Christopher Banks
Encyclopedia
Christopher Banks is a New Zealand
journalist
, musician
, record producer
, songwriter
and film-maker.
hits (including three #1's) for three different acts between 1998 and 2002.
In 1997, he and producer Michael Lloyd formed what would become one of New Zealand's most successful pop groups, Deep Obsession
, with vocalists Zara Clark and Vanessa Kelly. A year later, they were the first New Zealand
act to be signed direct to Universal Music and their debut single "Lost in Love" was a number 1 hit.
The next two singles, "Cold
" and "One & Only", were also chart-toppers - making Deep Obsession
part of local chart history. Two more singles - "You Got The Feeling" and "I Surrender
" - were top 25, spending five months on the chart between them. All four were written by Banks in collaboration with Clark or Kelly.
International releases soon followed, including a US release for the Brian Rawling remix of "One & Only". The New Zealand-platinum debut album Infinity
was released in Asia
, Australia
and parts of Europe
.
her first top 20 hit in New Zealand, "Blue Day", (a cover of the Mi-Sex
hit) in 1999 before co-writing her second single, "Harden Up", which became a top-20 Australian club chart hit in 2000. A third radio-only single, "If You Want Me
", was released as an MP3 download in 2003.
Banks’ writing collaboration with Nicolette Kenny has also seen the appearance of several more songs on the soundtrack of syndicated children's TV show The Saddle Club
, which screens around the world. One of these, "Girl With Claws", made an appearance on the cast album Fun For Everyone.
. Their first single "Beautiful", a Banks composition, was a top 20 hit in June 2001, staying in the singles chart for over three months. The follow-up, "Did You Do It All For Love?", broke the top 30 in early 2002.
Christopher Banks has collaborated with her on several albums since the late 1990s, contributing keyboards to “Sounds of Silence” (1996), “Longing” (1997), “Era Dynamic” (2001), “Reddish Blossom” (2004), and co-producing (with Michael Lloyd) the critically acclaimed “Magnificence” (2000) and “Dancing Divinity” (1999), a concept album based on a performance devised by Joshna for the ill-fated 1999 Sweetwaters Music Festival.
The radio-only single “You Are Mine” was produced by Banks and released as an MP3 download in two versions in 2002.
CD in 2003, as well as gaining widespread airplay on commercial radio throughout New Zealand.
He is listed as the composer on the Maori Television comedy show, B&B in 2005.
Banks and Zara Clark were nominated as Songwriter(s) of the Year for "Cold" at the 2000 New Zealand Music Awards.
Between 2003 and 2006, the senior writer at GayNZ.com was Christopher Banks. His feature articles focused mainly on social and political issues relevant to the gay community
, or debunking religious arguments against homosexuality
. Some articles were based around in-depth interviews with political or religious leaders.
Banks' writings for GayNZ.com also included a number of film reviews, two of which caused some upset in the conservative Christian community. His review of the controversial 2002 French film Irréversible
was cited by the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards
in their attempts to have the film banned by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand)
. His positive review of Kinsey
, the 2004 biopic of the American sex researcher, drew the ire of Investigate magazine editor Ian Wishart
, prompting a further series of articles by Banks on Alfred Kinsey
.
In 2004, Banks surfaced as a writer, presenter and director on the long-running news programme Queer Nation on TV2.
and directed a low-budget digital feature, Quiet Night In
, in which his former pop collaborator Nicolette Kenny played the lead role.
It screened as the closing night film at the inaugural 2005 Stratford-upon-Avon International Digital Film Festival in England
, and was released on DVD
in New Zealand
by Arkles Entertainment in October 2007, and in Australia
by Gryphon
in March 2009.
His second film, Teddy
, was completed in 2009 and has screened at some of the world's largest gay film festivals, including Toronto, New York, Boston and San Francisco. Teddy
won the Audience Award for Best Short at the Out Takes Reel Queer Film Festival in New Zealand, and became the first short film from New Zealand to be shortlisted for the Iris Prize, a gay short film competition in the United Kingdom.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and film-maker.
Deep Obsession
Banks was responsible for eight top 30 New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
hits (including three #1's) for three different acts between 1998 and 2002.
