Susan Janet Ballion (born 27 May 1957), known professionally as Siouxsie Sioux, is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. She was the lead singer of the rock band
Siouxsie and the Banshees (1976–1996). They released 11 studio albums, and had several UK Top 20 singles including "
Hong Kong Garden", "
Happy House
"Happy House" is a song written by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin and recorded by their band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as a single in March 1980 by record label Polydor, then later included on the band's third album, ''Kale ...
" and "
Peek-a-Boo", plus a US ''Billboard'' Top 25 hit, "
Kiss Them for Me".
Siouxsie also formed a second group,
the Creatures
The Creatures were an English band formed in 1981 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and drummer Budgie (musician), Budgie of the group Siouxsie and the Banshees. The Creatures released their first extended play, EP ''Wild Things (EP), Wild Things'' in ...
(1981–2005). With the Creatures she recorded four studio albums and the hit single "
Right Now". After disbanding the Creatures in the mid-2000s, she has continued as a solo artist, only using the name Siouxsie, and released the album ''
Mantaray'' to critical acclaim in 2007.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
named Siouxsie as "one of the most influential British singers of the rock era".
Her songs have been covered by
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scott Moorhead, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, Buckley amassed a following in the early 1990s by ...
,
["Killing Time" by Jeff Buckley (a Siouxsie and the Creatures song 1999)](_blank)
. ''Untiedundone.com''. Retrieved 20 January 2014. "Killing Time" at the radio WFMU Studios, East Orange, New Jersey, 10 November 1992. "Killing Time" is a Siouxsie song from the Creatures' ''Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...
'' album
"Killing Time- Jeff Buckley. 1992 WFMU version"
ghostarchive.org. Retrieved 2 February 2021. Tricky and
LCD Soundsystem. Her records have also been praised by artists such as
PJ Harvey and
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio (TVOTR) is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2001. The band consists of Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops), David Andrew Sitek (guitars, keyboards, loops), Kyp Malone (vocals, guitars, bass, loops), and ...
. In 2011, she was awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Music at the
Q Awards
The Q Awards were the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine '' Q''. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards became one of Britain's biggest and best publicised music awards. Locations for the awards ceremony included Abbey Road Studios ...
and in 2012, at the
Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They have been presented annually in London by the Ivors Academy (formerly the BASCA) since 1956, and over 1,000 statuettes have been a ...
, she received the Inspiration Award.
In December 2022, she announced her return to the stage with a concert at the
Latitude Festival, in July 2023.
Biography
Early life (1957–1976)
Siouxsie was born Susan Janet Ballion
[Paytress, Mark. p.3] on 27 May 1957 at
Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital is an NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in central London. It is part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and one of the institutions that comprise the King's Health Partners, an academic health science centre. ...
in
Southwark, England.
[Johns, Brian. p. 8] She is ten years younger than her two siblings. Her brother and sister were born while the family was in the
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo (french: Congo belge, ; nl, Belgisch-Congo) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960. The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1964.
Colo ...
.
Her parents met in that colony and worked there for a few years. Her mother, Betty, was of Scottish and English descent and was a secretary who spoke both French and English. Her father was a
bacteriologist
A bacteriologist is a microbiologist, or similarly trained professional, in bacteriology -- a subdivision of microbiology that studies bacteria, typically pathogenic ones. Bacteriologists are interested in studying and learning about bacteria, ...
who milked
venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a st ...
from snakes, and came from
Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...
, the French-speaking part of Belgium. In the mid-1950s, before Siouxsie's birth, the family moved to England.
The Ballions lived in a suburban district in
Chislehurst,
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
. Siouxsie was an isolated child, being unable to invite friends to her house because of her alcoholic, unemployed father.
[Paytress, Mark. P.19] Despite his issues, Siouxsie regarded him as intelligent and well-read, and sympathised with his inability to fit in with a "rigid, middle-class society".
During moments of sobriety, her father shared with her his love for books. Siouxsie was aware that her family was different;
the Ballions were not involved in the local community and Siouxsie, aware that her family's house differed from the neighbours', would later state that "the suburbs inspired intense hatred."
