Siouxsie and The Banshees -

Siouxsie and the Banshees were an English art-punk/goth-psych band from London that released nine studio albums, assorted singles, and a live double-LP on Polydor between 1978 and 1988, followed by two further discs during the 1990s. The band was initially assembled by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bassist Steve Havoc (later Severin) to perform the 100 Club Punk Special in September 1976. Sioux and Havoc, who later settled on the performance surname “Severin,” had been members of the Bromley Contingent, an informal group of young scenester–stylists that also included a pre-fame Billy Idol.

The first two Banshees albums feature drummer Kenny Morrison and guitarist John McKay, who both departed acrimoniously in late 1979. During the ensuing tri-lustrum, the guitar slot was rotated between John McGeoch (Magazine, Visage), Robert Smith (The Cure), John Carruthers (Clock DVA), and Jon Klein (Specimen). The drum-seat was permanently claimed by Budgie (aka Peter Clarke), who soon became Sioux’s romantic partner. The couple formed a side-projects, The Creatures, that yielded two albums between 1983 and 1989 on self-press Wonderland.

Members: Siouxsie Sioux (vocals), Steven Severin (bass), Marco Pirroni (guitar, 1976), Sid Vicious (drums, 1976), Kenny Morris (drums, 1976-79), Peter Fenton (guitar, 1976-77), John McKay (guitar, 1977-79), Budgie (drums 1979-2002), Robert Smith (guitar, 1979, 1982-84), John McGeoch (guitar, 1979-82), John Carruthers (guitar, 1984-87), Martin McCarrick (keyboards, 1987-96), Jon Klein (guitar, 1987-95)

Background

Siouxsie and the Banshees were the brainchild of friends Siouxsie Sioux (aka Susan Janet Ballion) and Steve Havoc (aka Steven Bailey), who first met in September 1975 at a Roxy Music concert. They were drawn to London’s music–fashion underground and were looking for a scene to supersede glam-rock. Three months later, their friend Simon Barker informed them of The Sex Pistols, a new band he had spotted performing at Ravensbourne Art College. The three became fixtures at Pistols shows along with fellow clubgoers Sue Catwoman, Debbie Juvenile, and William Broad, who would soon adopt the name Billy Idol. Journalist Caroline Coon, who documented the nascent punk scene, dubbed this crowd the Bromley Contingent after the home turf of several of its members.

In September 1976, Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren was organizing a festival of new unsigned punk bands to take place at London’s 100 Club on the 20th and 21st. Since there weren’t enough qualifying bands to fill the two-day, eight-slot event, Sioux and Havoc assembled a band with guitarist Marco Pironni and Pistols superfan John Ritchie (aka Sid Vicious). With Havoc on bass and Ritchie on drums, the impromptu group dubbed itself Siouxsie and the Banshees and performed an improvised 20-minute set based on the Lord’s Prayer.

Though the show was meant to be a one-off, Sioux and Havoc were approached by several people who liked the set, including drummer Kenny Morris and McLaren-associate Nils Stevenson, who offered to be their manager. In January 1977, the first official Banshees lineup initiated with Sioux, Havoc, Morris, and guitarist Pete Fenton. Havoc changed his stage-name to Severin, in ode to the character in the Leopold von Sacher-Masoch novel Venus In Furs, as mentioned in the title-sake Velvet Underground song.

The following month, the Banshees played their first concert at Croydon’s Red Deer as an opening act for Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers. The Banshees’s 20-minute set consisted of five songs: the originals “Psychic,” “Scrapheap,” “Captain Scarlet,” “Love In a Void,” and a cover of the T. Rex hit “20th Century Boy.” That June, those last three songs were demoed along with three new originals: “Carcass,” “Bad Shape,” and “Make Up to Break Up.” Soon after, Fenton was replaced by self-taught guitarist John McKay, whose abrupt chordal accents would underscore the band’s brash, fractious sound.

By the fall of 1977, the Banshees were one of the biggest unsigned draws on London’s punk/New Wave scene. That November, they performed on Show 8, Series 2 of ITV’s So It Goes (broadcast 11/27/77) and cut four-songs for DJ John Peel’s show on Radio One (aired 11/29/77). Included in this session are two live favorites from the period that would later appear on the Banshees’ first album: “Suburban Relapse” and the kinetic show-stopper “Metal Postcard.”

During the spring of 1978, Banshees shows drew round-the-block queues as fans spray-painted “SIGN THE BANSHEES” in terminals across London. Despite this, the band were rejected by EMI, Decca, Arista, CBS, Chrysalis, and RCA. The band found a sympathetic A&R in Chris Parry, who secured The Jam‘s deal with Polydor. The Banshees signed to the label in June 1978.

1978

“Hong Kong Garden”

On August 18, 1978, Siouxsie and the Banshees released their first single, “Hong Kong Garden” (b/w “Voices”).

