Very sad to start the day with the news of Chris Squire's passing. Prog is just as important to me as Punk or any other genre I cherish, and it's devastating to know that the world will no longer hear new creations from one of its key progenitors. For me, Yes' greatest moment will always be the Drama album, where they were brave enough to match the technical prowess of their past with the New Wave vibe that was going on at the time. That lineup of Squire, White, Downes, Howe and Horn was magnificent. The magic of that album was easily matched on 2011's Fly From Here, which marked the return of Downes and (in the producer's chair, but not on the mic) Horn. Of course, there are countless extraordinary moments from the Jon Anderson era – a catalog with far-reaching influence. (Don't believe me? Ask Pat Smear, who started The Germs' “No God” with a guitar line from “Roundabout.”) The common denominator through all of Yes' various lineups was Chris Squire.
I'm grateful I was finally able to see Yes live in 2013, when they hit New England to play The Yes Album, Close To The Edge and Going For The One in their entirety. There they were, mostly guys in their 60s, playing flawlessly for hours. And there was Chris Squire, leading the pack as he always did. And now he's gone. Hard to take.
Yes had more great music in them. While the loss of the sole original member could spell the end of future possibilities, at least there's some solace to be found in all those great record that came before this sad day. They will be filling the air here today.
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