SHED SEVEN
This month Simon Barnard takes at look at one of York’s finest bands, Shed Seven, and the creative and melodic playing of Paul Banks.
Guitarist Paul Banks and singer Rick Witter formed their first band together in York, north Yorkshire in 1986. However, it wasn’t until four years later that Shed Seven officially started. But Banks wasn’t actually in the first line-up. Instead guitarist and songwriter Joe Johnson held six-string duties. However, shortly before signing their first record deal with Polydor Records, Johnson left the group and Banks took his place. As a result, Johnson was credited for writing some of the songs on their 1994 debut album, Change Giver. The two guitarists would chop and change places throughout the band’s career, eventually working together in a later Shed Seven incarnation. Change Giver was followed by albums A Maximum High (1996), Let it Ride (1998), and the compilation Going For Gold (1999), which featured a couple of new songs including the single Disco Down. After the release of this album, Banks and Johnson switched places again, and Johnson featured on the band’s 2001 release, Truth Be Told.
The following years were quiet for the band, until Instant Pleasures came to the rescue in 2017; this album featured both Banks and Johnson, the latter swapping between guitar and keyboards.
This month’s piece focuses on Shed Seven’s Paul Banks era, drawing upon influences from A Maximum High through to Going For Gold. Throughout these albums Banks proves himself to be an accomplished guitarist whose inventive playing helped push the band into the UK top 10, and proving them worthy carriers of the Brit Rock flame.
As with other guitarists from the genre such as John Squire from the Stone Roses, Banks would often incorporate jangly arpeggios, lead motifs and heavy riffs into his rhythm playing to give his parts interest. He would feature short guitar solos at times, but only ever to support the song. Even though Banks is a great player he rarely used his solos to showboat; instead they always served a musical purpose and were as integral to the song as the catchy vocal melody itself.
Paul Banks is mostly associated with playing a Gibson Les Paul, whose humbucking pickups lent his parts their rich texture. At times he could be seen playing a Gibson ES 335, and a Fender Stratocaster for songs that required that particular timbre. With regards to amps, Banks was usually seen plugged into a Marshall head and 4x12 cab during the 90s, but more recently he has gravitated towards Vox and Orange amplifiers. It would be safe to say that he is a died-in-the-wool fan of the classic British rock sound and heritage.
Through the accompanying study you will hear influences from the aforementioned hit albums. So, plug in your guitar, load up the backing track and have fun learning the styles of Paul Banks and Shed Seven.
NEXT MONTH Simon checks out one of the best of the newer Brit Rock bands, Arctic Monkeys
“This month’s piece focuses on Shed Seven’s Paul Banks era, drawing on influences from A Maximum High, through to Going For Gold”