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Chris Squire

 
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Chris Squire



 
 
Christopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire (born March 4, 1948), is an English
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 musician best known as the bass guitar
Bass guitar

The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
ist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock
Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." The term "art rock" is often used interchangeably with "progressive rock", but while there are crossovers between the two genres, they are not identical....
 group Yes
Yes (band)

Yes are an England progressive rock band that formed in London in 1968 in music. Their music is marked by sharp dynamic contrasts, extended song lengths, abstract lyrics, and a general showcasing of instrumental prowess....
. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.

as born in Kingsbury
Kingsbury

Kingsbury is a town in the London Borough of Brent, North West London. Its name means "The King's Manor"....
, a suburb of northwest London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, in England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
, and was trained in the church choir as a young boy, beginning his musical career in the church's basement
Basement

A basement is one or more Storey of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Slab-on-grade foundation buildings do not have basements....
, along with his friend Andrew Jackman
Andrew Jackman

Sorry, no overview for this topic
.






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Christopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire (born March 4, 1948), is an English
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 musician best known as the bass guitar
Bass guitar

The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
ist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock
Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." The term "art rock" is often used interchangeably with "progressive rock", but while there are crossovers between the two genres, they are not identical....
 group Yes
Yes (band)

Yes are an England progressive rock band that formed in London in 1968 in music. Their music is marked by sharp dynamic contrasts, extended song lengths, abstract lyrics, and a general showcasing of instrumental prowess....
. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.

Biography

He was born in Kingsbury
Kingsbury

Kingsbury is a town in the London Borough of Brent, North West London. Its name means "The King's Manor"....
, a suburb of northwest London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, in England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
, and was trained in the church choir as a young boy, beginning his musical career in the church's basement
Basement

A basement is one or more Storey of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Slab-on-grade foundation buildings do not have basements....
, along with his friend Andrew Jackman
Andrew Jackman

Sorry, no overview for this topic
. In 1964, he was suspended from school for "having long hair", and given money to get a haircut. Instead he went home, used the money for other things, and never returned to school.

Squire was fond of experimenting with LSD
LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, LSD-25, or acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family. Its unusual psychological effects, which include visuals of colored patterns behind the eyes in the mind, a sense of time distorting, and crawling geometric patterns, have made it one of the most widely known psyched...
 in the 1960s, until an incident where he had a bad acid trip. He recalls that he spent months inside his girlfriend's apartment, afraid to leave, and it was during this time that he developed his style in the bass
Bass guitar

The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
. He recovered and never used LSD
LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, LSD-25, or acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family. Its unusual psychological effects, which include visuals of colored patterns behind the eyes in the mind, a sense of time distorting, and crawling geometric patterns, have made it one of the most widely known psyched...
 again.

Squire's early influences were diverse, ranging from church and choral music to the Merseybeat sounds of the early 1960s. Squire's first musical groups The Selfs, The Syn
The Syn

The Syn are an England band that lasted from 1965 to 1967 and then reunited as a progressive rock band in 2004. Chris Welch, in his book, Close to the Edge: The Story of Yes wrote, "The Syn were very similar to Yes in fact....
 (both including Jackman), and later, Mabel Greer's Toyshop, would introduce him to his early Yes collaborators Peter Banks
Peter Banks

Peter Banks is the stage name of Peter William Brockbanks , an English guitarist. He was the original guitarist of the progressive rock band Yes ....
 and Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson

Jon Anderson, born John Roy Anderson on 25 October 1944, is an England musician, best known as the lead singer of the progressive rock musical band Yes ....
.

During his first conversation with Anderson, the pair broke the ice by discussing one of their favourite groups, Simon & Garfunkel (Yes later covered the duo's "America") and Squire discovered that he and Anderson were both into vocal groups.

Yes released their first record in 1969, and though the band have had many personnel changes over the years, they have continued to record and tour for nearly 40 years. Squire is the only original member who has remained in the lineup throughout the band's tenure, with Jon Anderson only having been absent on Drama.

