Chris Squire

Chris Squire
Squire in August 1977
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Russell Edward Squire
Born	(1948-03-04)4 March 1948 Kingsbury,London, England
Died	27 June 2015(2015-06-27)(aged 67) Phoenix,Arizona,U.S.
Genres	Progressive rock symphonic rock art rock
Occupations	Musician singer songwriter
Instruments	Bass vocals
Years active	1965–2015
Labels	Atlantic Wounded Bird Sanctuary Lime Stone Ghost
Formerly of	The Selfs the Syn Mabel Greer's Toyshop Yes XYZ Conspiracy Squackett
Website	chrissquire.com

Christopher Russell Edward Squire(4March 1948 – 27June 2015) was an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as the bassist and backing vocalist of theprogressive rockbandYes.He was the longest-serving original member, having remained in the band until his death and appearing on every studio album released from 1969 to 2014. In 2017, he was posthumously inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fameas a member of Yes.

Squire was widely regarded as the dominant bassist among the English progressive rock bands, influencing peers and later generations of bassists with his incisive sound and elaborately contoured, melodic bass lines. His name was associated with his trademark instrument, theRickenbacker 4001(British model RM1999). From 1991 to 2000,Rickenbackerproduced a limited-edition signature model bass in his name, the4001CS.

Early life

Squire was born on 4 March 1948 in the north-west London suburb ofKingsbury,to Peter and Joanne Squire.He grew up there and in the nearbyQueensburyandWembleyareas.His father was a cab driver and his mother a secretary for an estate agent. As a youngster Squire took a liking to records byLena HorneandElla Fitzgeraldthat belonged to his father, though his main interest waschurch music.At the age of six,he joined the church choir at St Andrew's in Kingsbury as atreblealong withAndrew Pryce Jackman,a friend who lived nearby. The choir got to perform atSt. Paul's Cathedral.Their choirmasterBarry Rosewas an early influence on Squire. "He made me realise that working at it was the way to become best at something".Squire also sang in the choir at his next school,Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School,then located inHampstead.He played theharmonicaon his way home from school.

Squire did not consider a music career until the age of sixteen when theBeat musicboom in the early 1960s and the emergence ofthe Beatlesinspired him to "be in a group that don't use music stands". A schoolfriend recommended that Squire take up the bass after pointing out his tall frame and large hands, thinking they were ideal for playing the instrument.Squire then purchased his first bass, aFuturama,which he described as "very cheap, but good enough to learn on".In 1964, on the last day before the summer holidays, Squire's headmaster suspended him and a friend for having their hair too long and they were given twoshillingsandsixpenceto have it cut. Instead, they went home and never returned.After his mother took him to a recruitment agency and enquired for work related to music, Squire landed work selling guitars at aBoosey & Hawkesshop inRegent Street.He used the staff discount offer to purchase a new bass, aRickenbacker 4001,in 1965.

Career

Early career

Squire's first band wasthe Syn,a rock and rhythm and blues band that featured Jackman on keyboards and Martin Adelman on drums. Their first public performance took place at The Graveyard, a youth club in the hall of St. Andrew's.In 1965, following several personnel changes, Squire, Jackman and Adelman teamed with singerSteve Nardelli,guitarist John Painter, and drummer Gunnar Jökull Hákonarson to form a new group,the Syn.The group performedTamla Motowncovers before they changed direction towardspsychedelic rock.After several months, Painter was replaced by guitaristPeter Banks.The new line-up gained a following large enough to secure a weekly residency at theMarquee ClubinSoho,which was followed by a recording contract withDeram Records.The band once opened forThe Jimi Hendrix Experienceat the venue, "So I saw what was possible, and I just had this innate faith that I was going to make it."Together they released two singles before they disbanded.

Squire was fond of usingLSDin the 1960s; a visit to theUFO Clubon the drug on Friday which lasted through Saturday, and recovery on Sunday, became a regular event until a 1967 incident where he had a bad trip on a friend's home made LSD.When the police asked him to reveal who gave it to him, Squire pretended to be disoriented and made up a story that involved an unknown Australian he met at aWimpyrestaurant beforehand.He recalled, "It was the last time I ever took it, having ended up in hospital inFulhamfor a couple of days not knowing who I was, or what I was, or who anybody else was. "After his discharge from hospital, Squire spent several months in his girlfriend's apartment, afraid to leave, only managing to visit the corner shop.He spent each day practising his bass playing which resulted in his distinct style,citing bassistsJohn Entwistle,Jack Bruce,Paul McCartney,Larry Graham,andBill Wymanas early influences.

