Chris Squire, Yes Bassist and Co-Founder, Dead at 67
Source: Rolling Stone
Chris Squire, the co-founder and longtime bassist of prog rock icons Yes and the only member of the group to feature on every studio album, has passed away just over a month after revealing that he was suffering from a rare form of leukemia. Squire was 67. Current Yes keyboardist Geoff Downes first tweeted the news, "Utterly devastated beyond words to have to report the sad news of the passing of my dear friend, bandmate and inspiration Chris Squire."
Yes confirmed Squire's death on their official Facebook page. "It's with the heaviest of hearts and unbearable sadness that we must inform you of the passing of our dear friend and Yes co-founder, Chris Squire. Chris peacefully passed away last night in Phoenix Arizona, in the arms of his loving wife Scotty," the band wrote in a statement.
"For the entirety of Yes' existence, Chris was the band's linchpin and, in so many ways, the glue that held it together over all these years. Because of his phenomenal bass-playing prowess, Chris influenced countless bassists around the world, including many of todays well-known artists. Chris was also a fantastic songwriter, having written and co-written much of Yes' most endearing music, as well as his solo album, Fish Out of Water."
Yes formed in 1968 after singer Jon Anderson met self-taught bassist Squire at a London music-industry bar; the pair were soon joined by guitarist Peter Banks, keyboardist Tony Kaye, and drummer Bill Bruford. Yes released their self-titled debut in 1968. However, it wasnt until Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman replaced Banks and Kaye, respectively, that the prog rock group really hit it big with 1971's The Yes Album and 1972's Fragile.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/chris-squire-yes-bassist-and-co-founder-dead-at-67-20150628#ixzz3eNewQhki
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Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/chris-squire-yes-bassist-and-co-founder-dead-at-67-20150628
Omaha Steve
(99,642 posts)I introduced her to listening to Yes.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)RIP
LunaSea
(2,894 posts)great music.
Exceptional bassist, and a great singer.
I really wish he'd gotten around to a follow up to Fish Out of Water.
Damn sad news.
onehandle
(51,122 posts)Not the current incarnation with no Jon Anderson. Just not the same.
RIP Chris.
ballabosh
(330 posts)Too sad. Yes wasn't the same without Jon Anderson, and now it can never be the same again. Farewell.
restorefreedom
(12,655 posts)secondvariety
(1,245 posts)RIP, Chris.
Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)Don't surround yourself with yourself
Move on back two squares
Send an instant karma to me
Initial it with loving care, yourself
'Cause it's time, it's time in time with your time
And its news is captured for the queen to us
Read more: Yes - I've Seen All Good People Lyrics | MetroLyrics
One of my favorite song writers and group
BarbaRosa
(2,684 posts)still ranks as one of the best.
SaveOurDemocracy
(4,400 posts)Yes had just released 'Fragile' and Tull had just released 'Benefit'. Small venue, Wildwood Convention Center.
GREAT CONCERT!!
Sad news.
Cal Carpenter
(4,959 posts)I bet that was amazing.
There's a bumper sticker I've seen that says
"I May Be Old But I Got to See All The Good Bands"
Or something like that
I'm not old enough to have been to shows like that - I've managed to see some amazing bands but no one like that in their heyday. If I had a time travel machine that would be my first priority. 60s and 70s rock shows.
whathehell
(29,067 posts)but still not sure whether I want to call myself "old", true as it may be.
I remember talking to my young niece in the late 80's about
spending lots ot of cash for a ticket to see the Stones.
She explained thusly:
"Well, they are a legend, you know"
I said "I know, kid, I saw them in '69, the year you were born"!
I caught The Who in Golden Gate Park the next year too.
mwdem
(4,031 posts)in Chapel Hill, N. C. It was amazing!
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)olddots
(10,237 posts)a Ric , Rotosounds and a pick thru an S.V.T. often copied but never duplicated .
rest in peace .
shenmue
(38,506 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)I saw Chris with Yes 3 times in the mid 70s. Sheer awesomeness.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)Rest In Music, Chris
onethatcares
(16,168 posts)I can't seem to find that in any articles.
sendero
(28,552 posts)quite rare , aggressive and not really treatable as far as I can tell.
Squire might not have been the first bassist to play it like a lead guitar, but he was probably the best.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Loved his playing.
navarth
(5,927 posts)That man sold more Rickenbacker Basses than any salesman in history. Fragile was a terrific album, messed us all up back then.
RIP bass brother.
corkhead
(6,119 posts)The stage continually rotated and I got a kick out of Rick Wakeman putting away the Heinekens. One of the first albums I owned was Fragile on 8 track.
edhopper
(33,580 posts)for Tales of Topographic Ocean, and three times the last few years , including when they did all of Fragile and Close To The Edge (my favorite album).
Had tickets to the 40th anniversary tour a few years back, but that was when Jon got sick and they cancelled. Seen Jon's solo gig a few time since then.
It was all wonderful and I am so sad to hear such a great musician from this spectacular group is gone.
(Hey Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you really think the Small Faces and the Red Hot Chili Peppers deserves it more than Yes?)
sparkeyd53
(12 posts)My favorite band off all time. I must have seen them around twenty times since the early 70's. Haven't been the same since Jon Anderson left but now no way they can even come close to what they were. What a great bassist. RIP chris
orpupilofnature57
(15,472 posts)Last edited Sun Jun 28, 2015, 06:54 PM - Edit history (1)
RIP Chris
ms liberty
(8,577 posts)DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Although to be fair, their last album was really a remake of the lineup they did in 1980 with trvehorn producing, and the young singer doing a copy of him as opposed to anderson. I wish that band could have just chosen to go on, the wya the dio led sabbath just called themselves "heaven and Hell."
Although Yes is closed, I would gladly see and Anderson bruford wakeman, Howe line up again, with tony levin on bass..
Godspeed Chris..thank you for decades worth of good music.
Unknown Beatle
(2,672 posts)Great show with great live music.
RIP Mr. Squire
blackspade
(10,056 posts)sendero
(28,552 posts)... just this morning as I replaced the belt on my garden tractor. It was the first in a string of fantastic recordings (The Yes Album, Fragile, Close to the Edge, Relayer), all of which I love. I didn't know about Chris at the time, he was instrumental to Yes' sound.
RIP Chris.
blackspade
(10,056 posts)brett_jv
(1,245 posts)Saw them 2x on the 90125 tour ... one time at the Greek Theatre, I was 17, and trippin' on a very clean dose of the purple microdot my friends and I scored at People's Park ... they came on JUST as the sun went down, and I started peakin' HARD ... Man, that was such an amazing show, one of my all time favorites ... though I always wished I'd seen them in the 1970's ... lets just say they did NOT play Close to the Edge or Perpetual Change or the like ... Starship Trooper was pretty badass though ...
Also saw 'em on the Reunion tour, the one that had pretty much all the major players doing the 'in the round' thing about 10 years later, that was also pretty sweet.
Godspeed, Christopher Squire ... thanks for the memories!!!
hatrack
(59,587 posts)A white Rickenbacker.
A friend of mine said that the mark of a good musician is that you know who they are after they play three notes. Never more true than with Chris.
yesphan
(1,588 posts)over the years. I knew this day would come. Getting news of members of my favorite band no longer on this planet.
It hurts, but his legacy will live on.
Thanks Christopher Russell Edward Squire for all the great music and memories.
rdmtimp
(1,590 posts)MissMillie
(38,559 posts)but when I did it didn't take much to convince me that Chris was something quite special.
I met him and his lovely wife Scotty a few years back (when she was pregnant w/ Xilan).