Paul Banks (American singer)

Paul Julian Banks was born in Clacton-on-Sea on 3 May 1978.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25231-2004Nov4.html|title=Interpol, Dressed for Success|last1=Harrington|first1=Richard|date=5 November 2004|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=31 December 2013}}{{cite interview|title=Paul Banks interview (part 1)|date=19 September 2012|work=Face Culture|via=YouTube}} He has an older brother.{{Cite magazine |date=2022-11-14 |title=Getting Serious with Interpol |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/11/21/getting-serious-with-interpol |access-date=2022-11-14 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US}} His father's corporate role for an automobile manufacturer required that the family relocate frequently. When Banks was three years old, the family left England for the U.S, temporarily lived in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, then moved to Spain when Banks was twelve. In Spain, Banks studied at the American School of Madrid in Pozuelo de Alarcón before the family moved back to the U.S. and lived in New Jersey.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-sep-25-wk-pop25-story.html|title=Interpol calling|last=Kuipers|first=Dean|date=25 September 2003|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=13 January 2018|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}{{Citation|last=FaceCulture|title=Paul Banks interview (part 1)|date=2 November 2012|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWtt3O0bE3o |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/eWtt3O0bE3o |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}} His father was later transferred to Mexico, where Banks finished high school at the American School Foundation in Mexico City.{{cite news|title=A Picture of Success|work=Focus|page=35|publisher=American School Foundation|first=María José |last=Magallanes|url=http://issuu.com/asfcommunications/docs/focuswinter20092010/37|date=2009|access-date=24 June 2015}} Banks compared his family's constant relocating to that of a typical military family.

Banks was involved in stage productions during his time at the American School Foundation, playing the lead role in the musical South Pacific.{{Cite web |last=Fitzmaurice |first=Larry |date=2018-08-22 |title=Interpol’s Paul Banks on the Music That Made Him |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/5-10-15-20/interpols-paul-banks-on-the-music-that-made-him/ |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} He later attended New York University, where he studied English and comparative literature,{{cite web |title=Julian Plenti - Julian Plenti Is...Skyscraper - Album review - Time Out Chicago |url=http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/music/77450/julian-plenti-julian-plenti-isskyscraper-album-review |date=13 August 2009 |work=timeout.com |publisher=Time Out |access-date=20 August 2009}} and worked at magazines such as Gotham{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Zach Schonfeld Senior |date=2018-08-16 |title=How Interpol Made Its Best Album in Years |url=https://www.newsweek.com/2018/08/24/interpol-marauder-new-album-turn-bright-lights-1076562.html |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=Newsweek |language=en}} and Interview after graduating.{{Cite news|url=http://www.westword.com/music/paul-banks-on-the-joys-of-getting-logic-ed-up-in-his-hotel-room-instead-of-liquored-up-on-tour-5676037|title=Paul Banks on the joys of getting "Logic-ed up" in his hotel room instead of liquored up on tour|last=Murphy|first=Tom|date=27 November 2012|work=Westword|access-date=13 January 2018}} He later took a data entry job at the Scholastic Corporation{{cite web |title=MTV.com Exclusive: Interpol |url=http://www.mtv.com/photos/mtvcom-exclusive-interpol/1565966/2544374/photo.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128020914/http://www.mtv.com/photos/mtvcom-exclusive-interpol/1565966/2544374/photo.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 November 2009 |date=31 July 2007 |work=mtv.com |publisher=MTV |access-date=20 August 2009}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=voa9DgAAQBAJ|title=Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001–2011|last=Goodman|first=Lizzy|date=1 August 2017|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=9780571337996|language=en}} and worked in a café{{cite web |title=FILE UNDER...NEXT BIG THING |url=https://ew.com/article/2002/06/14/file-undernext-big-thing/ |date=14 June 2002 |work=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=24 August 2009}} in order to devote more of his time to music.{{Cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/interpols-paul-keeps-his-focus/news-story/2dcc1438c45f78dc1f7b5a5c760cb57d?sv=7a05d5785335c7434e6301dca59c81c7|title=Interpol singer Paul Banks talks about fame and music|last=Johnson|first=Neala|date=27 February 2008|work=Herald Sun|language=en}}

File:Interpol - Rock am Ring 2015-9030.jpg guitar in 2015]]

In the summer of 1997, Banks reconnected with fellow NYU undergrad Daniel Kessler, whom he had met previously on a study abroad program in Paris.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/princes-of-darkness-20041014|title=Interpol: Princes of Darkness|date=14 October 2004|magazine=Rolling Stone}} Kessler then asked Banks to join Interpol, a band he had started with bassist Carlos Dengler and drummer Greg Drudy. Banks was initially not inclined to join a band as he had been writing songs as a solo artist, but eventually joined Interpol as a guitarist and vocalist after listening to the type of music they were making.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_3ftHVmAonmoC|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_3ftHVmAonmoC/page/n13 67]|title=SPIN|last=LLC|first=SPIN Media|date=April 2005|publisher=SPIN Media LLC |language=en}} Beginning with Interpol's fifth album, El Pintor, Banks has also served as the band's bassist.{{Cite news|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/15751-interpol-el-pintor-interview|title=No Hidden Agenda: The Return Of Interpol|last=Foster|first=Matthew|date=15 July 2014|work=The Quietus}} In the music video for the album's lead single "All the Rage Back Home", he can be seen playing a Fender Precision Bass.

