Two prog-rock legends — bassist Chris Squire and guitarist Steve Hackett — have gotten together to form a new band, Squackett.
Their debut album, A Life Within A Day, will be released May 29 via Esoteric Antenna.
Squackett also will release a limited-edition 7-inch single — "Sea of Smiles" backed with "Perfect Love Song" — April 21 as part of International Record Store Day.
The pair got together about four years ago when Squire, the only Yes member to appear on every Yes album, was working on a solo album. Someone put him in touch with Hackett, who originally came to prominence as a member of Genesis and later worked with another member of Yes, Steve Howe, in GTR.
Once the duo started working together, Squackett was born.
“It was very much about a bunch of pals swapping notes and anecdotes,” Hackett says. “I would say if people are looking for uncountable time signatures, in the main that’s not what this album holds. I think the songs are more simple and direct.”
“It has a flavor to it that is reminiscent of a few things from different artists,” Squire adds. “There is some clever prog-rock stuff in there, some jazzy bits but there are parts that have vocal harmonies like Crosby, Stills and Nash.”
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A Life Within A Day tracklisting:
01. A Life Within a Day
02. Tall Ships
03. Divided Self
04. Aliens
05. Sea of Smiles
06. The Summer Backwards
07. Storm Chaser
08. Can't Stop the Rain
09. Perfect Love Song
Look forward to interviews with Squire and Hackett in the weeks leading up to the album's release.
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