The Scream

Siouxsie and the Banshees released their debut album, The Scream, on November 13, 1978, on Polydor.

1979

“The Staircase (Mystery)”

On March 23, 1979, Siouxsie and the Banshees released their second standalone single, “The Staircase (Mystery)” The b-side is a cover of the 1973 T Rex song “20th Century Boy.”

Join Hands

Siouxsie and the Banshees released their second album, Join Hands, on August 31, 1979, on Polydor.

The Banshees issued “Playground Twist” two months in advance of Join Hands as a single, backed with the non-album “Love In a Void,” a four-chord punk song from their early live set.

1980

Kaleidoscope

Siouxsie and the Banshees released their third album, Kaleidoscope, on August 1, 1980, on Polydor.

“Happy House” appeared five months ahead of Kaleidoscope on March 7, 1980, backed with “Drop Dead/Celebration.”

“Christine” appeared on May 30 as the album’s second advance single, backed with “Eve White, Eve Black.”

“Israel”

On November 28, 1980, Siouxsie and the Banshees released “Israel” (b/w “Red Over White”).

1981

Juju

Siouxsie and the Banshees released their fourth album, Juju, on June 19, 1981, on Polydor.

The Banshees issued “Spellbound” on May 22 as Juju‘s advance single, backed with “Follow the Sun” and “Slap Dash Snap.”

On July 24, “Arabian Nights” appeared as the album’s second single, backed with “Supernatural Thing” and “Congo Conga.”

Once Upon a Time/The Singles

In December 1981, Polydor issued Once Upon a Time/The Singles, a collection of eight 1978–81 Banshees a-sides, plus “Love In a Void” and the Scream deep cut “Mirage.”

1982

“Fireworks”

On May 21, 1985, Siouxsie and the Banshees released “Fireworks,” a standalone single backed with “Coal Mind” and “We Fall.”

A Kiss in the Dreamhouse

Siouxsie and the Banshees released their fifth album, A Kiss in the Dreamhouse, on November 5, 1982, on Polydor.

The Banshees issued “Slowdive” on October 4 as the Dreamhouse lead-off single, backed with “Cannibal Roses” and “Obsession II.”

On November 26, “Melt!” appeared as the album’s second single, backed with “A Sleeping Rain.”

1983

“Dear Prudence”

On October 18, 1985, Siouxsie and the Banshees released the non-album Beatles cover “Dear Prudence” (b/w “Tattoo”). The 12″ includes a third track, “There’s a Planet in My Kitchen.”

Nocturne

On November 25, 1983, Siouxsie and the Banshees released Nocturne, a live double-album comprised of sixteen numbers from their Sept. 30–Oct. 1 engagement at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

1984

Hyæna

Siouxsie and the Banshees released their sixth studio album, Hyæna, on June 8, 1984, on Polydor–Wonderland (UK) and Geffen (US).

Three months before Hyæna hit shelves, the Banshees issued “Swimming Horses” as the advance single, backed with “Let Go” and “The Humming Wires.”

Two weeks ahead of Hyæna, the Banshees released “Dazzle,” backed with “I Promise” and “Throw Them to the Lions.”

The Thorn

On October 19, 1984, Siouxsie and the Banshees released The Thorn, an EP comprised of orchestral rerecording of the “Overground,” “Voices (On the Air),” “Placebo Effect,” and “Red Over White.”

1985

“Cities In Dust”

On October 18, 1985, Siouxsie and the Banshees released “Cities In Dust” (b/w “An Execution”).

1986

Tinderbox

Siouxsie and the Banshees released their seventh studio album, Tinderbox, on April 21, 1986, on Polydor–Wonderland (UK) and Geffen (US).

“Candyman” appeared in late February as the album’s second advance single, backed with “Lullaby” and “Umbrella.”

1987

Through the Looking Glass

Siouxsie and the Banshees released their eighth album, Through the Looking Glass, on March 2, 1987, on Polydor–Wonderland (UK) and Geffen (US).

The Banshees lifted “This Wheel’s on Fire” in January 1987 as the album’s advance single, backed with “Shooting Sun,” “Sleepwalking (On the High Wire),” and “She Cracked.”

Two weeks after Looking Glass hit shelves, “The Passenger” appeared as the second single, backed with “She’s Cuckoo” and “Something Blue.”

“Song from the Edge of the World”

On July 13, 1987, Siouxsie and the Banshees released “Song from the Edge of the World,” backed with “The Whole Price of Blood” and “Mechanical Eyes.”

1988

Peepshow

Siouxsie and the Banshees released their ninth album, Peepshow, on September 5, 1988, on Polydor–Wonderland (UK) and Geffen (US).

“Peek-a-Boo” appeared six weeks ahead of Peepshow, backed with “False Face” and “Catwalk.”

In late September, “The Killing Jar” appeared as the second single, backed with “Something Wicked (This Way Comes)” and “Are You Still Dying Darling?”