The Yes Album the follow-up album in mid-1971, to be replaced by Rick Wakeman. Yes had started their career as a covers band, performing radical re-arrangements of hit songs, and their first two albums included covers in this vein. "The Yes Album" was the first to feature group-written material in its entirety. Some familiar elements remained: Anderson, Howe and Squire sang three-part vocal harmony throughout the record, while Squire's melodic bass and Bill Bruford's spacious drumming made up their unique rhythm section. "Yours Is No Disgrace" originated from some lyrics written by Anderson with his friend David Foster. This was combined with other
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (album) lasted 55 minutes but it was reduced to 40 so it could fit the time constraints of an LP. Malone called the project a challenge and "completely different" to what he had been involved with previously. A&M Records had wanted Wakeman to select a group of known musicians to play in his rock band, but he opposed to the idea as he intended for the public to like the album for its music rather than the performers. Wakeman chose a group that he used to play with at the Valiant Trooper, a pub in Holmer Green in Buckinghamshire. "I'd played