Jon Anderson never had a desire to become a singer but when his brother joined a band called (Electric) Warriors and their background singer left the band Jon could take his place. The Warriors were introduced to Elton John and Bernie Taupin but Jon didn't like much of the songs they wrote and moved to the Netherlands to join the band Les Cruches he met in London. But when he heared that the demos he did with Elton John and Bernie Taupin were going to be released he returned home. A single "Never My Love / All Of The Time" was released under the pseudonym Hans Christian (Anderson). It was received with positive reviews by Melody Maker and NME. A second single "(The Autobiography of) Mississippi Hobo"/"Sonata of Love" was released but went unnoticed. The songs didn't do much in the charts. After some live performances the band fired Jon because they didn't want a lead vocalist. When Jon met Chris Squire in 1968 and Yes was formed. The rest of that is history. In 1976 he released his first solo album "Olias Of Sunhillow".  An album about an alien race of four tribes and their journey to a new planet as theirs is under threat from destruction. 

Album cover of "Olias Of Sunhillow" (1976)

"Some Are Born", "Hear It", "Days" and "Everybody Loves You" were originally written for the Yes album "Tormato" in 1978. But were rejected by the band for inclusion. Which started a rift between the band and Jon Anderson together with Rick Wakeman. That rift widened at full when Yes started recording the follow-up that would become "Drama" in 1980. The title of that Yes album cound be explained in any way. Jon and Rick left the band in 1979 before finishing that Yes album. However Jon would rejoin Yes in 1983 after hearing the new songs by the new line-up and they would bring out their biggest hit ever "Owner Of A Lonely Heart". When Rick Wakemen left the band in 1973 after "Tales From Topographic Oceans" was released he was replaced by the Swiss Patrick Moraz but rejoined in 1977 for "Going For The One". The first choice for a new keyboard player in 1973 was Vangelis from Aphrodite's Child but he didn't accept the offer. In 1979 Jon started recording an album with Vangelis titled "Short Stories" which gave him worldwide fame with the song "I Hear You Now".

Jon in 1980

Jon's second solo album was intended to be released by Virgin Records and would include one side of songs dedicated to Marc Chagall and the other side about the fearie kingdom. He recruited a band for the recording of the album that he named The New Life Band. Unfortunately Virgin Records lost interest and declined. So Jon contracted his old label Atlantic Records again. He recorded the album at home just like his first album "Olias Of Sunhillow" from 1976. He worked with Jack Bruce from Cream on the album and Johnny Dankworth who was a veteran in the UK jazz scene and could be heared on "Don't Forget(Nostalgia)". He toured with The New Life Band playing Yes songs and solo work.

In 1981 he would rejoin Vangelis for their second album together titled "The Friends Of Mr. Cairo" and joined Rick Wakeman on his solo album of that year titled "1984" based on George Orwell's novel for the song "Hymn".

Original album cover

Song Of Seven (1980)
For You for Me /  Some Are Born / Don't Forget (Nostalgia) / Heart of the Matter / Hear It / Everybody Loves You / Take Your Time / Days / Song of Seven


Some are born

Hear It

Hans Christian (Anderson) - Never My Love (1968)