Which album of Banks' is your favorite?

  • ACF from my side of things, his first was his best. Perhaps since it came at the tail end of Prog and has that feel to it throughout (plus being the forever prog head I am), so goes my allegiance to that release. I like much of what he did thereafter but 'Curious' is my number 1. :thumbup:

  • I kind of agree with both of you - ACF is my favorite, but I don't think any of them are stellar.


    I will stick up for "Bankstatement" and even the "Soundtracks" compilation - I like quite a bit on both. I have a feeling I would like "Strictly, Inc." if I could ever locate a copy. I was always a fan of Jack Hues from Wang Chung. What I have heard from it I liked; I've never heard it all.

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • I kind of agree with both of you - ACF is my favorite, but I don't think any of them are stellar.


    I will stick up for "Bankstatement" and even the "Soundtracks" compilation - I like quite a bit on both. I have a feeling I would like "Strictly, Inc." if I could ever locate a copy. I was always a fan of Jack Hues from Wang Chung. What I have heard from it I liked; I've never heard it all.

    I like Bankstatement very much, the remainder of his solo catalog has some highlights, I think his weakest album is probably The Fugitive, although it has a couple of good songs, not his best outing. The fact that he sings on it really is the only thing that makes it somewhat interesting. Banks perceived his vocals as a cross between Al Stewart and John Lennon.

  • ACF from my side of things, his first was his best. Perhaps since it came at the tail end of Prog and has that feel to it throughout (plus being the forever prog head I am), so goes my allegiance to that release. I like much of what he did thereafter but 'Curious' is my number 1. :thumbup:

    My favourite too. Of course prog never went away and still a strong force in music albeit largely ignored by the masses.

  • I kind of agree with both of you - ACF is my favorite, but I don't think any of them are stellar.


    I will stick up for "Bankstatement" and even the "Soundtracks" compilation - I like quite a bit on both. I have a feeling I would like "Strictly, Inc." if I could ever locate a copy. I was always a fan of Jack Hues from Wang Chung. What I have heard from it I liked; I've never heard it all.

    Are you struggling to find a copy?

  • ACF is not only my favourite Banks album but among my favourites (not necessarily Top 5 but easily in the Top 10) of any of the G men solo albums.

    For me Still is the only other one that comes close to that realm.


    I like both The Fugitive and Strictly Inc. very much. I've never had an issue with Tony's voice on The Fugitive. I thought he did a fine job.

    I've warmed up to Bankstatement over the years. Initially, I felt it only had a handful of good songs on it.


    I still find Soundtracks uneven. It's probably my least favourite of the rock albums.

    I actually prefer the keyboard tracks on Wicked Lady above anything from Soundtracks.


    And the symphony albums just don't appeal to me at all.

    To be honest I only bought the first one. I know some people would say, "Oh, you should get the second or third, they're better."

    But symphony music is just not my thing, and for me a Tony Banks album without keyboards interests me about as much as a Steve Hackett album without guitar.

  • My favourite too. Of course prog never went away and still a strong force in music albeit largely ignored by the masses.

    Well, it was popular upon its arrival in the late sixties, when it was new, exciting and vibrant. Popularity started to dwindle when bands started to believe their own hype and became boring and repetitive. Another twenty minute song? No, thanks.


    I would imagine that prog rock is now a niche genre, a bit like jazz fusion or Peruvian folk music.


    If Tony had used a proper vocalist on TF it would have raised the bar a little.

    Kim Beacon is a proper singer.

  • Well, it was popular upon its arrival in the late sixties, when it was new, exciting and vibrant. Popularity started to dwindle when bands started to believe their own hype and became boring and repetitive. Another twenty minute song? No, thanks.


    I would imagine that prog rock is now a niche genre, a bit like jazz fusion or Peruvian folk music.


    Kim Beacon is a proper singer.

    Not talking about the late Kim Beacon. I was referring to Tony deciding to do the vocals in The Fugitive.


