Peter Banks

Peter Banks (b. April 8, 1947) was the original guitar player of Yes. He was born in England and named Peter Brockbanks.

Career with Yes

Atlantic Records took notice of the band and, in 1969, signed the band and rushed the boys into a studio to record the first album (named simply "Yes"). The next year another album was in progress ("Time and a Word") but Jon and Chris decided they wanted an orchestra backing the five musicians. The idea wasn't well received by Banks and things got only worst when the orchestral arrangements let the guitarist, as well as keyboardist Tony Kaye, with little to do (fiddles replacing almost note-for-note the guitar licks and parts Pete elaborated in the rehearsals). So, when the album was released, Pete left the group after a few shows. Some sources say that it was Anderson who, tired of Banks reservations about the orchestra, accused the guitar player of being "indulgent" in the last recording sessions and shows. Another (coincidental) motive for Banks quitting the group was that Squire, Anderson and Bruford wasn't happy enough with their manager, Roy Flynn, a man who trusted the group and helped it to gain a record contract. Kaye kept a shy defense of Flynn but Banks felt that kicking their manager out was an act of betrayal and announced he too was leaving. No wonder that Flynn and Banks kept a long and collaborative friendship since then.

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Work with other bands

Out of Yes, and while looking for some musical project to come his way, Banks supported the band Blodwyn Pig for a brief period in late 1970 and guested as session musician in an album by Chris Harwood. In 1971 he formed Flash, a group whose original keyboard player was Tony Kaye, and sessions began for a first album. The record appeared in 1972 (called simply "Flash", in true Yes one-word style) and had a warm reception. Kaye left the group some months later and Banks took the dual role of guitarist and keyboardist. Without losing momentum, Flash recorded and released its second album ("In the Can") in November that same year; and the third ("Out of Our Hands") in 1973.

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Parallel to that, Banks and guitarist Jan Akkerman (of Focus fame) became friends and started to play and record together, privately, since 1972, for a joint album. Banks also played in an album by Roger Ruskin Spear in that time. In 1973, not long after the third and final Flash release, Banks edited "Two Sides of Peter Banks" (a clever reference to both personality and vinyl records), with an impressive array of guest musicians: Akkerman, bassist Jon Wetton, drummer Phil Collins, guitarist Steve Hackett and Flash fellow members Ray Bennett and Mike Hough.

Related Topics:
Focus - Roger Ruskin Spear - Phil Collins - Steve Hackett

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Trying to form a new version of his last group (a "Flash Mark II" as he said once), Banks recruited musicians and fell in love with singer Sydney Foxx, who soon became mistress Banks. The group was ultimately named Empire and recorded three albums until 1980, none of which saw the light of day until the mid-90's. Eventually Banks and Foxx divorced and went separate ways.

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