Banks has solo projects under various monikers. In August 2009, he released the solo album Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper under the name Julian Plenti, followed by the five-song EP Julian Plenti Lives... in June 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.frostmagazine.com/2012/04/20/interpols-paul-banks-covers-sinatra-on-new-ep-music-news/ |title=Interpol's Paul Banks covers Sinatra on new EP |author=Alex Knott |date=20 April 2012 |publisher=Frost Magazine}}{{cite web |url=http://julianplenti.com/ |title=Julian Plenti Lives... EP |publisher=Julian Plenti |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510083402/http://julianplenti.com/ |archive-date=10 May 2012}} In October 2012, Banks released his second full-length studio album, Banks.{{cite web |url=http://www.terra.com.mx/musica/articulo/1146892/Paul+Banks+lamenta+no+haber+grabado+concierto+de+Interpol+en+Mexico.htm |title=Paul Banks lamenta no haber grabado concierto de Interpol en México}}{{cite web |url=http://store.matadorrecords.com/new-releases/julian-plenti-lives-ep |title=Julian Plenti Lives...EP |work=matadorrecords.com |publisher=Matador Records |access-date=25 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701103831/http://store.matadorrecords.com/new-releases/julian-plenti-lives-ep |archive-date=1 July 2012}}

In 2013, Banks released the hip hop mixtape Everybody on My Dick Like They Supposed to Be, which included contributions by rappers such as Talib Kweli and El-P.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17708-everybody-on-my-dick-like-they-supposed-to-be/ |title=Paul Banks: Everybody on My Dick Like They Supposed to Be Album Review |website=pitchfork.com |access-date=20 April 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://bankspaulbanks.com/news/55/mixtape-featuring-el-p-high-prizm-mike-g-and-talib-kweli |title=Mixtape featuring El-P, High Prizm, Mike G and Talib Kweli |website=bankspaulbanks.com |access-date=19 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420000926/http://bankspaulbanks.com/news/55/mixtape-featuring-el-p-high-prizm-mike-g-and-talib-kweli |archive-date=20 April 2014}}

In June 2016, Banks and rapper RZA formed the duo Banks and Steelz and announced their collaborative album Anything But Words,{{cite web |url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/rza-and-interpols-paul-banks-announce-joint-album-anything-but-words-news.22141.html? |title=RZA and Paul Banks Team up |last=Lilah |first=Rose |date=9 June 2016 |website=Hotnewhiphop |access-date=9 June 2016}} which featured guest appearances by rappers Kool Keith, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Masta Killa, and singer Florence Welch. Two singles, "Love + War" and "Giant", were released.

In March 2020, Banks announced that he had teamed up with Matt Barrick (of The Walkmen and Fleet Foxes) and Josh Kaufman to form a new band called Muzz; he then released their first single, "Bad Feeling".{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/interpols-paul-banks-forms-new-band-muzz-shares-new-song-listen/|title=Interpol's Paul Banks Forms New Band Muzz, Shares New Song|website=Pitchfork|date=6 March 2020 |language=en|access-date=6 March 2020}}

Banks was inspired to become a musician by Nirvana,{{cite web |title=Paul Banks (Interpol): "Os Nirvana são a razão que me levou a ser músico" |url=https://blitz.sapo.pt/paul-banks-interpol-os-nirvana-sao-a-razao-que-me-levou-a-ser-musico=f67689 |date=12 November 2010 |work=mtv.com |publisher=Blitz |access-date=18 May 2012}} but has said that he does not try to emulate his greatest influences because he thinks he cannot live up to them: "I would never try to sing like Frank Black or Kurt Cobain because you just can't do it."{{cite web|author=Umbrella TV|url=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5566698331979269379|title=Interview with Interpol's Paul Banks|date=22 July 2005|publisher=Google Videos}} His baritone voice, singing technique, and lyrics are most often compared to that of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/interpol/artist.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104093116/http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/interpol/artist.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 January 2006 |title=Interpol | New Music And Songs |publisher=MTV |access-date=24 August 2014}}

During Interpol's early years, Banks typically played a black Les Paul Custom guitar.{{Cite news|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/rig-tour-interpol-618675|title=Rig tour: Interpol|work=MusicRadar|language=en}} He then started using a Fender Jaguar (primarily due to the use of the tremolo in songs such as "Pioneer to the Falls") and a Gibson Flying V (which, for a time, had the word "breasts" spelled out in white tape on it){{cite web |title=Stylish and shy, Interpol left a lasting mark |url=http://www.onmilwaukee.com/music/articles/interpolreview.html?page=1 |date=31 July 2007 |work=onmilwaukee.com |access-date=18 July 2009}}{{cite web |title=Interpol at the Orbit Room, Grand Rapids, MI, July 27, 2007 |url=http://www.post-rockist.com/2007/08/02/interpol-at-the-orbit-room-grand-rapids-mi-july-27-2007/ |date=2 August 2007 |work=post-rockist.com |access-date=18 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301172706/http://www.post-rockist.com/2007/08/02/interpol-at-the-orbit-room-grand-rapids-mi-july-27-2007/ |archive-date=1 March 2012}} for songs from Our Love to Admire, and used his Les Paul for songs from Antics and Turn on the Bright Lights, although some songs like "Obstacle 1" were played with the Jaguar because of the impracticality of switching. Songs like "Mammoth" were recorded using his Les Paul for this same reason.

