Oh my God, another guitar hero of mine and so soon after Alvin Lee.

Peter Banks is (was) one of my favorite guitar players of all-time. Flash's first album is one of my fave in my collection. I have most of his solo work and group involvement projects, the first two "Yes" albums, "Flash" the three album catlg and the solo album he made with Jan Akkerman of Focus and Phil Collins.

Esoteric, the English reissue label did a very good job recently on the Flash reissue(s) and Peter Banks "Two Sides of Peter Banks" solo. They also did a great video interview where Peter talks about his days with Flash. I am very fortunate to have the rare Flash mini-sleeve box set that was released in Japan containing the 3 albums plus solo. I will play the box this weekend as a tribute to my man, Peter Banks. I love you brother!





RIP my friend.

Rick A.

RIP Peter Banks. I like the work he did on those early Yes albums.

I have never heard a note he did after Yes, I should check them out Rick.

Flash had some great album covers. RIP Peter.

Damn, that sucks. His work on the first two Yes albums is great. Maybe not "Steve Howe great," but he had his own unique style. RIP, Mr. Banks.

On the YES documentary that came out in 2006, Peter Banks said something that surprised me. He said The Yes Album was really good, certainly better than the two albums he played on. That really got my attention.

Very shocked and saddened to hear of Mr. Banks' passing.

Love the Flash albums. Always have. (Never got into Empire, though).

I listened to my original CD issue of "The Two Sides of Peter Banks" on One Way last night (the Esoteric reissue has no bonus tracks, so I guess I'll stick with the one I have, which sounds fine). I bought the LP when it first came out, and always thought it was a good album. I think I have a Syn single or two on some psych comps, too.

Agree Geff, the Flash albums are excellent. The first is one of my "desert island" albums. Many fond memories, my band won a Battle of the Bands one evening by playing "Children of the Universe'. So Peter Banks and former Yes Keyboardist Tony Kaye who played on the self-titled debut will always be close to my soul .



http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/12/peter ... guitarist/

Rick A.

I have all of Peter Banks' released work and regularly checked his website and the Yes page Where are they now for hints of new albums. I found Peter's Yes work tasteful, but I always felt he didn't become really great until after he left Yes. His solo albums were terrific.As for Empire, each of the three albums featured three different bands that Peter was trying to get to gel around his then-wife's vocals. I felt the third band, on Empire III, of course, was really good. The first two, not so much.

Anyway, from what I've read on Where are they now, Peter's been recording bits and pieces over the years with various people and even had an abandoned project with Jon Anderson, so hopefully we will be seeing more music coming out soon. Sounds like a live Flash set might be nearest to complete.

Here'a a link to Where are they now? http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wnyesm.htm

Live Flash & Banks & Anderson would both be of interest; live Flash could be a must buy.

It would be great of Anderson amd Banks recordings exist. According to what's on the Where are they now site, though, it's very ambiguous as to how far they got.

I've been reading on Facebook that Peter was essentially penniless and his remains are still in storage. He has no family and an ex wife doesn't want to claim him.