Pete Banks Story - interviewed by Mark Powell

[@Brian_B505]

RIP Peter, you deserved so much better.

[@leftykeys6944]

He had it better than most of us. Opportunities others of comparable talent could only fantasize about.

[@plasticweapon]

you're both right.

[@boptobe42]

Goodbye Pete. RIP. Loved the mention of 50a Munster Road. I moved in there when Chris Squire moved out . Spent many a happy hour with Pete , watching Monty Python on your tiny TV , sharing a cab to The Speakeasy.

[@groundhog713]

I considered this guy the Pete Best Of Yes, and I always liked Pete Banks' work whether with Yes, Flash, or with Empire or his solo stuff. He nver truly got the reconigtion he deserved. RIP Peter....

[@alhudson]

Nor the royalties, but the Yes 'Corporation' are finally acknowledging Pete

[@johntcashdown1363]

groundhog713 Perhaps as part of a hard luck story then “yes” (sorry couldn’t resist that) but as a guitarist not really. As sad as it was for PB, Ringo was the way-better drummer. In Banks case, he was replaced by a guitarist who had additional skills in composition, and could also play other stringed instruments. But that doesn’t necessarily make SH a better guitarist then him and I rate those first two albums way above their late seventies stuff, (apart from wondrous stories) whoever was in the band at the time. RIP the great Peter Banks.

[@lastdaysguitar]

@@johntcashdown1363 Well said, John!

[@SamSam-rs8mo]

What a dumb analogy pete best was a garbage drummer and peter banks was a fine guitarist you sound like a moron

[@yeshead]

I met Peter at the 1994 Yestival in Pasadena. You could tell he was a really sweet guy who cared passionately about early Yes music. There was a lot of excitement around the recent talk of him taking that stuff on the road with Ambrosia. Sadly it will never happen. Jon and Chris need to acknowledge Peter's role in getting Yes off the ground. R.I.P. Peter -- thank you for the music.

[@newforestpixie5297]

There’s a 2018 interview by Steve Jones for his LA Radio show with Jon Anderson Trevor Rabin & Rick Wakeman where Jon does give Peter credit . I’ve heard him mention him a lot so perhaps he eventually came to realise the debt he owed him at their beginning. I’ve always loved Time & A Word . It stands up well especially in todays’ age of bland & generic rock music in my opinion For my sins I’ve never listened to his other work but I’ll put that right for sure. Saying that I lost touch with all things featuring older music for decades so it wasn’t selective ! 🏴❤️👍

[@paulingamells1316]

What a nice bloke, a great guitarist, will be sadly missed

[@dollysbrae]

R.I.P. Many thanks for helping found Yes.

[@tonydonato8523]

One of the greatest guitarists ever.

[@eennymo]

So sorry to hear of Pete's passing March 8, 2013. Really loved his playing on the first 2 Yes albums. Pete contributed a LOT to the band in the beginning and gave the sound a jazzy rock sound no one else could come close to.

[@charlesnolan7602]

I come back to this interview occasionally. At the time of this post, Feb 22,2018, it is 21 days less 5 years since Peter passed ( March 13, 2013 ). I started listening to Flash after reading about Pete and the band, in March, 1973, 45 years ago! 1973 was the year- I had been a YES fan for 2 years, so March through October 1973, purchased the two Yes albums, 3 Flash albums, and the 2 sides of Peter Banks. I talked with Pete via trasnlantic phone set up at the YESCON '85 held at the then Cherry Hill Hyatt, in Aug '85. I later met Pete twice, at the Manhattan Center for Yestival 1995 (?), and then the last time, 1998, with pictures, laughs, stories at the YESTIVAL 1998 in Cherry Hill, NJ., which was created by Christine Holtz of Music News Network. 20 years ago, Tempus Fugit! So Peter Banks was one of the greatest!!

[@yesguitarman]

Rest in peace, Peter. Your contribution to the foundations of the YES sound will not be forgotten!

[@ChihuahuaboyDH]

R.I.P., Peter. Thanks for all the wonderful music!

[@Dreamer3355]

Rest in Peace Peter, thanks for your huge role in bringing Yes to the world.

[@jennifertissington8303]

It was me knitting - it wasn't boredom just some sort of silliness. My friend and co fan club secretary and I were always making giant scarves for some strange reason. We loved Syn and were good mates with them. Peter was always very nervous and introverted but like Chris, the drink and drugs did them no favours and of course killed them. I didn't realise what a great and respected musician he had become as prog rock wasn't my thing. I still have the first Yes album which I only actually played once.

