Go Away With … Chris Squire

By Jae-Ha Kim
Tribune Media Services
January 6, 2009

You can’t talk about progressive rock without mentioning the band Yes. Yes is progressive rock. The band, formed in 1968, and known for hits such as “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” “Roundabout” and “I’ve Seen All Good People,” has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and enjoys touring and meeting their fans. Chris Squire, who founded the group with Jon Anderson, says it never ceases to amaze him how many fans show up to support them.

“They come to the shows, know all the words and just have an amazing time, which makes it that much more fun for us,” says Squire, 60, who formed the group with fellow founding member Jon Anderson. “People wonder if it has gotten tedious for us and it hasn’t. It has never gotten old.”

Thanks to Yes, Squire has been around the world several times. But for him, Chicago is one of those cities where he feels completely at home.

MY KIND OF TOWN: I’ve been to lots of interesting places all over the world. I have to say that Chicago is a place I always look forward to going to. It’s definitely one of my favorite U.S. cities and I’ve even thought about living there a few times. I’ve lived in New York and Los Angeles and I think I would fit in very well in Chicago.

NEIGHBORLY: I’ve always had a few friends in Chicago to visit and even stay with on occasion. But even when I’m just by myself, I never feel lonely. I always like the feel of Chicago.

BEST THING ABOUT CHICAGO: There are so many good restaurants and places that are open late. When you’re used to a musician’s life, you sometimes need to get out and get a bite to eat late.

ART OF PACKING: I’ve gotten it down quite well. When I’m touring, I have a big wardrobe case that stores most of the clothes I’ll wear performing. That travels on a truck and I just take as little as possible from there when I check into hotels because you don’t want to spend your off hours packing and unpacking. You just need your toothbrush really. When I travel on my own time, I try to be as economical as I can about it. I don’t want to spend all my time at the airport waiting for luggage to come off the conveyor belt.

SOUVENIRS: I’m not a big shopper.

DREAM VACATION: I’m fortunate to have visited most of the places that I had wanted to see, but I haven’t been to China yet. My wife has been there a few times, so I’m very jealous of her.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CHICAGO:

MAYOR: Richard M. Daley.

TIME ZONE: Chicago is in the Central time zone. If it is noon in Chicago, it is 10 a.m. in Los Angeles and 1 p.m. in New York.

TRUE OR FALSE: It is not true that Patrick and Catherine O’Leary’s cow started the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 by kicking over a lantern.

SIGHTSEEING: Chicago is home to world-famous museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry.

FAMOUS CHICAGOANS: Rev. Jesse Jackson; musician Kanye West and Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson; actors Gary Sinise, Jeremy Piven, John Cusack and Amy Sedaris; and President-elect Barack Obama (who wasn’t born in Chicago, but has a home in the city’s Hyde Park neighborhood).

To learn more about Chicago, check out www.choosechicago.com. To get read more about Chris Squire, go to www.chrissquire.net.