| Tony Banks | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born | March 27 1950 East Hoathly, East Sussex, England |
| Genre(s) | Progressive rock Pop rock |
| Instrument(s) | Piano Keyboard 12 string guitar |
| Years active | 1967 - present |
| Associated acts |
Genesis |
Anthony George "Tony" Banks (born March 27, 1950) is an English songwriter, pianist/keyboard player, and guitarist. He is one of the founding members of progressive rock group Genesis and one of only two members (the other being guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford) to belong to Genesis throughout its entire history.
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.
Early years
Banks was born in East Hoathly, Sussex, England. He received classical training in piano, and taught himself to play guitar. He attended Charterhouse School in the mid-1960s, where he met fellow student Peter Gabriel in 1965. 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]
Career
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.[2]
Role in Genesis
Banks's elaborate arrangements and keyboard solos — such as the piano introduction to "Firth of Fifth" and the instrumental section of "The Cinema Show" — 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", "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 "Mad Man Moon," "One for the Vine", and the anthemic ballad "Afterglow," which remained a popular exeunt to the Banks-driven "medleys" (conglomerations of Genesis' most-popular keyboard solos) that the group played during live shows for years.
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
On 7 November 2006, after so much speculation regarding a reunion, a press conference held by Banks, Collins, and Rutherford announced the upcoming Turn It On Again: The Tour in 2007.[3] This announcement comes as the band are about to celebrate 40 years in the music business.
Film scoring
Banks has also created some film scores. The movie The Wicked Lady features a score by Banks, and the film escaped sinking into total obscurity only because it featured (a bare-breasted) Marina Sirtis who later became well-known for her work with the Star Trek television program. 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.
Sound innovations
Banks pioneered many keyboard sounds and a technique of using the trigger output of a LinnDrum drum machine to have the hi-hat pattern trigger an ARP Quadra synthesiser, creating the pulsating sound in "Mama" (on the 1983 Genesis album) and "By You" on The Fugitive. (Probably on other songs as well, but the effect was used sparingly). A unique synth technique he used on the track "Who Dunnit?" from the 1981 album Abacab was done with a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 by programming a few sounds and switching between the patches manually (via the panel preset tabs) while he played. The telephone and horn sounds in the track "Illegal Alien" (On the 1983 Genesis album) were done with an E-mu Emulator.
Banks uses a hand-over-hand playing style in several songs to allow himself to play faster. This is notable on (the song) "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", "The Carpet Crawlers", and later on "No Reply At All". (The last of which has a music video which shows the technique briefly.) This style enables him to transition from one chord to the next very rapidly. He most often arpeggiates the chords he plays in this style.
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
Guest vocalists on Tony Banks albums
- Kim Beacon
- Fish - Best known as the (former) Marillion frontman.
- Jim Diamond
- Toyah Willcox
- Alistair Gordon
- Jayney Klimek - of the Australian-German band The Other Ones, a one-hit wonder in 1987 with "Holiday".
- Nik Kershaw
- Andy Taylor - This is not the Andy Taylor of Duran Duran, as is commonly mistaken. (There is a photograph of this Andy Taylor in the CD booklet which proves this conclusively: He looks nothing like the Duran Duran guitarist, and is much younger looking than his namesake.)
- Jack Hues - Best known as the Wang Chung frontman
Songs sung by Tony Banks solo
- All songs on The Fugitive album (besides two instrumentals)
- "Big Man" on Bankstatement album
- "Hero for an Hour" on Still album
Equipment used by Tony Banks over the years
The equipment lists in this section are derived from The Genesis Discography [4] up until the 1991-era keyboard rig. This list was compiled in the early 1990s from various sources, including album liner notes, lists of tour gear for the band, etc. (The origin of the rest of the equipment lists is unknown.) Banks would not take his entire rig with him on tour, but did take most of it. Taking a grand piano on tour was not practical, so those parts on the albums were played on the electric piano. (Before it was dropped, for example, the "Firth of Fifth" intro was played on the electric piano.) He did take the Synclavier on the road with him, and it is visible in many of the performance videos from the 1983-1987 era. Changes to the keyboard rig were incremental over the years. Probably the two most drastic changes were the removal of the acoustic sampling Mellotron around 1980, when the then-new polyphonic synthesizers made it possible to play string sounds; and the dramatic overhaul of the rig for the We Can't Dance tour where Banks had only four slim keyboards onstage. (This latter shakeout involved the jettisoning of the Synclavier, and made songs like "Home by the Sea" sound quite different.)
