Editing Close to the Edge (section)

== Background ==
By late 1971, Yes's line-up comprised lead vocalist [[Jon Anderson]], bassist [[Chris Squire]], drummer [[Bill Bruford]], guitarist [[Steve Howe (musician)|Steve Howe]], and keyboardist [[Rick Wakeman]].<ref name=LPsleeve>{{cite AV media notes|title=Close to the Edge|others=[[Yes (band)|Yes]]|year=1972|publisher=[[Atlantic Records]]|type=UK LP liner notes|id=K 50012}}</ref> In March 1972, they wrapped their six-month [[Fragile Tour]] of the UK and North America in support of their fourth album, ''[[Fragile (Yes album)|Fragile]]'' (1971). The album became their biggest commercial and critical hit since their formation, helped by the track "[[Roundabout (Yes song)|Roundabout]]" receiving considerable airplay on American radio. On 1 and 2 February 1972, during one of the tour's rest periods, the band booked time at [[Advision Studios]] in London to put down some tracks for a follow-up record.{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=120}} When touring finished, they took another break before they entered rehearsals at the Una Billings School of Dance in [[Shepherd's Bush]] in May 1972.{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=122}} Although some arrangements were worked out and put onto tape during this time,{{sfn|Bruford|2009|p=56}} none of the tracks were fully written at this stage, leaving the group to devise the rest of the songs in the studio and learn to play them through afterwards.{{sfn|Welch|2008|p=122}} On several occasions the arrangements that Yes had started to assemble were so complex that they were forgotten by the time the next day's session began. This caused the band to record each rehearsal for future reference.{{sfn|Morse|1996|p=35}} Bruford devised the album's title to reflect the state of the band at the time.{{sfn|Bruford|2009|p=57}}