At the age of nine, she and a friend were sexually assaulted by a stranger. The assault was ignored by both her parents and the police, and was not spoken of in the family. The incident and its later treatment would lead Siouxsie to distrust adults.
Years later, she stated:
"I grew up having no faith in adults as responsible people. And being the youngest in the family I was isolated – I had no one to confide in. So I invented my own world, my own reality. It was my own way of defending myself – protecting myself from the outside world. The only way I could deal with how to survive was to get some strong armour."
Her father died of alcoholism-related illness when Siouxsie was 14 years old, resulting in a decline in her health. Siouxsie lost a great deal of weight and failed to attend school. After several misdiagnoses, she was operated on and survived a bout of
ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a long-term condition that results in inflammation and ulcers of the colon and rectum. The primary symptoms of active disease are abdominal pain and diarrhea mixed with blood (hematochezia). Weight loss, fever, and ...
. During the weeks of recovery in mid-1972, she watched television in the hospital and saw
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
on ''
Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most o ...
''.
At 17, she left school. During this period she began visiting the local gay discos frequented by her sister's friends. She later introduced her own friends to that scene. In November 1975, the
Sex Pistols performed at the local art college in Chislehurst. Siouxsie did not attend, but one of her friends told her how they sounded like
the Stooges
The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Da ...
, and that singer
Johnny Rotten
John Joseph Lydon (; born 31 January 1956), also known by his former stage name Johnny Rotten, is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the late-1970s punk band the Sex Pistols, which lasted from 1975 until 1978, and aga ...
had threatened students attending the gig. In February 1976, Siouxsie and her friend
Steven Severin went to see the Sex Pistols play in London. After chatting with members of the band, Siouxsie and Severin decided to follow them regularly. In the following months, journalist
Caroline Coon
Caroline Coon (born 1945) is an English artist, journalist and political activist. Her artwork often explores sexual themes from a feminist standpoint. Coon had her first solo painting exhibition at The Gallery Liverpool entitled "Caroline Coon: ...
coined the term "
Bromley Contingent
The Bromley Contingent were a group of followers of the Sex Pistols. The name was coined by ''Melody Maker'' journalist Caroline Coon, after the town of Bromley where some of them lived. They helped popularise the fashion of the early UK punk move ...
" to describe this group of eccentric teenagers devoted to the Sex Pistols.
Siouxsie became well known in the London club scene for her glam,
fetish- and
bondage-inspired attire, which later became part of
punk fashion
Punk fashion is the clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewellery, and body modifications of the punk counterculture. Punk fashion varies widely, ranging from Vivienne Westwood designs to styles modeled on bands like The Exploited to the dressed-dow ...
.
[ She would also heavily influence the later development of ]gothic fashion
Gothic fashion is a clothing style marked by dark, mysterious, antiquated, homogenous, and often genderless features. It is worn by members of the Goth subculture. Dress, typical gothic fashion includes dyed black hair, exotic hairstyles, dark ...
with her signature cat-eye makeup, deep red lipstick, spiky dyed-black hair, and black clothing.[ In early September 1976, the Bromley Contingent followed the Sex Pistols to France, where Siouxsie was beaten up for wearing a cupless bra and a black armband with a ]swastika
The swastika (卐 or 卍) is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, predominantly in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures, now also widely recognized for its appropriation by the Nazi Party and by neo-Nazis. It ...
on it. She claimed her intent was to shock the bourgeoisie, not to make a political statement. She later wrote the song " Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)" (in memory of the anti-Nazi
Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...
artist John Heartfield
John Heartfield (born Helmut Herzfeld; 19 June 1891 – 26 April 1968) was a 20th century German visual artist who pioneered the use of art as a political weapon. Some of his most famous photomontages were anti-Nazi and anti-fascist statements. ...
).
