ALBUMS REVIEWS
by The Music Index
For many Peter Banks is the forgotten man of Yes which is a shame as Peter was a founder member of that band and as such an important part of the jigsaw. Although Peter likes to look forward and has released a number of fine solo albums I get the impression he is quite proud of his time in Yes and his pre-Yes incarnation. His previous project was Something's Coming, a double CD containing radio and TV performances of Yes prior to his departure in 1970.
For this release Peter goes back to recordings made between 1964 and 1968 including his appearances in The Syn and Mabel Greer's Toyshop, two names familiar to Yes fans as they precluded the creation of that band. As a document of what went before Yes, this is a fascinating dig into the past and includes material that would eventually appear on the first Yes album.
It is unlikely that this album will appeal to people other than those in the Yes circle, or those interested in British psychedelia. However there is a growing audience for archive material like this and all credit to Peter Banks for putting it all together. The sleeve is suitably reflective of the music contained inside and the copious sleeve notes are informative and entertaining. I look forward now to some reissued Flash material, or better still, some new stuff.
Source: http://www.themusicindex.com/rockahead/reviews/pbanks2.htm
by mwe3.com
When it comes to English progressive rock music, the U.K.-based Voiceprint Records and their auxiliary label Blueprint have got it down to a science. Fans of English rock icons such as Robert Wyatt, Soft Machine, Roy Harper, Asia and Gong are among the many illustrious artists featured in the Voiceprint catalog. The Blueprint division has been quite active of late and among the label’s more intriguing offerings is a comprehensive compilation of early recordings retracing the career of U.K. guitar hero Peter Banks. Subtitled The Pre-Yes Years - Recordings From 1964-1968, the recently released Can I Play You Something? answers a number of questions regarding the groups Banks recorded with prior to joining Yes in 1968. While progressive rock fans are quite well aware of Banks’ early work with Yes and his following group Flash, Banks’ early career was something of an enigma - until now. Can I Play You Something? revives 21 sundry tracks including some fabulous sounding songs by the pre-Yes bands Syn and Mabel Greer’s Toyshop, both of which featured a young Pete Banks performing alongside Yes founder Chris Squire and Squire’s early songwriting ally Clive Bailey. Rough sounding demos and various mixes blend nicely with a number of rarely heard pop curios with the CD taking on the aura of a well documented bootleg. Anyone interested in the heady psychedelic pop scene of swinging London in the late ‘60s, and specifically about the evolution of Yes, is recommended to check out the well documented Can I Play You Something? www.voiceprint.co.uk
Source http://www.mwe3.com/archive/pastreview/2000/resummr2000.htm=