Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Wayne Hall, Ken Fuller and Jeffrey Crecelius
This week we welcomed bass maestro Miguel Falcão back onto the YMP, this time to talk about the bass that appears in Barry Plummer’s photo set from Redan Recorders in February 1980. Chris shows off his new instrument to the camera so we have a great insight into his feelings, shortly after he received his customised Electra MPC bass. He seems rather pleased with it, as you can see in the photos I have included, appropriately watermarked, in the show notes for this week.
I kick off the conversation by explaining what Yes were doing in Redan Recorders and why Barry Plummer’s visit was fortuitous, at least for those of us interested in the history of the world’s greatest progressive rock band.
Miguel then takes us through all the details of the Electra bass, delving deeply into the weeds in the way we enjoy very much on the YMP.
- What was special about this bass guitar?
- Where and how did Chris use it?
- What happened to the instrument in the end?
Please do add any other details you know about this remarkable bass in the comments below.
Barry Plummer 2026 Calendar is still available!
Apply £11.00 off with the promo code wh4y4pk3
Enrich your Prog year with iconic images of Yes in the 1970s, taken by the legendary rock photographer, Barry Plummer.
Enjoy 12 beautiful colour and black and white photographs of Yes in the studio and live, capturing the essence of the world’s greatest progressive rock band. With this limited-edition calendar on your wall throughout 2026, you’ll agree that Barry Plummer is, indeed, the Master of Images!
(A flat shipping fee will be added at checkout depending on your location.)
Yes – The Tormato Story & Tales from Topographic Oceans – Yes Album Listening Guide
Available now!
YMP Patrons:
Producers:
- Joseph Cottrell
- Wayne Hall
- Ken Fuller
- Jeffrey Crecelius
Patrons:
| Aaron Steelman | Steve Luzietti | Lind |
| Al Dell’Angelo | Terence Sadler | Lobate Scarp |
| Barry Gorsky | John Thomson | Mark Baggs |
| Bill Whittaker | Steve Perry | Mark James Lang |
| Bob Martilotta | Thomas DeVries | Mark Slater |
| Brian Harris | John Viola | Martin Kjellberg |
| Brian Sullivan | Steve Rode | Michael Handerhan |
| Chris Bandini | Tim Stannard | Michael O’Connor |
| Craig Estenes | Steve Scott | Miguel Falcão |
| Dave Owen | Chip Palmer | Paul Hailes |
| David | Guy DeRome | Paul Tomei |
| David Heyden | Steve Moss | Rachel Hadaway |
| David Pannell | Geoffrey Mason | Robert Nasir |
| David Watkinson | Henrik Antonsson | Robert Vandiver |
| Declan Logue | Hogne Bø Pettersen | Ronnie Neeley |
| Dem | Steven Roehr | Scott Colombo |
| Doug Curran | Todd Dudley | Simon Barrow |
| Fergus Cubbage | John Holden | Stephen Lambe |
| Fred Barringer | Douglas Caldwell | Steve Dill |
| Gary Betts | John Cowan | Jamie McQuinn |
| Geoff Bailie | Ray Riethmeier |
Discover more from Yes Music Podcast
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
6 replies on “Master of Images – Barry Plummer’s Yes Legacy – Part 2 – Squire’s new bass with Miguel Falcão – 724”
St. Louis music yes ….I was in a band in StLouis and the rhythm guitarist had a guitar version with the plug in modules including “Tank Tone. “ I even did some branding projects with St. Louis music .
Thanks Paul – a wonderful technological avenue – shame it was a dead end!
A very insightful episode for gear heads like myself. Thank you as always Kevin and Mark and also Miguel of course!
The only addition I have to make is that I could swear the bass on ‘Never Done Before’ from the Paris Sessions sounds exactly like the Elektra to me. That could imply that he might have acquired the bass prior to the photos here?
Either way, I’m absolutely amazed that the infamous last day that Jon came to the studio in 1980 was captured in photos! I cannot wait to see the rest when the book comes out!
Good catch, Kilian. That is the Electra for sure. The standard model is from 1978 so Chris already had it in Paris 1979 (at least). That’s also the flanger module working on that song.
Hi Kevin & Mark & Miguel –
Thanks for another interesting episode.
Question: I’d always imagined, apparently wrongly, that Chris used the Electra bass and it’s effects in Children of Light from KtA 2, in that sublime second half of the song (“Lifeline”) providing the texture under Steve Howe’s steel guitar solo.
What did Chris use to record Children of Light/Lifeline?
All the best,
Greg
Hi Greg. Good question. I always imagined that by then Chris would be using one of his extended scale Tobias but anyway the bass line is around a low E, so any bass could do it. The Lifeline section – there are indeed flanging effects going on there, but to my ears that’s from Steve’s guitars, maybe using an eBow, and there is no bass involved. However it’s something that would require further research.