Note: This story has been updated to include a statement from a band representative.
Members of the legendary progressive rock band Yes have been named in a lawsuit alleging that they used a composition from a fellow musician for a song on a recent album.
The lawsuit says that guitarist Steve Howe and Jon Davison, the current lead singer of Yes, used portions of a song titled “Reunion,” by musician Riz Story for their song “Dare to Know,” off Yes’ 2021 album, “The Quest.”
Story, aka Rudolph Zahler, said in the lawsuit that he met in 1990 and that the two of them, along with Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins played together in a prog-rock band called Anyone when they were younger, according to a report from Rolling Stone.
Zahler goes on to say that he helped Davison audition for Yes and helped him co-write songs for the group in 2013.
“Reunion” was featured in the 2014 movie “A Winter Rose,” which starred Paul Sorvino, Billy Zane, Taryn Manning, and Edward Furlong.
“Mr. Davison decided to just ‘steal’ Mr. Zahler’s song ‘Reunion’ for the album, rather than getting Mr. Zahler’s permission,” the lawsuit says, adding that Davison and Howe “decided to add lyrics to the music, affix the name ‘Dare to Know’ to the song and attribute sole songwriting credit to Mr. Howe.”
“It is with a heavy heart that Riz Story is forced to sue Stephen Howe, one of his childhood music idols, and Jon Davison, his lifelong friend. But they left him no other choice,” Zahler’s lawyer, Larry J. Caldwell, said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “Mr. Story trusts the legal system to deliver justice in these difficult circumstances.”
A representative for Yes responded with the following statement: “This is vindictive, defamatory, delusional garbage. It will be vigorously defended.”
Sony Music Entertainment and Inside Out Music are named as co-defendents.
About The Author
