LIFESTYLE - SUMMER 2017

LOCAL FARM...

...TO GLOBAL FAME

How a 10-year-old Accrington milk boy became an international rock star!

Interview by Sarah Rigg

In the first of our two-part interview with Accrington-born rock star Jon Anderson, the founding member of Yes talks about his childhood growing up in the town and how he returned for a UK tour with fellow bandmates Trevor Rabin and RickWakeman.

It could be the trailer for a blockbuster movie. Two lile lads playing football in the empty car park of a northern town - one that would grow up to become a cricket legend - and the other, a world-famous rock star. Who could have guessed the amazing fate of 10-year-old David Lloyd fromWater Street and his 12-year-old-pal, John Roy Anderson who lived on nearby Norfolk Street? "David was my arch enemy," jokes Accrington-born singer-songwriter Jon, who dropped the ‘h’ in his name when he found global fame with the progressive rock group Yes. The band's biggest chart hit was ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart', sung and co-wrien by Jon, and covered by many admiring artists over the years. "David lived a couple of streets away fromme," recalls Jon, who now lives with his second wife Jane in California. "Whenever I was on my way to play football in the car park of Accrington Stanley up at Peel Park, I would knock on David's door and say, ‘You get your team together and I'll get mine. ' We'd kick the ball around like crazy. I just wanted to beat him and his mates, it was always important that my teamwould win. We had this lovely rivalry with each other. "In the 1950s I became a ball boy for the original club and I was also their mascot for a year." As Jon’s position on the world stage steadily grew he was pleased to see his old pal Bumble doing so well. He adds: "It was great watching David progress to playing for Accrington Cricket Club and then for Lancashire before captaining England. I was always amazed by how wonderful life is. And then about three years ago David made contact so we sent some emails and spoke on the phone.” Aer mentioning that Bumble had taken up bodybuilding in 2016, Jon quips: "It's about time he got into shape. Although it is kinda weird too because I also started weight-liing last year in preparation for touring. "You get to a certain age – David's around the same age as me – and if you're going to keep travelling the world, you need to be prey fit." The tour Jon is referring to is with ARW (Anderson, Rabin &Wakeman), a musical collaboration with former Yes bandmates Trevor Rabin and RickWakeman. It is the first time the trio have toured together since 1990 and they kicked off their series of shows in North America, headed to the UK and finish in Europe.

Top: Image of Jon created by his daughter, Deborah, a professional photographer. Above: St. John’s School 1953 - Jon is 3rd from the right on the back row.

8 L I F E : STY L E SUMME R 2 0 1 7

L I F E : STY L E SUMME R 2 0 1 7 9