This page last updated: 8 May 2008
 

YES and projects with several Yesmen	Jon Anderson	Chris Squire	Steve Howe	Alan White
Rick Wakeman	Bill Bruford	Tony Kaye	Peter Banks	Patrick Moraz
Trevor Horn	Geoff Downes	Trevor Rabin	Billy Sherwood	Igor Khoroshev
Anderson & Wakeman	Asia	CIRCA: (with White, Kaye & Sherwood)	Oliver Wakeman	Others associated with the band

On this page: Circa: - White - The White Sox - Other projects - Solo appearances - Charity work

On other pages: Yes news - Billy Sherwood's Pink Floyd tribute albums (with White)

Alan White's official site: Homepage; News; MySpace page

CIRCA:
Alan White is in CIRCA:, a new band with Billy Sherwood, Tony Kaye and Jimmy Haun—see main page. Their debut album, CIRCA: 2007, is now out and the band hope to tour in the latter half of 2007 and into 2008. Alan also guests on several other projects organised by Sherwood: two Pink Floyd tribute albums (Back Against the Wall, based on The Wall; and Return to the Dark Side of the Moon, based on Dark Side of the Moon); Led Box: The Ultimate Tribute to Led Zeppelin; and a cover of "Starship Trooper" on Jim Ladd's Headsets album From Here to Infinity—see details for all these here.

White

The band White consists of Alan (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Kevin Currie (ex-MerKaBa; lead vocals), Karl Haug (ex-Treason; electric & acoustic guitars, lap steel, backing vocals) and Steve Boyce (ex-MerKaBa; bass, guitar, backing vocals). Since recording their debut album (see next paragraph), the band has been joined by Richard "Wayo" Hogan (ex-Merkaba; rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keys) and Phil Davis (a.k.a. Peter Davis, ex-Bighorn; keys). Geoff Downes played keys on the album and one show with the band in 2005. However, he has not played with White since becoming busy with the Asia reunion, leaving the band to work with a number of substitutes. By now, it appears that he has effectively left the band. In Jan 2007, Boyce explained on his blog: "We love Geoff to death, but we all live here and he lives waaaaay over there - and he's currently quite busy with Wetton-Downes and Asia." Their debut album was White (Renaissance Entertainment Group); tracks: "New Day", "Beyond the Sea of Lies", "Give Up Giving Up", "Crazy Believer", "Fate", "Dream Away", "Once and For All", "Mighty Love", "Loyal", "Waterhole". Cover by Roger Dean. See details in Yescography. The Japanese release includes a bonus track of Chris Squire & Alan White's 1981 single "Run with the Fox". While White remains a going concern, it seems the band members are mostly focusing their efforts elsewhere at present. Boyce blogged on 12 Mar 2007 that, "As for [White,] it seems everyone is going in their own directions right now. Without management, or even an advocate, pretty much nothing is happening. I've been in my studio playing with some new ideas. Don't know that it's going to be music for this band, though." He explained later that, "It seemed 'it are going in separate directions right now" may have been interpreted as the band being finished. That's not the case. Everyone is doing their own thing right now and no one person is really putting energy or effort into the band. That's all I meant to say. You get what you give and right now not much of either is happening....." On 22 Jun 2007, he blogged, "There are those who thought this band was over. Hell, I've certainly had some of those thoughts myself. I play music with other people sometimes, so does Alan, so does Karl. But that doesn't mean we don't love this band. There is still much more to come from White. Much more.....  :)" On 3 Jan 2008, he said, "White is still alive, although there will be some changes in the works. Perhaps even a name change? Hmmmm..... With Phil Davis in the band, and more time to write and think the whole thing through, it may be a different sounding project than the last record. Actually, I'm certain it will be a different sound." On 28 Mar, Boyce blogged, "White update - not much happening at the moment."

A follow-up album is planned. In a Jul 2005 interview for Notes from the Edge, Alan White said, "We've got plenty of material, that's for sure. There is a lot of material that's still hanging around." In his blog, Boyce previously implied new recording in late 2006 and the band, minus Downes but plus Hogan, recorded a piece called "To Kill the Pain" in Aug 2006, but this will be released under some other moniker than White.

The band play occasional live shows in Washington state. They were at Woodstick 2007—see details below. They appeared at Seattle Hempfest drug policy reform rally in Aug 2007, with keys and backing vocals by Davis. Set: "New Day", "Beyond the Sea of Lies", "Give Up Giving Up", "Crazy Believer", "Tempus Fugit", "Changes". ("Mighty Love" was planned, but dropped due to lack of time.) They supported The New Cars on 24 Jun in Tulalip, WA, again with keys (including Hammond B3) by Davis (I think his first show with them); set: "New Day", "Crazy Believer", "Sea of Lies", "Give Up Giving Up", "Mighty Love", "Changes".

The White Sox
The White Sox is a new live supergroup that emerged from Alan's involvement with The Rock and Roll Fantasy Camps (he did two in 2007 and one in Jan of this year). They played two private, corporate gigs in 2007 in Shanghai on 4 Nov and in Iceland in early Dec for the Glitnir financial group, but their first public appearance is on 9 May in Seattle, WA. The band will consist of Alan White (drums), Spike Edney (Queen, worked with The Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, Beyoncé; keys, guitar), Jamie Moses (worked with Queen, Mike and the Mechanics, Paul Young; guitar), Jeff Scott Soto (Journey; vocals) and Bernt Bodal (ex-Høst and now CEO of American Seafoods; bass). The band are headlining For Rock's Sake, a benefit concert sponsored by Music Aid Northwest for MusiCares. Support will be from Tracey Alan Moore and from Randy Hansen. At the 2007 shows, the band was without Soto, but with Jonsi (I Svortum Fotum; vocals) and Omar Gudjonsson (worked with Morten Harket, Mezzoforte; guitar).

