Interview with Wayne Banks

Wayne Banks is one of those musicians who has spent a lot of time making music happen for other people. With a career that has seen him work as a bass player, songwriter, musical director and session musician alongside artists including Robin Gibb, Saxon and The Classic Rock Show, stepping into the spotlight with a solo album might seem like a big change.

But as Wayne explains, becoming a solo artist wasn’t really part of some carefully planned career move. A few cancelled tours unexpectedly gave him some time to finally record the songs he’d been writing for years, and the result is Ex Libris Wayne Banks, an album that apparently refuses to sit comfortably in any one genre. Ahead of the album’s release in November, we caught up with Wayne to talk about the unexpected route to his solo career, the influence of working with Robin Gibb, the deeply personal story behind “Cold River”, and why most of the songs on the album came from his dreams.

You’ve spent years working as a bass player, songwriter, musical director and session musician. What made 2026 the right time to step forward as a solo artist and put your own name at the centre of the music?

It wasn’t a conscious decision to become a solo artist as such. The music business being what it is, I’d had 3 tours with 3 different bands either cancelled or rescheduled around autumn 2025. So with that very rare spare time I suddenly found myself with my collaborator and band mate James Cole suggested we book some studio time with producer Steve Parry at his studio in the Wirral to record some of the many songs I’d been constantly writing over the last few years. It was James that suggested I release it as a solo album.

Your career has seen you work with artists including Robin Gibb, Saxon and The Classic Rock Show. How has that experience shaped the way you approach your own songwriting and performing?

It’s not a new thing to be honest. I’ve been writing songs since I was 14 years old, it’s the reason I got into music in the first place. Working with all these great artists and learning all their songs does give you a great insight into the craft. I was in Robin Gibb’s band for nearly ten years and would regularly talk with Robin about songwriting tips and techniques. Invaluable lessons from the best!

“Cold River” feels much more intimate and inward-looking than your debut single, “World We Share”. What prompted you to explore this more personal side of your songwriting? The song began with an acoustic guitar idea from James Cole, and you’ve described the vocal melody and opening lines as arriving almost instantly. What was it about that piece of music that unlocked the song for you?

I wish I knew! James sent me an mp3 of the verse riff to my phone and during the first playback of it the first few lines came straight to me. Luckily I was at home so I immediately went into my studio and started recording.

The “cold river” is a metaphor for hardship and for standing beside someone rather than trying to rescue or “fix” them. Was there a particular experience or relationship that inspired that idea, or did the meaning develop as you wrote?

The initial first few lines I just sang without any thought, whatever sounded right etc. I then realised I was singing about myself in the third party reflecting on the loss of my mother when I was very young and my wife’s ongoing long term illness. The song idea about ‘being there for someone’ through hard times developed from their.

“Cold River” is the penultimate release before your debut album, Ex Libris Wayne Banks, arrives in November. What can listeners expect from the album as a whole, and are there any themes or sounds that connect all of the songs?

There’s many different styles on the album. From rock songs/alternative songs to folk and dance inspired tracks it’s all in there! So I’m already prepared that I’m not going to be easy to pigeon hole! Which may be commercial suicide but I’m past caring. You’re going an honest insight into how my brain works! Most of these songs came from my dreams.

As for lyrical themes I’m all about the human side of things, relationships, a bit of politics. Just everyday stuff that affects most people.

After decades of working behind the scenes and alongside other artists, what are you most looking forward to about this next chapter as a solo artist and what can we expect from you after the album is released?

I’m still touring heavily with a number of artists. I have a small window in December that I’m hoping to do a few intimate acoustic shows to kick things off.

CONNECT: Instagram: @banksy_therealone_official Facebook: Wayne Banks - Bass Player

Photography by Izzy Rubin-Burnett - Edited by Amelia Banks