Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Chris Squire


steve-soar
 Share

Recommended Posts

Love Chris Squier- great sound, unique approach, instantly recognisable. It's regrettable that maybe nowadays he doesn't quite get the level of recognition he deserves as a important figure in the development of the bass guitar as an instrument. In the 1970s he was a hugely influential figure whose name was synonymous with up-front , imaginative and agressive bass playing. Unfortunately, whereas bands like Led Zeppelin and Rush have found new and younger audiences who have discovered their music on c.d , I think Yes have been somewhat overlooked as a band by the same young audience and so Chris Squier's direct influence has diminished. If you look on Youtube ther's loads of teenagers doing bass covers of John Paul Jones' and Geddy Lee's lines , but Chris Squier covers tend to be by men of a certain age. It's a shame , because despite what critics say and people who listen with prejudice might presume about them, Yes were a ingenious and innovative band whose music is still very relevant today. Listen to this and tell me that if some new "cred" indie band with the right haircuts made this track today that it wouldn't be heralded as a masterpiece:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z8_45duq6A[/media]

In terms of overall creative vision and the massive scope of their sound, forty years ago Yes were doing in large part what bands like Muse and Tool are feted for doing in the present day, except Yes invented it and they did it better. If you love the bass and you don't get excited by Chris Squiers too-loud-in the-mix trebly twang then there's probably something wrong with you. I'm off to listen to Close To The Edge with my headphones on.

Edited by Dingus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1350578559' post='1840850']
I think Yes have been somewhat overlooked as a band by the same young audience and so Chris Squier's direct influence has diminished. If you look on Youtube ther's loads of teenagers doing bass covers of John Paul Jones' and Geddy Lee's lines , but Chris Squier covers tend to be by men of a certain age.
[/quote]

[i]au contraire - here's the brilliant Miguel keeping it real and Squire with brilliant covers of old and new CS songs:[/i]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSW0vO6-N6Q&feature=plcp"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSW0vO6-N6Q&feature=plcp[/url]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1350584576' post='1840945']
[i]au contraire - here's the brilliant Miguel keeping it real and Squire with brilliant covers of old and new CS songs:[/i]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSW0vO6-N6Q&feature=plcp[/media]
[/quote]

I've seen this chap before and he's great , but he looks well into his thirties ( at least ) to me. In my book , that's quite old. Also bear in mind that he's in Portugal , and that good weather and healthy Mediterranean diet probably keeps him looking younger than he really is. This guy could actually be well into his fifties , for all we know.

Edited by Dingus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Same here: Chris Squire started everything for me, from me realising basses [b]could[/b] in fact be played as if they were instruments, through my buying lots of bassists' albums, to finally leaving keyboards altogether and taking up bass last year.

Without him, I'd now be a world famous organist and composer of new classical music. :o
Thank You, Chris! :thank_you: :thank_you: :thank_you:

best,
bert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its funny, I never really got Rush, never listened to much by them, but one day after a gig I was talking to a quite well informed audience member. He said to me: I'm diggin your sound, you sound like Geddy Lee!
Thanks, I said. Not really knowing what he meant because, like i said I've never really listened to that 'sound' despite it being mentioned countless times on here and seemingly everywhere in bass circles.
SO I did a bit of research, and I listened, and in a way the guy was right, but to me he sounds a bit like Chris Squire, which is who i was trying to sound a bit like, and always have.
The opening bars of Yours is No Disgrace inspired me to pick up my dads bass and give it a whirl. I've still not found a covers band prepared to take i on though...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1350665585' post='1842076']
Its funny, I never really got Rush, never listened to much by them, but one day after a gig I was talking to a quite well informed audience member. He said to me: I'm diggin your sound, you sound like Geddy Lee!
Thanks, I said. Not really knowing what he meant because, like i said I've never really listened to that 'sound' despite it being mentioned countless times on here and seemingly everywhere in bass circles.
SO I did a bit of research, and I listened, and in a way the guy was right, but to me he sounds a bit like Chris Squire, which is who i was trying to sound a bit like, and always have.
The opening bars of Yours is No Disgrace inspired me to pick up my dads bass and give it a whirl. I've still not found a covers band prepared to take i on though...
[/quote]

Geddy Lee would claim that his style was far more directly influenced by Jack Bruce and John Entwistle than it was by Chris Squier- I suppose he would have already begun to formulate his style and approach by the time that Yes became prominent- but interestingly enough, Chris Squier cites watching John Entwistle performing with the Who at the Marquee as his major influence on the bass and his adoption of a trebly, up-front sound. It would seem that they shared the same inspiration independently of each other to create a similar sound .

Edited by Dingus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1350547621' post='1840235']
One of my "without whom" gang as well. Relayer is my favourite - especially Gates Of Delirium.
A champion of Rickenbackers, but check out this monster, used on Awaken I believe

An early Wal commissioned by Rick Wakeman for Roger Newell who played in his band. Later passed on to CS I think

[/quote]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...