Songs

Banks & Steelz – “Speedway Sonora”

blame it on Patrick Glynn July 14, 2016
rza-paul-banks

The interesting duo of RZA and Paul Banks (the lead singer of rock band Interpol) have returned with the third single, “Speedway Sonora,” from their upcoming Anything But Words project.

Known together as Banks & Steelz, the song is melodic and high energy with uptempo drums and in-your-face verses from RZA carry the song between blissful choruses from Banks. RZA told Pitchfork the song is the perfect soundtrack for a lonely ride down the Pacific Coast Highway in California. “Try to get a no-traffic hour,” he said. “Take it all the way to Malibu, and just keep that song on repeat, and you will really appreciate your day.”

He also said the lyrics and energy were influence by Zach de la Rocha and Rage Against the Machine.

“I will say that’s the only song to me that reminds me of early Rage Against the Machine, and when I toured with Rage, Method Man introduced me to their music, and I fell in love with their whole style,” RZA told Pitchfork. “And I think that that’s the only song on this record that you could potentially say has any kind of rock/rap influence, and that’s because at that time when I was doing my lyrics, I kind of invoked the idea of my boy Zack.”

Known together as Banks & Steelz, Anything But Words is set to land August 26, and “Speedway Sonora” follows the first two singles, “Love & War” with Ghostface Killah and “Giant.”