The Syn discography (1965-2016)

For a band that only made two singles, the Syn are quite well remembered by British rock collectors, principally because two of their members -- guitarist Peter Banks and bassist Chris Squire -- eventually surfaced in the first lineup of Yes in 1968. Their two singles, both issued in 1967 in the U.K. on Deram, were pretty solid efforts in their own right. These charted their transition from mod to psychedelic guitar rock, rather in the manner of a much more famous British psychedelic cult band from the same era, Tomorrow (with Steve Howe on guitar). Their first single, "Created by Clive," was a foppish Carnaby Street takeoff that the band disliked; the fine B-side, the hard mod pop tune "Grounded," featured high soul harmonies and interplay between organ and sparkling guitar, and was much more indicative of the band's sensibilities.

Their promise really bloomed on their next and last 45, "14 Hour Technicolour Dream," one of the best obscure British psychedelic singles (indeed one of the best British psychedelic singles by any band). Inspired by the 1967 psychedelic London festival of the same name, it was an exhilarating distillation of the best attributes of British pop-psychedelia -- a hook-happy ebullient melody, precise harmonies, unexpected structural twists and turns, Who-like drumming, and tasteful guitar distortion -- into a compact package. It wasn't a hit, though (in fact it was only used as the B-side of "Flowerman"), and the band broke up in early 1968. Banks and Squire played in another psychedelic band, Mabel Greer's Toyshop, for a few months before becoming founding members of Yes. The four songs from the Syn singles have cropped up on numerous compilations of British psych-pop rarities; all four, and a demo of "Flowerman," also appear on Peter Banks' Can I Play You Something?, a compilation of odds and ends from bands that Banks was involved with prior to joining Yes.

Remarkably, the Syn reunited in 2004 and wound up being more active in this incarnation than they were in the '60s. This new version of the Syn featured bassist Squire, guitarist Paul Stacey, keyboardist Gerard Johnson, drummer Jeremy Stacey, and vocalist Steve Nardelli, and they released Syndestructible in October 2005. By the time they played shows supporting the album, the band featured Squire, Nardelli, Johnson, guitarist Shane Theriot, and drummer Alan White. Soon, the Syn became Nardelli's group and he'd swap out supporting musicians for concerts and albums. Two studio albums followed by the end of the decade -- 2007's Armistice Day, 2009's Big Sky -- and then the live The Syn Live Rosfest appeared in 2015, followed by the studio set Trustworks in 2016. 

The Syn-(2005)- Original Syn (The Complete History of The Syn 1965-69)

The Syn-(2005)- Original Syn 1965-2004

The Syn-(2005)- Syndestructible

The Syn-(2007)- Armistice Day

The Syn-(2009)- Big Sky

The Syn-(2015)- Live Rosfest

The Syn-(2016)- Trustworks

Peter Banks / Flash / Empire discography [1973-2020]

 Born July 15, 1947, in Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, Peter Banks was perhaps best known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. Those who only see that part of the picture, though, are missing out on quite a lot. Banks first got his start with Yes bassist Chris Squire in the group the Syn. That group made a bit of a name for itself in England from 1966 to late 1967. Squire and Banks moved to their next group after the Syn disbanded, the band Mabel Greer's Toy Shop. Banks left that group at about the time vocalist Jon Anderson was starting to become a presence on the scene, and it would only be a matter of time until they would work together. Banks went to play for a short time with Neat Change.

As fate would have it, though, he hooked back up with Squire and Anderson's Toy Shop. By then, they had added Tony Kaye and Bill Bruford to the lineup and were just ready to embark on a new name for the outfit. The new name and Peter Banks' return were nearly simultaneous, and Yes was born. The group released two albums with Banks. The first of those was the self-titled debut that came out in 1969, the second album was Time and a Word, released in 1970. By that time, the group had decided that Banks was not really the guitarist for the band and replaced him with Steve Howe. Banks thus found himself without a musical home.

Undaunted, he formed Flash, a prog band that seemed to carry on in the mode that Yes might have gone had Banks remained. As fate would have it, keyboardist Tony Kaye was the next to feel the growing pains of Yes, and upon his exit from the group he hooked up with Flash. The band released its debut, Flash, in 1972. They followed it in rapid-fire succession with In the Can (also released in 1972) and Out of Our Hands (1973). A live album, originally a bootleg, surfaced many years later under the moniker of Psychosync. Flash disbanded in 1973 and Banks released his first solo album, Two Sides of Peter Banks, that year. The album featured a rather impressive lineup of Banks, fellow Flash members Ray Bennett and Mike Hough, Jan Akkerman, John Wetton, and Phil Collins. Banks' next endeavor was a group that began under the name Flash Mark II. After a time, though, they came to be called Empire. The band recorded a total of three albums before breaking up in 1980.

Banks was not heard from for quite some time, after the end of Empire. Indeed, his next release was the 1993 solo album Instinct. The album was a true solo effort, with Banks handling all of the instrumental chores. His next release, Self-Contained, came two years later with his only accompaniment being Gerald Goff on keyboards. Reduction was released in 1999; an album featuring older material by Banks, entitled Can I Play You Something?, was released in 2000. Peter Banks died of heart failure at his London home on March 8, 2013; he was 65 years old.

 

Flash / Peter Banks - 4 Albums SHM-CD + CD Sets Japan Mini LP (2010/FLAC)

 Flash was an English progressive rock group, formed by former Yes guitarist Peter Banks, vocalist Colin Carter, bassist Ray Bennett, and drummer Mike Hough in August 1971.

1972 Flash (ARC-8020/21)

1972 In The Can (ARC-8022/23)

1973 Out Of Our Hands (ARC-8024/25)

1973 Two Sides Of Peter Banks (ARC-8026/27)

 

Empire ft. Peter Banks & Sydney Foxx - Complete Recordings (3 CD, 2017/FLAC)

 EMPIRE was a band project, or rather three band projects, set up by former Yes guitarist Peter BANKS when his band Flash folded. The initial start of this venture came to be while Banks was out recruiting musicians for a brand new line-up of Flash. While meeting various possible candidates he met singer Sydney Foxx (Sidonie Jordan), and they soon developed a strong personal and professional relationship, the former leading to them marrying and the latter to the band assembled given a unique moniker - Empire.

The first album was recorded in 1974. However, the record labels weren't at all interested in the final result, and Empire disbanded. Banks and Foxx moved to the US shortly after. In 1977 a new line-up was assembled and a second album made. The record labels didn't take much interest in this second effort by the band either, and Empire dissolved yet again.

A third attempt with a new line-up came to be in 1978, but yet again the record labels found the end result wanting. Empire eventually dissolved in 1980, ending the professional relationship between Banks and Foxx - their personal one had disintegrated some time before.