Peter Banks' (Yes) band gig, UK, March 07

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ORIGINAL YES GUITARIST AND BAND HEADLINE BLACKWOOD MINERS' INSTITUTE 
PROGRESSIVE ROCK EVENING

On Friday 23rd March 7.30pm improvisational rock trio Harmony in Diversity 
headline an evening of  progressive rock music at  Blackwood Miners' 
Institute.  This three-piece band draws on the extraordinary talents of lead 
guitarist Peter Banks (guitar, MIDI guitar) who was a founding member of 
supergroup YES.

Peter Banks and  Chris Squire  first played together in The Syn,. The band 
only lasted a year until 1967 and the group released two singles. A year 
later Squire joined friend Clive Bailey (rhythm guitar) and Banks (lead 
guitar) in Mabel Greer's Toy Shop. Banks left the band, which was soon 
joined by singer Jon Anderson and  drummer Bill Bruford. With the loss of 
Bailey, addition of keyboardist Tony Kaye and Banks' return, the band took 
on the new name YES at Peter's suggestion. A short and positive name which 
it was felt would merely be temporary, little did they realise that nearly 
40 years later the name would still be revered among classic rock fans 
worldwide. Atlantic Records took notice of the band and, in 1969, took them 
into a studio to record their first album, named simply Yes. The next year 
another album was in progress (Time and a Word) but Jon and Chris decided 
they wanted an orchestra backing the five musicians. The idea was not well 
received by Banks, and he subsequently left the band.

In 1971 he formed Flash with Tony Kaye guesting on keyboards. The band 
recorded three albums (Flash, In the Can, Out of Our Hands ) before 
splitting in 1973. Banks subsequently worked with Jan Akkerman (of Focus 
fame) John Wetton, Phil Collins and Steve Hackett among others. Following 
this he tried to  form a new version of Flash which quickly became Empire. 
As  Empire, Banks and various other band members recorded three albums 
before 1980, none of which saw the light of day until the mid-1990s. After 
sporadic appearances in the 1980s Banks released "Instinct" in1993, a solo 
album of instrumental rock guitar tracks. This was followed by Self 
Contained (1995), which confirmed Peter Banks as a true musician's musician. 
In 1997, Peter was mainly responsible for the release of a double-live Yes 
set called Something's Coming, a collection of appearances at the BBC during 
1969 and 1970, featuring the original lineup in all tracks and with a 
booklet containing the guitarist's account of those early days

Recent recorded appearances by Banks include Jabberwocky (2000) and Hound of 
the Baskervilles (2002), a pair of albums recorded by Oliver Wakeman (Rick 
Wakeman's son) and Clive Nolan. Banks was initially involved in a reunion of 
The Syn in 2004, but left the band. He also turned down an offer to be 
involved in a Flash reunion before forming forming Harmony In Diversity, 
with Andrew Booker (now replaced by David Speight) and Nick Cottam  The trio 
is an accomplished jam band that aims to entirely improvise their live shows 
producing rock music which stylistically incorporates elements of   Peter's 
earlier work and his more recent instrumental rock albums. The band have so 
far recorded one album 'Trying' which has received rave reviews in various 
prog-rock online journals and rock magazines The trio are now working on a 
new album, which will be on sale online via their website and at gigs

Welsh rock band Ezra will be supporting along with an acoustic set from 
Christina and Chris from Magenta.

Ezra play a modern brand of progressive rock that fuses Floydian elements 
with strong harmonies that effortlessly transcend the boundary between prog 
rock and power pop. Their new cd  'Songs from Pennsylvania', released on F2 
Records last year, has  received excellent reviews in the rock press. 
Christina Booth (vocals) and Chris Fry (guitar) have gained numerous awards 
and worldwide recognition for their work in Rob Reed's inspired Welsh prog 
band Magenta. The band is  soon to headline NearFest at Bethlehem, 
Pennsylvania in the USA where they line up alongside Hawkwind and Pure 
Reason Revolution.

http://www.harmonyindiversity.com

http://www.ezra.co.uk/

http://www.magenta-web.com/

www.b3live.co.uk

Tickets £11/£9 reductions with £1 off for Islwyn Guitar Club members. 
Contact the Box Office on 01495 227206 

