New Respect for Chris Squire of Yes - Playing Roundabout!

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by jschwalls

Beaver Felton got me hooked on YES back in '91-'92 when I was taking lessons from him. He basically told me to go buy FRAGILE, which I did right after that lesson, and I've been hooked ever since.

Man, I used to go see Beaver play in this band Hoochie in the early 80's. They did a lot of stuff like Yes, ELP and Genesis, and I swear to you Beaver slapped most of it! Sounded great, but it was so odd to see a slapper playing Yes, especially when their previous bassist used a Ric and played with a pick.

[fretlessguy]

...Add my name to the list of players who were influenced by Chris to play.
There are very few like him, and probably Geddy and Dave Meros of Spock's Beard are the only ones who I would say share in his style.
If you want to see something enlightning, find the video tape from "Starlicks". On the tape (may be out in DVD now, I do not know) he tears down the bass parts for many of his classic tracks, such as Tempest Fugit, Heart of the Sunrise, Sound Chaser, I'm Running, and of course Roundabout, and shows how he played them. I was quite surprised by the intersting shortcuts he took to make the parts easier to play (not that they are simple), specifically on Sound Chaser. He even plays with what some would call "bad technique" (like wrapping his big thumb around the neck to play notes on the E string), but he makes it work in the context of his playing. How he plays with his pcik is quite interesting. Check it out.

[Sneckumhaw]

Originally Posted by fretlessguy

...There are very few like him, and probably Geddy and Dave Meros of Spock's Beard are the only ones who I would say share in his style.

Jon Camp much moreso.

[progrockbass]

Chris is one of the main reasons I picked up a bass along with Geddy and few others. I have jumped from pick to fingers but generally with the Yes stuff I used a pick especially on my Ric. Only use my fingers now. I remember learning Perpetual Change and Long Distance Runaround when I was 15 (1978) and how much those songs improved my overall playing. Crushed when the current show here in Vancouver was cancelled due to Jon's illness was hoping to see that giant play his Ric again...

[lug]

He understands counter melody in a rock setting better than any bassist that has ever lived. As much as I like his chops, I much more impressed with the parts he dreams up.

[MysticMichael]

No "new" respect from me for Squire. It's the same respect I've had for him ever since I first began to wrap my mind around his phenomenal work on Close To The Edge in 1974.

A lot of people who consider Squire only superficially tend to respect him primarily for his flashy chops - which admittedly are extremely impressive. But if you listen more closely, with a more disciplined, educated and critical ear, you hear some of the most sophisticated neo-baroque inspired composition ever to be incorporated into rock music.

I love listening to Squire's rockin' tone and revel in his wonderful chops. But where he really separates himself from the pack is with his transcendent compositional abilities. Simply outstanding...

MM

[lhoward]

Originally Posted by lug

He understands counter melody in a rock setting better than any bassist that has ever lived. As much as I like his chops, I much more impressed with the parts he dreams up.

+10

I was always very interested in the lines he played. Nice concept. But I'm sure he spent some time developing those lines. If he improvised them off-the-cuff, then he's a more amazing player than I've thought.

Lloyd Howard

[GtenderG]

Chris's name came up in the 'Bassists who ruin songs when they sing' thread and I meant to disagree there. Although I guess his voice has suffered a bit with age... When I 1st saw YES in 1978 (Going for the one) he was in his prime - wow.. The harmonies in that album alone are impressive and he nailed them. During 'The Fish' (this will sound so cliche) he did that move where he brings his foot up to his knee and holds the ric up and out while holding a note and one of the spotlights reflected against one of the tuners and flashed into my eyes - maybe it was the hashish but that moment changed my life. (Like that church scene in the Blues Brothers movie.) I bought a bass a few days later...

It's 'Tempus Fugit' btw...

[Johnny StingRay]

Originally Posted by Baird6869

I have been a competent bass player and a huge Yes fan for 25 years and have always considered Chris as one of my biggest influences.

I have always screwed around with Roundabout and the main parts of the song are fairly straightforward and easliy played but never actually gigged it.

Anyways, I tried playing this with my band tonight and it is one of the hardest tunes I have ever tried to play really get tight!

My guitard is amazing, but the subtile changes in the arrangement on bass is really tough for me. AND we are a 3 piece.

Anyone else find Squier's (or Yes') more complicated stuff to be a pain to play? IThis song is driving me nuts!

For some reason, brain disorder or just plain bass retardation, "Roundabout" is the only song I have never been able to master.
I just don't know what it is about it, but I just can't play it! The frustration was incredible at first, but now I just accept it and let it go.

Chris Squire was just flat out awesome...........

Peace

[905]

Originally Posted by lug

He understands counter melody in a rock setting better than any bassist that has ever lived. As much as I like his chops, I much more impressed with the parts he dreams up.

There is truth, and beyond truth, there is this.

[lowendblues]

He was way ahead of his time back when all the older stuff was recorded with YES.

To this day I just shake my head in disbelief when I hear his tone and his complex parts.

Then I do the math and realize how young he was when it was all recorded.

[BigKahuna13]

Originally Posted by jschwalls

Yeah, Chris is amazing... His lines are very melodic and his choice of notes are brilliant. Heart Of The Sunrise, is still one of my all time favorites.

The line in Heart of the Sunrise is melodic enough that it works well as a stand alone piece of music.


On Squire's singing ability - it's interesting that people would bash his singing. He's a church-trained singer.

I know this is a Squire thread but is it okay to say that, while I was never a Beatles fan, my band does a couple of Beatles tunes and I have a new-found respect for McCartney's skills?

[MonetBass]

Originally Posted by Philbiker

You guys should play "Tempus Fugit". What a blast!

+1. I play that line when warming up a lot.