Anthony (Tony) Banks of Genesis has a new solo album........and its classical.

WaynerN

Addicted Member
I just received the double 180 gram LP in the mail. Have not played it yet, but I did hear a piece (of all places) on MPR last week and wondered who the hell made this. Turns out they announced that Tony Banks of Genesis did it and is moving his career in a new direction. So that plugged my interest.

It sounds like he did the basic keyboard stuff on his home studio equipment, then added the orchestra and choir tracks at various locations. He also had a reputable producer help smooth out the project.

It's called "Tony Banks - 5"

IMG_1878.JPG

Wayner
 
I've got several Genesis albums and agree that they are all-time, hands-down. Unique sound, all talented, a little "pop-ie" when down to three members, but still wonderful.
 
Interesting. :thumbsup: Let us know of the sound quality.

Paul McCartney made a classical album in 1999 called "Working Classical", which is very nice!

R-2518929-1288604220.jpeg.jpg


https://www.discogs.com/Paul-McCartney-Working-Classical/master/285436
 
Time for the review. SIde one "Prelude to a Million Years". I actually thought it took a million years to get thru this dribble. No comprehendable melody, constant key changes that made no sense, left this listener wondering when the "music part" was going to start. This first selection was the entire side of side one. To sum it up with a word or two, completely horrible.

Side two. The second song was the one I heard on FM, called Reveille. It was a 7 or 8 note melody that repeated constantly. I thought I was listening to Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and yes, as Free Bird was, I could not wait for this one to get over. I have no idea why I originally thought it was good.

Side three. Another tune that reminded me of the pin ball going thru the machine. Bouncing off of bumpers not knowing where its going, can't recall where it has been. Pin Ball, minus the Wizard. My God, how, or who funded this project. The poor studio musicians. They must have been bored to tears.

Side three is a struggle to get thru. I may not finish. It's lost in the woods. It would not even make good movie back ground music. I just can't go on any more.

Side 4 is a blank, which might be the best side of the album.

To sum it all up.
1. Tony, don't give up your day job.
2. On the musical scale out of 5 stars, I give it a 1
3. On the sonics scale, one of the most boring pieces of music that I have ever heard.

Complete dribble.

It will go in the back room for now, probably find its way to Goodwill next week.
 
I give albums 3 full listens before I judge them. Some I like immediately but others take some listening and then end up being well worth the time.
 
I give albums 3 full listens before I judge them. Some I like immediately but others take some listening and then end up being well worth the time.

I couldn't get thru one time. I can get used to lots of things in music, giving the artist some room for personal expression, but this has nothing to do with that. It has violated some principals of music, melody being one of them. It's like reading a book that someone has just picked random words. My engineering background tells me that the entire adventure is just plain wrong, wrong, wrong. No wonder welfare radio liked it.

Its like telling a story that has no point. Wondering aimlessly without a destination. I'll never criticize Jade Warrior again. I have several classical LPs from Sbelius, Aaron Copeland, Holst and the usual white hairs from Russia and Europe. Bank's music just doesn't have any anchor points, it just keeps changing directions without a purpose, without a before or an after, there is nothing predictable, it would be next to impossible to put to memory.

You can go listen to it for 3 times, I'm done. It is easily the top 5 worst LPs that I have ever heard.
 
I couldn't get thru one time. I can get used to lots of things in music, giving the artist some room for personal expression, but this has nothing to do with that. It has violated some principals of music, melody being one of them. It's like reading a book that someone has just picked random words. My engineering background tells me that the entire adventure is just plain wrong, wrong, wrong. No wonder welfare radio liked it.

Its like telling a story that has no point. Wondering aimlessly without a destination. I'll never criticize Jade Warrior again. I have several classical LPs from Sbelius, Aaron Copeland, Holst and the usual white hairs from Russia and Europe. Bank's music just doesn't have any anchor points, it just keeps changing directions without a purpose, without a before or an after, there is nothing predictable, it would be next to impossible to put to memory.

You can go listen to it for 3 times, I'm done. It is easily the top 5 worst LPs that I have ever heard.

I’ll pass on Tony Banks. I am a big fan of early Genesis, the Peter Gabriel version. I even like the next two albums after he left. Tony was a big part of the early albums. I did not buy any of the 3 man Genesis albums. Not my cup of tea. I heard an interview with him once and he came off bad to me. He said the 3 man Genesis music was far superior to the early stuff. He sounded like he wanted to discredit his former bandmates, anyway it came off bad.

I would listen to his music using the free music apps, just to hear what he is doing. That’s it.
 
Last edited:
Some things are too much work to enjoy, more for some than others. A movie that came highly recommended was one ("It Follows"), and I want the 40 seconds I wasted on The Shaggs' "Philosophy of the World" back. The last was a desperate cry from young girls being held in a hostage situation where they were forced to "sing" for mercy.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom