This superb, but alarmingly
underrated guitarist has a fine pedigree,
first coming to notice in the mid sixties
in a wonderful flower power band call
“Syn” with a certain Chris Squires on
bass, then joined by vocalist Jon Anderson
they became the marvelously monikered
“Mabel Greer’s Toy Shop”, finding this
a bit of a mouthful, and with the addition
of Toy Kaye on keyboards & Bill Bruford
on drums, they found instant international
acclaim as “Yes”.
Two wonderful albums followed “Yes” and
“Time and a Word” at this point Peter
Banks was booted out, due to his ambitions
of entertaining an audience rather than
trying to educate them. (it was at this
point that Mott became a fan, always wanting
to have fun and cowering from education.)
To this day, Yes guitarist Steve Howe,
and Trevor Rabin have made a career out
of copying Bank’s trademark guitar licks.
Peter Banks went on to form “Flash” who
released 3 respectable albums, once described
as “Yes music played by Thunder and Lightning”,
before being swamped by bad management
and punk rock. After spending the eighties
mainly in session work and looking for
suitable musicians to work with, Peter
Banks went solo in the nineties with this
enchanting album “Instinct”.
From the opening rippling guitar chords
of opening cut “No Place Home” to the
final bell which closes the album your
ears are held in thrall by this maestro
of the six string.
An Instrumental album, it always holds
your attention by it’s diversity and humour.
(you will have to listen to the music
to get that.)
Satriani, Vai, and Co would give their
eye teeth to put out such a fine collection
of fretwork and tunes.
The two central passages are track 4,
“Sticky Wickets” played on a midi guitar
synthesizer, which starts sout funky,
and then turns itself inside out to reach
a shattering climax.
Before you have time to push the repeat
button Banks is off again with track 5,
“Short Comings” totally tasteless and
not at all Jazzy with a relentless four
in the bar bass drum, the night of a thousand
guitars with Peter Banks the fastest guitar
slinger in town.
The final track is “Never The Same” a
moving tribute to Peter Banks’s late mother.
Never has such a beautiful piece of music
been played on the electric guitar.
If you hear this music, like me I’m sure
you will be mystified why Peter Banks
is not an international star.
The album cover and the inside sleeve
notes are worth the price of the C.D alone
so you cannot lose.
Dogs have superb instinct, trust this
dogs instinct, and add this “Instinct”
to you collection, you won’t regret it.
Pawed by Mott The Dog
Remastered by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