Banks used his Jaguar as his primary guitar for the end leg of the Our Love to Admire tour, and was also seen using a Gibson ES-135 for songs such as "Not Even Jail", but since the 2010 tour leg he has not been since using the Jaguar or ES-135 and has only been seen using his traditional black Les Paul in live settings. His Flying V, with the white tape now removed, can be seen in the music video for "Barricade". His ES-135 was his primary guitar during his live performances as alter ego Julian Plenti. In the 2010s, during live performances of his solo work, he began playing a Dave Murray signature Fender Stratocaster with two humbucker pickups and a middle position single coil, possibly to avoid having to change guitars between songs for the diverse sounds on his solo records. In terms of bass guitars, he has been seen using a black Fender Precision Bass with a maple fretboard.

According to one source, Banks has used effects pedals such as the Boss TU-2, Z.Vex Super Duper 2 in 1, Electro-Harmonix Micro POG, MXR Micro Amp, MXR Bass Octave Deluxe, Way Huge Swollen Pickle, Ibanez TS9DX Tube Screamer, Boss DN-2, and two MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delays (one set at higher repeats). His pedalboard on the Julian Plenti tour consisted of a Boss TU-2, Way Huge Aqua-Puss, Boss DN-2, EHX POG 2, Blackstar HT Dual Tube Distortion, and an MXR Carbon Copy. Since 2004, he has used two Fender Pro Reverb amplifiers.

Though he was born in Essex to English parents, Banks speaks with a Midwestern American accent due to growing up primarily in Michigan. As a result of his time in Spain and Mexico, he is fluent in Spanish and speaks the language with a Mexican accent.{{Cite news|url=https://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/interpol-eye-up-the-indie-crown/97916|title=Interpol Eye Up The Indie Crown|date=8 December 2010|work=ShortList|access-date=13 January 2018|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkyInmjFBxE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/CkyInmjFBxE |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=INTERPOL / Paul Banks - Entrevista Rolling Stone |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2020-05-11}}{{cbignore}} In contrast to Interpol's often melancholic indie rock sound, Banks has been a fan of hip hop since he was a child and has worked as a hip hop DJ under the pseudonym DJ Fancypants.{{cite web|author=Pitchfork Media|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/7420-interpol/|title=Interpol's Paul Banks Interviews with Pitchfork|date=6 August 2007|publisher=Pitchfork|access-date=26 July 2009|archive-date=26 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526034431/http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/7420-interpol/|url-status=dead}}

Banks began a relationship with Danish supermodel Helena Christensen in 2008.{{cite news|title=Helena Christensen, Queen of the Runway|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444799904578050991234575634 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=19 October 2012 }} They split up in 2015.{{cite news |last1=Smyth |first1=David |title=Interpol interview: 'We've never made a record that didn't have some strange things on there' |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/music/interpol-interview-we-ve-never-made-a-record-that-didn-t-have-some-strange-things-on-there-a3881121.html |access-date=5 August 2018 |work=London Evening Standard |date=6 July 2018}} He later began dating fashion designer Juliet Seger, with whom he lives in Berlin.{{Cite web |title=Juliet Seger |url=https://www.designforchange.eca.ed.ac.uk/people/juliet-seger/ |url-status=live |access-date= |website=designforchange}} He also maintains an apartment in Lower Manhattan. In November 2022, he and Seger were engaged and expecting their first child together.

• Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
• Antics (2004)
• Our Love to Admire (2007)
• Interpol (2010)
• El Pintor (2014)
• Marauder (2018)
• The Other Side of Make-Believe (2022)

• Anything But Words (2016)

• Muzz (2020)

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• [http://www.interpolnyc.com Interpol]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090618032807/http://julianplenti.com/ Julian Plenti]
• [http://vimeo.com/user2035147/videos Julian Plenti on Vimeo]

{{Paul Banks (singer)}}

{{Interpol (band)}}

{{Banks & Steelz}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:English emigrants to the United States

Category:American baritones

Category:American male singer-songwriters

Category:American rock guitarists

Category:American rock singers

Category:American post-punk musicians

Category:New York University College of Arts & Science alumni

Category:People from Clacton-on-Sea

Category:Interpol (band) members

Category:American male guitarists

Category:21st-century American guitarists

Category:21st-century American male singers

Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters