Banks was born on 16 February 1954 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. He studied at University of Stirling. Banks was married to Annie Banks from 1992 until they separated in 2007. Then he was married to Adele Hartley from March 2013 until his death. He had no children. Banks died on 9 June 2013 from gallbladder cancer after being diagnosed in early April. He was 59 years old. 