Nottingham singer-songwriter and veteran bass player Wayne Banks has unveiled his second solo single, “Cold River”, the latest preview of his forthcoming debut album, Ex Libris Wayne Banks, due this November.
Following July’s debut solo release, “World We Share“, “Cold River” takes a more intimate approach. Where his first single looked outward towards community, class and the wider world, the new track turns its attention to the quieter, more personal act of standing beside someone through a difficult period.
Built around acoustic guitar and shaped into an alternative folk-rock ballad, ‘Cold River’ finds Banks exploring emotional support without easy answers. Its central image — a cold river representing hardship and struggle — becomes a metaphor for the experience of watching someone navigate a difficult chapter while accepting that you cannot necessarily change what they are going through.
“The title is a metaphor for going through a hard time, the cold current representing struggle, hardship, or a difficult chapter someone is moving through.” Banks explains. “The song is about being there for someone as they navigate that river: not trying to pull them out or rush them to the other side, just staying close and making the crossing feel less lonely.”
The track began with an acoustic guitar idea from longtime collaborator James Cole, which immediately sparked a vocal melody and the opening lines for Banks. That collaborative beginning also reflects the musical philosophy behind Banks’ solo work. After decades spent working as a bass player, songwriter, session musician, musical director and TV composer, he is now bringing those experiences together under his own name.
His extensive résumé includes performances and recordings connected with artists and projects including Robin Gibb, Saxon and The Classic Rock Show, alongside work with NöM, Messiah’s Kiss, Carl Sentance, Heartland and Holy Mother.
“Cold River” also demonstrates a different side of Banks’ songwriting. While his Nottingham background continues to inform the social and communal themes running through his work, this song deliberately narrows the focus.
“Cold River” features lyrics by Wayne Banks, with music by Banks and James Cole. The track was recorded at Old School Recording Studios in Wirral by Steve Parry and mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London.
With Ex Libris Wayne Banks scheduled for release in November 2026, ‘Cold River’ offers another glimpse into an album that promises to bring together Banks’ long career behind the scenes with a much more personal voice at centre stage.