Following the DIY
"Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and sem ...
ethos and the idea that the people in the audience could be the people on stage, Siouxsie and Severin decided to form a band. When a support slot at the 100 Club Punk Festival (organised by Malcolm McLaren) opened up, they decided to make an attempt at performing, although at that time they did not know how to play any songs. On 20 September 1976, the band improvised 20 minutes of music while Siouxsie sang the "Lord's Prayer".
For critic Jon Savage
Jon Savage (born Jonathan Malcolm Sage; 2 September 1953 in Paddington, London) is an English writer, broadcaster and music journalist, best known for his history of the Sex Pistols and punk music, ''England's Dreaming'', published in 199 ...
, Siouxsie was "unlike any female singer before or since, commanding yet aloof, entirely modern". Viv Albertine
Viviane Katrina Louise Albertine (born 1 December 1954) is an Australian-born British musician, singer, songwriter and writer. She is best known as the guitarist for the punk band the Slits from 1977 until 1982, with whom she recorded two studio ...
from the Slits
The Slits were a punk and post-punk band based in London, formed there in 1976 by members of the groups the Flowers of Romance and the Castrators. The group's early line-up consisted of Ari Up (Ariane Forster) and Palmolive (a.k.a. Paloma R ...
said: "Siouxsie just appeared fully made, fully in control, utterly confident. It totally blew me away. There she was doing something that I dared to dream but she took it and did it and it wiped the rest of the festival for me, that was it. I can't even remember everything else about it except that one performance."
One of Siouxsie's first public appearances was with the Sex Pistols on Bill Grundy's television show, on Thames Television
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992.
Thames Television broa ...
in December 1976. Standing next to the band, Siouxsie made fun of the presenter when he asked her how she was doing. She responded: "I've always wanted to meet you, Bill." Grundy, who claimed he was drunk, suggested a meeting after the show, which provoked guitarist Steve Jones to respond with a series of expletives, never heard before on early-evening television.[Paytress, Mark. pp 45–46] This episode created a media furore on the front covers of several tabloids, including the ''Daily Mirror
The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print c ...
'', which published the headline "Siouxsie's a Punk Shocker". The event had a major impact on the Sex Pistols' subsequent career, and they became a household name overnight.
Aware of the press surrounding both herself and the Sex Pistols, Siouxsie began to distance herself from the scene and stopped seeing Sex Pistols after the 15 December 1976 gig at Notre Dame Hall. From then, she focused her energy on her own band, Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Creatures (1977–2003)
In February 1977, Siouxsie began touring in England as Siouxsie and the Banshees. One year later, their first single, " Hong Kong Garden", reached number 7 in the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
; With its oriental-inflected xylophone
The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Like the glockenspiel (which uses metal bars), the xylophone essentially consists of a set of tuned wooden keys arranged in ...
motif, '' Melody Maker'' deemed it "a glorious debut ..All the elements come together with remarkable effect. The song is strident and powerful with tantalising oriental guitar riffs plus words and vocals that are the result of anger, disdain and isolation. No-one will be singled out because everyone is part and parcel of the whole. It might even be a hit".
Their debut album, ''The Scream
''The Scream'' is a composition created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1893. The agonized face in the painting has become one of the most iconic images of art, seen as symbolizing the anxiety of the human condition. Munch's work, including ...
'', was one of the first post-punk records released. It received 5-star reviews in ''Sounds
In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid.
In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
'' and ''Record Mirror
''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the '' NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in '' ...
''. The latter said that the record "points to the future, real music for the new age". The music was different from the single; it was angular, dark and jagged. ''The Scream'' was later hailed by ''NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' as one of the best debut albums of all time along with Patti Smith
Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946)
is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album ''Horses''.
Called the "punk poet ...
's '' Horses''. '' Join Hands'' followed in 1979 with war as the lyrical theme.
The 1980 album ''Kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope () is an optical instrument with two or more reflecting surfaces (or mirrors) tilted to each other at an angle, so that one or more (parts of) objects on one end of these mirrors are shown as a regular symmetrical pattern when v ...
'' marked a change in musical direction with the arrival of John McGeoch
John Alexander McGeoch (25 August 1955 – 4 March 2004) was a Scottish musician and songwriter. He is best known as the guitarist of the rock bands Magazine (1977-1980) and Siouxsie and the Banshees (1980-1982).
He has been described as one ...
, considered "one of the most innovative and influential guitarists" by ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', and drummer Budgie, the latter of whom would continue to perform and record with Siouxsie throughout her career until 2004. The hit single "Happy House
"Happy House" is a song written by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin and recorded by their band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as a single in March 1980 by record label Polydor, then later included on the band's third album, ''Kale ...
" was qualified as "great Pop" with "liquid guitar" and other songs like "Red Light" were layered with electronic sounds. ''Kaleidoscope'' widened Siouxsie's audience, reaching the top 5 in the UK charts. '' Juju'' followed in 1981, reaching number 7; the singles " Spellbound" and " Arabian Knights" were described as "pop marvels" by ''The Guardian''. During recording sessions for ''Juju'', Siouxsie and Budgie formed a percussion-oriented duo called the Creatures, characterized by a stripped-down sound focused on vocals and drums; their first record, the EP '' Wild Things'', was a commercial success.
In 1982, the Siouxsie and the Banshees' album '' A Kiss in the Dreamhouse'' was widely acclaimed by critics. Richard Cook of ''NME'' depicted it as "a feat of imagination scarcely ever recorded". The single "Slowdive
Slowdive is a British rock band that formed in Reading, Berkshire, in 1989. The band consists of Rachel Goswell on vocals and guitar, Neil Halstead on vocals and guitar, Christian Savill on guitar, Nick Chaplin on bass and Simon Scott on d ...
" was "a violin-colored dance beat number". They included strings for the first time on several songs. However, the recording sessions took their toll, and McGeoch was forced to quit the band.
In 1983, Siouxsie went to Hawaii to record the Creatures' first album, ''Feast
A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes i ...
'', which included the hit single "Miss the Girl
"Miss the Girl" is the debut single recorded by English band the Creatures (Siouxsie Sioux and drummer Budgie). It was co-produced by Mike Hedges and was released as the lead single from the critically acclaimed ''Feast'' album. It was remastere ...
". It was her first incursion into exotica
Exotica is a musical genre, named after the 1957 Martin Denny Exotica (Martin Denny album), album of the same name that was popular during the 1950s to mid-1960s with Americans who came of age during World War II. The term was coined by Simon Wa ...
, incorporating sounds of waves, local Hawaiian choirs and local percussions. Later that year, Siouxsie and Budgie released " Right Now", a song from Mel Tormé's repertoire that the Creatures re-orchestrated with brass arrangements; "Right Now" soon became a top 20 hit single in the UK. Then, with the Banshees (including guitarist Robert Smith of the Cure
The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith has re ...
), she covered the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' "Dear Prudence
"Dear Prudence" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 double album ''The Beatles'' (also known as "the White Album"). The song was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. Written in ...
", which reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart. Two albums followed with Smith: ''Nocturne
A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night.
History
The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...
'', recorded live in London in 1983, and 1984's ''Hyæna
''Hyæna'' is the sixth studio album by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released in 1984 by Polydor. The opening track, "Dazzle", featured strings played by musicians of the (LSO) London Symphonic Orchestra, a 27-piece orchestra ca ...
''. In 1985, the single "Cities in Dust
"Cities in Dust" is a song by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees from their seventh studio album, '' Tinderbox'' (1986). It was released on 18 October 1985 as the album's lead single.
Background and composition
"Cities in Dust" is a ...
" was recorded with sequencers; it climbed to number 21 in the UK charts. ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' noted that it was the first of a handful of Alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
radio hits in the U.S. 1986's ''Tinderbox
A tinderbox, or patch box, is a container made of wood or metal containing flint, firesteel, and tinder (typically charcloth, but possibly a small quantity of dry, finely divided fibrous matter such as hemp), used together to help kindle a fire ...
'' and the 1987 covers album ''Through the Looking Glass
''Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There'' (also known as ''Alice Through the Looking-Glass'' or simply ''Through the Looking-Glass'') is a novel published on 27 December 1871 (though indicated as 1872) by Lewis Carroll and the ...
