Paul Banks

Infobox musical artist
Name = Paul Banks


Img_capt = Paul Banks at Frequency festival (2007)
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =Paul Julian Banks
Born = birth date and age|1978|5|3|df=y
Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK
Died =
Genre = Indie rock, Alternative rock
Instrument = Vocals, Guitar
Years_active = 1998 - present
Label = Capitol, EMI
Associated_acts = Interpol
URL = http://www.interpolnyc.com/
Notable_instruments = Les Paul Custom
Fender Jaguar
Gibson Flying V

Paul Julian Banks (born May 3, 1978) is an English-American musician best known as the lead singer, lyricist and guitarist of the band Interpol.

Early life

Banks was born in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England. His family left England when he was three years old, moving to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and then to Spain. His father was later transferred to Mexico, where Banks finished secondary school. There he attended the American School Foundation, where he was involved in theatre productions, and played the lead role in the musical "South Pacific". He speaks fluent and almost perfect Spanish with a Castilian and Mexican accent.

After high school, Banks attended New York University where he studied English and Comparative Literature, and, after graduating, worked at magazines such as "Gotham" and "Interview". Banks later took a job in data entry, and then in a café, in order to devote more of his time to music.

Interpol

Banks joined the band in 1998 when he ran into Daniel Kessler, whom he had met on a study abroad program in Paris.

Banks's voice has been compared to that of Patrick Fitzgerald of Kitchens of Distinction and, most notably, Ian Curtis, the deceased lead singer of the band Joy Division. Many have also drawn similarities to The Psychedelic Furs lead singer Richard Butler. Banks protests that the comparison merely forces influences onto the band in an effort to describe their music style. He has also stated that he does not try to emulate his greatest influences because he thinks he can't stand up to those ("I would never try to sing like Frank Black or Kurt Cobain because you just can't do it").

Gear

Throughout Interpol's early career, Banks typically played a black Les Paul Custom guitar. Now, He plays a Fender Jaguar, as well as a Gibson Flying V (for a time with the word "breasts" spelled out in white tape on it) for songs from Our Love to Admire and his Les Paul for songs from Antics and Turn on the Bright Lights, although some songs like Obstacle 1 are now played with Banks' Fender Jaguar because of the impracticality of switching. Paul Banks now uses his Fender Jaguar as his primary guitar and he has also been seen using a Gibson ES-175 for songs such as Not Even Jail.

His pedalboard includes:
*Tube Works Real Tube Overdrive
*Pro Co RAT
*BOSS GEB-7
*MXR Micro Amp
*BOSS CS-3
*BOSS DD-5
*BOSS TU-2

Along with fellow bandmate Daniel Kessler, he uses a Fender Twin amplifier.

Personal life

Banks was in a long-term relationship with "Vice" magazine photographer Abbey Drucker since his days in NYU. The couple split sometime before the recording of Interpol's third album, "Our Love To Admire". Banks is currently dating Danish supermodel Helena Christensen.citeweb|author="People" magazine staff|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20186614,00.html|title=Helena Christensen Steps Out With Interpol Rocker|date=March 27, 2008|publisher="People" magazine]

References