Takin' A Walk – Music History with Buzz Knight
Episode: Steve Howe: Yes Guitarist on Progressive Rock Innovation, Guitar Mastery & Musical Legacy
Release Date: January 23, 2026
Host: Buzz Knight
Guest: Steve Howe (Yes, Asia, GTR, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe)
Episode Overview
This episode features a deep, candid conversation between host Buzz Knight and progressive rock legend Steve Howe of Yes. Guiding listeners through memories and stories from the early days of British rock, Howe shares formative influences, tales from iconic collaborations, the evolution of Yes, and the enduring creative instincts that drive him. The discussion celebrates musical innovation, the art of collaboration, and the relentless curiosity needed to continually reinvent both self and sound.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Early Musical Experiences and First Gigs
(03:44–05:43)
- Steve Howe recalls his first on-stage experience as a teenager, playing an unprepared, chaotic set at a youth club.
"We went on stage at a youth club and we didn't practice or tune up or talk about anything. We just said, 'Let's play Shadows.' ... So basically it was pretty awful. And after that, I didn't play on stage for about a year and a half." (Steve Howe, 03:57)
- Later, he played at a local youth club connected to Pentonville Prison, where prisoners would clean the venue after performances.
"So yeah, every week for a while, we played there and the only thing we knew that I didn't need to do with the prison was that as we packed up the gear, some prisoners came in and tidied up the venue." (Steve Howe, 05:06)
2. Early Inspirations—Roots Icons & Rock 'n' Roll
(06:10–07:32)
- Howe’s first major concert as a fan featured Chuck Berry, which profoundly influenced his understanding of performance and showmanship:
"Chuck Berry was absolutely magical, you know. He did things... He was the package, you know, singer, guitarist, songwriter, performer." (Steve Howe, 06:10)
- He jestingly admits to attempting the famous Berry duck-walk onstage later in life:
"I did do them occasionally... at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame when I was playing bass on 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' with Yes." (Steve Howe, 07:14)
3. Admiration for Chet Atkins & Encounters with Jazz Fusion Greats
(07:41–09:39)
- Howe describes meeting and playing shows with Chet Atkins, a lifelong hero, even gifting Chet the music to his composition “Clap.”
"He was very nice, very sweet, very relaxed... his accompanist told me that Chet did take a shine to me." (Steve Howe, 08:57)
- Anecdote from Buzz Knight about booking Larry Coryell with affirmation by Howe, highlighting collegiality among musicians.
4. The Beatles and Rolling Stones: Influence, Rivalry, and Individual Taste
(10:03–15:35)
The Beatles:
- Central influence on his generation, both sonically and in terms of cultural impact:
"The Beatles were just literally a sensation... There was total Wipeout, you know, this band. There was no competition." (Steve Howe, 10:03)
- Howe used Beatles sheet music to learn chords, valuing their harmonic innovation and individual musicianship.
"I bought sheet music because it had the chord symbols on it... they were just harmonious, you know. And of course, George [Harrison] was great guitarist. Yeah, they're all great." (Steve Howe, 11:06)
The Rolling Stones:
- Howe respected their longevity but didn’t resonate as strongly with their blues orientation at the time. He mused about almost wanting to join post-Brian Jones.
"The Rolling Stones was just a difficult sort of band. I mean, it was more where I'd been... Although I wanted the gig when, bless his heart, Brian Jones started, I mean, I was looking for that gig. I would have jumped in there and said, hang on, you know, but I just couldn't get through to anybody." (Steve Howe, 12:30)
- Later, he came to "really, really love them," noting their uniqueness and role as a "parallel universe" to the Beatles in British music.
5. Opinions on The Who, Led Zeppelin, and the 1970s British Scene
(15:46–16:33)
- Howe expresses admiration for both bands, recalling meeting Jimmy Page before the formation of Led Zeppelin and praising both bands for their wild drummers and strong songwriting:
"I admired Jimmy and I remember meeting him in Denmark Street. He said to me: 'I just formed a new band. It's going to be called Led Zeppelin.' ... The Who... there was great strength in their writing." (Steve Howe, 15:46)
6. The Genesis of Yes and Progressive Rock
(16:33–21:45)
- Joining Yes at a pivotal time when the band was evolving from pop covers to original, structured, complex music:
"When I joined Yes... they were playing their own song. So basically that meant... I could get in here and play some, you know, really good guitar. These guys can, you know, they understand improvisation. They want structure, improvisation, harmonies." (Steve Howe, 16:56)
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Emphasizes the importance of balancing structure and improvisation, and how Yes pushed sound technology, staging (with Roger Dean), and setlists to shape the genre's sonic identity.
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Discusses briefly his parallel work with Asia and GTR, and the necessity of focusing later on Yes and solo work.
"I left Asia in 2012 because I wanted to concentrate on Yes and my own solo music." (Steve Howe, 20:41)
7. Reflections on Progressive Rock Peers
(25:32–26:42)
- Names bands such as Soft Machine and Genesis as impactful, points out that Genesis transformed themselves much like Yes, and appreciated Peter Gabriel’s solo evolution.