'' both reached the top 15 in the UK.
In 1988, the single " Peek-a-Boo" marked a musical departure from her previous work, anticipating hip hop-inspired rock with the use of samples. The song was praised by ''NME'' as "oriental marching band hip hop with farting horns and catchy accordion" and hailed by ''Melody Maker'' as "a brightly unexpected mixture of black steel and pop disturbance". The ''Peepshow
A peep show or peepshow is a presentation of a live sex show or pornographic film which is viewed through a viewing slot.
Several historical media provided voyeuristic entertainment through hidden erotic imagery. Before the development of the ci ...
'' album received a five star review in ''Q'' magazine. The ballad "The Last Beat of My Heart
"The Last Beat of My Heart" is a song written, produced and recorded by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released in late 1988 as the third and final single from the band's ninth studio album, ''Peepshow''. In 2021, '' Spin'' ...
" issued as a single, saw her exploring new ground with accordion and strings.
Siouxsie and Budgie then went to Andalusia
Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
in Spain to record the second Creatures album, ''Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...
''. The songs took a different direction from previous Creatures works, with backing music ranging from flamenco
Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...
to jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
and blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
styles. It featured brass on most of the songs. The first single was " Standing There". ''NME'' hailed ''Boomerang'' as "a rich and unsettling landscape of exotica". Anton Corbijn visited the group during the recording near Jerez de la Frontera, and Siouxsie convinced him to take photographs in color, unlike his prior work which was in black-and-white
Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey.
Media
The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
: the photos used for the promotion showed Siouxsie and Budgie in fields surrounded with sunflowers. In 1990, she toured for the first time with the Creatures, in Europe and North America.
On 1991's dance-oriented " Kiss Them for Me" single, Siouxsie and the Banshees used South Asian instrumentation, which had become popular in the UK club scene with the growth of bhangra. Indian tabla
A tabla, bn, তবলা, prs, طبلا, gu, તબલા, hi, तबला, kn, ತಬಲಾ, ml, തബല, mr, तबला, ne, तबला, or, ତବଲା, ps, طبله, pa, ਤਬਲਾ, ta, தபலா, te, తబల ...
player Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh OBE (born 1970) is an English musician, producer, and composer. A tabla player, he is known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music and drum and bass. Singh is generally considered involved with an electronica s ...
(who was later Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
's percussionist on her 1993 ''Debut
Debut or début (the first public appearance of a person or thing) may refer to:
* Debut (society), the formal introduction of young upper-class women to society
* Debut novel, an author's first published novel
Film and television
* ''The Debu ...
'' album) took part in the session and provided vocals for the bridge. With "Kiss Them for Me", the Banshees scored a hit on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 peaking at number 23. After the release of ''Superstition
A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and ...
'' which received enthusiastic reviews, the group co-headlined the first Lollapalooza tour, further increasing their American following.
In 1992, film director Tim Burton
Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and animator. He is known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), '' Edward Scissorhands'' (1990), '' The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (1993 ...
requested that she write a song for ''Batman Returns
''Batman Returns'' is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and written by Daniel Waters. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman'' (1989) and the second installment in the 1989–1997 ''Batman ...
'', and the Banshees composed the single " Face to Face".
In the mid-1990s, Siouxsie started to do one-off collaborations with other artists. Suede
Suede (pronounced ) is a type of leather with a fuzzy, napped finish, commonly used for jackets, shoes, fabrics, purses, furniture, and other items. The term comes from the French , which literally means "gloves from Sweden". The term was firs ...
invited her to a benefit concert for the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization (RHO) is a not-for-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.
Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilati ...
. With guitarist Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler (born 1 May 1970) is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the first guitarist with Suede, until his departure in 1994. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of hi ...
, she performed a version of Lou Reed's "Caroline Says". '' Spin'' reviewed it as "haughty and stately". Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then ...