    I think prog rock is more than a niche genre if you consider the popularity of post 70s prog scene - Rush, Hackett, Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson. Marillion, Camel, Roger Waters, Moody Blues, Opeth, Neal Morse, Saga, IQ, Riverside et al. Clearly most won't sell the units the prog luminaries did such as ELP, Floyd and Yes etc but tours tend to be sold out or well attended.

  • Not talking about the late Kim Beacon. I was referring to Tony deciding to do the vocals in The Fugitive.

    Whoops, sorry!



    I think prog rock is more than a niche genre if you consider the popularity of post 70s prog scene - Rush, Hackett, Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson. Marillion, Camel, Roger Waters, Moody Blues, Opeth, Neal Morse, Saga, IQ, Riverside et al. Clearly most won't sell the units the prog luminaries did such as ELP, Floyd and Yes etc but tours tend to be sold out or well attended.

    A big prog fan then, eh? :D


    Yeah, I'm sure their shows are well attended. Are we talking Madison Square Gardens "well attended" or Ellesmere Port Civic Hall "well attended"? Arf.

  • In the last 18 months Marillion and Camel sold out the Royal Albert Hall in less than an hour. Steven Wilson's last tour sold out in many venues including the RAH. Steve Hackett has been more successful with the Genesis shows too. Even in the hey days if prog, only a select number garnered large audiences. I saw Genesis in 73 and audience was in the hundreds. Only in the 80s did the band go huge as a result of a more commercial/less proggy route. Finally, Big Big Train have increased their audience by many since first touring in 2015. I have seen many of the classic bands like Tull, BJH, Caravan, Camel, Crimson and even Yes in half full venues. Oh and Roger Water almost sold out the 12,000 seater venue Glasgow Hydro last year.

  • Makes you wonder why he left doesn't it?


    Anyway, I think you're far too into your prog to subjectively discuss the issue of it being very much a minority genre. I imagine you hate pop music, too, yes? :rolleyes:

    No, I like a lot of pop music but mainly the classic stuff from 60s to late 80s. I tend not to buy much pop music now with the exception of ELO, Depeche Mode, Bowie and A-ha. On the subject of me being too into prog to discuss the issue subjectively, I beg to differ. I am aware of the success or not of many bands who I have followed over the last 50 years to allow me to comment subjectively. I have followed the genre since 1970 and continue to do so. As with all genres of music, some artists will command a larger listening/buying audience to others. It happened/happens with prog as much as it does with every other category.

  • Well, it was popular upon its arrival in the late sixties, when it was new, exciting and vibrant. Popularity started to dwindle when bands started to believe their own hype and became boring and repetitive. Another twenty minute song? No, thanks.


    I would imagine that prog rock is now a niche genre, a bit like jazz fusion or Peruvian folk music.


    Kim Beacon is a proper singer.

    Prog over the past 30 years has expanded its own genre within itself.


    Crossover/Jazz/ Neo/ Symphonic/ Zuel / Folk/ Post Rock / Italiano (mainly Symphonic in most cases)../ Heavy/ Rio Avant / Eclectic and many more.


    Not all Prog is 20 minutes long. Certain Prog genres like Crossover/ Folk and Jazz tend to have shorter tracks like the commercial bands time frame.


    I agree with Ned123, Prog has its followers and there growing in numbers..;)

  • ACF is easily my favourite, except for the instrumental tracks, which are lifeless. Soundtracks would be my second choice, Lion of Symmetry is outstanding, You call this victory a close second, and Short cut to somewhere not far behind. Luckily, some of the instrumentals are very good too.


    I see some people still make struggle to make that distinction between commercial success and quality. Rap/hip-hop is probably the biggest selling "music" these days, does anyone here like it, at all, let alone more than prog, Genesis style pop, or even Little Mix?

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

  • I despise labels when it comes to music. Labels are for the anal retentive. And the comment "there [sic] growing in numbers" is a little unsettling (not to mention it seems to contradict the earlier assertion that prog wasn't reaching the "masses"), almost like they're a movement! They're coming to get you!


    I like some of the original prog rock bands; most of them do nothing for me at all. I don't unconditionally love one genre over all others. I'll take Tony Bennett's quote any day: "There's good music and there's bad music." And that's all there is to it.