"I saw that we were part of a pool, you know... But of course, Genesis took that leap like Yes did in the 80s..." (Steve Howe, 25:40)
8. The Evolution of Yes' Live Sound and Production
(27:05–29:58)
- Howe details the technical journey from buying Iron Butterfly’s P.A. to exclusively working with the famed Clair Brothers Audio, and how their innovative team (Eddie Offord, Roger Dean, etc.) raised the standard for live rock performances.
"We started to really care about how we sounded because we didn't really like the sound of the PAs that were available in England... In America we said, Clair Brothers is it. And we swore blind we'd never play without Clair." (Steve Howe, 27:18)
9. The Art and Science of Band Collaboration
(29:58–31:44)
- Howe shares that successful collaboration in Yes has always come from “joint willingness” and both artistic and inter-personal harmony:
"We've got to be willing to go the same way. And that to find that willingness is in the belief, you know, in the band, in the music, the love of the band." (Steve Howe, 30:13)
- He makes a point: “Fun is enjoying your art, enjoying your opportunity to make your art even better..." (Steve Howe, 31:13)
10. Creating the Classic 'Fragile' Album
(32:02–36:21)
- Howe recalls how 'Roundabout' came together on tour with Jon Anderson, and the collaborative yet unique concept of giving each member a solo piece.
"John and I had just managed to formulate the idea of Roundabout together during tours... So when we started Fragile, John and I started the thing we did quite often in the 70s... That song was built like that, from the understanding that John and I had a song." (Steve Howe, 32:02)
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Reflects on Tony Kaye’s departure, Rick Wakeman’s arrival, and how the “solo pieces” idea made Fragile unique.
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Admits that the band sometimes forgot its "rock band" core and noodled too much:
"Yes must never forget they're a rock band. The worst thing we ever do – and we do it sometimes – is because we're actually a rock band and we noodle around... and spoil what... has been some great pieces of music." (Steve Howe, 34:57)
11. The Current Yes Lineup and New Energy
(36:49–39:46)
- Describes the talents and personalities of current Yes members, especially after Benoit David and Alan White’s departures. Howe emphasizes shared values with Jon Davison and the legacy being honored and maintained by Billy Sherwood and Jeff Downes.
"Billy is an exceptional person too. He's a multi-instrumentalist... what he has to do is hone it down into his admiration of Chris [Squire], really, and taking on the role of Chris with the bass pedals, with the vocals. Chris was not just a bass player by any means. So it's a big demanding job and he's doing really well." (Steve Howe, 38:23)
12. Upcoming Summer Tour and Collaborating with Deep Purple
(39:46–41:08)
- Steve expresses excitement at finally getting to play a joint tour with Deep Purple, praising the group’s legacy and their new guitarist Simon McBride.
"It's marvelous to think that finally we got to play with Deep Purple. It's been talked about before and we've always been very, very excited about the idea." (Steve Howe, 39:57)
13. Staying Curious and the Drive for Musical Discovery
(41:08–43:16)
- Howe credits continuous curiosity and focus as keys to sustained creativity. New instruments and sound technologies keep his passion ignited.
"What I do is what I do... Having the guitars I want is very, very important to me. And I just bought a new pedal steel guitar because my old ones were too tired... They kind of stimulate my interest in using particular different kinds of sound." (Steve Howe, 41:23)
- Howe remains energized by both rock and classical music:
"Music still excites me, you know, from Bach to—well, I don't know, I'm trying to think of another B. But anyway, Bach is a big player. But of course, rock music is primarily what got me off the sofa." (Steve Howe, 42:32)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “The Beatles were just literally a sensation... It was a bit like the Pandemic... it spread across the world.” (Steve Howe, 10:08)
- "Yes must never forget they're a rock band. The worst thing we ever do... is noodle around with some nerdy stuff and spoil what has been some great pieces of music." (Steve Howe, 34:57)
- “Fun is enjoying your art, you know, enjoying your opportunity to make your art even better.” (Steve Howe, 31:13)
- “What I do is what I do... I haven't got a side job... It's either guitar collection or music. Music still excites me.” (Steve Howe, 41:23)
Key Segment Timestamps
- Opening and Early Gigs: 03:44–05:43
- Roots & Chuck Berry Influence: 06:10–07:32
- Chet Atkins & Meeting Heroes: 07:41–09:39
- The Beatles & Rolling Stones: 10:03–15:35
- Thoughts on The Who, Led Zeppelin: 15:46–16:33
- Genesis/Evolution of Yes: 16:33–21:45
- Prog Rock Peers: 25:32–26:42
- Yes’ Sonic Innovations: 27:05–29:58
- Band Collaboration: 29:58–31:44
- Making ‘Fragile’: 32:02–36:21
- Current Band Lineup: 36:49–39:46
- Upcoming Deep Purple Tour: 39:46–41:08
- Curiosity & Musical Passion: 41:08–43:16
Tone & Style
- The conversation is warm, reflective, and steeped in musical passion, punctuated by Howe’s British wit and humility, and Buzz Knight’s enthusiastic and knowledgeable prodding.
- Technical details and personal asides lend authenticity and intimacy, while big-picture reflections on musical legacy provide emotional resonance.
For any listener or reader, this episode is an inspiring, deeply personal journey through the making of a genre, the legacy of progressive rock, and the enduring spirit of one of its chief architects, Steve Howe.