[@thewordofgord]

Thanks for clearing that issue up Jennifer!

[@carrietide]

RIP Peter.Thank you for YES.

[@jeffdowler9130]

Jimi Hendrix was my first great guitar player and Peter was my second. But when I play guitar I always here Peter banks in my playing even to this day.

[@markzimmerman1571]

Same here Jeff Dowler. Peter & Jimi were a huge influence, in my learning to play lead guitar & melodies.

[@TheSpoonwood]

great frank interview .. thank you Mr.Banks...

[@jonsilence]

This is a great interview---fascinating to hear Peter Banks speak at length, in such detail, and so earnestly.

[@bigfootpegrande]

May you rest in peace, Astral Traveller...

[@rockahead]

Great interview and I am glad that Peter filmed this and it is there for everyone to watch and listen to . Very sad to lose him but he definitely made his mark. RIP Peter

[@lastdaysguitar]

Peter Banks was such a unique and underrated talent - foundational to what we now know as progressive rock guitar. Thankfully he also had some truly great recordings made in various other project since his days with Yes to leave as a legacy. IMHO What Yes did to Peter Banks reminds me a bit of how Eddie Van Halen tried to wipe out all memory of bassist Michael Anthony when Eddie's son (Wolfgang) joined the band, even to the point of replacing Mike's photo with Wolf's on CD covers... thankfully that lie was short-lived, but Peter Banks sadly was not so fortunate, and was discredited for decades. Sad too about how they in the 11th hour denied Peter the promise of playing on the Yes Union tour... poor guy was excited to go on and well rehearsed - he just sat dejected backstage with nothing to do but get drunk, as he was bluntly told "Steve doesn't want you here" they just completely disrespected the man and glossed over his contribution until he died, then it was all "Oh, Peter will be missed..." great musicians, but apparently not so great in other ways. RIP Maestro.

[@TheSmithDorian]

Well said. I'd heard the official Yes story of how Peter departed the band long before I actually heard him play or seen film of the Yes when he was with them. The underlying impression seemed to be that he was either not technically up to the standard required or that he lacked innovation somehow. But when you see him play with Yes in the early days it's immediately obvious that neither of those things is true. He was an exceptional guitarist and certainly didn't deserve to be treated like he was. RIP Mr. Banks.

[@mawel1955]

Very well put. As for Van Halen, by dumping Michael Anthony, they destroyed their distinctive vocal sound, their first album with Wolfgang, A Different Kind of Truth, being a joke. As for Yes, they're used to stabbing members in the back. Kaye, Moraz and Jobson suffered the same treatment. Anderson too, got his and he even had the nerve to act surprised, saying he thought they were all 'friends'. Give me a break! And no matter how he tries to spin it, Howe was unbelievably petty by refusing to go onstage if Banks was allowed to play. A real class act, Steve!

[@TheSmithDorian]

mawel1955 Yeah - Howe is a brilliant guitarist, no doubt about that but treating Banks that way was a real twat's trick.

[@Retroscoop]

TheSmithDorian It would be interesting to hear what Howe has to say about it. What happened between the two, to explain that harsh attitude. Maybe he had some good or understandable reasons for acting that way ? You don't just hate someone for the fun of it ?

[@TheSmithDorian]

Benoit Vanhees I don't think that Howe hated Banks. I think it's just that he didn't want to share the stage and the limelight. I think that Howe felt that all the real success that YES had was during his time with the band and that Banks' stint was early and somewhat obscure.

[@steverobertsmusic8019]

RIP Peter, your great music will live on.

[@kevinlewis1017]

Peter Banks huge talent loved the first 2 Yes and Flash were great the real Yes fans know who he is and how good he really was

[@napperfat]

Big fan. Sorry to hear of his passing.

[@itsstillfriday]

For whatever it's worth.. I snuck into the meet n greet line after a Yes show a few years ago.. My purpose was to get the classic members to sign albums that they didnt even play on ... So as a result I have a Flash album, autographed by Chris Squire!! :) hehhee

[@dclark4422]

Thanks for this. Very interesting. RIP Banks.

[@teeteetoto]

Great to hear about The Action and the motown covers period.

[@sherrynoland]

@zappatx - Thanks for the kind words for Ray and Collin. I think they look great too! Hopefully you'll get to see/hear Flash again at a gig near you. Their new CD will be available soon. They're pouring their heart and soul into it, as always!

[@ogrebattle22763]

Tony Colton was obviously instrumental in talking Anderson & Squire into getting rid of Banks.... a man that obviously Banks refused to even say his name...

