Original Yes member Chris Squire discusses the band’s latest tour, their forthcoming CD, and their upcoming show at Hampton Beach.

When bassist Chris Squire and vocalist Jon Anderson conceived the British band Yes in 1968, their goals were relatively modest. The average lifespan of even the most successful bands of the late ’60s was only about half a decade, and the founding members of Yes simply hoped to match that longevity.

“The Beatles had a six-year career, really, and I thought when I was young that was really a long time,” Squire said. “So, when we started Yes, I was hoping we’d be able to achieve something like that.”

Never in his “wildest dreams” did Squire imagine Yes would endure for well over 40 years, selling more than 30 million albums in the process. Nor did he imagine that one day the band would be credited as the archetypal founders of an entire genre—the style now known as progressive rock.

The band is set to release a new studio album this summer, its first in 10 years. They’re currently on a mini tour of the nation, which will bring them to the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom on Friday, April 1. It’s the Ballroom’s first concert of 2011.

The 40-plus years of touring and recording have not diminished Squire’s enthusiasm for getting onstage and playing music.“It’s always a really enjoyable experience doing a live show, especially at the moment, where the band’s playing so well,” he said, speaking by phone from a hotel room in Cleveland.

“It’s an uplifting experience to go onstage every night and turn in a good show for the audience, and, of course, it’s great to see people enjoying themselves and being excited about the music.”

Now 63, Squire is the only original member remaining in the band and the only continuous instrumentalist who has been part of every Yes incarnation. But a couple of other current members have been with the group for almost as long; guitarist Steve Howe and drummer Alan White each joined the group in the early 1970s. The current lineup is rounded out by singer Benoit David and keyboardist Oliver Wakeman, son of long-time former member Rick Wakeman.  

Born in London, Squire got his first taste of musical performance as a choirboy. He was later suspended from school for having long hair and never returned, instead cultivating an interest in bass guitar. Heavily influenced by Paul McCartney and The Who’s John Entwhistle, he became a member of The Self and The Syn and, later, Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, both of which also included original Yes guitarist Peter Banks. 

Squire’s partnership with Jon Anderson began in 1968, fueled by a mutual admiration for vocal harmony groups like Simon & Garfunkel. The pair started Yes along with Banks, drummer Bill Bruford, and keyboardist Tony Kaye. They soon earned a residency at The Marquee Club and released their eponymous debut album in 1969.

Howe replaced Banks in time for the band’s 1970 release, “The Yes Album,” adding an experimental edge that would help define their sound. Bruford left the band after their next record, “Fragile,” to join with fellow British prog rockers King Crimson. He was replaced in 1972 by White, a former member of the Plastic Ono Band who had performed on John Lennon’s “Imagine” and George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass.”

Throughout the ’70s, Yes brought progressive rock to new heights, incorporating elements of jazz, fusion, folk and classical into their rock repertoire. To this day, Yes is widely recognized as the most lasting and influential paragon of the progressive genre, trumping even British prog giants like Genesis, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

According to Squire, though, the band never consciously set out to alter the course of rock music. That, he said, was a natural outcome of bringing together talented players with diverse musical backgrounds. 

“We kind of came together as individuals and put our skills all in the pot and started up and what we came out with was Yes,” he said, noting that Bruford had a background in jazz and Howe was well-versed in country. “When you mix all that together you come up with Yes. That’s really all I can say about that.”

Outside of a brief hiatus in the early 1980s, Anderson had always been the band’s lead singer, establishing a distinct brand for the music with his intense, high-pitched vocals. He remained with the group until 2008, when the decades of spirited singing began to take a toll on his health. 

“A couple years back he did have some problems with his voice and problems with his breathing. It became a little obvious that he was reticent to want to commit to do any large-scale touring,” Squire said. “The rigors of going on the road as a lead singer, it’s a very difficult job. So, at the moment, we’re concentrating on this lineup.”

Benoit David has filled in ably on the latest tour, which began in early March. He will also serve as lead vocalist on the forthcoming album, which Squire said is about 80 percent complete. Performing original material on the record will enable David to establish his own identity within the group, Squire said.“

Benoit has certainly grown into the job very well. He manages to pretty much pull off most of what Jon does, if not all,” Squire said. “Jon Anderson is a great singer and still is a great singer and obviously very difficult to replace, but the fans seem to have embraced Benoit as the current singer and everything seems to be going well.”

The new album, “Fly from Here,” will be the band’s first since 2001’s “Magnification.” The title track was originally written during sessions for the 1980 album “Drama,” which featured Travis Horn on vocals. Horn went on to produce the 1983 record “90125” and will also produce the new release. 

“He and I wanted to become involved in doing the newest album together, and so we had this idea to reintroduce a couple of ideas we hadn’t used back in 1980,” Squire said. “But we changed them a lot, obviously, from how they were then to bring them into the current genre of making a record.”

Most of the music on “Fly from Here” is newly written, and the band is waiting until the summer to unveil the tunes. The set in Hampton will likely include fan favorites like “Roundabout,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” and “I’ve Seen All Good People,” as well as some more obscure songs from the band’s vast catalog. 

Squire has played some of these songs thousands of times in concert. But he said he still gets a thrill out of playing the band’s biggest hits. 

“I don’t mind because of the pleasure it brings to the audience. It’s not like it’s a drudge or anything to have to do that,” he said. “We try and just up the ante a little bit with the actual playing quality for our own satisfaction.”

The show begins at 8 p.m. on April 1 at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 603-929-4100, www.casinomallroom.com. Tickets are $36 to $61.