Tony Banks (musician)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Tony Banks | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born | 27 March 1950 East Hoathly, East Sussex, England |
| Genre(s) | Progressive rock Pop rock |
| Instrument(s) | Piano Keyboard 12 string guitar Synthesizer Vocals |
| Years active | 1967 - present |
| Label(s) | Charisma Records Polydor Records Virgin Records Atlantic Records Giant Records Reprise Records Naxos Records |
| Associated acts | Genesis Bankstatement Strictly Inc. |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| Hammond T-102 | |
Anthony George "Tony" Banks (born 27 March 1950) is an English composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist. He is one of the founding members of progressive rock group Genesis and one of only two members (the other being bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford) to belong to Genesis throughout its entire history.
As a member of Genesis, Banks has been a pioneer in the use of synthesisers, as well as in the use of many other keyboards (such as the Yamaha CP-70 and as an organist, notably on the Hammond T-102). Through most of the band's history, Banks was the leading force in Genesis' songwriting; although the group was often responsible as a whole for composing song, his ideas were often the nucleus of their music, and he would frequently write lyrics as well. Outside of Genesis, Banks has enjoyed a modestly successful career in the world of film scoring, and a limited solo career as well.
Contents |
[edit] Early years
Banks is the most private of the Genesis members; most of what is known about his early life is from the book on Genesis by Armando Gallo.
Banks was born in East Hoathly, Sussex, England. He received classical training in piano, and taught himself to play guitar. He attended Charterhouse School where he met fellow student Peter Gabriel in 1963. Banks originally planned to study mathematics in higher education, and after Charterhouse he took a leave of absence from Sussex University to explore Genesis, and never returned.[1]
Banks and Gabriel, together with drummer Chris Stewart, formed a band called The Garden Wall. This band merged with another called Anon, which included Mike Rutherford and Anthony Phillips. They recorded a set of demos which ultimately led to the formation of the band that became Genesis.[1]
[edit] Career in Genesis
Banks's elaborate arrangements and keyboard solos — such as the piano introduction to "Firth of Fifth" and the instrumental sections of "The Cinema Show", "Watcher of the Skies", and "Supper's Ready"— helped to establish Genesis' sound. In addition to playing keyboards, Banks contributed (along with Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford) to Genesis' 12-string acoustic passages in songs such as "The Musical Box", "Entangled", "The Cinema Show", and the beginning part of "Supper's Ready." Banks also was an occasional back-up vocalist and sang co-lead vocals on "Shepherd," an unreleased track from 1970 which finally surfaced on the Genesis Archive 1967-75 boxed set.
Banks's compositions are credited to be the driving force of Genesis' music, particularly in material recorded before 1979. Notable Banks-penned Genesis songs include "Firth Of Fifth", "Mad Man Moon," "One for the Vine", "Fading Lights", and the anthemic ballad "Afterglow," which remained a popular coda to the Banks-driven "medleys" (conglomerations of Genesis' most-popular keyboard solos) that the group played during live shows for years.
After much speculation, Genesis announced a reunion tour in 2006; when Gabriel declined to perform, it was decided by the band members that the three-person lineup would be more appropriate, and Daryl Stuermer and Chester Thompson were invited to perform. Turn It on Again: The Tour began on 11 June 2007 in Helsinki, and ended on 13 October 2007 at the Hollywood Bowl.
[edit] Sound innovations
Banks pioneered many unique keyboard and synthesizer sounds throughout his career; music historian Wayne Studer has referred to him as "the most tasteful keyboardist of prog rock." [2]. One of his achievements was the technique of using the trigger output of a LinnDrum drum machine to have the hi-hat pattern trigger an ARP Quadra synthesiser, creating such parts as the pulsating sound in "Mama" (on the 1983 Genesis album) and "By You" on The Fugitive. (This effect was probably used on other songs as well, but not as notably). Another unique synth technique was used on the track "Who Dunnit?" from the 1981 album Abacab; a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 was programmed with a few sounds, and the patches were switched manually (via the panel preset tabs) while he played.
Banks used a cross-hand playing style in several songs to allow himself to play faster. This is notable on "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" and "The Carpet Crawlers". He also used the cross-hand technique on "No Reply At All" (which can be seen briefly in the accompanying music video), "In the Cage" (as per "When in Rome 2007") and "Fading Lights".
Another of Banks' trademark sounds was the use of MXR Phase 100 and Boss CE-1 effects pedals on his Hammond T-102 Tonewheel Organ from 1975 onwards, replacing the Leslie speaker formerly used. He used this technique all the way up to Duke in 1980. On Abacab in 1981, the organ was no longer featured; organ sounds were emulated using a Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 synthesiser. The chorus and phaser pedals were also used on his RMI Electra 368 electric piano set to organ mode, in conjunction with a fuzz pedal and a Leslie speaker to create a distinctive sound.
