Peter Banks is the stage name of Peter William Brockbanks (born July 15, 1947 in Barnet, Hertfordshire, England). He was the original guitarist for Yes. Peter passed away at his home in London, England on March 7, 2013 from heart failure. When he was a young boy, his father bought him a cheap acoustic guitar, and Pete showed unexpected devotion and ability with the instrument. As a teenager, he also learned how to play the banjo. In 1968 Peter played briefly with the band Neat Change, recording one single.