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Alan Smithee Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Newbie Joined: March 15 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 21	Topic: Peter Banks' (Yes) band gig, UK, March 07 Posted: February 08 2007 at 07:45
	ORIGINAL YES GUITARIST AND BAND HEADLINE BLACKWOOD MINERS' INSTITUTE PROGRESSIVE ROCK EVENING On Friday 23rd March 7.30pm improvisational rock trio Harmony in Diversity headline an evening of progressive rock music at Blackwood Miners' Institute. This three-piece band draws on the extraordinary talents of lead guitarist Peter Banks (guitar, MIDI guitar) who was a founding member of supergroup YES. Peter Banks and Chris Squire first played together in The Syn,. The band only lasted a year until 1967 and the group released two singles. A year later Squire joined friend Clive Bailey (rhythm guitar) and Banks (lead guitar) in Mabel Greer's Toy Shop. Banks left the band, which was soon joined by singer Jon Anderson and drummer Bill Bruford. With the loss of Bailey, addition of keyboardist Tony Kaye and Banks' return, the band took on the new name YES at Peter's suggestion. A short and positive name which it was felt would merely be temporary, little did they realise that nearly 40 years later the name would still be revered among classic rock fans worldwide. Atlantic Records took notice of the band and, in 1969, took them into a studio to record their first album, named simply Yes. The next year another album was in progress (Time and a Word) but Jon and Chris decided they wanted an orchestra backing the five musicians. The idea was not well received by Banks, and he subsequently left the band. In 1971 he formed Flash with Tony Kaye guesting on keyboards. The band recorded three albums (Flash, In the Can, Out of Our Hands ) before splitting in 1973. Banks subsequently worked with Jan Akkerman (of Focus fame) John Wetton, Phil Collins and Steve Hackett among others. Following this he tried to form a new version of Flash which quickly became Empire. As Empire, Banks and various other band members recorded three albums before 1980, none of which saw the light of day until the mid-1990s. After sporadic appearances in the 1980s Banks released "Instinct" in1993, a solo album of instrumental rock guitar tracks. This was followed by Self Contained (1995), which confirmed Peter Banks as a true musician's musician. In 1997, Peter was mainly responsible for the release of a double-live Yes set called Something's Coming, a collection of appearances at the BBC during 1969 and 1970, featuring the original lineup in all tracks and with a booklet containing the guitarist's account of those early days Recent recorded appearances by Banks include Jabberwocky (2000) and Hound of the Baskervilles (2002), a pair of albums recorded by Oliver Wakeman (Rick Wakeman's son) and Clive Nolan. Banks was initially involved in a reunion of The Syn in 2004, but left the band. He also turned down an offer to be involved in a Flash reunion before forming forming Harmony In Diversity, with Andrew Booker (now replaced by David Speight) and Nick Cottam The trio is an accomplished jam band that aims to entirely improvise their live shows producing rock music which stylistically incorporates elements of Peter's earlier work and his more recent instrumental rock albums. The band have so far recorded one album 'Trying' which has received rave reviews in various prog-rock online journals and rock magazines The trio are now working on a new album, which will be on sale online via their website and at gigs Welsh rock band Ezra will be supporting along with an acoustic set from Christina and Chris from Magenta. Ezra play a modern brand of progressive rock that fuses Floydian elements with strong harmonies that effortlessly transcend the boundary between prog rock and power pop. Their new cd 'Songs from Pennsylvania', released on F2 Records last year, has received excellent reviews in the rock press. Christina Booth (vocals) and Chris Fry (guitar) have gained numerous awards and worldwide recognition for their work in Rob Reed's inspired Welsh prog band Magenta. The band is soon to headline NearFest at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the USA where they line up alongside Hawkwind and Pure Reason Revolution. http://www.harmonyindiversity.com http://www.ezra.co.uk/ http://www.magenta-web.com/ www.b3live.co.uk Tickets £11/£9 reductions with £1 off for Islwyn Guitar Club members. Contact the Box Office on 01495 227206