Yes

Squire performing with Yes in 1974

In September 1967, Squire joinedMabel Greer's Toyshop,a psychedelic group that includedPeter Banks,singer Clive Bayley and drummer Bob Hagger.They played at the Marquee club where Jack Barrie, owner of the La Chasse drinking club a few doors down, saw them perform. "The musicianship... was very good but it was obvious they weren't going anywhere", he recalled.One evening at La Chasse, Barrie introduced Squire toJon Anderson,a worker at the bar who had not found success as the lead singer ofThe Gunor as a solo artist.The two found they shared common musical interests includingSimon & Garfunkel,The Associationandvocal harmonies.In the following days they developed "Sweetness", a track later recorded for thefirst Yes album.

Squire performing with Yes at the NEC Arena, Birmingham, 1984

As the band developed, Anderson and Squire brought in drummerBill Bruford,keyboardistTony Kayeand Banks for rehearsals. The five agreed to drop the name Mabel Greer's Toyshop; they settled on the name Yes, originally Banks's idea.The band played their first show as Yes at a youth camp inEast Mersea,Essexon 3 August 1968.Squire spoke about the band's formation: "I couldn't getsession workbecause most musicians hated my style. They wanted me to play something a lot more basic. We started Yes as a vehicle to develop everyone's individual styles. "Squire developed a bass solo named "A Bass Odyssey".

In August 1969, Yes released their self-titleddebut album.Martyn Adelman, who had played drums with Squire's first group, did the album photos. Squire received writing credits on four of the album's eight tracks— "Beyond & Before", "Looking Around", "Harold Land", and "Sweetness".

After Bruford left the band and was replaced byAlan Whitein July 1972, Squire altered his playing to suit the change in the band's rhythm section. He felt he was "playing too much, though I was never really sure. With Bill, the things that I did felt right... With Alan, I found that I was able to play a bit less than before and still get my playing across."

Squire described his playing on "The Remembering (High the Memory)" fromTales from Topographic Oceans(1973) as "one of the nicest things I think I've ever played".

Squire was the only member to play on each of the 21 studio albums released by Yes from 1969 to 2014. He was seen as one of the main forces behind the band's music, as well as being "perhaps the most enigmatic" group member.Heaven & Earthwas his final studio album.

While most of the band's lyrics were written by Anderson, Squire co-wrote much of their music with guitaristSteve Howe(with Anderson occasionally contributing). In addition, Squire and Howe would supply backing vocals in harmony with Anderson on songs such as "South Side of the Sky"and"Close to the Edge".

During the band's formative years Squire was frequently known for his lateness, a habit that Bruford often complained about. Because of this, Squire would frequently drive at unsafe speeds to get to gigs on time, once causing an accident on the way to a gig inWest Germanyafter he fell asleep at the wheel, although nobody was injured. A posthumous commemorativebrown plaquewas titled in such a way as to make reference to his habitual lateness, namely "'The Late' Chris Squire".

As Squire, along withAlan WhiteandSteve Howe,co-owned the "Yes" name at the time, the 1989ABWHline-up without him (which contained Anderson, Bruford,Wakemanand Howe) could not record under that name.

Squire performing with Yes in April 2013

Following Squire's death on 27 June 2015, the band's show on 7 August of the same year marked the first Yes concert ever performed without him. Former memberBilly Sherwoodreplaced Squire during their2015 North American tourwithTotofrom August to September 2015, as well as their performances in November 2015, as announced when the band first revealed Squire's disease in May 2015.

Other projects

Squire concentrated overwhelmingly on Yes' music over the years, producing little solo work. His first solo record was 1975'sFish Out of Water,featuring Yes alumniBill Brufordon drums andPatrick Morazon keyboards andThe Syn/The Selfsalumnus Andrew Jackman also on keyboards.

In 1981, Squire was a member of the short livedXYZ,short for eX-Yes/Zeppelin (Squire claimed his father had come up with the name)together with White and guitaristJimmy Page.XYZ recorded several demo tracks, but never produced anything formal, though two of the demos provided the basis for two later Yes tracks, "Mind Drive" and "Can You Imagine?"Led Zeppelin singerRobert Plantwas not ready, despite Page's promises, to get involved with the band so soon after the death of Zeppelin drummerJohn Bonham.According to Squire, Zeppelin managerPeter Grantobjected to the name as the "Y" appeared before the "Z" in the name. The group then "fizzled out".

