BILLY SHERWOOD

I also write poems, so that is something that I really enjoy.

I'd written songs with lots of people, from one spectrum to the other.

I wrote songs with the guys from Air Supply for their record... So I was just writing songs.

I'm very proud of it as a Yes record amongst many of the other Yes records.

I love all Yes music and love to play it live, but I'm most interested in making new music with Yes.

I write on all instruments.

And as you said, everyone contributed; certain areas of material came from certain individuals.

We came off the road of the last tour very inspired to just keep playing, so we went to Canada.

I grew up in a very musical family, my father was a musician and a big band leader and made records.

So when bands work with me and it's 10 o'clock, usually you'd have to be getting out of the studio, we could go on until 2 in the morning cause it's my place!

Everyone is really getting along with each other and we enjoy each others company and love playing live.

I love the feeling of creating pictures in someone's mind just by spelling out the right lyrical combination.

When you're a songwriter and you click with someone, you tend to want to keep writing with that person.

I have always enjoyed different kinds of music.

I don't have any assistants, I do it all myself, I don't have any secretaries.

And I found that when I built my own place and just shut the door, the creativity was endless.

I think that the climate within the band has changed, it's now in a more functional situation.

I know that if I went to other studios, like in Vancouver, that those are set up to be as professional and as true, so it's just a different flavour, it's a different sound, but I think both have their place.

So in one sense you don't have the classic keyboard player in Yes.

I've had the luxury of owning my own studio, 24 analogue, 48 digital, endless effects, endless hardcore gear, that I don't have to rent, I don't get stuck with the bills, it's all mine.

So for my studio purposes, I know that I'm in my studio with technicians who've done amazing things to my board and to my power amps and I know what I can deliver out of my studio.

I mean, Beatles songs were two and a half minutes long, and they're fantastic.

So that studio served its purpose, and still is working very well for other people right now.

You know, I am just a musician and I have no idea these days what good and bad is in terms of labels.

Sometimes I hear a drum groove in my head and I rush down to my studio.