Chris Squire - Fish Out of Water

[MichaelC]

The best of the Yesmen's solo projects?

Probably.

I prefer it to Rick Wakeman's Six Wives and Jon Anderson's Olias.

Perhaps unusual in there being little by way of guitar, rather relying on the bass (and Anderson like vocals of Chris Squire), the keyboards, drums and orchestration. It works though, the first side could be a Yes album but it is the track Lucky Seven which kicks off side two which I really like - the jazzy feel to it and Mel Collins sax floating in and out throughout.

Deserves a place in nay collection of recordings from the seventies.

 

[MichaelC]

Edit - the final track, Safe, mmm, should have been omitted from the album.

 

[bob atherton]

Good album IMHO.

Love the sound of his Rickenbacker RM1999 bass on this album

 

[Älterboy]

i know where there is a mint chris squire signature rick with all paper work
and case 1994 model i think , about 2k and a bargain at that.
second hand shop in birkenhead!!

 

[bob atherton]

i know where there is a mint chris squire signature rick with all paper work
and case 1994 model i think , about 2k and a bargain at that.
second hand shop in birkenhead!!

2K is a good price for a CS bass. I have seen them go for less but not in mint condition , case and paperwork.

 

[Älterboy]

this one looks box fresh

 

[Joe Hutch]

i know where there is a mint chris squire signature rick with all paper work
and case 1994 model i think , about 2k and a bargain at that.
second hand shop in birkenhead!!

Is it the one by Birkenhead Park station?

 

[Rasher]

This is a surprisingly good album. I wouldn't play it much now, but it was the best of them. Beginnings by Steve Howe was okay too, but Olias...well, you wouldn't want to get caught playing it, would you.

 

[Älterboy]

possibly, its the well-worth-a-visit second hand shop just outside the main drag of birkenhead opposite the rather awful 'hammersound' musical instrument shop
hope this is a help

 

[moomaloo]

I have a near mint original uk vinyl copy of Olias. Unfortunately it's dreadful and is currently residing in my 'to sell' pile. I would pick up a nice copy of Fish (with poster) if I could find one but I'm not desperate enough to start looking in earnest. Same with Six Wives. The best Yes solo album (and it isn't really a Yes solo album at all) is the Refugee album on Charisma with Patrick Moraz. IMO.

 

[steve6080]

Refugee are basically The Nice without Emerson -- not necessarily a bad thing!
Steve

 

[madmike]

Refugee are basically The Nice without Emerson -- not necessarily a bad thing!
Steve

Disagree heartily, Refugee is Patrick Moraz hampered, nay dragged down by lame drumming and worse vocals from the ex-Nice players. Brilliant keyboard work...everyone else ruunning to catch up.

Nice without Emerson is less than nothing, Refugee without Moraz is zilch.

 

[sadcafe]

The best of the Yesmen's solo projects?

Probably.

I prefer it to Rick Wakeman's Six Wives and Jon Anderson's Olias.

Perhaps unusual in there being little by way of guitar, rather relying on the bass (and Anderson like vocals of Chris Squire), the keyboards, drums and orchestration. It works though, the first side could be a Yes album but it is the track Lucky Seven which kicks off side two which I really like - the jazzy feel to it and Mel Collins sax floating in and out throughout.

Deserves a place in nay collection of recordings from the seventies.

Have to disagree with this one. I have a soft spot for Songs Of Seven and much of Jon and Vangelis. Trevor Rabin has a lot of good solo releases. His recent Jacaranda is a great listen.

 

[garyi]

I got to track two before I had to turn it off.

I like Yes but proof yet again that in the magic of music, there are these combinations that just work, and when split do not work.

 

[Singslinger]

Not necessarily the best of the Yes men's side projects but definitely a good album that stands on its own merits - even if large swathes of it sound a bit too Yes-like.

 

[stephen bennett]

Can I speak up for Olias here? It's an almost solo work in an age when that was rare and Anderson's approach to instrumentation was unusual and included guitars, harp, keyboards, sitar, flutes, mandolin, mandocello, koto, drums, percussion, bass guitar and saz (from Wikipedia.) I remember reading at the time how he'd learned to play many of these especially for the record.

If you like Anderson's voice and treat his lyrics (as I do) as an instrument rather than bother about 'meaning', Olias has a lot going for it. It's occasionally beautiful, dynamic and it really sounds like nothing else out there.

I love Fish, but it's a lot more conventional. If you do too, give 'Squackket' a listen. Hackett and Squire together - not perfect, but I think their best for a long time.

Regards

Stephen