Squire also played a role in bringingTrevor Rabininto theCinemaband project, which became the90125line-up of Yes.

In later years, Squire would join with Yes guitaristBilly Sherwoodin a side project calledConspiracy.This band's self-titled debut album in 2000 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 reformed band released the albumSyndestructiblein 2005 before breaking up again.

Squire also worked on two solo projects with other former Syn collaboratorsGerard Johnson,Jeremy StaceyandPaul Stacey.A Christmas album,Chris Squire's Swiss Choir,was released in 2007 (with Johnson, J. Stacey andSteve Hackett).Squire collaborated again with Hackett, formerly of the bandGenesis,to make theSquackettalbumA Life Within a Day,released in 2012.

Style and legacy

Squire with histriple-neckedbass guitar in 2013, given to him by bandmate Rick Wakeman

Squire's unique tone was very clear and distinct, and his playing was noted for being aggressive,dynamicand melodic.

Squire played primarily with apick(usually a grey Herco "heavy" ) held with the tip very close to his own fingertips, meaning that his thumb would also strike the strings right after the pick, causing subtleharmonics. He made frequent use of hammer-ons, pull-offs as well as alternate and tremolo picking. Aside from his use of distortion, Squire occasionally used other effects, most notablychorus,flangerandwah-wahpedals, which until then had mostly been used by guitarists.

In a 1973 interview forGuitar Playermagazine, Squire recalled how he had obtained his distinctive tone at the time by rewiring his RM1999 into stereo and sending the bass and treblepick-upseach into a separate amplifier. By splitting the signal from his bass into dual high and low frequency outputs and then sending the low frequency output to a conventional bassamplifierand 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 useharmonic distortionon 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 afuzz box.Squire also made notable use of fret buzz, a normally undesirable condition caused by low string action, to create a further, growling edge to his playing.

He also played with a pick which contributed to the sharp attack as well as using fresh Rotosound Swing Bass strings for every show.Squire's intricate and complex bass playing style has influenced subsequent bassists such asBilly Sheehan,Geddy LeeofRush,Mike MillsofR.E.M.,Steve Di GiorgioofDeathandSadus,Pat BadgerofExtreme,Jon Camp ofRenaissance,Steve HarrisofIron Maiden,Les ClaypoolofPrimus,John MyungofDream Theater,Robert DeLeoofStone Temple PilotsandJohn CooperofSkillet.John DeaconofQueenwas also inspired by Squire, and toldGuitar Magazinethat Squire was his favourite bass player.

Instruments and equipment

Squire's main instrument was a 1964Rickenbackerbass which he bought and began playing in 1965. Although generally referred to as having been a 4001 model, it was actually from the RM1999 series, a British export version of the 4001 (Squire's had the serial number DC127).Squire mentioned in a 1979 interview withCircus Weeklythat he acquired this bass while working at theBoosey & Hawkesmusic store in London.Before acquiring its final distinctive cream-coloured lacquer, the bass had twice been customised with a paper finish (firstly with flowery wallpaper and subsequently with silver reflective paper) and on each occasion had had to be sanded down when the paper was removed, reducing its mass and altering its resonance. A faulty bridge pickup with lower output and “tinny sound,” was another part of the instrument's sonic character, with Squire incorporating the existing fault by using it as backup and support to the other, fully-working pickup (adding to the overall harmonic output).The instrument, with its warmth, was a significant part of Squire's unique sound.Due to its distinctive tone, which has been compared to that of aguitar,it allowed the bass to take on a more "lead" role, which created a dynamic sound, and suited Squire perfectly.

Although Squire is usually associated with the Rickenbacker, he played many different models of bass guitar throughout his career, selecting each instrument according to the demands of the song and the approach of the time. In addition to four-string bass, he was an early pioneer of eight-string bass, occasionally played fretless bass, and had an interest in integrating technology into his instruments.

