there was talk of further touring in South America
that did not come about. Doty's podcast contains a
press conference by the band in Mexico in Oct at which one of them, I
think Kimball, talks of plans to tour Europe
with an orchestra for about a month. Sherwood
said in Jan 2010 that, "We plan to add/remove songs as we go to keep it
fresh, perhaps CIRCA: music will be explored at that time, we shall
see." The band rehearsed further in Feb 2010, including "Owner of a Lonely Heart"
with Kimball taking over lead vocals.
Sherwood was producing, mixing and co-video editing a "Yoso Live
in
Mexico 2009" DVD release in HD; multiple tracks were made available on the band's YouTube
page. However, this
has since been dropped. Sherwood explained in May 2010: "The Yoso Live
in Mexico DVD has been scrubbed, since we went through a radical change
in line up recently we decided rather than release it and have
confusion, we thought we would wait for the next chance to film a Yoso
show and create it from that, with the real band as it has become."
However, Sherwood held out hope for some kind of online presentation.
The audio appears to be the source for the live bonus disc accompanying
the band's debut release, Elements.
Other Yoso news
B. Sherwood, Kimball and Molino
also appear together on 1 track on An
All-Star Salute
to Christmas (see below).
Sherwood and Kimball also share
vocals on "Friends" on Party of the Century, a new
album project from composer and singer Giorgio Onorato Aquilani.
Kimball sings on a second song, while other guests include Jonathan
Mover (ex-Steve Howe, ex-GTR, ex-Marillion; drums, percussion), David Paich (ex-Toto, ex-Jon
Anderson, worked with Lodgic; keys), Simon Phillips (The Who, worked with Asia, Jon Anderson, Trevor
Rabin; drums), Rachel
Z (worked with Peter
Gabriel, Tony Levin; piano), Mike Stern (guitar) and many
others.
We
are still going to continue to distribute it ourselves because it’s
been very very good and very easy. [...] The idea for us is it is a
long slow journey as opposed to looking for some quick pay off in terms
of record sales. We could just sign with a label, I have had a few
offers and it just didn’t make enough sense to do. I just kept feeling
like we are going to lose that intimacy and direct contact thing. And I
think in this modern age with the Internet it can be achieved and I
think with what we are doing we don’t need that middle man. We just do
it ourselves.
CIRCA:
Overflow is an iTunes-only
digital release (iTunes
Plus format) of 7 tracks, out May 2009: "The Story Goes" (5:48),
"Shifting Sands" (4:42), "Life Goes
On" (5:02), "Pure Intuition" (3:46), "Coming at You" (7:48), "Fate and
Destiny" (5:10), "Words on Paper" (5:24). The tracks all feature the
new line-up—i.e. with
Schellen—and were mixed by Sherwood. Sherwood: "These tracks
we're [sic] extra ideas and
recordings from
various points along the CIRCA: journey that never found there way onto
either the debut CIRCA: cd or the second CIRCA: HQ CD." Sherwood
has previously announced plans to
release 2 additional
tracks through iTunes: "Shifting
Sands", "Story Goes". Sherwood explained the
reasoning to Yesfans.com in Oct 2008: "to release music
that is cool but didn't exactly fit into the over all spectrum of this
new CIRCA: CD. The songs do stand alone with CIRCA: Style though". On
27 Mar, Sherwood tweeted
about "Meeting
with Tony Kaye at my studio re: making some Instrumental tracks for
Itunes", which may be in reference to these or some other project.
In Dec 2009, Sherwood described
discussions with Joe Gastwirt (mastering for CIRCA:, Yoso, Yes) about possibly doing a remastered
CIRCA: box set, including a CD release for Overflow and the "CIRCA: Live" tracks, plus new
material.
On 10 Oct 2009, CIRCA: and radio
DJ Jim Ladd (spoken word)
performed
the entire second Headsets
album, Chapter
2:
Sides, live, followed by "Universal Garden", "Ever
Changing World", "Brotherhood of Man", "Cut the Ties, at the Laserium
Theater in Hollywood, CA,
with
multi-media
visual
effects
including
pre-filmed
segments
and
lasers. The band was
also supplemented by Dan
Smolley (acoustic guitar, backing vocals). Headsets is
the project from Sherwood and Ladd based on Ladd's freeform radio shows
of the same name: see here for details.
This
was
a
90
minute
show,
with
two
performances
that
evening.
The
show
was
recorded.