, ex-lead singer of the Smiths
The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. They comprised the singer Morrissey, the guitarist Johnny Marr, the bassist Andy Rourke and the drummer Mike Joyce. They are regarded as one of the most important acts to eme ...
, recorded a duet with Siouxsie in 1994. They both sang on the single "Interlude
Interlude may refer to:
*a short play or, in general, any representation between parts of a larger stage production
*''Entr'acte'', a piece of music performed between acts of a theatrical production
*a section in a movement of a musical piece, se ...
", a track that was initially performed by Timi Yuro
Rosemary Victoria Yuro (August 4, 1940 – March 30, 2004), known professionally as Timi Yuro, was an American singer-songwriter. Sometimes called "the little girl with the big voice," she is considered to be one of the first blue-eyed soul sty ...
, a female torch singer of the 1960s. "Interlude" was released under the name of "Morrissey and Siouxsie".
The last Banshees studio album, '' The Rapture'', was released in 1995; it was written partly in the Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...
area of France, where she had recently moved. After the accompanying tour, the Banshees announced their split during a press conference called "20 Minutes into 20 Years". The Creatures de facto became her only band. At the same time, she released the song "The Lighthouse" on French producer Hector Zazou
Hector Zazou (11 July 1948 – 8 September 2008) was a prolific French composer and record producer who worked with, produced, and collaborated with an international array of recording artists. He worked on his own and other artists' albums, inclu ...
's album ''Chansons des mers froides
''Chansons des mers froides'' ( French: Songs from the Cold Seas) is a 1994 album by French musician Hector Zazou.
Zazou approached Sony Records with merely the title and the concept of songs from the Arctic. He was accompanied by cameraman Ph ...
'' (which translates to ''Songs from the Cold Seas''), with jazz trumpetist Mark Isham
Mark Ware Isham (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician and film composer. A trumpeter and keyboardist, Isham works in a variety of genres, including jazz and electronic. He is also a film composer, having worked on numerous films and ...
. Siouxsie and Zazou adapted the poem "Flannan Isle" by English poet Wilfred Wilson Gibson.
Her first live performance in three years was in February 1998 when former Velvet Underground
Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric
Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short pile, giving it a distinctive soft feel. By extension, the word ''velvety'' means ...
member John Cale invited her to a festival called "With a Little Help From My Friends" at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. The concert was shown on Dutch national television and featured an unreleased Creatures composition, "Murdering Mouth", sung as a duet with Cale.[Siouxsie and John Cale in duet]
"Murdering Mouth"
. Amsterdam, Paradiso (With the Metropole Orchestra). 25 February 1998 The collaboration between the two artists worked so well that they decided to tour the US from June until August, performing "Murdering Mouth", and Cale's "Gun" together as the encores of a Creatures and Cale double bill.
The following year, Siouxsie and Budgie released ''Anima Animus
''Anima Animus'' is the third studio album by British duo the Creatures, consisting of Siouxsie Sioux and musician Budgie, released in 1999. The title of the album was inspired by Carl Jung's concept of anima and animus ("the woman inside th ...
'', the first Creatures album since the split of the Banshees. It included the singles " 2nd Floor" and "Prettiest Thing
"Prettiest Thing" is a song recorded by English band the Creatures (aka singer Siouxsie Sioux and drummer Budgie). It was co-produced by Ian Caple.
It was the third single from their album ''Anima Animus''. It was released in both vinyl and CD f ...
". The material diverged from their former work, with a more urban sound blending art rock and electronica. ''Anima Animus'' was described by ''The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' as "hypnotic and inventive". Also in 1999, Siouxsie collaborated with Marc Almond
Peter Mark Sinclair "Marc" Almond, (born 9 July 1957) is an English singer. Almond first began performing and recording in the synthpop/ new wave duo Soft Cell where he became known for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image. ...
on the track "Threat of Love".
In 2002, she was rated as one of the 10 best female rock artists by '' Q''. That same year, Universal released ''The Best of Siouxsie and the Banshees
Universal Music Group released ''The Best of Siouxsie and the Banshees'' in 2002 as the first reissue of the Siouxsie and the Banshees remastered back-catalogue. The most successful singles of the band were presented in a non-chronological or ...
