Tony Banks or Rick Wakeman

The.Crimson.King wrote: richardh wrote: Live performance - Banks nails it every time but rarely varies from pre-rehearsed solos. Could phone in his performance most of the time. Wakeman is prepared to improvise much like Emerson. Good point.  Banks is my favourite lead synthesizer player.  Emo & Wakeman could improvise circles around him but Banks' solos are well thought out mini-compositions.  The best example I've found is the synth solo from "In The Cage".  I learned to play it along with the backing organ chords a few months ago and it's a master class in how to build a solo melody on top of a harmonic background.  Genius.

I love the Genesis early period a lot more than I do the Yes earlier period (except for the Relayer album which is up there with the best - and Wakeman wasn't involved with Relayer). Looking at both artists I have to go with Rick Wakeman and my resoning for that is comparrison between Banks and Wakeman solo efforts. Banks never did anything like the Journey to the Centre of the Earth album or anything that could compare to any of the early Wakeman albums in scope or in ability. I also wonder how much of what Banks is credited with in Genesis inspiration wise came from him as opposed to how much came from the other Genesis members - looking at his solo albums which are uninspired for the main part I can guess at the answer to that. I also wonder, after watching a large number of interviews of the Genesis band members, who was ultimately responsible for the direction which Genesis took with their later output - many "blame" Collins for what happened however I think that Banks was the "culprit" and not Collins. I lay the demise of the old, loved, sound of Genesis when they changed direction fully on Banks's doorstep as I also lay the "blame" for the departure of Gabriel and then Hackett.

Banks isn't up there with my fave keyboardist's. Maybe it's because I find genesis a bit dainty and odd. Some weird compositions and lyrics which just feel a bit off centre to me

Wakeman way ahead of Banks in technical ability.

RW

verslibre wrote: richardh wrote: But that Six Wives album throws a major spanner into the works. Emerson nor Banks ever matched that for sheer nail on the head brilliance but Rick could never quite follow it in my mind. It was perhaps just too good.     Also voted for Rick. I do think Rick matched Six Wives with Criminal Record. Both are stupendous forays into keyboard-propelled instrumental prog. I consider both to be essential recordings even for Wakeman-haters.   I think Tony is a great composer even if he doesn't match Rick's, Keith's and Patrick's technical capabilities. Tony's Soundtracks (with music from Quicksilver and Lorca & The Outlaws) shows him in a non-songwriter context apart from two great songs sung by Fish and Toyah (and one lousy song sung by somebody whose name I don't care to look up).

Yes, the more I look at this poll, the more I realize it's not ever to say one is good and one is bad.  I am just interested in why people would do a desert island selection of either guy's work.  

The votes speak volume 30/30. Both as good as each other from PA members so far

Tony Banks. Not just the tasty melodies, he new how to use timbre to fit both the content and the mood a song was trying to convey. Hmm..I would say the same about Hackett, actually.

NickHall wrote: Wakeman way ahead of Banks in technical ability.