Chris Squire
The architect of progressive rock's bass guitar, whose melodic, trebly Rickenbacker lines became the thunderous backbone of Yes's cosmic sound.
1948–2015 (age 67)·English bassist of rock band Yes·Birthday: March 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Chris Squire didn't just play bass in Yes; he built its foundation from the ground up. As the band's sole constant member from its 1968 inception until his death, his approach was revolutionary. Inspired by the harmonic possibilities of the guitar and the driving force of the rhythm section, he crafted a singular tone—a bright, clanging, profoundly melodic roar from his Rickenbacker 4001. On epic tracks like 'Roundabout' and 'The Fish,' his bass wasn't merely support; it was a lead instrument, weaving complex counter-melodies that propelled the band's symphonic rock into uncharted territory. His stage presence was towering, both literally and figuratively, anchoring the band's often-chaotic brilliance with unwavering musicality. Squire's sound became a blueprint for generations of rock and metal bassists, proving the instrument's power to be both intellectually intricate and viscerally powerful.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Chris was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2015Died at 67
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- His bass work on Yes's 1971 album 'Fragile' is considered a landmark in progressive rock instrumentation.
- Co-wrote some of Yes's most enduring songs, including 'Roundabout' and 'Onward.'
- Released a influential solo album, 'Fish Out of Water,' in 1975 while Yes was on hiatus.
- Inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes in 2017.
Did You Know?
He acquired his signature Rickenbacker 4001 bass, which he nicknamed 'The Beast,' in 1965 and used it for most of his career.
Squire's nickname was 'The Fish,' stemming from his habit of taking marathon baths to brainstorm musical ideas.
He was a skilled chess player and often played with bandmates on tour.
Before joining Yes, he was briefly a choirboy at St. Andrew's Church in London.
““I never wanted to be just a bass player stuck in the back. I wanted to be up there making a statement.””
