‘The Mars Tapes’ (Gonzo Multimedia, 2014)
‘The Mars Tapes’ is a collection of rare recordings of guitar legend Peter Banks, well-known for his work with progressive rock bands Yes and Flash. Peter Banks had a band called Empire in the 1970s. ‘The Mars Tapes’ is a 2-CD set and represents Empire lll in rehearsal at Mars Studios in Los Angeles in 1979. The band spent about six months at Mars Studios, rehearsing and showcasing their music, much of which has been unheard until this album.
Empire lll recorded everything they did off the board, including the tape hiss so the quality is not great. The recordings have demo quality at the most. The music, however, is a different story. The first cut on Disc 1, “Out of Our Hands’ features an outstanding series of call response duels between Banks’ guitar and Paul Delph’s synthesizer. This fusion duel returns on ‘Where Yes Means No’ with the addition of some funk, on Disc 1.
The album features lots of instrumental parts that fall in the category of progressive rock and fusion. The vocal sections are more pop and soul oriented. The instrumental ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bar and Grill’ is a great epic instrumental progressive rock piece.
Throughout the album, Peter Banks delivers a series of brilliant solos and melodies, demonstrating his wide range of guitar techniques, from soaring solos and shredding to violin-like slide guitar.
One of the oddities in ‘The Mars Tapes’ is ‘Dancing Man,’ a disco piece on Disc 1, with Banks playing funky rhythm guitar.
Disc 2 begins with another prog rock fusion instrumental ‘Off With the King’s Head’, delivering stellar guitar and synth performances.
Track 2 on Disc 2 is a Banks’ arrangement of ‘Something’s coming (West Side Story) with Banks performing familiar melodies as well as lots of guitar improvisations using many different electric guitar techniques.
The progressive rock instrumentals continue with track 3, ‘The Fall of the Empire.’ On track 4, Banks heads towards a funk jazz-rock direction.
‘Ascending to the Planet Marks’ features a symphonic rock direction with delightful slide guitar and string synchs.
The last piece on Disc 2 is a bonus piece, a much better recorded ballad with Banks on acoustic guitar and Sidonie Jordan on vocals. Guests include Phil Collins on drums.
Peter Banks and singer-songwriter Sidonie Jordan founded Empire in the early seventies after Peter left Flash and attracted artists such as Phil Collins. Peter and Phil had joined forces in a band called ‘Zok And The Radar Boys’ which was pre-Empire for Peter, and pre-Brand X for Phil.
Sidonie Jordan had a solo career as a staff writer/recording artist for A&M Records, and recorded for other labels such as Capital Records, Electra Records and Trojan Records. Her song and recording of ‘All God’s Mornings’ was produced by Peter Townshend and featured on his ‘With Love’ album. Sidonie is currently producing and writing with Lez Larder owner of Skyline Studios in Sunbury- On-Thames UK, and Empire lll drummer, Mark Murdock, more recently known for his ‘Cymbalic Encounters’ release featuring members from Brand X, agreed to release these recordings as a dedication to the memory of Peter Banks and his great contribution to progressive rock music.
“The Mars Tapes were recorded live at Mars Studios in Los Angeles during the summer of 1979 and include a few tracks that never appeared on any Empire albums,” reveals Sidonie. “As with all the Empire incarnations this album features the amazing talent and skill of Peter Banks, who has been called the Architect of Progressive Rock.”
Drummer Mark Murdock adds details, “The Peter Banks Empire ship set sail against the ever-changing music world, and was uncompromising in producing a range of material with Peter Banks’ ‘Signature Guitar Sound and Style,’ while incorporating themes of the time period in which the band existed and also reliving the past by playing songs from the early Empire catalog and even a Yes version of ‘Something’s Coming.’ There are various tracks on ‘The Mars Tapes’ that also represented a ‘Work In Progress,’ which were both instrumental and vocal orientated. Empire was anticipating to make some big waves in the music scene, but the waves never reached the shore- until now!”
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