[@chevken1831]

26:27 sounds like what happened to me at my last job of 15 years.Except that they got rid of me only three hours into the morning on a Monday, rather than let me at least close out the day.I've often wondered how long they were planning it, or who else was in on it.It's okay though.They paid shit anyway.Someday, the ones behind my misfortune will have the same thing happen to them as well.Especially the guy who worked there for 40 years.Probably thinks that he will make it into retirement, when I know that the company will do to him what I saw another company that I worked for do to a man who was just about to retire back in late 1994. In the case of Peter Banks being fired from Yes, and then Tony Kaye afterward due to Jon Anderson, the tables finally turned on Anderson himself seven years ago when he was too sick to tour and Yes replaced him with two different sound alikes.

[@thelatepetercook]

This is fantastic ! It would be great to chop up the interview with the applicable music. Thank you for interviewing this interesting souls.

[@zappatx]

Peter, you will be greatly missed! I was just singing "Harold Land" when my dad sent the email regarding your passing.

[@56bigfun]

After all these years I'm still drawn to the first two Yes albums more than the others with the possible exception of Relayer. Then came Flash, who I saw in 1972. Empire, Two Sides, all the rest up to Harmony In Diversity. Steve Howe is a great guitarist, but you can tell that Yes had a certain stylistic standard in mind vis a vis guitarists. Steve Howe is the next step after Peter Banks. Yours is No Disgrace could easily have been great with Banks on Guitar and I submit that many of the Yes Album songs were conceived while Peter Banks was still in the band. Imagine Perpetual Change or Starship Trooper(minus Wurm of course) with Peter Banks on guitar. It could have fit.

[@elmolewis9123]

Both good and bad, Peter had a lot of memories to recall. I recently discovered his solo album Instinct, a fantastic legacy. He'll always hold a place in progressive rock history.

[@Dannymusic1999]

...the worlds a better place because you made great music...

[@AdamasMst]

I would love to get my hands on those Flash's Live tapes

[@markzimmerman1571]

They are releasing a 3 CD set, next month.

[@johnsmallshaw9401]

An absolutely amazing guitarist, I love playing his songs

[@johngalt5411]

I agree with Pete re Yes' second album, while I enjoyed a track or two I could never get into it. IMHO bringing Steve on was the right choice as it brought Yes to a whole new level just as adding Rick did again. While I haven't heard all of Pete's work I really thought he was a better fit in Flash, his style enriched those albums while Yes was headed in a whole other direction.

[@tacomadc]

Seems like a nice, down to earth guy. Cheers Pete!

[@markzimmerman1571]

I would have loved to have seen King Crimson @ The Speakeasy, in the early daze.

[@2wilburc]

He was a great fit in Yes at the Time and a word stage.It is ironic that the treachery of Jon Anderson came back on him when later members of Yes abandoned him.

[@framundajohnson2186]

"the treachery" ?!!!? Jon's decisions made Yes. There would have been no masterworks without Howe.

[@annaleonie2731]

Peter! You are my hero!

[@jpirard]

Rick Wakeman was not fired by YES. He quite several times, and declined to come back in 2008. Jon Anderson was not fired either. He got ill and was not asked back afterwards. But remember, he had quite the band in 2004. and twice before. Moraz got booted by them, including Anderson. Kaye was booted for Wakeman, mostly by Anderson's design, and Howe, too, who did not always get along with him.

[@yesmuseum]

You will be missed Peter. :(

[@newforestpixie5297]

I first heard & recorded “ Somethings Coming , Sweetness & Survival “ when Tommy Vance was playing sessions from 1969 during the Friday Rock Show in 1980. I was 16 and this must’ve been the first time a lot of my generation had heard these legends or Dinosaurs as they’d been labelled in their early days . He also played sessions by Free & Deep Purple .Love 1st 2 Yes albums but agree tat Sweetness & Time & A Word track also a bit soppy 🙁❤️

[@jamesstarchuk8497]

A Great Talent! RIP Peter :)

[@drkam6]

RIP Pete, I just learned of the news, this is so sad.

[@doyasteve]

Thanks for this.

[@ricksadeck]

I don't know the history of the band and all the issues but I am glad they they WERE a band because they made some very GREAT albums that sound timeless to me. It's too bad that there are always issues. Great music though. Peace.

[@kirkkelley3791]

Loved what he did on Empire Mark 1 more than anything else he did. I can hear where Lifeson borrowed/gleaned some of those licks for Hemispheres.

[@zappatx]

Buy his solo albums now - Instinct and Reduction are Must have pieces. I find more enjoyment with these then other highly regarded solo works.