From Genesis to Revelation (1969)
- Piano
- Farfisa Organ
Trespass (1970)
- Piano [used on album only]
- Hammond L-122 tonewheel organ -> Leslie speaker
- Hohner Pianet N
- Mellotron Mk II - hired from King Crimson
Nursery Cryme (1971)
- Piano [used on album only]
- Hammond L122 tonewheel organ -> Leslie speaker
- Hohner Pianet N
- Mellotron Mk II - hired from King Crimson
Foxtrot (1972)
- Piano [used on album only]
- Hammond L-122 tonewheel organ -> Leslie speaker
- Hohner Pianet N
- Mellotron Mk II - hired from King Crimson
Selling England By The Pound (1973)
- Piano [used on album only], notably 'Firth of Fifth'
- Hammond T-102 tonewheel organ -> Leslie speaker
- Hohner Pianet N
- Mellotron M400 - with the 3 violins, 8 voice choir and brass tape sets. The flute set is used on "The Battle of Epping Forest"
- ARP Pro-Soloist (monophonic preset synthesizer)
- RMI Electric piano [used live only]
The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (1974)
- Steinway Piano [used on album only]
- Hammond T-102 tonewheel organ -> Leslie speaker
- RMI Electric piano
- Mellotron M400 - with the 3 violins, 8 voice choir and Brass tape sets
- Elka Rhapsody (string synth) [used on album only]
- ARP Pro-Soloist
A Trick of the Tail (1976)
- Piano [used on album only]
- Hammond T-102 tonewheel organ -> Leslie speaker
- RMI Electra 368 Electric piano -> Fender Blender fuzz effect and MXR Phase 100 phaser
- Mellotron M400 - with the 3 violins, 8 voice choir and Brass tape sets -> Echoplex tape echo and MXR 10 band EQ
- ARP Pro -Soloist -> Echoplex tape echo and Leslie Rotating Speaker (on Robbery Assault and Battery)
- ARP 2600 (analogue synthesizer) -> Echoplex tape echo [studio only]
- Moog Taurus (bass pedal synthesizer) [studio and live]
Wind and Wuthering (1977)
- Piano [used on album only]
- Hammond T-102 tonewheel organ -> MXR Phase 100 phaser and Boss CE-1 stereo chorus
- RMI Electra 368 Electric piano -> Fender Blender fuzz effect and MXR Phase 100 phaser
- Mellotron M400 - with the 3 violins, 8 voice choir and Brass tape sets -> Roland RE-201 space echo and MXR 10 band EQ
- ARP Pro-Soloist -> Roland RE-201 space echo
- ARP 2600 -> Roland RE-201 space echo [used on album only]
- Roland RS-202 [used on album only]
- Fender Rhodes electric piano [used on album only]
- Moog Taurus (bass pedal synthesizer) [studio and live]
Note: The MXR Phase 100 phaser and Boss CE-1 stereo chorus were used to replace the Leslie speaker. The RS-202 was mainly used to replace the Mellotron, though not used live.
