Progressive rock band Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, also known as ABWH, have surprisingly found themselves on a list of "failed supergroups," despite its members having been members of the legendary rock band Yes.
Formed in the late 1980s and consisting of Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, Rick Wakeman and Steve Howe, the four-piece once caused a huge stir among fans, especially after the former Yes members reunited in a new lineup.
The song "Brother of Mine" from their debut album became their signature song, with an edited version reaching number 2 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 63 on the UK Singles Chart.
Their first and only album, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe , released in 1989, reached number 30 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Despite achieving only limited commercial success after their short existence, ABWH have become one of the forgotten supergroups.
In the ranking published BBC Music , points to a common problem some supergroups face.
English progressive rock band Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, London, February 1989. From left: vocalist Jon Anderson, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, drummer Bill Bruford, and guitarist Steve Howe. Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images.
One reason is «the difficulty of achieving the same cultural resonance without the full «chemical field» of their original groups.».
«There were some tough moments during the process of making the album,” guitarist Steve Howe told the publication. Innerviews , „But I was really happy with the project. I remember thinking, “Wow, this is quite interesting.„ John came to my house in London and said, “Let’s do this. Let’s put this band together.» I gave him six songs on a cassette, and he left. Those songs essentially became the core of the album. He added to them. That’s why I love that album so much, because some of the emotional songs are just fantastic. Those songs really mean a lot to me. They’re very exciting.”.
As for ABWH, the band still enjoys respect among progressive rock fans, but never became as influential as Yes.
Behind the Scenes of Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe's Legal Dispute
While a number of factors may have prevented ABWH from becoming one of the leading supergroups of their era, a legal dispute surrounding the band's use of the Yes name created a major problem that limited the group's development.
Conflict arose between the quartet and the current members of Yes, in particular Chris Squire and Tony Kaye.
After leaving Yes, the members of ABWH held their concerts under the slogan "An Evening of Yes Music Plus".
However, the remaining members of Yes challenged the decision, arguing that they had legal rights to the Yes trademark and that it could confuse fans.
As a result, in an effort to avoid a complex legal process, Arista Records encouraged the bands to team up for a major collaboration. The result was an album and a tour. Union in the early 1990s, temporarily uniting eight participants.
On the topic: The 90s supergroup made an exclusive announcement about their first song in eight years.
This article was originally published by Parade on June 1, 2026, in the News section. Add Parade to your list of recommended sources by clicking here.