[edit] Career outside Genesis
[edit] Film scoring
Banks has also created some film scores. The movie The Wicked Lady features a score by Banks. He wrote the soundtrack to Quicksilver, starring Kevin Bacon, the single from which was produced by Richard James Burgess. After Genesis went into hiatus in 1998, Banks continued to write. A set of (mostly) recently-composed orchestral pieces was recorded and released on the 2004 album Seven: A Suite for Orchestra.
[edit] Solo career
After the departure of Gabriel and guitarist Steve Hackett from Genesis, Banks was the first of the three remaining members of the group to release a solo album. But unlike bandmates Phil Collins, who saw great solo success, and Mike Rutherford, who had a successful side career with Mike + the Mechanics, Banks's solo efforts usually sold only to a core audience of Genesis devotees. In 1998, fans formed a tribute band called Strictly Banks, and performed a set of Banks's solo songs.
Apart from the album 'The Fugitive' and selected other songs, Banks has employed guest vocalists on his solo albums; these have included (amongst others) Fish, Nik Kershaw, Toyah Willcox, Jack Hues and Jim Diamond.
[edit] Solo discography
- 1979 A Curious Feeling
- 1983 The Wicked Lady (soundtrack)
- 1983 The Fugitive
- 1986 Soundtracks
- 1989 Bankstatement
- 1992 Still
- 1995 Strictly Inc
- 2004 Seven: A Suite For Orchestra
A Curious Feeling has recently been remastered into new stereo and 5.1 mixes by Nick Davis and is set for a 2009 release to commemorate the album's 30 year anniversary since its initial release.
[edit] Instruments
While Banks' rig varied from year to year, many pieces of equipment made repeat appearances. Acoustic piano appeared on every album until 1982, although it was never brought on tour. Also, for some acoustic numbers, especially those from early Genesis, Banks joined Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett on the 12-string guitar. The two other keyboard instruments most associated with Banks were the Mellotron (initially a Mk II, but later an M400) and the Hammond organ (at first an L-122, then a T-102), which started to appear in 1970 and were used until 1978 and 1980, respectively. Other frequently used pieces of gear included a Hohner Pianet N (from 1970-76), Yamaha electric grand pianos (from 1977 forward), and the Korg Wavestation (1991 forward). Banks' gear also varied from album to tour; the most notable example of this is his frequent replacement of keyboards with rack equivalents. Other instruments played by Banks include:
| Instrument | Years played | Album or live? |
| ARP 2600 | 1976-1978 | Both |
| ARP Odyssey | 1977-1978 | Album |
| ARP Pro Soloist | 1973-1978 | Both |
| ARP Quadra | 1980-1986 | Both |
| Akai S900 | 1986 | Both |
| E-mu Emulator (I, II, IIIK + IIIR, IV) | 1983-1998 | Both |
| E-mu Proteus (various models) | 1991-1998 | Live |
| E-mu Vintage Keys | 1998 | Live |
| ELKA Rhapsody | 1974 | Album |
| Ensoniq SD1 | 1992 | Live |
| Ensoniq VFX | 1991 | Album |
| Farfisa organ | 1969 | Album |
| Korg O1R/W | 1998 | Live |
| Korg DVP vocoder | 1986 | Both |
| Korg OASYS | 2007 | Live |
| Korg Trinity | 1997-1998 | Both |
| Kurzweil 1000PX | 1992 | Live |
| Moog Polymoog | 1978-1981 | Both |
| NED Synclavier | 1982-1986 | Both |
| RMI 368 Electra-Piano and Harpsichord | 1973-1977 | Both |
| Roland A-90 | 1998 - 2007 | Live |
| Roland JD-800 | 1991-1998 | Both |
| Roland JD-990 | 1998-2007 | Live |
| Roland JV-1080 | 1997-1998 | Both |
| Roland MKS-80 | 1986 | Both |
| Roland RS-202 | 1977-1978 | Album |
| Roland Rhodes MK-80 | 1991-1992 | Both |
| Roland Rhodes VK-1000 | 1991 | Album |
| Roland VP-330 | 1980-1984 | Both |
| Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 | 1980 | Both |
| Sequential Circuits Prophet-10 | 1983-1986 | Both |
| Voce DMI-64 MkII | 1992 | Live |
| Yamaha CS-80 | 1980-1981 | Album |
| Yamaha DX7 | 1986 | Both |
| Yamaha TX7 | 1992-2007 | Live |
| Yamaha TX-816 | 1986 | Both |
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- "World of Genesis.com Tony Banks Biography 1950-2008
- "World of Genesis.com Tony Banks 2004 Interview
- Man Of Spells - The Tony Banks Fanlisting
- Unofficial site
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tony Banks |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
