The Yes song that proves Chris Squire was a “rhythmic genius”, according to Geddy Lee
There’s prog, there’s hard rock, and there’s Rush. One of music’s most incongruously unique bands, the Candian-trio won worldwide acclaim and an intensely dedicated fanbase through the greatest of odds. Dropping their debut just as the progressive world was lapsing into bloated self-parody, Rush would doggedly soldier through punk’s threat and make it to the 1980s as prog’s survivors along with Pink Floyd.
Adding synthesizers to the mix and reining in their complex arrangements, 1981’s Moving Pictures saw Rush showered with commercial attention and becoming an unlikely star of the MTV age.
Avoiding the genre’s pretentious pitfalls and always gifted with wry humour that stood them apart, Rush was still shaped by the UK bands that emerged from the psychedelic scene and entered the AOR era with big, conceptual ideas matched with grand, theatrical shows. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2019 on his “five favourite bass songs”, Rush’s Geddy Lee reeled off The Who, Cream, Led Zeppelin and Weather Report as key influences, but it was prog’s archetype group on which he bestowed serious praise.
Explaining, “Another hit song driven by an outrageously complex and rockin’ bass line. I could have chosen any one of a dozen Yes songs that shows off the melodic and rhythmic genius that was Chris Squire. It was a pure privilege to play this song with Yes in 2017 at their (long overdue) induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
Opening 1971’s Fragile, ‘Roundabout’ is routinely touted as Yes’ finest cut and the highlight of a moment where they still had ideas before the bore that was Tales from Topographic Oceans double LP. Celebrated for its aggressively hectic bass playing, many budding bassists have attempted but failed to emulate his distinctive playing.
To achieve its memorably complex groove, his Rickenbacker 4001 parts were overdubbed using guitarist Steve Howe’s Gibson ES-10, then smattered with synth wizard Rick Wakeman’s Minimoog and Mellotron noodling. Inspired by the many roundabouts encountered while on tour in Scotland, the scenic road between Aberdeen and Glasgow was filled with such mountainous natural beauty that their most acclaimed track was largely conceived there and then on the coach.
It’s a well-trodden narrative, and while prog’s lofty indulgences would have left audiences cold sooner or later, punk’s ‘year zero’ well and truly accelerated its oblivion. Ending the 1970s in a different universe of critical standing as they entered it, an embrace of a more pop-focused direction with production help from Trevor Horn yielded a massive career comeback for Yes. 1983’s 90125 thrust them to the ranks of REO Speedwagon and Styx, and its lead single, ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’, was their first to top the Billboard Hot 100.
Through thick and thin was Squire, gifting Yes his bass skills through the late 1970s doldrums and ’80s commercial rejuvenation until his sad passing in 2015. Leaving such an impression on the bass world from Rush to Primus’ Les Claypool, Rickenbacker produced a limited edition 4001CS model—styled on the RM1999 Squire played with as a teenager.
