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Squire



From: Bernd Gramlich <gramlich@btm1x1.mat.uni-bayreuth.de>
>>>
Recently, I heard lots of people compare CS to JAE, and that thing made   
me
curious.  I checked out several Yes records and listened to them very
carefully, but I couldn't find anything exciting in the bass line.  Good   
bass
playing, yes, but way, way behind JAE.

So, if you can recommend any reference songs where CS excels IYO, I'd be
grateful.  Up to now, my impression of him is that he is the only   
remarkable
spot in the awfully wailing Yes sound...
<<<

I'd only compare Squire and John in two areas:

1) They were responsible for completely changing the way bass sound is   
approached by pointing out that the treble knob has a purpose on a bass   
guitar.
2) Both play lines that define the bass as a lead instrument instead of   
some booming mud-pile.

Squire approaches his playing very differently that John, tending to move   
around a melodic line, where John plays lots of notes in a straight-ahead   
melodic fashion.  Both have amazing finger speed when required, but   
John's style is more "classic" rock guitar style, where Squire's is   
leaning towards jazz/classical.  I give Squire a slight nod for technical   
prowess, but John clearly plays with more passion.  I love 'em both   
dearly.

Squire's (and Yes') best studio works are on The Yes Album, Fragile, and   
Close To The Edge.  If you can't get into "Heart Of The Sunrise" on   
Fragile, then stop right there.  Squire doesn't get any better, with the   
exception of "The Fish" from the live Yessongs, which contains *the*   
single greatest bass solo ever played, bar none.

OK,
KLW