...And Then There Were Three... (1978)
- Piano [studio only]
- Hammond T-102 tonewheel organ -> MXR Phase 100 phaser and Boss CE-1 stereo chorus
- Yamaha CP-70 Electric Grand piano -> Boss CE-1 stereo chorus
- Mellotron M400 - with the 3 violins, 8 voice choir and Brass tape sets-> Roland RE-201 space echo and MXR 10 band graphic EQ
- ARP Pro-Soloist -> Roland RE-201 space echo
- ARP 2600 -> Roland RE-201 space echo
- Roland RS-202 [used on album only]
- Moog Polymoog (polyphonic analogue synthesizer) -> [[MXR Distortion%2B]] and MXR Phase 100
Duke (1980)
- Acoustic grand piano (studio only)
- Yamaha CP-70 (through Boss CE-1 Chorus)
- Yamaha CS80 (through Boss Chorus) [studio only]
- Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 -> MXR Phase 100 phaser and Boss CE-1 stereo chorus
- ARP Quadra (through MXR Distortion+)
- Moog Polymoog (studio only)
- Roland VP330 (through MXR 10-band EQ and Boss Chorus)
- Hammond T102 organ through MXR Phase 100 Phaser and Boss CE-1 Chorus)
The CS80 was used a lot on the album as well as the CP-70 piano. Tony used the Prophet 5 and Quadra on just a few occasions on the album. But the Quadra especially was used a lot as a polysynth and lead synth on the Duke tour. The Prophet 5 was used more for string like sounds as well as the flutes on Duke's Travels (last bars before Duke's End kicks in) and Cul-De-Sac.
Abacab (1981)
- Piano (studio only)
- Yamaha CP-70 (through Boss CE-1 Chorus)
- Moog Polymoog (studio only)
- Yamaha CS80 (studio only) (through Boss CE-1 Chorus and MXR Distortion+)
- ARP Quadra (through MXR Distortion+ and Lexicon Digital Delays)
- Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 -> MXR Phase 100 phaser and Boss CE-1 stereo chorus
- Roland VP330+ Vocoder (through MXR 10 band EQ)
- NED Synclavier 2 [studio only]
There are rumors that the EDP Wasp was used.
Genesis (1983)
- Yamaha CP-70 electric grand piano -> Boss CE-1 Stereo Chorus
- ARP Quadra polyphonic analogue synthesizer
- Sequential Circuits Prophet-10 polyphonic analogue synthesizer -> MXR Phase 100 phaser and Boss CE-1 stereo chorus
- NED Synclavier II digital synthesizer (FM and Additive, no sampling option)
- E-mu Emulator early digital sampler
- Roland VP-330 Vocoder and string/choir [studio only]
- Some equipment put through MXR and Lexicon digital delays
Invisible Touch (1986)
- Yamaha CP-70 electric grand piano (with Kenton MIDI retrofit)
- ARP Quadra synthesizer/string machine
- Sequential Circuits Prophet-10 synthesizer (with Kenton MIDI retrofit)
- NED Synclavier II digital synthesizer (FM and Additive, no sampling option)
- E-mu Emulator II digital sampler (with analog SSM filter and VCAs)
- Yamaha DX7 digital FM synthesizer
- AKAI S900 12-bit Digital Rack sampler
- Roland MKS-80 analogue rack synthesizer
- Yamaha TX816 digital FM rack synthesizer - 8 DX7s in a rack
- Korg DVP voice processor - vocoder
- Equipment put through Yamaha REV7 digital reverb and Lexicon digital delays
We Can't Dance (1991)
- Korg Wavestation digital vector synthesizer
- Roland JD-800 digital synthesizer
- Roland Rhodes MK-80 digital piano / mother keyboard
- Roland Rhodes VK-1000 digital organ / electric piano
- Ensoniq VFX digital synthesizer
- Yamaha CP-80 electric grand piano- (88-key version of CP-70)
- E-mu Emulator III digital 16 bit sampler
- Equipment put through Yamaha SPX1000 and SPX90 effects plus Roland reverb unit
The Roland JD-800 was responsible for the distinctive percussion sounds on the title track.
The Way We Walk (We Can't Dance Tour) (1991–1992)
- Korg Wavestation digital vector synthesizer
- Roland JD-800 digital synthesizer
- Roland Rhodes MK-80 mother keyboard
- Ensoniq SD1 digital synthesizer - More reliable sibling of VFX
- Sequenced by Alesis MMT-8
Tony used these synths to also control his 2x 20HE rack units with the following gear:
- E-Mu Emulator III digital 16 bit sampler in rack form
- Kurzweil 1000PX digital piano module
- E-Mu Proteus/2 XR sample playback modules (four units with Tony's own samples, one with Proteus presets)
- Voce DMI-64 MkII digital organ module (two units)
- Yamaha TX7 synth module DX7 in a rack
All of the above are mixed into two Roland M480 mixers and put through Yamaha SPX90 effects and a Roland SDE3000 reverb unit. All midi routings done by two MidiTemp MMP88 patchbays. Audio routings from the mixer through the effect units done with the Yamaha PLS1 line switcher which is also used to extract the Roland JD-800 audio and send it to the main PA desk.
