Yes - The Beat Years (1966)

Anthony John Selvidge (Kaye) was born on 11 January 1945 in Leicester, and at a very young age was left his grandmother's grand piano, which he played on when he was little. At age four, Kaye began formal piano lessons, and took part in his first concerts at twelve in solo and duet piano performances. His aim was to study at the Royal College of Music in London and become a concert pianist, but he developed an interest in other music once he heard jazz musicians Count Basie and Duke Ellington. By the early 1960s, Kaye had abandoned his classical background in favour of pop and rock music, and after moving to London, he used to visit The Marquee club to watch bands play, including keyboardist Graham Bond whose style became a strong influence. Kaye landed a position in The Federals through an advertisement in Melody Maker and played on their singles recorded between 1963 and 1967, mainly in a covers and comedy showband style, and after passing through Yellow Passion Loaf and Johnny Taylor's Star Combo, he joined Jimmy Winston in Winston's Fumbs. 

Christopher Russell Edward Squire was born on 4 March 1948 in Kingsbury, north west London, and from the age of six his only musical experience was singing in a church choir. He didn't consider a music career until the age of sixteen, when the emergence of the Beatles and the Beat music boom in the early 1960's inspired him to "be in a group that don't use music stands". A school friend recommended Squire to take up the bass after pointing out his tall frame and large hands, thinking they were ideal for playing the instrument, so Squire purchased his first bass. After being suspended from school for having long hair, he never returned, and landed a job selling guitars at a Boosey & Hawkes shop in Regent Street, where he used the staff discount to purchase a new Rickenbacker bass. Squire's first band was The Selfs, a rock and rhythm and blues band that featured Andrew Pryce Jackman on keyboards and Martin Adelman on drums. In 1965, following several personnel changes, Squire, Jackman and Adelman teamed up with singer Steve Nardelli, guitarist John Painter, and drummer Gunnar Jökull Hákonarson to form a new group, the Syn. 

Peter William Brockbanks (Banks) was born on 15 July 1947, and grew up in Barnet, North London, learning to play the  acoustic guitar and banjo as a teenager. His musical career started with the Nighthawks in 1963, and he played his first concert at the New Barnet Pop Festival before leaving them to join the Devil's Disciples in 1964. That band consisted of Banks on guitar, John Tite on vocals, Ray Alford on bass and Malcolm "Pinnie" Raye on drums, and they recorded two songs on an acetate, Arthur Alexander's 'You Better Move On' and Graham Gouldman's 'For Your Love' (which would later be a hit for the Yardbirds). About a year later, Banks joined The Syndicats, replacing their guitarist Ray Fenwick, who had himself replaced Steve Howe, who would later replace Banks in Yes.

Stephen James Howe was born on 8 April 1947 in Holloway, North London, and was exposed to a wide variety of music during his childhood by way of his parents record collection. After he left primary school, he wanted to become a guitarist, and so his parents bought an F-hole acoustic at age 12 as a Christmas present. Two years later he bought a solid body Guyatone, his first electric guitar, which was followed with a Gibson ES-175D in 1964, one of the guitars that he would became most identified with. Later that year he became a member of his first professional band, the north London-based r'n'b group The Syndicats, who were produced by Joe Meek. The band recorded three singles, and the b-side of one of them, 'True To Me', was Howe's first co-writing credit with the band's singer Tom Ladd. In 1965, he left the band and accepted an invitation to join The In-Crowd, a soul and covers band who released a rendition of Otis Redding's 'That's How Strong My Love Is', which just missed the UK Top 40.

John Roy Anderson was born on 25 October 1944 in Accrington, Lancashire, and as a youngster he became a fan of several musicians, including Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, The Everly Brothers, and Jon Hendricks. He attended St. John's School, but was not a strong academic, and while there he made a tentative start in a musical career, playing the washboard in Little John's Skiffle Group. At fifteen he left school, and had no particular desire to become a singer until his brother Tony took up singing and joined the Warriors, a local group also known as the Electric Warriors. After one of the backing vocalists left the group, Anderson filled in the position, and found music more enjoyable and a better choice for money than manual labour. The group performed mainly cover songs, and recorded two singles in 1965, 'You Came Along' and 'Don't Make Me Blue'. After the Warriors split in Germany in late 1967, the band returned to England while Anderson stayed behind, briefly singing in the Party, a band from Bolton who were playing in Germany.

Track listing

The Federals (Tony Kaye)
01 Boot Hill (single 1963)
02 Keep On Dancing With Me (b-side of 'Boot Hill')
03 Brazil (single 1963)
04 In A Persian Market (b-side of 'Brazil')
05 Marlena (single 1964)
06 Please Believe Me (b-side of 'Marlena')

The Selfs (Chris Squire)
07 I Can't Explain (demo 1964)

The Devil's Disciples (Peter Banks)
08 You Better Move On (single 1964)

The Syndicats (Steve Howe, Peter Banks)
09 Maybelline (single 1964)
10 True To Me (b-side of 'Maybelline')
11 On The Horizon (single 1965)

The Warriors (Jon Anderson)
12 You Came Along (single 1965)

The In Crowd (Steve Howe)
13 Stop! Wait A Minute (single 1965)
14 You're On Your Own (b-side of 'Stop! Wait A Minute')
15 Why Must They Criticide (single 1965)
16 I Don't Mind (b-side of 'Why Must They Criticise')

Enjoy / Enjoy

Track listing

The Federals (Tony Kaye)
01 Twlight Time (single 1964)
02 Lost And Alone (b-side of 'Twilight Time')
03 The Climb (single 1964)
04 Dance With A Dolly (b-side of 'The Climb')
05 Bucket Full Of Love (single 1965)
06 Leah (b-side of 'Bucket Full Of Love')

The Selfs (Chris Squire)
07 Love You (demo 1964)

The Devil's Disciples (Peter Banks)
08 For Your Love (b-side of 'You Better Move On' 1964)

The Syndicats (Steve Howe, Peter Banks)
09 Crawdaddy Simone (b-side of 'On The Horizon' 1965)
10 Howlin' For My Baby (single 1965)
11 What To Do (b-side of 'Howlin' For My Baby')

The Warriors (Jon Anderson)
12 Don't Make Me Blue (b-side of 'You Came Along' 1965)

The In Crowd (Steve Howe)
13 That's How Strong My Love Is (single 1965)
14 Things She Says (b-side of 'That's How Strong My Love Is')
15 Am I Glad To See You (previously unreleased 1966)
16 Blow Up (previously unreleased 1966)