Illness forces Yes to scrap tour

Jon Anderson is one of the two original members of Yes

Rock band Yes have scrapped the North American leg of their 40th anniversary tour after their lead singer was diagnosed with respiratory failure.

Jon Anderson has been ordered by doctors to rest for six months after suffering an asthma attack.

The 63-year-old said he is "deeply disappointed", but added "health has to come before anything else".

Yes, who topped the US charts in 1983 with Owner of a Lonely Heart, were due to begin the tour on 12 July.

Line-up changes

The series of concerts was originally scheduled to wind up in Los Angeles on 22 August - their first tour of North America since 2004.

Anderson also said that he had been "looking forward to celebrating our music with the amazing fans of Yes once again".

The British band has undergone various line-up changes since its launch in 1968.

Only Anderson - also the main lyricist - and bassist Chris Squire remain from the original group.

Their biggest UK hit came in 1977 with Wondrous Stories, which reached number seven in the chart.