XYZ was the proposed name for an abortive supergroup. The name XYZ is taken from eX-Yes-&-Zeppelin as the group consisted of ex-Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, along with ex-Yes members Chris Squire (bass guitar, vocals, keyboards) and Alan White (drums). Page believed the band needed a strong vocalist and sought out former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant — Plant did attend one XYZ rehearsal in 1981 but decided not to join the group, citing his dislike for complex progressive rock [1]. Without a commitment from Robert Plant, the project was shelved shortly thereafter. Squire has also mentioned Page's personal problems at the time were one of the motives for the dissolution of the band.

Since the mid 1990s, a number of bootleg tracks have surfaced, originally recorded by XYZ at Chris Squire's home studio at New Pipers, in Virginia Water, Surrey, during April 1981. They are believed to have been sourced from demo tapes stolen from Jimmy Page's house at Cookham, Berkshire, in 1987. These consist of four pieces: two instrumentals (the riff from one of which was used on The Firm's "Fortune Hunter"; the other was later incorporated into the 1997 Yes song "Mind Drive"), plus vocal numbers known as "Telephone Secrets" (or "Telephone Spies") and "And (Do) You Believe It" (or "Can You See"). The latter track was recorded by Yes in 2001 and released as "Can You Imagine" on Magnification.

Squire and White later released a single called "Run With the Fox", based on an XYZ melody, in December 1981, before forming Cinema with guitarist Trevor Rabin and keyboardist Tony Kaye, which later became a reformation of Yes with a different lineup than before, releasing the album 90125 in 1983.

Discography

Personnel

• Jimmy Page - Lead guitar
• Chris Squire - Bass guitar, keyboards, vocals
• Alan White - Drums