The four band members have been planning to record
a 'live in the studio' DVD, "CIRCA: HQ LIVE". As
Sherwood
described it, "The approach will be similar in the way that the
"Conspiracy Live DVD" was produced, in a controlled atmosphere, set up
and play for a few days and get the best of the best live takes for the
creation of the dvd." Tracks:
If It's Not Too Late
Haun Solo
False Start
Chasing After Ghosts
Set to Play
Ever Changing World
We Can Last
Twist of Fate
All Intertwined
Remember Along the Way
(first 10 tracks being their second album, HQ, in its entirety)
Shifting Sands
Story Goes (tracks 11 &
12 are from the iTunes Overflow set)
Just Another Day (from
forthcoming Psy-Op release—see below)
Sherwood also said: "The dvd
will also include behind the scenes footage of the making of... and
some other goodies. We are excited to get production started on this
project and look forward to it's release, most likely near the end of
the year." However, this has yet to materialise. In Jan 2010, Sherwood
said, "We had
planned to record and film a live session and make it into a DVD. I
spoke of this a while back... As life happens Yoso [see
above] started coming into view and the over all trajectory of
things shifted. That said, I love making music and creating so the
battle plan remains in tact, with the exception of the time line of
engament of operations."
In May 2010, Sherwood said:
"Unfortuneatly the Circa: live HQ DVD concept is going to have to wait.
it is still something we want to do but obviously as Yoso came onto the
radar around the same time it took prec[e]dent." Meanwhile, the
band have
also released a download-only audio
version of most of their "CIRCA: Live" DVD through iTunes, as Circa: Live. This version consists
of 10 tracks—"Cut the
Ties", "Don't Look Back", "Together We Are", "Information Overload",
"Trust
in Something", "Keeper of the Flame", "Life Going By", "Look Inside",
"Brotherhood
of Man", "The More We Live—Let Go"—i.e.
the same as the DVD except without the extended Yes medley
In Dec 2009, Sherwood said to
ProgressiveEars.com: "CIRCA: is still Circa: ... HQ is out 1 year now
so we didn't want to
record for a bit, that said we are planning to record another record.
[...] it has become a studio project more then a
touring act, unlike what Yoso is about to do in 2010." In Jan 2010, he
said, "Circa: remains Circa: and will be recording a new CD in 2010,
same line up as the "HQ" record." In
an
Apr
2010
interview, Sherwood said, "Working on a new CIRCA: record as
we speak. I have about 25 minutes in the can already. In between this,
that, and the other it's getting done and that band project will forge
ahead. The idea of making that kind of music is important for me
personally and we shall be pushing on with CIRCA:" In another Apr interview, Kaye
said, "We will keep on producing albums." In the next month, Sherwood
said: "CIRCA: for instance we have now 38 minutes near finished for the
next CD." In a May
2010
interview, Kaye said they
were "working on more CIRCA: music". In Jul, Sherwood said:
"work is being done for the next new CIRCA: CD".
In late Apr came the
news that Haun had withdrawn from Yoso to focus on commercial work.
Asked whether he would be continuing with CIRCA: or not, Sherwood said
to Yesfans.com (30 Apr):
It is not
my desire to exclude Jimmy from Circa: as it was not my
desire to do so in Yoso... The choice was Jims and the same is said for
Circa:... it's an unknown at present.
I work at a pace that may
be faster then others... Creating music in all different directions.
One clear direction is that of CIRCA: music. Currently working on what
clearly sounds to my ears like new Circa: music and to get to that
level of sound and texture to start seeing a picture...I have recorded
some guitars already.
Depending on circumstances we shall see
where it all lands as to who is playing what for the next Circa: cd.
The Circa: project developed in sound and texture in a way that sets a
template for where we have been and are going. I'm composing new music
within that template. Circa: is a passion and shall remain ever moving
forward releasing new music, the amount of people on board supporting
the CIRCA: project is such that I feel obligated in a sense to produce
more music and keep the flame alive and well burning, it's my pleasure
to work on the music too. Perhaps one day we will get the chance to
tour it here and there...
The next month, Sherwood
confirmed that, "Jimmy remains in CIRCA: since we are more focused on
recording and releasing records and have no touring plans requiring
comittments on the same scale."
it's very expensive to fund a 5
piece
band {live line up} in your home town let alone gathering forces to go
to Europe. There are many things to consider [...] ultimately is there
enough $$$ to make it doable. Forget profitable...lol If the CIRCA: CD
continues to build as it has been we may be able to fund the above
mentioned. Reality from me to you folks, we are a long way off from
that, it takes "serious coin"
Conspiracy
&
Psy-op
Conspiracy
has come to an end. Sherwood said in a late
2007
interview, "I don't
foresee another Conspiracy record [...] my focus is on Circa and
obviously Conspiracy is dear to
my heart, but it took a turn and went into a dormant mode". However, Sherwood (bass, guitar,
keys,
vocals) and Jay Schellen (drums) from the final Conspiracy line-up have
recorded a new album, entitled
Psy-op. This was initially described as the third Conspiracy
album,
but in May 2007, Sherwood wrote on MySpace
that he and Schellen were changing the name of the
project
given Squire's absence. The project has been held back so as not to
compete
with CIRCA:; Sherwood wrote, "The tracks are very
prog.
