Yes guitarist Peter Banks dies Banks, who was born in Barnet on July 15th 1947, became a mainstay of the progressive rock world after recording two albums with Yes - their self-titled debut release in 1969, followed by Time And A Word in 1970. A statement from fellow Yes band members said: "We are deeply saddened to learn about the passing of fellow bandmate and founding Yes member, Peter Banks. He was a huge piece of the fabric that made Yes what it is, and our thoughts, sincere condolences and prayers are with him and his family. Peter, we shall miss you greatly. After leaving Yes, who were known for their complex instrumentation, in 1970, Banks had a diverse career. After a brief stint with a band called Blodwyn Pig, Banks formed Flash and released three albums: Flash (1972), Out Of Our Hands, (1972), and In The Can (1973). He went on to form a new band called Empire. In the past decade, in his constant search to remain creative, he was part of a three-member psychedelic improv band called Harmony In Diversity and had also been involved in a jazz-fusion project called Self-Contained, with Spanish keyboard player Gonzalo Carrera. Banks also produced and recorded several solo albums, beginning with Two Sides of Peter Banks in 1973 which featured Jan Akkerman and Phil Collins. He released five solo albums in all. The BBC's Danny Baker called Banks, "the architect of progressive music."