Richie Castellano is living the dream of every pro musician: He’s going on tour with one of his favorite artists.
Castellano’s group, the Band Geeks, are hitting the road alongside Jon Anderson, the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes. Anderson discovered Castellano’s gang of geeks after the band published a cover of the Yes track “Close to the Edge” on Castellano’s YouTube channel.
The cover in question arrived on YouTube in 2018. “Close to the Edge” is a technically demanding, 18-minute epic, and the Band Geeks rose to the challenge. Their performance of “Close to the Edge,” which displays their virtuosity on their respective instruments, has received more than 500,000 views to date.
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Anderson was one of those viewers. After watching the Band Geeks’ cover, the longtime Yes frontman phoned up Castellano to ask if he was interested in a collaboration. “They were quite amazing, and they looked happy and fun,” Anderson told Rolling Stone. “I phoned up Richie the bass player and said, ‘Let’s go on tour.’ And he said, ‘What?'”
Castellano was understandably starstruck after his encounter with Anderson. In comments on the “Close to the Edge” video, the Band Geeks leader has described his group as “hardcore Yes fans” who find joy by “indulging our inner teenagers.”
But Castellano is no ordinary fanboy. He is also a member of Blue Öyster Cult, the classic rockers known for their cowbell-infused hit “Don’t Fear The Reaper.” His experience and technical abilities made him the perfect partner for Anderson, who sought a backing band that could nail Yes songs from the 70s. “He went, ‘You sound like Seventies Yes. Everything is just perfect,'” Castellano told Rolling Stone. “I was just floating while he was talking. At the end, he said, ‘We should do something.'”
The “something” turned out to be a tour called “Yes — Epics & Classics Featuring Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks.” The long-winded title allowed Anderson’s band to distinguish itself from the current Yes lineup, which features original guitarist Steve Howe (but not Anderson).
After taking “Close to the Edge” on tour, Anderson and the Band Geeks returned to the studio to record an album called True, which is due out this year. While prog rock fans wait for that release, they have another chance to see Anderson’s new outfit in concert. A fresh tour with the Band Geeks kicked off on May 30 with a show in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Not everyone can play an 18-minute song to perfection, but the story of the Band Geeks should remind artists about the possibilities YouTube presents. Not all cover bands will get to work alongside their biggest idols, but you never know who might be watching.
