VIDEO

always get myself coming back to watch the videos again.
too bad there is no “flash” in concert DVDs ..That would be amazing

‘Flash In Public – Udder Chaos – Live At The Cowtown Ballroom’
(produced by George Mizer and Peter Banks, Flash@AdequatEsounds.com)

Well, It’s 1973 again – monophonic synthesisers, loon-pants lyrics, ailing and failing bass amplification, busy and boxy drum sounds, a bleating lead vocalist, in fact rough-edged sound all around, and amidst this highly-arranged, rock guitar-led high volume “progressive” quartet, a fair amount of chaos, noise, sound-for-it’s own-sake and inspired over-indulgence……..so why, as a jazz fan of 40 years, do I love this posthumous Peter Banks’ Flash CD – that certainly was not recorded by Rudy van Gelder ?

Perhaps because the first Wes-isms I ever heard on guitar – and my inspiration to discover life beyond the C, G and D chords – was probably in the middle of a Peter Banks solo. What other guitarist, mid-tune, could throw in snippets of ‘William Tell, ‘La Marseillaise’, Bernstein, Beatles and Byrds, Bach’s ‘Toccata & Fugue in D Minor’, ‘Rabbits – they make a Fine, Fine Stew’, etc. – and all without warning, amplified to the hilt through a 100-watt Hi-Watt stack………..it’s no wonder that well-drilled supergroup YES wanted rid of dear ‘loose cannon’ Peter and his genuine improvisations after their first two albums!

I was lucky enough to see the unforgettable Hendrix at the Albert Hall in 1967, yet despite his then-supreme status as the truly electrifying, forward-looking rock/blues guitarist, a year or two later Peter Banks had something entirely different – a vast array of uplifting sounds and kaleidoscopic, wall-to-wall guitaristic effects, crowned by his trademark volume pedal ‘violining’ technique on Gibson ES-345 guitar, and all this backed up by energy, humour, and the real sound of surprise in his confidence to attempt anything. Banks had a rock vision coupled with the sensitivity and sophistication to interject classical, fingerstyle, or jazzy episodes into his playing; a knowledge of jazz guitar harmony and colour with a lust for ’11’ on the volume setting – all of this somehow best heard live in open air performance, where his sounds and musical ideas really blossomed and were heard at their best – e.g. the Parliament Hill, London Free Concert of June 1969.

The accompanying booklet states “This CD is for anyone who ever saw Flash live and actually enjoyed it”. For anyone who dug Pete’s playing on the first two YES albums and the following three FLASH studio albums, this warts-and-all live CD of the glorious Banks prog-rock guitar sound – which against all the odds, shines though this music like a glorious beacon from first to last – is probably the final chapter (Peter died in 2013). Despite 1973’s ‘The Two Sides of Peter Banks’ and three subsequent solo albums (of music very different to this) in more recent decades, commercial success eluded him, yet his high-profile achievements in the late 60’s and early 70’s continue to inspire .

“Morning came like Heaven’s money- shared it seemed by few; afternoon went sinking down, and disappeared from view”.

RIP Peter Banks, 1947 – 2013 – I truly cherish all your stuff on guitar, mate.

martinwestmacott@hotmail.com