British bass player and co-founder (with vocalist Jon Anderson) of English progressive rock band Yes.
Born in London, Squire had been a member of The Syn, a flower-pop outfit who had recorded a couple of singles for Deram Records (one celebrating the 'happening' held at Alexandra Palace in April 1967). After the breakup of The Syn, Squire spent a year developing his bass-playing technique, influenced by the Who's bassist, John Entwistle.
In 1968, he met Jon Anderson and the two played together in a band known as Mabel Greer's Toyshop, along with Peter Banks. The band subsequently became Yes.
Yes released their first album in 1969 and, although the band have had many personnel changes over the years, they have continued to record and tour for over 35 years. Squire is the only original member who has remained in the lineup throughout.
As Squire, along with Alan White and Steve Howe, co-owned the Yes name at the time, the 1989 ABWH lineup without him (which contained Anderson, Bill Bruford, Rick Wakeman and Howe) could not record under that name.
Squire has concentrated overwhelmingly on Yes' music over the years and his solo works have been few and far between. His first and only true solo record was 1975's Fish Out of Water, featuring Yes members Bruford on drums and Patrick Moraz on keyboards and The Syn's Andrew Jackman also on keyboards.
Squire was later a member of the short-lived XYZ (eX-Yes/Zeppelin) in 1981, a group composed of White (Yes) on drums and Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) on guitar. XYZ recorded several demo tracks at Squire's home studio in Virginia Water, but never produced anything formal (ostensibly because vocalist Robert Plant, still mourning for John Bonham, failed to get interested).
Squire also played a role in bringing Trevor Rabin into the Cinema band project, which became the 90125 lineup. Later, Squire joined with Yes guitarist Billy Sherwood in a side project called Conspiracy. Conspiracy's second album, The Unknown, was released in 2003.
In late 2004, Squire joined a reunion of The Syn, subsequently leaving the band in May 2006.