During the band's formative years Squire was frequently known for his tardiness, a habit that drum
Drum

The drum is a member of the percussion instrument group, technically classified as a membranophone.. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with parts of a player's body, or with some sort of implement such as a drumstick, to produce sound....
mer Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford

William Scott Bruford , better known as Bill Bruford, is an England drummer who is recognised for his forceful, highly precise, polyrhythmic style....
 often complained about. Because of this, Squire would frequently drive at unsafe speeds to get to gigs on time, once causing a horrific accident on the way to a gig in West Germany
West Germany

West Germany was the common English name for the Germany , from its formation in May 1949 to German reunification in October 1990, when East Germany was dissolved and its States of Germany became part of the Federal Republic, ending the more than 40-year division of Germany....
 after he fell asleep at the wheel, although miraculously nobody was injured.

As Squire, along with Alan White
Alan White (Yes drummer)

Alan White is an England rock and roll drummer best known for his 34 years of work with the progressive rock band Yes . In all, White has appeared on over fifty albums with artists from John Lennon and George Harrison to Joe Cocker, Ginger Baker and The Ventures....
 and Steve Howe
Steve Howe (guitarist)

Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an England guitarist best known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes after replacing Peter Banks in 1970....
, co-owned the "Yes" name at the time, the 1989 ABWH
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe

Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe was a permutation of the progressive rock band Yes . The group consisted of vocalist Jon Anderson, drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and guitarist Steve Howe ....
 lineup without him (which contained Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman
Rick Wakeman

Richard Christopher Wakeman is an England keyboard player best known as the keyboardist for progressive rock group Yes . Originally a classically trained pianist, he was a pioneer in the use of electronic keyboards and in the use of a rock band in combination with orchestra and choir....
 and Howe) could not record under that name.

Squire has concentrated overwhelmingly on Yes' music over the years, and his solo works have been few and far between. His first and only true solo record was 1975's Fish Out of Water
Fish Out of Water (album)

Fish Out of Water is the title of progressive rock musician Chris Squire's first solo album. It was released in 1975 during a break between duties for his band Yes ....
, featuring Yes alumni Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford

William Scott Bruford , better known as Bill Bruford, is an England drummer who is recognised for his forceful, highly precise, polyrhythmic style....
 on drums and Patrick Moraz
Patrick Moraz

Patrick Philippe Moraz is a progressive rock keyboard player. He is best known as the keyboardist for the progressive rock band Yes , from 1974-1976, and the Moody Blues from 1978 - 1991....
 on keyboards and The Syn/The Selfs alumnus Andrew Jackman also on keyboards. Squire was later a member of the short-lived XYZ
XYZ (band)

XYZ was the proposed name for a thwarted supergroup . The name XYZ is taken from eX-Yes -&-Led Zeppelin as the group consisted of ex-Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, along with ex-Yes members Chris Squire and Alan White ....
 (eX-Yes/Zeppelin) in 1981, a group composed of Alan White
Alan White (Yes drummer)

Alan White is an England rock and roll drummer best known for his 34 years of work with the progressive rock band Yes . In all, White has appeared on over fifty albums with artists from John Lennon and George Harrison to Joe Cocker, Ginger Baker and The Ventures....
 (Yes) on drums and Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page

James Patrick Page Order of the British Empire is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he co-founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin....
 (Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were an English rock music band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page , Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and John Bonham . With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal music bands....
) on guitar. XYZ recorded several demo tracks at Squire's home studio in Virginia Water
Virginia Water

Virginia Water is a large village, a lake and, originally, a stream, the village being in the borough of Runnymede in Surrey and the bodies of water stretching over the borders of Runnymede, Old Windsor and Sunninghill and Ascot, all in England....
, but never produced anything formal (ostensibly because vocalist Robert Plant
Robert Plant

Robert Anthony Plant Order of the British Empire , is an England Rock and Roll singer and songwriter, famous for his membership in the former rock band Led Zeppelin as the lead vocalist, as well as for his successful solo career....
, still mourning for John Bonham
John Bonham