Ahmet Ertegün memorial show
White joined Chris Squire, Keith Emerson (ex-ELP; keys) and Simon Kirke (ex-Free, Bad Company; drums) at the Ahmet Ertegün memorial show in London on 10 Dec. The line-up played just one piece, ELP's version of "Fanfare for the Common Man". Plans for Rick Wakeman to be involved too were scup pered by the re-scheduling of the event—see details on main page.

Other projects & solo appearances
On 26 Apr, Alan White was appearing at the 8^th Annual Cape Breton International Drum Festival. On 19 Apr, he was taking part in the Patches Pals 4 Life concert (21+ only) in Tacoma, WA, benefitting local children's hospitals. Also appearing are Magic Bus, Spike O'Neill (Spike and the Impalers) and the Aury Moore Band.On 3 Apr 2008, White attended a show by Yes tribute band Parallels (MySpace page) and joined them for three pieces: "Parallels", "Siberian Khatru" and "Yours is No Disgrace".

For 3 dates in Sweden and Norway in Feb 2008, An Evening with the Music of John Lennon saw a band headed by Alan White performing the music of John Lennon, with Jack Mittleman on guitar and the creative director. Also in the band were Eric Bazilian (The Hooters), Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper Band) and various others. Artwork was by Klaus Voormann (ex-John Lennon).

At the NAMM 2008 show in Anaheim, CA, the NAMM All-Store Lobby Jam featured Alan White, Spencer Davis, Dave Mason, Bobby Kimball (Toto), Ray Dorset (Mungo Jerry), Tommy Zvoncheck, Reek Havok, Chris Slade (ex-Asia), Buck Dharma, Jeff Cook, Joe Vitale, Don Wilson, George Terry, Mark Meadows (The Edgar Winter Band), Dave Santos and others. They played pieces including "Feelin' Alright" and "Be Your Man". The NAMM show was also used to launch Submersible Music's AlanPack 1 for use with DrumCore 2 software. (Jon Anderson was also at NAMM '08.)

Alan has appeared with various acts at various special shows in Washington state through the year. On 5 Dec, he was due to play at Geoffrey Castle's Celtic Christmas in Everett, WA. In Aug, he was due to be playing with the Northwest Rock-n-Roll Legends in Issaquah, WA, as part of a Music Aid Northwest event to benefit the Issaquah Food Bank. The band included Neal Rush (Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Wailers; saxophone), Goldy McJohn (Steppenwolf, Freddy and the Screamers, The Mynah Birds; keys), Kathi McDonald (Big Brother & The Holding Co., Long John Baldry; vocals) and members of The Daily Flash and The Kingsmen. Alan was appearing at the 1st Annual All Harley Bash in Issaquah, WA on 15 Jul. He was expected to guest with two headlining bands performing at the event: Goldy McJohn and Friends, and The Rockafellers.

As well as playing with Yes, White was in the 'house band' for much of the Produced by Trevor Horn concert in Nov 2004, playing with Grace Jones, Propagana, Art of Noise, t.A.T.u., Seal and Lisa Stansfield. The evening has been released on DVD—details under Horn.

White was participating in a recording project involving former members of Russia, possibly to be a reunion, but is no longer involved. It is unclear whether any of his work will appear on the final release.

Asked about a new solo album in a Jan 2000 interview, White said: "I've got tons of material, I just need the time to do it. [...] I've had the material hanging around for a long time". In a Nov 2001 interview, he said: "I've actually had a lot of material, collected over years and years, but I use some of it in every Yes album. However I'm collecting some other pieces and maybe my second album will come out someday." In a Dec 2003 interview with Delicious Agony, he said, "I have stockpiles of material," but that he wanted to take his time over any project to "make sure it's right." In his 2004 MSN Chat, White said, "I have a home studio and I'm working on some solo projects as well [as the White band]."

Other news
A remix of Alan and Chris Squire's "Run with the Fox" is included on Chris Squire's Swiss Choir.

Alan and White were at Woodstick 2007 (MySpace page) in Puyallup, WA, in Oct. Woodstick is sponsored by Rotarians for Hearing Regeneration: A Rotarian Action Group and raises money for various causes. Woodstick were trying to break their own world record of 533 for the largest number of drummers with drum sets playing one song simultaneously, but were unsuccessful.

Alan is on the advisory board of Northwest Program for the Arts. He and wife Gigi co-founded and are on the board of directors for Music Aid Northwest, whose mission is "to bring business and community organizations together, with the talent and resources of the Northwest music industry, to provide funds to aid people in need while enhancing and promoting music awareness and performance throughout the region." You can donate to Music Aid Northwest here.

White continues his partnership with Reek N. Havok as Crash and Bang with an emphasis on music for entertainment purposes (TV, computer gamesetc.). (Crash and Bang is an offspring of Reek Havok's Sounds Amazing! company, which concentrates on technical aspects.)

Any news, additions or corrections, please e-mail Henry Potts. Thanks.