[@yesmuseum]

Love it!

[@studioboenker]

Great thanks greetz

[@insidethebubble6625]

Sou fã do yes. Nunca tive a real dimensão de Peter no Yes. Nessa entrevista vejo o quanto ele é sincero além de um grande músico.

[@drytool]

That "Flowerman" reference has me thinking of Spinal Tap! Hilarious!

[@wesmatron]

On vocals, Jon Anderson from yes and Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull....Also Jim Morrison from the Doors on Vocals and James Morrison collecting glasses and sweeping up.

[@bluecheermotorheadM]

A great musician.

[@bpivr]

Interesting that he says Yes was listening to, and, at least on cover material, influenced by The Vanilla Fudge. Deep Purple also said they initially wanted to be the English Vanilla Fudge. It's a shame VF never got very far beyond heavy cover songs, but they did seem to spark some really good music elsewhere.

[@sherrynoland]

It's ready for mastering, and cover art! Should be very, very soon...

[@basspfosten]

R.I.P. Peter Banks

[@jonsilence]

Pete is consistently candid, though not mean spirited, throughout this. But libelous? Doesn't he say about Flash "I never regarded it as my band." He's quite humble overall, self-effacing, and takes considerable personal responsibility here. He's recalling it as he remembers it. Is that libelous? I saw the original Flash many times in their heyday and they were a great band. Not to denigrate other original Flash members, but any new band without Pete would be Flash in name only at best.

[@Arfshesaid457]

I have ben waiting for this! Nothing at all against Pete, but Ray is every bit as awesome.

[@SongSwan]

Imagine sleeping in a garage while your former bandmates are living in mansions and staying in 5 star hotels.

[@SongSwan]

More proof as if any is needed that people are the greatest obstacle in accomplishing anything.

[@blaumausfrau]

The guy Peter won't talk about is Tony Colton and really Jon Anderson is a moron for ever having him produce TAAW... Would have been MUCH better with more of the band and maybe Peter would have stayed longer. His passing is a real shame. Great guitar player.

[@jpirard]

Steve Howe had NOTHING to do with getting rid of Peter. He was asked to join AFTER they fired Peter.

[@EM-ku6mk]

jpirard Absolutely!

[@mikereiss4216]

Glad you said fired because apparently both he and Tony were indeed "let go" and didn't actually quit.

[@nimrodery]

Steve was the guy who decided Peter wasn't allowed onstage during the Union tour, after the band invited him.

[@mikereiss4216]

@@nimrodery That's a rumor. It's hard to prove that. Nonetheless it did seem like they were playing games with Peter regarding his suggested guest appearance on that tour.

[@nimrodery]

@@mikereiss4216 It's in a Yes documentary. Tony Kaye invited him to play a show in Inglewood California.

[@sherrynoland]

Cleopatra Records has scheduled a March release for the new FLASH CD. Don't have the actual date yet, but keep a lookout. The title-"FLASH featuring Ray Bennett and Colin Carter."

[@sherrynoland]

P.S. Ray and Colin wrote most of the Flash material. So with Ray on lead guitar now, and Colin's voice up front, it's still very "Flash" IMHO.

[@Lightmane]

16:07 and Bill would be not playing on the beat shocking 😎

[@zappatx]

@jonsilence I couldn't have said this better myself. You have to say he looks pretty good compared to his counterparts as well. Pete, I wish you the best of health for the future. Your inspiration reaches the rural areas of South Dakota!!

[@jackmckenna8410]

Did the first two Yes albums have different covers in the U.S. than the U.K.? I've recently seen covers that I had not previously seen. (Pair of legs on Time and a Word,"Yes" in a bubble on Yes). The ones I have are of the band on the front. I always wondered why Steve Howe is pictured on the front of "Time and a Word" when he's not in the band at this time.

[@Miler97487]

The first two Yes albums did features different covers in the US. The debut depicted the band standing next to a mausoleum, and Time & a Word was a standard photo of the band, but showing replacement Steve Howe (but Peter Banks was still credited on the back cover along with a photo of himself). Your description of the covers are correct for the UK pressings. Time & a Word was released in the States in November 1970, a few months after the UK release, so the US cover depicted the Yes lineup as it was late in 1970, as opposed to earlier that year.

[@thelifeofmr.nibblestheshih2353]

Don't forget tony kaye.

[@briangallagher2236]

Itit’s always cruel the way musicians get dumped. But such is life in Band World.

[@jgfergus]

Sherry...any update on the new Flash CD? Thanks!

[@bei1016]

what about what happend to Patrick Moraz?