Also used was a MIDI Gate unit (brand unknown) which is used for the song Mama which they performed 5 times in the USA leg of the WCD tour.
Calling All Stations (1997)
- Korg Trinity digital workstation synthesizer
- Korg Wavestation digital vector synthesizer
- Roland JD-800 digital synthesizer
- Roland JV-1080 digital rack synthesizer
- Yamaha CP-80 electric grand piano
Calling All Stations Tour (1997–1998)
- Korg Trinity Plus digital workstation synthesizer
- Roland A-90 MIDI mother keyboard
- Roland JD-800 digital synthesizer
These are then linked into 2 Opcode Studio 5 LX MIDI processor and 2 custom-made MIDI mixers and used to control these rack units:
- Two E-mu Emulator]] 4 digital 16-bit rack samplers
- Two Korg Wavestation SR digital rack vector synthesizer
- Korg Wavestation A/D digital rack vector synthesizer and vocoder
- Korg 01R/W digital rack synthesizer
- Roland JV-1080 digital synthesizer
- Three E-mu Proteus/2 XR digital sample playback modules
- E-mu Proteus/2 XR Orchestral digital sample playback module
- E-mu Proteus/1 digital sample playback module
- Two E-mu Vintage Keys digital sample playback modules
- Yamaha TX7 synth module - Yamaha DX7 in rack
All of the above are mixed into a Mackie LM3204 line mixer then put through Yamaha SPX1000 effects processor (four units) and Roland SRV-2000 effects processor. A Yamaha PLS1 line selector sends this to a Chiddingford Mixer for his Shure SM600 transmitter to his ear monitor.
Turn It On Again Tour (2007–present)
- Korg OASYS digital workstation synthesizer
- Korg Wavestation synthesizer
- Roland A90 (master keyboard only)
- E-MU Proteus1 (Customised with samples of Tony's vintage keyboards) - 4 units (only 2 in use)
- E-mu E4
- Korg Wavestation SR
- Roland JD990 - 2 units
- Yamaha TX7
- Alesis MMT-8 sequencer
- 2 Mackie LM-3204 rack-mounted mixers (only 1 in use)
- Miditemp PMM-88 (Patchbay)
- Yamaha SPX-2000 (Effects) - 2 units
Notes
- ^ Gallo
- ^ Gallo
- ^ Masters, Tim. "Genesis reunion 'not about money'", BBC News, 7 November 2006.
- ^ cyberreviews.skwc.com/genesis.html
External links
| Genesis |
|---|
| Tony Banks | Phil Collins | Mike Rutherford |
| Peter Gabriel | Steve Hackett | Anthony Phillips | John Mayhew | John Silver | Chris Stewart | Bill Bruford | Daryl Stuermer | Chester Thompson | Ray Wilson |
| Discography |
| Studio albums: From Genesis to Revelation | Trespass | Nursery Cryme | Foxtrot | Selling England by the Pound | The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway | A Trick of the Tail | Wind & Wuthering | ...And Then There Were Three... | Duke | Abacab | Genesis | Invisible Touch | We Can't Dance | Calling All Stations |
| Live Albums: Genesis Live | Seconds Out | Three Sides Live | Live/The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts | Live/The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs |
| Compilations: Turn It On Again: The Hits | Platinum Collection |
| Box sets: Genesis Archive 1967-75 | Genesis Archive 2: 1976-1992 | Genesis 1976-1982 | Genesis 1983-1998 | Genesis 1970-1975 |
| EPs: Spot the Pigeon | 3 X 3 |
| Films: Genesis: In Concert |
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