British progressive rock band YES released their eighteenth studio album “The Ladder” in 1999. “The Ladder” featured an eleven-song track list (including the three singles “Homeworld (The Ladder)”, “Lightning Strikes” and “If Only You Knew”) and saw YES incorporating Latin music elements and world music influences into their progressive rock sound. It was the first album in a long time to not be produced by the band itself, but by an external producer – Bruce Fairbairn, who had previously worked with bands such as The Scorpions, AC/DC and Bon Jovi. The band met with the Canadian producer in 1998 while touring their record “Open Your Eyes” (1997), when he agreed to produce their next studio album at Armoury Studios in Vancouver. Sadly, Fairbairn passed away shortly before the album’s completion, so Mike Plotnikoff finished his work together with the band. “The Ladder” was released in September 1999, peaking at number 36 in the UK Charts. YES subsequently dedicated the album to Fairbairn, quoting him: “The first words Bruce Fairbairn said to the band were, ‘Make the best YES Album you can, the rest will follow.’ It was as simple as that.” On October 11th, 2024, “The Ladder” will become available as CD jewel case edition for an attractive price, allowing fans to take another step into the diverse soundscapes of YES. It features all eleven tracks of the original album, as well as a special poster booklet with a colourful artwork of Bruce Fairbairn’s track chart. 1. Homeworld (the Ladder) 2. It Will Be a Good Day (the River) 3. Lightning Strikes 4. Can I? 5. Face To Face 6. If Only You Knew 7. To Be Alive (Hep Yadda) 8. Finally 9. The Messenger 10. New Language 11. Nine Voices (Longwalker)