'' as the first reissue of her back catalogue.
In 2003, Siouxsie and Budgie released the last Creatures album, ''Hái!
''Hái!'' is the fourth and final studio album released in 2003 by British duo the Creatures, composed of Siouxsie Sioux and Budgie. The album was recorded in two parts: the drums were recorded by Budgie and Kodo drummer Leonard Eto in Tokyo in ...
'', which was in part recorded in Japan, collaborating with taiko
are a broad range of Japanese percussion instruments. In Japanese, the term refers to any kind of drum, but outside Japan, it is used specifically to refer to any of the various Japanese drums called and to the form of ensemble drumming ...
player Leonard Eto (previously of the Kodo Drummers). Peter Wratts wrote in '' Time Out'': "Her voice is the dominant instrument here, snaking and curling around the bouncing drumming backdrop, elegiac and inhuman as she chants, purrs and whispers her way around the album". He termed the record a "spine-tingling achievement". ''Hái!'' was preceded by the single "Godzilla!
"Godzilla!" is a song recorded by English band the Creatures, consisting of singer Siouxsie Sioux and drummer Budgie. It was produced by the duo and was the lead single from their fourth and final album, '' Hái!''.
The single was released on t ...
". That year, Siouxsie was featured on the track "Cish Cash" by Basement Jaxx, from their album '' Kish Kash'', which later won Best Electronic/Dance Album at the '' Grammy Awards''.
Solo (2004–present)
2004 was a pivotal year for the singer. She toured for the first time as a solo act combining Banshees and Creatures songs. A live DVD called ''Dreamshow
''Dreamshow'' is a live DVD by Siouxsie, released in 2005. It was filmed at the Royal Festival Hall in London in October 2004. The songs are performed on stage with the Millennia Ensemble orchestra. The setlist incorporates music from her bands ...
'' was recorded at the last London concert, in which she and her musicians were accompanied by a 16-piece orchestra, the Millennia Ensemble. Released in August 2005, this DVD reached the number 1 position in the UK music DVD charts.
Her first solo album, '' Mantaray'', was released in September 2007. Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
wrote, "She really ''is'' pop", before finishing the review by declaring, "It's a success". ''Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
* Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* MOJO HD, an American television network
* ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film
* ' ...
'' stated: "a thirst for sonic adventure radiates from each track". ''Mantaray'' included three singles: "Into a Swan
"Into a Swan" is the debut solo single by Siouxsie for her debut solo album '' Mantaray''. It was released in the UK on W14 on 3 September 2007 and promoted with a video featuring Siouxsie transforming into a black swan.Here Comes That Day
"Here Comes That Day" is a song co-written and recorded by Siouxsie Sioux, Siouxsie, for her 2007 solo album ''Mantaray (album), Mantaray''. It was released as the album's second single in the UK on 29 October 2007. It was critically acclaimed ...
" and " About to Happen". In 2008, Siouxsie performed vocals for the track "Careless Love" on ''The Edge of Love
''The Edge of Love'' is a 2008 British biographical romantic drama film directed by John Maybury and starring Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy and Matthew Rhys. The script was written by Knightley's mother, Sharman Macdonald. Orig ...
'' soundtrack by composer Angelo Badalamenti, a frequent collaborator with director David Lynch. She performed another Badalamenti number, "Who Will Take My Dreams Away", at the annual edition of the World Soundtrack Awards The World Soundtrack Awards, launched in 2001 by the Film Fest Gent, is aimed at organizing and overseeing the educational, cultural and professional aspects of the art of film music, including the preservation of the history of the soundtrack and ...
. After a year of touring, the singer played the last show of her tour in London in September 2008. A live DVD of this performance, '' Finale: The Last Mantaray & More Show'', was released in 2009.
In June 2013, after a hiatus of five years, Siouxsie played two nights at the Royal Festival Hall in London during Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking.
Ono grew up i ...
