“Examining The Bankstatement” - Tony Banks’ solo albums reviewed by Alan Hewitt. Memorabilia: TWR Archive.

It has been four years since Tony’s last solo album, and busy years they have been, but the waiting is over, and he has recently released his Bankstatement. This is an ideal opportunity to examine Tony’s solo output from a listener’s perspective…

A Curious Feeling. Charisma CAS 1148. 1979.

This was Tony’s first solo release and to my mind, still his best. It is in part a concept album dealing with a man who is losing his memory. The main song: The Lie/After The Lie examines the feelings of this character as he begins to lose his grip on reality. As may be expected, this album has all of Tony’s trademarks from Genesis: the keyboards are given full rein and are to the fore in the instrumentals; From The Undertow, Forever Morning and The Waters Of Lethe. The former was adapted from the Genesis song Undertow and part of it was used in the soundtrack that Tony and Mike co-wrote for the film The Shout. Somebody Else’s Dream is, for me the best song on this album, it is very emotional and reminds me of Tony’s other classic tear-jerker: Afterglow. As a first attempt, A Curious Feeling was a brave stab at a different environment for Tony and it should be listened to before any of his other albums.

The Wicked Lady (Film Soundtrack) Atlantic 78-0073-1. 1983.

After a four year gap, Tony returned to solo work in 1983 with two albums of which, The Wicked Lady was the first to be released. I was not surprised by this album’s use of orchestra given Tony’s symphonic approach to so much of his work with Genesis. As befits film music, most of this album consists of mood music which fits in with the scenes in the film. Of more direct interest to fans are the “Banks Variations” on side two of the record, which are Tony’s keyboard versions of the orchestral film music. For me the best tracks are The Wicked Lady and The Chase both of which are highly evocative of their individual subject matter. I am told that this album has now been deleted which is shame but it is well worth hunting out if you can find it.

The Fugitive. Charisma/Virgin TBLP1. 1983.

The second album from Tony’s pen in 1983 and this one was quite a surprise. It is without doubt the most commercially orientated album by Tony with several remarkably catchy “pop” songs on it. The most stroking thing about it is Tony’s singing on it to good effect. This Is Love, By You. At The Edge Of Night and Moving Under are all quite catchy songs with rhythmic sections incorporated. It is also surprising to see that the two instrumentals: Thirty Threes and Charm are not typically Tony Banks’ style and give a foretaste of things to come a couple of years later (ie The Brazilian). A refreshingly different album which deserved more success than it achieved when it was released.

Soundtracks. Charisma/Virgin CAS 1173. 1986.

Another attempt at film music by Tony. This time for two films: Quicksilver and Lorca & The Outlaws. Both of these films were low key efforts but Tony’s music was far from low key. In fact, this album contains two of my favourite songs by Tony outside of his work with Genesis: Shortcut To Somewhere and You Call This Victory both of which featured guest appearances by other vocalists: Fish and Jim Diamond respectively. For film music this work is very up-tempo and employs a greater range of styles than normal but this is in keeping with the nature of the films’ subject matter. Some of the instrumental pieces are very atmospheric and capture mood changes and scenes very well.

Bankstatement. Virgin V2600. 1989.

And so we come right up to date with Tony’s new album. It is an album of mainstream music with little to connect it to Genesis musically, although it is still recognisably a Tony Banks album. The current single from the album: Throwback is a fairly good indication of the rest of the album. It is quite catchy and helped by Alistair Gordon and Jayney Klimek’s vocals as indeed are the rest of the vocals on the album, except for Big Man where Tony does the honours himself. Lyrically, however the album is a bit of a “throwback” to earlier years with wizards and dragons etc making a reappearance after a ten year absence. Tony’s debt to The Beatles is repaid on the instrumental track Thursday The Twelfth which is Tony Banks meets I Am The Walrus - a strange piece of music which I can’t help thinking is being played backwards! There are some good songs on this album but I can’t help thinking that some of the material has been rehashed from Soundtracks, listen in particular to the keyboard part of Queen Of Darkness from Soundtracks but that aside, the album is worthy of consideration - not a hit but not a miss either!

For those of you who missed it last time, here is an update on Tony’s UK discography…

7” and 12” singles

* = Picture sleeved editions

Compact Disc Singles

Albums

+ = CD versions contain one or more tracks not available on vinyl.