Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Chris Broughton

‘It was an I Will Survive for the 1990s’: how McAlmont & Butler made Yes

‘It has a power I can’t account for’ … Bernard Butler, left, and David McAlmont.
‘It has a power I can’t account for’ … Bernard Butler, left, and David McAlmont. Photograph: Mick Hutson/Redferns

Bernard Butler, musician/songwriter

I’d just left Suede and was living in a basement flat in Highgate, London, making music in my tiny box room. It was a lonely time, but a lovely summer and I decided to do something uplifting and joyous. There were a bunch of records I loved listening to on a sunny day – Dusty Springfield’s I Only Want to Be With You, The First Picture of You by the Lotus Eaters, You on My Mind by Swing Out Sister, which has Bacharach key changes and strings. I wanted to make a piece of music that gave me the buzz those songs did.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.