Quartet: I Wanna Learn/She Gives Me Love/Who Was the First/I'm Alive

Hey there, Zoo Freaks! Your hippie DJs at THE ZOO are spinning a cosmic gem tonight with "Quartet: I Wanna Learn/She Gives Me Love/Who Was the First/I'm Alive" from Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe's self-titled 1989 album. This four-part suite is a love letter to connection and consciousness, drenched in that classic prog rock vibe. Did you know the second part, "She Gives Me Love," is a playful nod to Yes fans? It weaves in references to their classics like "Long Distance Runaround," "South Side of the Sky," and "Roundabout." Fans on a Google Groups thread back in the day were tickled, with one saying they "had to laugh" at the nostalgic Easter eggs, wondering if it was a hint at their upcoming tour. Another cool tidbit: the "I'm Alive" single version, released to promote the album, isn’t just a chop of the album track. It’s got an extended instrumental section with Rick Wakeman and Steve Howe trading solos, plus extra backing vocals, making it a collector’s treat for diehards, as noted on Prog Archives.

Now, let’s dive into how Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe came to be. This quartet—Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, Rick Wakeman, and Steve Howe—was a reunion of Yes legends from the band’s 1970s heyday. By 1988, Jon Anderson felt stifled by Yes’s pop-leaning direction under guitarist Trevor Rabin. Craving the progressive roots of albums like Close to the Edge, Anderson left Yes and rallied his old bandmates. Bruford, fresh from King Crimson, brought in bassist Tony Levin, a Crimson collaborator, to round out the lineup. They couldn’t use the Yes name due to legal battles with the other Yes faction, so they went with their surnames, creating a band that, as Louder put it, was “Yes in all but name.” Recording kicked off in Paris, moved to Montserrat’s AIR Studios, and wrapped with mixing in New York, resulting in an album that hit No. 14 in the UK and No. 30 in the US.

For more on this prog rock supergroup, check out their official sites: Jon Anderson’s website, Bill Bruford’s website, Rick Wakeman’s website, and Steve Howe’s website. On social media, follow Jon Anderson on Facebook, Jon Anderson on Instagram, and Jon Anderson on X. Rick Wakeman’s active on Facebook and X, while Steve Howe’s at Facebook and Instagram. Bill Bruford’s retired from performing but maintains a presence on Facebook. Fans gather at YesWorld, the official Yes site, and on Yes Fans Facebook Group for lively discussions. The Progressive Ears forum is another hotspot for ABWH and Yes devotees to geek out over tracks like "Quartet." Keep it groovy, Zoo Freaks!