John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham was an English drummer and member of the band Led Zeppelin. He was renowned for his power, fast right foot, distinctive sound and "feel" for the groove ....
, failed to get interested). XYZ never officially released any material, though two of the demos provided the bases for two later Yes tracks, "Mind Drive" and "Can You Imagine?". Squire also played a role in bringing Trevor Rabin
Trevor Rabin

Trevor Rabin is a South African-American musician, best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the United Kingdom progressive rock band Yes from 1983–1994, and since then, as a film composer....
 into the Cinema band project, which became the 90125 lineup. Later, Squire would join with Yes guitarist Billy Sherwood
Billy Sherwood

William "Billy" Wyman Sherwood is a musician, record producer and engineer....
 in a side project called Conspiracy
Conspiracy (band)

Conspiracy was a progressive rock band founded by Billy Sherwood and Chris Squire . The band has released two albums: Conspiracy and The Unknown , and a live DVD , but is currently inactive....
. This band's self-titled debut album contained the nuclei of several songs that had appeared on Yes' recent albums. Conspiracy's second album, The Unknown, was released in 2003.

In late 2004, Squire joined a reunion of The Syn
The Syn

The Syn are an England band that lasted from 1965 to 1967 and then reunited as a progressive rock band in 2004. Chris Welch, in his book, Close to the Edge: The Story of Yes wrote, "The Syn were very similar to Yes in fact....
, subsequently leaving the band in May 2006. He is now working on two solo projects with other former Syn collaborators Gerard Johnson, Jeremy Stacey
Jeremy Stacey

Jeremy Stacey is a British drummer. His early work included the 1990s band, The Lemon Trees and Denzil. He has also played with Sheryl Crow, the Finn Brothers, the Waterboys, Echo and the Bunnymen, Eurhythmics, Joe Cocker, Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes, Adam F, Andrea Bocelli, Patricia Kaas, Susanna Hoffs, Mike Scott , Robbie Williams,...
 and Paul Stacey
Paul Stacey

Paul Stacey is a British guitarist and producer, best known for his work with Oasis and The Black Crowes.Paul Stacey's early work included the 1990s band, The Lemon Trees and Denzil....
. A Christmas
Christmas

Christmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts Twelve Days of Christmas....
 album, Chris Squire's Swiss Choir, was released in 2007 (with Johnson, J. Stacey and Steve Hackett
Steve Hackett

Stephen Richard Hackett is a United Kingdom songwriter and guitarist. He gained prominence as a member of the British progressive rock group Genesis , which he joined in 1970....
), while a second solo album is expected in 2009.

On 9 February 2009, Squire was rushed to a hospital with an unspecified "medical emergency," leading ultimately to the cancellation of the remaining dates on the IN THE PRESENT tour.

Style

Squire's bass playing is noted for being aggressive, dynamic, and melodic. Squire's main instrument is a Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker

Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker ), is an electric guitar manufacturer, notable for putting the world's first electric guitars into general production in 1932....
 bass (model RM1999, serial number DC127), which he has owned and played since 1965 -- the year it was first introduced. In many ways, the Rickenbacker was the polar opposite of the then commonly used Fender bass. (In fact, the electric bass at the time was often referred to as the "Fender.") The RM1999 was a budget, monophonic
Monophonic

Monophonic can mean:* In recorded Sound recording, a monaural recording with only one channel. Compare: stereophonic , quadraphonic.* In texture , monophony....
 version of Rickenbacker's 4001 stereo bass. This model was imported into the UK by Rose Morris Ltd (hence the RM prefix on the model number) and, according to Squire's official website, was only the fourth bass of its type to be imported into Britain
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 from the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. This instrument, with its warmth and distortion, is a significant part of Squire's unique sound. Due to its distinct high/mid tone it allowed the bass to take on a more "lead" role which suited Squire perfectly. Unlike the grooving low end thump established by James Jamerson and imitated throughout the world of rock and R&B, Squire constructed contrapuntal lines reminiscent of a "Bach/Baroque" style where the bass played a separate melody from the main theme. The fact that the Rickenbacker had a "harpsichord-like" sound suited this approach perfectly. According to his interview in Guitar Player
Guitar Player

