Drama

Sessions in Paris in late 1979 with the producer Roy Thomas Baker ended when Alan White fractured his right ankle roller skating, and Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman left in March 1980. Brian Lane managed both Yes and the Buggles and suggested that Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes contribute a song. At Squire's home in Virginia Water Horn sang "We Can Fly from Here", and Squire invited the pair to rehearse with the band. Ahmet Ertegun flew to London to assess the new line-up and approved it.

It was recorded in about three months at Townhouse Studios, with Hugh Padgham as engineer there and Gary Langan and Julian Mendelsohn engineering at Sarm East. Howe recorded his guitar parts at RAK and Roundhouse. Eddy Offord started as producer and left after about three weeks. Howe said in 2021 that he had dismissed him after a period of erratic behaviour.

Horn said "Machine Messiah" was composed in a single day. "White Car" is a short Fairlight piece whose lyrics spoof Gary Numan. "Into the Lens" began as a Horn and Downes song for a second Buggles album, and the Buggles recorded it again as "I Am a Camera" on Adventures in Modern Recording in 1981. Howe said the title "Tempus Fugit" was a joke about Squire's lateness.

The album went to number two in Britain and number 18 in the United States, and it was the first Yes studio album since 1971 not to reach Gold with the RIAA. The line-up broke up after the tour, and Howe and Downes went on to found Asia. Roger Dean painted the cover.