In 1997, he and producer Michael Lloyd formed what would become one of New Zealand's most successful pop groups, Deep Obsession
Deep Obsession
Deep Obsession are a New Zealand dance/pop group formed by producer/songwriter Christopher Banks in 1997 with singers Zara and Charlie Lawson....
, with vocalists Zara Clark and Vanessa Kelly. A year later, they were the first New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
act to be signed direct to Universal Music and their debut single "Lost in Love" was a number 1 hit.
The next two singles, "Cold
Cold
Cold describes the condition of low temperature.Cold may also refer to:*Common cold, a contagious viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system*Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease...
" and "One & Only", were also chart-toppers - making Deep Obsession
Deep Obsession
Deep Obsession are a New Zealand dance/pop group formed by producer/songwriter Christopher Banks in 1997 with singers Zara and Charlie Lawson....
part of local chart history. Two more singles - "You Got The Feeling" and "I Surrender
I Surrender
"Stuck in the Middle/I Surrender" is Clea's fifth and final single. It was not released in the UK; however, it was released in the rest of Europe...
" - were top 25, spending five months on the chart between them. All four were written by Banks in collaboration with Clark or Kelly.
International releases soon followed, including a US release for the Brian Rawling remix of "One & Only". The New Zealand-platinum debut album Infinity
Infinity (Deep Obsession album)
Infinity is the debut album released in 1999 by New Zealand pop group, Deep Obsession. Later in 1999, a remix version of the album was released.-Track listing:#"Falling Out of Love"#"Cold"#"One & Only"#"Vanishing Man"#"You Got the Feeling"#"Would You?"...
was released in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and parts of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Nicolette
Nicolette Kenny, another Universal signing, was next. Banks co-producedRecord producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
her first top 20 hit in New Zealand, "Blue Day", (a cover of the Mi-Sex
Mi-Sex
Mi-Sex was a New Zealand new wave rock band active from 1978 to 1984. Led by Steve Gilpin as vocalist, they were best known for their singles "Computer Games" in 1979 and "People" in 1980.-History:...
hit) in 1999 before co-writing her second single, "Harden Up", which became a top-20 Australian club chart hit in 2000. A third radio-only single, "If You Want Me
If You Want Me
If You Want Me is the final solo studio album recorded by R&B and Gospel singer Carolyn Franklin for RCA Records, in 1976.-Side One:#"From The Bottom Of My Heart " - 2:28...
", was released as an MP3 download in 2003.
Banks’ writing collaboration with Nicolette Kenny has also seen the appearance of several more songs on the soundtrack of syndicated children's TV show The Saddle Club
The Saddle Club
The Saddle Club is a children's television series based on the books written by Bonnie Bryant and is an Australia/Canada co-production. Like the book series, the scripted live action series follows the lives of three teenage girls in training to compete in equestrian competitions at the fictional...
, which screens around the world. One of these, "Girl With Claws", made an appearance on the cast album Fun For Everyone.
Nurture
In 2001, Banks formed an adult contemporary pop duo Nurture with singer and instrumentalist Phil MadsenPhil Madsen
Phil Madsen is a singer/songwriter based in Auckland, New Zealand.He grew up in Nelson and has been performing since the age of four. He is the second youngest child in a family of eight children. His father was an entertainer who played the piano and the piano accordion, and his mother taught...
. Their first single "Beautiful", a Banks composition, was a top 20 hit in June 2001, staying in the singles chart for over three months. The follow-up, "Did You Do It All For Love?", broke the top 30 in early 2002.
Joshna
Folk and ethnic music artist Joshna (sometimes spelt as Jyosna, Jyostna or Jyoshna) LaTrobe has been a prominent figure on the folk and ethnic music scene in Australasia, the USA and parts of Europe. She has covered many styles of music, from her experimental women's group Turiiya in the eighties, to folk and the incorporation of Indian rhythms and melodies in much of her nineties work.Christopher Banks has collaborated with her on several albums since the late 1990s, contributing keyboards to “Sounds of Silence” (1996), “Longing” (1997), “Era Dynamic” (2001), “Reddish Blossom” (2004), and co-producing (with Michael Lloyd) the critically acclaimed “Magnificence” (2000) and “Dancing Divinity” (1999), a concept album based on a performance devised by Joshna for the ill-fated 1999 Sweetwaters Music Festival.