It will surface, I promise, just not right now." In Aug 2008, Sherwood said,
"Psy-op
will
be
released...
it's
just
a
matter
of
when.
I
don't
wish
to
cloud
nor
confuse
what
my
main
goal
is
"getting
CIRCA:
in
the
air
and
on
auto
pilot"."
In
an
Apr
2008 interview,
Sherwood
reiterated,
"It's
finished
and
mastered
and
ready
to
come
out
but
I
didn't
want
to
confuse
fans
with
too
many
products
at
once."
The Psy-op album also
features
Tony
Kaye (on 1 track), Geoff
Downes (on 1 track), Michael
Sherwood (Vocoder), Bruce
Gowdy (World
Trade; co-wrote and
keys on 1 track, "Gone All the Way"),
Gary Green (ex-Gentle Giant; co-wrote
and
guitar
on
1
track,
"Just Another Day", which is also
to be covered by CIRCA: on their planned "CIRCA: HQ LIVE" DVD—see above). (There was an earlier report
that two songs on the album
were written
with Gowdy
for
an abortive third World Trade album, but Sherwood in Feb 2008 referred to just
one piece.)
A Jan
2006 article quotes Sherwood describing the album as being "really,
really proggy". In Jun
2007,
posting to the Progressive
Ears forum, Sherwood described the album:
What began as
Conspiracy
3 has now morphed into a new project titled "Psy-Op". Chris moved back
to the U.K. [...] at the same time I was recording a lot
of
new music which I planned for "C3". After assembling the record it
became
clear to me that it is not Conspiracy but a whole new kind of
"project".
[...] You can hear a sample at my web page, {it's labeled Conspiracy 3,
that will be changed}. It is mastered and ready for release, that being
said [...] since [CIRCA:] are about to release our 1st record I don't
want
to cloud the waters with a new project. It will come out down the road
in time...
A Sep 2006 report suggested there might be an
accompanying
DVD too.
Artwork
was prepared for the release by Bob
Cesca (worked with Yes, Conspiracy and Sherwood)
in
2006.
As a preview, an excerpt from "Gone All the Way" was available for
download on
Sherwood's
website. Sherwood described the
song as "a story of
a man dreaming he is the only human left on earth after a nuclear
holocaust, by the middle of the song he reailizes he in fact isn't
dreaming, warmakers had finally "Gone All The Way"." In Feb 2008,
Sherwood said the album
would be out in 2008, after his next solo album, At the
Speed of Life (since
released), but it has yet to appear.
There is a re-make of "The
Lonesome Trail" from Conspiracy
on the Jim Ladd's Headsets album Chapter
1:
Alone
Out
Here—see details
under
Sherwood.
Tribute albums by Billy
Sherwood
et
al.
Sherwood has been behind a number of tribute
albums featuring numerous guest musicians, mostly from the world of
progressive
rock and including multiple Yes men.
Released
Oct 2009 was An All-Star Salute
to Christmas (8392,
Purple
Pyramid Records (Cleopatra Records)), on which Geoff Downes guests. As
with Abbey
Road:
A
Tribute
to
The
Beatles (see below) and Led Box: The
Ultimate Tribute to Led
Zeppelin, Cleopatra Records have
combined tracks
produced and engineered by Sherwood with material from other sources.
As before,
Sherwood had talked of an album with just his tracks.
Track
(time)—credited artists; notes Þ indicates tracks
produced by Sherwood for this project; other tracks appear not to
involve
Sherwood
Disc one
"White Christmas" (3:28)—Iggy Pop
Þ "Happy
Xmas
(War is Over)" [John Lennon] (3:25)—John
Wetton (Asia,
ex-King Crimson, ex-UK; vocals); originally by John Lennon
& Yoko Ono
Þ "O Holy
Night" [trad.]
(4:11)—Glenn Hughes
Þ "Step into
Christmas" (2:19)—Mickey Thomas (Starship; vocals);
originally by Elton John
"All I Want for Christmas is You" [W Afanasieff/M Carey]
(4:03)—The Motels;
originally
by Mariah Carey
Þ "Little
Drummer
Boy" [trad.] (4:26)—Robby
Krieger
(ex-The Doors, Riders
on
the
Storm; sitars); also with Sherwood (lead vocals)
"Cuz It's Christmas" (4:39)—Bay City Rollers
"Christmas / Sarajevo 12/24" [J Oliva] (3:15)—George Lynch
(Dokken);
originally
by
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
"Dominick the Donkey (The Italian Christmas Donkey" [R
Allen]
(2:35)—Doug
Kershaw
"Jingle Bells" [J Pierpont] (2:40)—Donna Fargo
"Funky Christmas" (3:17)—James Brown
Þ "Feed the
World"
(3:55)—Air Supply
(Graham Russell & Russell Hitchcock)
"Little St. Nick" [Brian Wilson] (2:08)—L.A. Guns
Þ "Wonderful
Christmastime" (4:07)—Dweezil
Zappa; originally by Paul McCartney
"Merry Xmas Everybody" (3:55)—Leif
Garrett; originally by Slade
Disc two
Þ "Please
Come Home
for Christmas" [C Brown] (3:03)—Bobby Kimball (ex-Toto, Yoso)
Þ "Linus and
Lucy
(Charlie Brown Christmas Theme)" (3:04)—Geoff
Downes (Asia, ex-Yes)
Þ "Blue
Christmas" [J. Johnson/B. Hayes]
(4:10)—Jack Russell
(Great White)
"Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord" [J Hairston] (4:42)—Musical
Youth;
originally by
Boney M
"Christmas Time is Here Again" (3:43)—The Flirtations;
previously
released
"Clean for Christmas" [J Brown] (2:43)—James Brown
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" [Haven Gillespie/F Coots]
(2:29)—Gilby Clarke
"White Christmas" (4:14)—T.Rextasy
"Father Christmas" [R Davies] (3:45)—Pretty Boy Floyd
Þ "New
Year's
Day" [U2] (5:47)—Steve
Morse (Deep Purple,
Dixie Dregs, ex-Kansas); also with Sherwood (lead vocals);
originally by U2
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On his tracks, Sherwood played all
the bass parts, while drums are by Lou Molino
(Trevor
Rabin, ex-Yoso). Sherwood
also
contributed
guitar,
keys,
lead
and
backing
vocals
in
places.
Also
credited
on
the
album
is
Nancy
Ellis
(background
vocals), while
producers on the other tracks include Jurgen Engler, Christopher Lietz,
Adam Hamilton and Craig Else.
Abbey Road: A
Tribute to The
Beatles
(Cleopatra Records, CLP-CD-3395) has 20 tracks whereas Sherwood had
earlier talked of a 12-track
album. Again, Cleopatra Records combined tracks
produced by Sherwood with material from other sources.
On Sherwood's
pieces, he played all
the bass parts and contributed some guitar (tracks 1, 6, 9, 10, 13),
keys (5-7, 9, 11-13) and vocals (lead: 12, 14; backing: 2, 5, 9).
The drums are
split between Alan White and Jay Schellen.
Track
(time)—credited artists; notes Þ indicates tracks
produced by Sherwood for this project; other tracks do not involve
Sherwood Details in Yescography
Þ "Let It
Be"
(4:51)—Glenn
Hughes (lead vocal); also
with White, Geoff
Downes (Sherwood: "Geoff did his own orchestral type
additional
section at the end")
Þ "Tomorrow
Never
Knows" (3:09)—Dweezil Zappa/Billy
Sherwood
Þ
"Strawberry
Fields Forever" (3:50)—David Jenkins (Pablo Cruise);
Sherwood said he was doing this track,
but had not said with whom, so I presume this is one of his
Þ "Hey
Jude"
(6:29)—Steve
Lukather (ex-Toto)/Billy Sherwood; also
with White, Kaye
"Back in the USSR"
(2:41)—Molly Hatchet, probably the version recorded
in 2008 for their forthcoming new album
{Þ} "Across
the Universe" (4:38)—Jackson
Browne/Robby Krieger; would seem to be from From Here to Infinity, the
digital-only first Jim Ladd's Headsets album from Ladd and Sherwood
"Helter Skelter"
(3:09)—Michael Davis
"Tomorrow Never Knows"
(5:11)—Tangerine Dream, probably the version
from their 2008 Booster Vol. II
album
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Further
tribute albums involving Billy Sherwood but no other Yes men
are covered in Sherwood's section here.
Various
covers
are
also
included
on
the
Jim
Ladd's
Headsets
releases,
also
covered
in
Sherwood's section.
Sherwood said in the Sep 2005 interview that
he
would also like to tackle Genesis'
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway,
The Who's Tommy or "even some of King Crimson's stuff".