Fragile (Yes album) Fragile (Yes album) Fragile is the fourth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released in November 1971 by Atlantic Records. After touring in support of their previous album, "The Yes Album" (1971), the band entered rehearsals in London in preparation for their next studio album. Early into the sessions, keyboardist Tony Kaye was fired over his reluctance to utilize more electronic synthesizers. He was quickly replaced with Rick Wakeman of the Strawbs, whose experience with various instruments helped expand the group's sound with the addition of the electric piano and harpsichord, Mellotron, and Minimoog synthesiser. Four tracks
Rick Wakeman Wakeman left from the Ronnie Smith group and for several months, played in a pub band named the Spinning Wheel. In 1970, Wakeman performed on "Seasons" by Magna Carta, and records by Brotherhood of Man, Paper Bubble, Shawn Phillips, and White Plains. He soon became disillusioned with session work, "I was getting good bread, but I wasn't getting a chance to be part of the music". Wakeman's prominence rose during his tenure with the folk rock group Strawbs from 1969 to 1971. He first played the piano for them as a session on "Dragonfly", the first album released with Wakeman's