The radio-only single “You Are Mine” was produced by Banks and released as an MP3 download in two versions in 2002.
Other releases
His last musical release to date was the radio-only dance/pop track "I Am A Disco", performed by New Zealand drag act Reinalda and written/produced by Banks. The most successful single ever released to radio in New Zealand by a drag act, the track was also released internationally on Central Station Records official Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi GrasSydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
The Sydney Mardi Gras is an annual LGBTQI pride parade and festival in Sydney, Australia, and draws in thousands of visitors from around Australia and overseas...
CD in 2003, as well as gaining widespread airplay on commercial radio throughout New Zealand.
He is listed as the composer on the Maori Television comedy show, B&B in 2005.
Award nominations
"Lost In Love" was nominated in the Best Technical Production category in New Zealand's 1999 Radio Awards.Banks and Zara Clark were nominated as Songwriter(s) of the Year for "Cold" at the 2000 New Zealand Music Awards.
Journalism
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
, or debunking religious arguments against homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Some articles were based around in-depth interviews with political or religious leaders.
Banks' writings for GayNZ.com also included a number of film reviews, two of which caused some upset in the conservative Christian community. His review of the controversial 2002 French film Irréversible
Irréversible
Irréversible is a 2002 French drama film written and directed by Gaspar Noé, starring Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel and Albert Dupontel. The film employs a non-linear narrative and follows two men as they try to avenge a brutally raped girlfriend...
was cited by the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards
Society for the Promotion of Community Standards
The Society for the Promotion of Community Standards is a conservative Christian-dominated organisation in New Zealand. The Society's objectives include the encouragement of "self-respect and the dignity of the human person, made in the image of God", the "recognition of the sanctity of human life...
in their attempts to have the film banned by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand)
Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand)
The Office of Film and Literature Classification is the government agency in New Zealand that is responsible for classification of all films, videos, publications, and some video games in New Zealand...
. His positive review of Kinsey
Kinsey (film)
Kinsey is a 2004 biographical film written and directed by Bill Condon. It describes the life of Alfred Kinsey , a pioneer in the area of sexology. His 1948 publication, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male was one of the first recorded works that tried to scientifically address and investigate...
, the 2004 biopic of the American sex researcher, drew the ire of Investigate magazine editor Ian Wishart
Ian Wishart
Ian Wishart is a New Zealand journalist, author, an opponent to the hypothesis of anthropogenic climate change, and the editor of Investigate magazine...
, prompting a further series of articles by Banks on Alfred Kinsey
Alfred Kinsey
Alfred Charles Kinsey was an American biologist and professor of entomology and zoology, who in 1947 founded the Institute for Sex Research at Indiana University, now known as the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, as well as producing the Kinsey Reports and the Kinsey...
.
In 2004, Banks surfaced as a writer, presenter and director on the long-running news programme Queer Nation on TV2.
Film
In 2005, Banks wrote, producedFilm producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and directed a low-budget digital feature, Quiet Night In
Quiet Night In
Quiet Night In is a 2005 New Zealand film written, produced and directed by Christopher Banks. It premiered at the Stratford-upon-Avon International Digital Film Festival in the United Kingdom.-Plot details:...
, in which his former pop collaborator Nicolette Kenny played the lead role.
It screened as the closing night film at the inaugural 2005 Stratford-upon-Avon International Digital Film Festival in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
by Arkles Entertainment in October 2007, and in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
by Gryphon
Gryphon
-Businesses:* Gryphon Airlines, an American-owned airline based in Vienna, Virginia* Gryphon Audio Designs, a Danish maker of audio components* Golden Gryphon Press, an American independent publishing company...
in March 2009.
His second film, Teddy
Teddy
Teddy is a common informal variation of the given names Edward and Theodore and, more rarely, their female equivalents, Edwina and Theodora...
, was completed in 2009 and has screened at some of the world's largest gay film festivals, including Toronto, New York, Boston and San Francisco. Teddy
Teddy
Teddy is a common informal variation of the given names Edward and Theodore and, more rarely, their female equivalents, Edwina and Theodora...
won the Audience Award for Best Short at the Out Takes Reel Queer Film Festival in New Zealand, and became the first short film from New Zealand to be shortlisted for the Iris Prize, a gay short film competition in the United Kingdom.