When Jon Anderson, founding member of Yes, tired of the 1980s pop metal direction the band had gone in, he attempted to start a solo project. He talked to Steve Howe about some song ideas, then gradually accumulated other members of the 1970s Yes band, until drummer Bill Bruford realized “we’re in trouble here. This obviously meant it was some sort of Yes project … I thought I was just going to put some drums on a Jon Anderson solo record”

The band could not call themselves Yes, in fact were sued over whether their record company was allowed to even mention that band when promoting their music and tour. So they simply named the act after themselves.

Ultimately, though, they joined with the members of the modern Yes, to tour and record the album Union.