[@CStack2Ci]

RIP, Peter! I think he died of a broken heart...

[@johnmohr3581]

He had always been into alcohol and drugs and his heart did not resist any longer.

[@zappatx]

I'm glad Peter mentioned The Impressions. Curtis Mayfield is the best ever to learn from.. Look at Pete - dosen't he look a lot better than the rest of them? He must be 60+..

[@skipit650]

RIP Peter.

[@grahamholley7475]

he mentioned munstor rd - those properties are going for nearly a million quid now!

[@markb5906]

History is the recalling of things. Sometimes they are not actually factual, yet they are his-story.

[@sherrynoland]

"History is the recalling of things. Sometimes they are not actually factual, yet they are his-story." So true, Mark. You sound like you know Pete, too!

[@BluesLicks101]

RIP Peter - if there is one thing he can take solace in, he was replaced by Steve Howe who is maybe the greatest overall guitarist of the 20th century. No one else could have knocked him off that perch - Pete was brilliant.

[@starshiptrooper7670]

Astral Traveller...RIP

[@FranciscoXavier7]

Si talented , I own the records or vinyls A trilogy of extra cool n original tunes , like Manhattan morning Ron Out of our hands. Self contained is rad🍋

[@luisesanchezmiramontes7476]

Indudablemente Fue creativo Y un gran guitarrista Pero de los discos que Saco no Mantenian una Linea habia de sus discos LP Que solo 3Canciones Valian la pena Pero en fin Tengo que redescubrirlo Y bien

[@lstarrtna4288]

East Mercy camping site,) farney I got a good story of Yes with Deep Purple, when Ritchie Blackmore burned down the stage.) hahaha

[@ian38018a]

PB comes across as a decidedly nice chap, but with a tragic, self-destructive streak.

[@victorsantiago5470]

did not like the way yes treated him. . peter gave them their sound. . first yesman to have successful band (flash) outside of yes.

[@jamiestuart4017]

Victor Santiago he not only gave them there sound ..he named them aswell

[@stephenzevetchin]

Peter never blames Peter. It's almost the same story with everything he was involved in.

[@WELLBRAN]

I don't think in This interview he comes across as holier than the next guy...in fact he intimates that he also was stubborn or hard to get along with especially when your so young and musicians all have egos bill Buford mentions it in the docu prog rock Britannia.

[@Realbillball]

R.I.P.

[@Birdy8441]

RIP

[@zappatx]

@sherrynoland It's all very disheartening as we may never get to see Pete play in his full capacity or at all here in the US. Sometimes work is not easy. Glad Colin and Ray are doing this though. They really sound great with the support. Now, that said - Sit Peter next to Tony Kaye, Howe, Squire, and the rest of them, with the exception of Bruford he looks quite healthy and content.

[@lenpey]

A great guitarist, mostly unrecognized. FLASH was a brilliant band. And his solo albums were brilliant, even side 2 of the first one!

[@progrockerNZ]

How weird... Peter admitting he called Chris, and Chris saying they had a band named Yes, and Peter admitted he had come up with that name before.... but if you listen to various members of Yes back then, the whole band including Peter were sitting around a table and they all came up with names and Peter had written 'Yes.' How many ways can you tell this story and come up with a different version?

[@StephenArpad]

RIP Pete.. So sad an unfair your forced departure from Yes..

[@gevansmd]

@52rickjames I must be use to a British accent because I have no problem following what he's saying.

[@saarnoldbhm]

Yes has been underhandedly firing people ever since....look at how they treated Jon and Rick and Oliver and Benoit

[@sherrynoland]

If someone publicly accused you of stealing their guitars and furniture when you didn't, would you consider that libelous, or not?

[@jamesgilbey4162]

Pete Banks should have never been fired from YES. Peter played brilliant guitar. That bloody slide guitar Howe plays that now doubles up as his zimmer frame drives me mad.

[@sherrynoland]

P.P.S. This stuff is so old & unkind, I wasn't going to comment, but Pete & his wife were split up yet still working together when Ray & she got together. Pete didn't pay for anything - investors did - and Ray rehearsed with Empire for two weeks before the tension between Pete, his ex and Ray made it impossible to continue. Pete tells things in a distorted way, always making himself look like the victim, when the truth is far from it. This is why such a brilliant guitarist gets left behind.

[@56dinosaur]

Peter Banks had hard luck that he clearly didn't deserve.

[@CrimsonKing73]

are you serious?? Pete just died about a week ago, r.i.p. .....you need to either keep up with the news, or at least read the other comments on this page, ok?