Chris Squire
b. 4 March 1948, London, England. An accomplished bass player who has made his name with supergroup Yes, having played with them for over 20 years. Yes was formed after Squire, then a member of the Syn, met Jon Anderson in a London music club. The original line-up consisted of Anderson (b. 25 October 1944, Accrington, Lancashire, England; vocals), an extremely gifted vocalist and composer; Peter Banks (b. England; guitar), also a former member of the Syn; Bill Bruford (b. 17 May 1948, London, England; drums); Tony Kaye (b. England; organ), and Squire. Anderson, Banks and Squire had been in a band called Mabel Greer's Toyshop in the last years of the '60s. Yes endured various personnel changes throughout the '70s, with Squire acting as a solid foundation for the band. By the mid-80s the line-up had been completely revamped by Squire with Anderson's help. In 1977, Squire and another band member, Alan White (b. 14 June 1949, Pelton, Co. Durham, England; drums), appeared on Rick Wakeman's solo, CRIMINAL RECORD. Their music matured as the decade progressed, Squire quickly becoming one of the best bassists to emerge from England. Some of the material the band put out could be described as pretentious, such as the highly esoteric TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS which was based on Shastric Scriptures. In the mid-70s, each member of Yes undertook a solo project, Squire releasing the successful FISH OUT OF WATER. In 1981 the break-up of the band was confirmed. Although Squire and White rehearsed with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, formerly of Led Zeppelin, nothing came of this project apart from Squire and White releasing Run With The Fox which failed to chart. The following year Squire and White formed Cinema with South-African guitarist Trevor Rabin and Tony Kaye. Rabin was an unsatisfactory vocalist, being replaced by Jon Anderson. Since the band was virtually identical to one of the early Yes line-ups, it was decided that they should call themselves by that name once more. However, by 1988 Yes had split into two warring factions with Squire owning the name, thereby forcing the other members to tour under the rather longer-winded title of Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman And Howe. It was Squire's version of Yes which released BIG GENERATOR in 1988.