THE FISH

I MAKE AN EXCEPTION TO MY NO CLASSICS RULE with the inclusion of this tune. I do so because Chris Squire has brought new life into this rendition of an oldie from the Fragile album fused with On the Silent wings of Freedom from the album Tormato. As noted in the review I dislike the ending series of notes that really mar this otherwise invigorating tune. But I am sure he had his reasons for including it.

REVIEW
This is a live version so the intro has the usual hooting, whistling, and cheers. I assume the first repetitive chromatic notes are being played by Steve Howe (played by Squire on the album). Chris Squire's performance in this song is fantastic and a great example of what he can do with a bass guitar. There is minimal drumming and I do miss Bill Bruford whose work is more organic and less mechanical but the percussion is in the background and not too intrusive. At 3 minutes Squire really gets cooking and he really loves twanging that Rickenbacher. At four minutes he begins a new medley of bass-centric tunes from other albums, this is punctuated by some semi-drum solo licks nicely done. One of the tunes is the bass solo from Tormato (I forget the name) but it is a great performance (with some nice double bass foot work in one case). The song continues to crescendo finishing up with some rapid finger work by Squire. Unfortunately it ends with his incessant, repetitive note-distorting thumping at 8 minutes. I could really do without those nerve-rattling 40 notes. Highly irritating. However it ends reprising The Fish with most of the band joining in the last minute.