Siouxsie & the Banshees

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British gothic rock band. Their musical career has also encompassed the punk and new wave genres, however.

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 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.

Related Topics:
1977 - Kenny Morris - Pete Fenton - Gig - John McKay - 1978 - Polydor Records

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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 opened for the Banshees during 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.

Related Topics:
1979 - Robert Smith - The Cure - Budgie - The Slits - Big In Japan - John McGeoch - Magazine

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McGeoch played on the albums Kaleidoscope, Ju-Ju, and A Kiss in the Dreamhouse. McGeoch was hospitalized in 1982 after collapsing onstage in Madrid during the tour for the latter. He was replaced on tour by Smith, who later became a full time member. Smith contributed to the live double album Nocturne and Hyaena, but quit the following year to concentrate all his energy on fronting the Cure.

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Ex-Clock DVA guitarist John Valentine Carruthers replaced Smith. The Banshees re-recorded The Thorn EP with Carruthers and cellist/keyboardist Martin McCarrick, who later became a full-time member.

Related Topics:
EP - Cellist - Keyboardist - Martin McCarrick

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1986 saw the release of Tinderbox and the single "Cities in Dust," followed in 1987 by the cover album Through the Looking Glass. Carruthers was absent from one of the music videos.

Related Topics:
1986 - 1987 - Music video

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Following a long break, the rest of the band recruited 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.

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While probably best known 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.

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

Related Topics:
Side-project - The Creatures

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