Guitar Player is a popular magazine for guitarists. It contains articles, interviews, reviews and lessons of an eclectic collection of artists, genres and products....
 magazine in October 1973, Squire obtained his distinctive tone at the time by rewiring his RM1999 into stereo and sending the bass and treble pickup
Pickup (music)

A pickup device acts as a transducer that captures mechanical vibrations and converts them to an electrical signal, which can be instrument amplifier and sound recording....
s each into a separate amplifier. This technique is known as "bi-amping
Bi-amping

Bi-amping is the practice of utilizing two audio amplifiers to power a set of loudspeakers.* Horizontal bi-amping utilizes one amp to power both bass drivers and one amp to power the treble drivers or the midrange and treble drivers, depending on the speaker system....
". By splitting the signal from his bass into dual high and low frequency outputs and then sending the low frequency output to a conventional bass amplifier
Amplifier

Generally, an amplifier or simply amp, is any machine that changes, usually increases, the amplitude of a Signal . The "signal" is usually voltage or current....
 and the high-frequency output to a separate lead guitar amplifier, Squire produced a tonal 'sandwich' that added a growling, overdrive edge to the sound while retaining the Rickenbacker's powerful bass response. This gave his bass sound bright, growling higher frequencies and clean, solid bass frequencies. This technique allowed Squire to utilize harmonic distortion on his bass while avoiding the flat, fuzzy sound, loss of power and poor bass response that typically occurs when bass guitars are overdriven through an amplifier or put through a fuzz box. He also plays with a pick which contributes to the sharp attack as well as using fresh Rotosound Swing Bass strings for every show.

Nickname

Chris Squire is commonly known by his nickname "Fish", and the name is associated with many of his works (including his solo record, Fish Out of Water
Fish Out of Water (album)

Fish Out of Water is the title of progressive rock musician Chris Squire's first solo album. It was released in 1975 during a break between duties for his band Yes ....
, and the solo piece "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
The Fish

"The Fish " is a mostly instrumental rock song by progressive rock band Yes from their 1971 album Fragile . It was written by Chris Squire....
" from the 1972 Yes record Fragile
Fragile (Yes album)

Fragile is the fourth album by the United Kingdom progressive rock band Yes , released on Atlantic Records, catalogue 7211. It was the band's first album with keyboardist Rick Wakeman after the departure of Tony Kaye , and the first to feature cover art by Roger Dean, his work emblematic of both the band and progressive rock as a whole....
). The name has multiple origins. First, his astrological sign is Pisces
Pisces (astrology)

Pisces is the twelfth astrological sign in the Zodiac, which originates from the Pisces . In western astrology this sign is no longer aligned with the constellation because of the Precession ....
, and he is apparently a believer in astrology
Astrology

Astrology is a group of systems, traditions, and beliefs which hold that the relative positions of astronomical object and related details can provide useful information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters....
. Second, in the early days of Yes' career, he once accidentally flooded a hotel room in Oslo
Oslo

is the Capital and largest List of cities in Norway in Norway.Metropolitan Oslo or the Greater Oslo Region makes up the third largest urban area in Scandinavia after Metropolitan Stockholm and Metropolitan Copenhagen....
, Norway
Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
, while taking a shower, and Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford

William Scott Bruford , better known as Bill Bruford, is an England drummer who is recognised for his forceful, highly precise, polyrhythmic style....
 gave him the nickname. He may also have acquired this nickname because of the alleged amount of time he spends in the bath tub. On the 2007 documentary "The Classic Artists Series 3: Yes", Bruford says that the nickname arose because Squire spent long periods in the bathroom while they shared a house together in Fulham
Fulham

Fulham is an area of south-west London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, located south west of Charing Cross. It is situated in between Putney and Chelsea, London....
.

Family

Chris Squire married Nikki in the 1970s. Nikki sang on the 1981 Christmas single "Run with the Fox" and also the track "Hold Out Your Hand" from Fish Out Of Water and later had her own band, Esquire, on whose first album Chris, Alan White and Trevor Horn assisted. Their family included Carmen Squire (Chris's stepdaughter), Chandrika and Camille Squire. Chris and Nikki divorced after fifteen years. Chris then married Melissa on 8 May 1993, they have a son, Cameron. The two have since divorced. He is now married to his third wife, Scotland, who gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Xilan, on December 19, 2008. They reside in the Chelsea
Chelsea, London

Chelsea is an area of south-west London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road power station and Chelsea Harbour....
 neighbourhood of London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
.