In the early years of Yes, Squire played a Fender Telecaster bass almost as frequently as he played his Rickenbacker RM1999. During the mid-1970s, he played a Fender Jazz bass on specific tracks such as 'The Gates of Delirium' and a Gibson Thunderbird on tracks including "Release, Release". In 1980, Squire obtained an MPC Electra 4-string with built-in effects units (heard to best effect onDrama's "Tempus Fugit". Yes' 1983 comeback single "Owner of a Lonely Heart" featured a custom green four-string designed by Jim Mouradian, while during the late 1980s Squire played a variety of Tobias four and five-string basses (using these almost exclusively on 1987'sBig Generatoralbum). Later in his life, Squire added to his armoury of four-string basses with models by Lakland and Yamaha.

Squire began playing eight-string bass in the early 1970s. His initial choice was a prototype Rickenbacker eight-string, but from the mid-1970s onwards this was superseded by a custom instrument made by Ranney (on "Fortune Seller" from Yes' 1998 albumOpen Your Eyes,he played his bandmateBilly Sherwood's unique Spector 8-string). While his playing of fretless bass was infrequent, he would use a fretless Guild model on those occasions.

Apart from his Rickenbacker, Squire played another iconic bass guitar – a custom triple-neck made by Wal and originally constructed for Roger Newell of the Rick Wakeman band, and which Wakeman subsequently gifted to Squire. This instrument was used for live performances of the Yes song "Awaken", for stage impact and to avoid the necessity for rapid changes between instruments for different parts (as had been the case in the studio version). It was adapted for Squire's purposes, with the top neck being a six-string bass with doubled A, D, and G strings, the middle neck being a standard fretted four-string, and the bottom neck being a fretless four-string.

Squire was an enthusiastic user of bass pedals, initially playing Moog Taurus pedals but later replacing them with samples triggered from an E-Mu ESI2000 sampler via a pedal array.

Squire's choice of effects pedals included Maestro Fuzz-Tone, TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger, TC Nova Reverb, Boss OC-3 Super Octave, Mu-Tron III, and custom-made tremolo pedals. Throughout his career, Squire used a Marshall 100-watt amp and 4x12 cabinet, but over time also used Sunn amps and cabinets, Ampeg SVT-2 PROs, Ampeg 8x10 cabs, and a pair of Clair Brothers custom 6x12 cabinets with directional speakers.

In addition to bass guitar and bass pedals, Squire also occasionally played harmonica, piano and six or twelve-string guitar.

Personal life

Squire was married three times and had five children.

Squire met his first wife Nikki in 1970 at a club in London.They married in 1972.She sang on the 1981 Christmas single "Run with the Fox"and also the track" Hold Out Your Hand "fromFish Out of Water(1975). In 1983, she formed Esquire, on whose first album Chris, Alan White, and Trevor Horn assisted. They had three daughters: Carmen, Chandrika, and Camille Squire. The couple divorced after fifteen years of marriage.

Squire married actress Melissa Morgan on 8 May 1993. She gave birth to their son Cameron in 2000.She played Brittany Norman onThe Young and the Restlessand later returned to the daytime drama as Agnes Sorensen.

His third and final marriage was to Scotland Squire who gave birth to their son Xilan in 2008. In 2014, they were living inPhoenix, Arizona,having previously resided inChelsea.

Squire was a vegetarian in the 1970s.In 1973, he toured with theEaglesand was introduced tococaine.At some point in his life, Squire also suffered a heart attack.

Squire's nickname, "Fish", originated due to multiple reasons. His astrological sign wasPisces,and he was known for his love of bathing. The name seems to have mostly been initiated by bandmate Bill Bruford, who has commented on how Squire spent long periods in the bathroom while they shared a house together inFulhamand how, in the early days of Yes' career, he once accidentally flooded a hotel room inOslo,Norway, while taking a shower.Another factor in the naming is theheteronymicand punning meanings of "bass", describinglow frequency soundor the bass guitar as well asthe fish.The nickname is incorporated into several of Squire's works including his solo record,Fish Out of Water(1975), and the solo piece "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" from the 1971 Yes recordFragile.

In 2011, a species of fossil fish was namedTarkus squireiin Squire's honour, referencing his nickname.

Illness, death, and tributes

Brown plaque in Warwick Street, Soho, London

On 19 May 2015, Yes announced that Squire had been diagnosed withacute erythroid leukemia,and would take a break from performing while receiving treatment.

