Siouxsie & the Banshees ::: Project ETERNITY

Siouxsie and the Banshees are a British gothic rock band.

Their musical career includes elements of early punk, and new wave.

Formation

The band was originally formed to fill an empty space on a bill at the first 'international punk rock festival'. This show was organised by Malcolm McLaren at the 100 Club in London's Oxford Street on September 20th, 1976.

The initial line up consisted of 'Bromley Contingent' members Siouxsie Sioux (real name Susan Janet Ballion), Steve Severin (aka Steve Spunker/Havoc), Marco Pirroni (later of Adam and the Ants and Rema Rema) and Sid Vicious (real name John Simon Ritchie), later of the Sex Pistols, on drums. On this occasion their set consisted of a lengthy and chaotic unrehearsed improvisation of "The Lord's Prayer", which also included lines from songs like "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", "Smoke On The Water" and "Twist and Shout".

"God it was awful" and "excruciating!" were two eye-witness accounts of their performance. This was not a unanimous view, however. A recording of the piece which circulates, though of relatively poor quality, demonstrates that the group gave a performance which commanded and repaid attention.

Style and Notoriety

Siouxsie courted much controversy in the early days due to her dress, often wearing 'bondage' clothes and fetish wear. She was also heavily critisised for wearing swastika armbands, although always maintained that this was intended to be for 'shock value' rather than any form of display of political sympathies.

The infamous Bill Grundy interview with the Sex Pistols, which led to notoriety for the Sex Pistols in December 1976, was sparked when TV presenter Grundy attempted to 'chat up' Siouxsie on prime time TV.

History

By February 1977 the Banshees were taking themselves seriously as a musical unit. They recruited Kenny Morris and Pete Fenton to their line up, which was by now gigging regularly and had attracted a solid fan base. Fenton was subsequently sacked and replaced in July 1977 by John McKay. It was not until 1978 that they finally obtained a record contract with Polydor Records, where upon they released their first single "Hong Kong Garden" (which reached the top 10 in the UK), followed soon after by the album The Scream.

Their second album, Join Hands, was released in 1979, and included a lengthy version of the aforementioned "Lord's Prayer" track. However, two days into a tour promoting this album, Morris and McKay unexpectedly quit the band. They were hastily replaced by Robert Smith (whose band The Cure were the Banshees' support for the tour) on guitar and Budgie (real name Peter Clarke, formerly of The Slits and Big In Japan) on drums. After the completion of the tour, Budgie stayed on as the Banshees' permanent drummer, whilst John McGeoch, formerly of Magazine joined as guitarist.

McGeoch recorded Kaleidoscope, Ju-Ju, and A Kiss in the Dreamhouse. During the tour for A Kiss in the Dreamhouse, McGeoch collasped and was taken to Hospital. He was replaced on tour by Robert Smith, who later became a full time member. Smith contributed to the excellent live Double Album Nocturne and Hyaena, but finding that being the frontman for The Cure and guitarist for the Banshees was too much, he quit after Haeyna.

Ex-Clock DVA guitarist John Valentine Carruthers was added. The Banshees re-recorded The Thorn EP with Carruthers and future member Martin McCarrick.

1986 saw th release of Tinderbox and the single Cities in Dust followed in '87 by the cover album Through the Looking Glass. Absent from one of the videos was Carruthers.

Following a long break, the rest of the band recruited the cellist/keyboardist Martin McCarrick and the ex-Specimen guitarist Jon Klein and recorded Peepshow, Superstition and The Rapture. Klien left after the completion of their last album and was replaced on tour by ex-Psychedlic Furs guitarist Knox Chandler.

(the story from hereon in still to be written, something more substantial than the following would be nice...)

While probably best known by the mainstream for songs like "Kiss them For Me", Siouxsie and the Banshees has done everything from punk (in the 1970s) to goth to new wave. How to classify this band depends on what era/song/album one is talking about.

Siouxsie and her husband Budgie also started a 'side project' band called The Creatures.

LP Discography

The Scream

Polydor, 1978

Join Hands

Polydor, 1979

Kaleidoscope

1980

Juju

Polydor, 1981

Once Upon A Time: The Singles

Polydor, 1981

A Kiss In The Dreamhouse

Polydor, 1982

Nocturne (live)

1983

Hyaena

1984

Tinderbox

1986

Through The Looking Glass

Geffen, 1987

Peepshow

Geffen, 1988

The Peel Sessions

1991

Superstition

Geffen, 1991

Twice Upon A Time: The Singles

1992

The Rapture

1995

See Also:

Gothic rock

References:

External Links

Category:Goth

Category:Early punk groups

Category:British musical groups

Copyrights