Death of a Bass Legend: Chris Squire

Chris Squire, the legendary bassist of prog rock giant Yes, had unfortunately passed away today, on the 27th of June 2015, due to a rare form of leukemia.

He was much more than just a bassist, he was a singer and a songwriter. As a founding member of Yes, he had a prominent role in the formation of the iconic "Yes sound". He was also the longest-serving original member of the band. About its formation, Squire told in an interview: "I couldn't get session work because most musicians hated my style. They wanted me to play something a lot more basic. We started Yes as a vehicle to develop everyone's individual styles."

His bass playing technique was regarded as highly "aggressive", "dynamic" and "melodic". In that sense, he became a dominant figure from the progressive rock scene to influence the future generations of bassists. As an example, John Deacon of Queen named Squire as his favorite bass player in an interview with Guitar Magazine.

When his death was confirmed by the Yes' official Facebook page, the whole rock world was truly devastated. From his website, guitarist Steve Hackett of Genesis wrote a farewell message that maybe sums it up the best:

"Chris, you've left a stunning legacy for us all to admire for eternity. Your work is an inspiration for legions of musicians and followers. A huge influence on so many, including a little band that followed in your footsteps called Genesis...What a privilege to have listened to you on stage, a thrill to have worked with you and to have shared such sweet times. Chris was the king of the bass, a great band leader with a huge positive personality."

In April 2016, asteroid 2002 XR80 received an official permanent name from the International Astronomical Union in honor of Squire. Asteroid (90125) Chrissquire was discovered on 11 December 2002, and the name "90125" is a reference to the same-titled Yes album.