In the late evening of 27 June 2015, Squire died from the illness, aged 67, while receiving treatment in his adopted hometown ofPhoenix,Arizona.Yes' officialFacebookpage confirmed the news the next day.Tributes were paid by fellow musiciansBrian May,Geezer Butler,Gene SimmonsandTom Morello,as well as bandmatesGeoff DownesandBill Bruford.Squire died 13 years to the day after an early musical influence,John Entwistle.

In April 2016, asteroid 2002 XR80 received an official permanent name from theInternational Astronomical Unionin honour of Squire. Asteroid (90125) Chrissquire was discovered 11 December 2002 and is a main-belt asteroid with an orbital period of 4.08 years.

In November 2018, the tribute albumA Life in Yes: The Chris Squire Tributewas released byPurple Pyramid Records.It contained covers of Yes songs, performed by artists such asJon Davison,Patrick Moraz,Steve Porcaro,Steve Hackett,Tony Kaye,Dweezil ZappaandCandice Night.

In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked him as the 18th greatest bass player of all time.

Discography

Solo singles

• "Run with the Fox"– with Alan White 1981

Solo albums

• Fish Out of Water(1975)
• Chris Squire's Swiss Choir(2007)

With Conspiracy

• Conspiracy(2000 + DVD)
• The Unknown(2003)

With Squackett

• A Life Within a Day(2012)

With The Syn

seeThe Syn

With Yes

seeYes discography

As guest musician

• 1968:Neat Change–I Lied to Aunty May(with Peter Banks on guitar, Squire plays the tambourine and performs backing vocals on this single)
• 1970:"Legs" Larry Smith–Witchi-tai-to(with Tony Kaye on this single by a member ofBonzo Dog Doo Dah Band)
• 1973: Rick Wakeman –The Six Wives of Henry VIII(Steve Howe, Bill Bruford & Alan White)
• 1973:Eddie Harris–E.H. in the U.K.(with Tony Kaye & Alan White)
• 1977: Rick Wakeman –Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record(with Alan White)
• 1981:The Buggles–Adventures in Modern Recording(Squire is credited only with "sound effects" on one piece, while the bass is played by Trevor Horn)
• 1987:Esquire–Esquire(Chris's ex-wife Nikky Squire with Alan White, Trevor Horn & Carmen Squire, Chris's daughter)
• 1990:Rock Aid Armenia– a single re-recording of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water"(withKeith Emerson,Geoff Downes,Ian Gillan,Bruce Dickinson,Paul Rodgers,David Gilmour,Ritchie Blackmore,Tony Iommi,Alex Lifeson,Bryan Adams,Brian May&Roger Taylor), which is also included onThe Earthquake Album.
• 1993:Rick Wakeman–Classical Connections 2(recorded in 1971 but published in 1991 with Steve Howe & Bill Bruford)
• 1995:World Trade–Euphoriawith Billy Sherwood, co-wrote two songs
• 2002:Gov't Mule–The Deep End, Volume 2(plays bass on "Sun Dance" )
• 2002: Various artists –Pigs and Pyramids - An All Star Lineup Performing the Songs of Pink Floyd(again published asBack Against the Wallfrom Billy Sherwood in 2005)
• 2009:Steve Hackett–Out of the Tunnel's Mouth
• 2011: Steve Hackett –Beyond the Shrouded Horizon
• 2012:Billy Sherwood & The Prog Collective–The Technical Divide(withAlan Parsons&Gary Green)
• 2012: Various artists –Songs of the Century: An All-Star Tribute to Supertramp. Let the World Revolve(with Billy Sherwood & Tony Kaye)
• 2013: Billy Sherwood & The Prog Collective –Epilogue(Shining Diamonds with Patrick Moraz, Billy Sherwood, Alan Parsons &Steve Stevens)
• 2015: Steve Hackett –Wolflight(Squire plays bass on "Love Song to a Vampire" )

References

Bibliography

• Hedges, Dan (1982).Yes: An Authorized Biography.Sidgwick & Jackson.ISBN978-0-283-98751-9.
• Morse, Tim (1996).Yesstories: "Yes" in Their Own Words.St Martin's Press.ISBN978-0-312-14453-1.
• Welch, Chris (2008).Close to the Edge – The Story of Yes.Omnibus Press.ISBN978-1-84772-132-7.

External links

• Interview with Chris Squireby Dmitry M. Epstein
• Chris SquireatIMDb