Discography


Solo

  • Fish Out of Water
    Fish Out of Water (album)

    Fish Out of Water is the title of progressive rock musician Chris Squire's first solo album. It was released in 1975 during a break between duties for his band Yes ....
     (1975)
  • Chris Squire & Alan White
    Alan White (Yes drummer)

    Alan White is an England rock and roll drummer best known for his 34 years of work with the progressive rock band Yes . In all, White has appeared on over fifty albums with artists from John Lennon and George Harrison to Joe Cocker, Ginger Baker and The Ventures....
     - Run With the Fox (1981)
  • Chris Squire's Swiss Choir (2007)


Guest appearances

  • Eddie Harris - E.H. In the U.K. (1974)
  • Esquire - Esquire (1987) (only backup vocals)
  • Rock Aid Armenia
    Rock Aid Armenia

    Rock Aid Armenia was a joint humanitarian effort by an elite group of contemporary hard rock and heavy metal music musicians who gathered at the historic Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, London on July 8, 1989 for a project to raise money to help those affected by the 1988 Spitak earthquake of 1988 that struck Armenia....
     - The Earthquake Album (1990)
  • Rick Wakeman
    Rick Wakeman

    Richard Christopher Wakeman is an England keyboard player best known as the keyboardist for progressive rock group Yes . Originally a classically trained pianist, he was a pioneer in the use of electronic keyboards and in the use of a rock band in combination with orchestra and choir....
     - The Six Wives of Henry VIII
    The Six Wives of Henry VIII (album)

    The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the title of a 1973 concept album by progressive rock Keyboard instrument player Rick Wakeman. It was his first solo album released in the US, though several other members of the band Yes , to which Wakeman belonged at the time, appeared on various tracks....
     (1973)
  • Rick Wakeman - Criminal Record (1977)
  • Rick Wakeman - The Classical Connection II (1992, material recorded in 1971)
  • World Trade
    World Trade (band)

    World Trade was a United States progressive rock band featuring Billy Sherwood on bass and vocals and Bruce Gowdy on guitar. The band's music had similarities to 1980s Yes and Yes's Chris Squire guested on their second album, Euphoria....
     - Euphoria (1995)
  • various artists - Pigs & Pyramids—An All Star Lineup Performing the Songs of Pink Floyd (2002)
    • material re-used on Billy Sherwood
      Billy Sherwood

      William "Billy" Wyman Sherwood is a musician, record producer and engineer....
      's Back Against the Wall
      Back Against The Wall

      Back Against the Wall is an album released in 2005 by Billy Sherwood in collaboration with a number of progressive rock artists as a tribute to Pink Floyd album The Wall....
  • Gov't Mule
    Gov't Mule

    Gov't Mule is a southern rock/jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project. They released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995....
     - The Deep End, Volume 2
    The Deep End, Volume 2

    After the death of founding member and bass guitar Allen Woody, Gov't Mule began recording tracks using bass players that Woody had admired. Originally, there was to be one disc, but so many wanted to be part of the sessions that over 160 minutes of music was recorded....
     (2002)


With Yes

see Yes discography
Yes Discography

This is a discography of the progressive rock band Yes . Over the years they have released 19 studio albums, 9 live albums, 15 compilation albums and 32 singles....


With Conspiracy
Conspiracy (band)

Conspiracy was a progressive rock band founded by Billy Sherwood and Chris Squire . The band has released two albums: Conspiracy and The Unknown , and a live DVD , but is currently inactive....
 

  • Conspiracy - 2000
  • The Unknown - 2003


With The Syn

see The Syn
The Syn

The Syn are an England band that lasted from 1965 to 1967 and then reunited as a progressive rock band in 2004. Chris Welch, in his book, Close to the Edge: The Story of Yes wrote, "The Syn were very similar to Yes in fact....


External links