's Meltdown
Meltdown may refer to:
Science and technology
* Nuclear meltdown, a severe nuclear reactor accident
* Meltdown (security vulnerability), affecting computer processors
* Mutational meltdown, in population genetics
Arts and entertainment Music
* Me ...
festival. She performed 1980's ''Kaleidoscope'' album live in its entirety, along with other works from her back catalogue, and her performance was praised by the press. She also appeared at Ono's ''Double Fantasy'' concert, to sing the final song, "Walking on Thin Ice".
In October 2014, she and fellow Banshee Steven Severin compiled a CD titled ''It's a Wonderfull Life'' for the November 2014 issue of ''Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
* Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* MOJO HD, an American television network
* ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film
* ' ...
'' magazine, in which she appeared on the cover. The disc included 15 tracks that inspired the Banshees.
"Love Crime
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the lov ...
", her first song in eight years, was featured in the finale of the TV series '' Hannibal'', broadcast in August 2015. Series creator Bryan Fuller, called it "epic".
On 15 December 2022, it was announced that Siouxsie will perform at the Latitude Festival 2023 in Suffolk: she will be the headliner of the "BBC Sounds Stage" on Sunday 23 July 2023. It will be her first live performance in a decade. ''Mantaray'' was remastered at Abbey Road Studios for its 15 year anniversary: it will be reissued with a different artwork on CD in May 2023 via the official website.
Songwriting
Journalist Paul Morley
Paul Robert Morley is an English music journalist. He wrote for the ''New Musical Express'' from 1977 to 1983 and has since written for a wide range of publications as well as writing his own books. He was a co-founder of the record label ZTT Re ...
noted that Siouxsie's songs topics dealt with "mental illness, medical terrors, surreal diseases, depraved urges, sinister intensity, unearthly energy, sexual abuse, childhood disturbances, sordid mysteries, unbearable nervous anxiety, fairytale fears, urban discontent and the bleak dignity of solitude". Many of her songs are about damage; her childhood marked her profoundly. She said, "Damaged lives, damaged souls, damaged relationships. Most of the damage I sing about first happened when I was younger and I am still feeding off it and working it out. Early experiences are what create a lifetime of damage. The songs you write can help you fix the damage. And just the environment you are in is so important and can waste potential and corrupt something. For me, there was neglect. An alcoholic father who is not there because the most important thing for him is just to get alcohol and your mother is trying to compensate for the non-existent second parent so she's never there because she's working all the time and when she is around she's stressed out. Being isolated and not having anyone to connect with, there was just no physical touching back then".
Legacy
Siouxsie has been praised by artists of many genres. She had a strong impact on two trip-hop acts. Tricky covered
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
1983's proto trip-hop "Tattoo
A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several Process of tatt ...
", to open his second album ''Nearly God
''Nearly God'' is the unofficial second album by English rapper and producer Tricky. It was released in February 1996 under the pseudonym "Nearly God", which originated from an interview during which Tricky was asked "so how does it feel to be Go ...
'', and Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol by Robert "3D" Del Naja, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws, Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall.
The debut Massive Attack album '' Blue Lines'' was releas ...
sampled "Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)" on their song "Superpredators (Metal Postcard)" for the soundtrack to the film '' The Jackal.''
Other acts have covered Siouxsie's songs. Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scott Moorhead, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, Buckley amassed a following in the early 1990s by ...
performed "Killing Time" several times, he first recorded it during a radio session for WFMU
WFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station, licensed to East Orange, New Jersey. Since 1998 its studios and operating facilities have been headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey. It broadcasts locally at 91.1 Mhz FM, i ...
in 1992. LCD Soundsystem recorded a cover of "Slowdive" for the B-side of "Disco Infiltrator
"Disco Infiltrator" is a song from the eponymous debut album by LCD Soundsystem. It was released on 6 June 2005 as the debut's sixth single. The song was written by LCD Soundsystem's frontman James Murphy and produced by Murphy and Tim Goldswort ...
", their version was also released on ''Introns
An intron is any nucleotide sequence within a gene that is not expressed or operative in the final RNA product. The word ''intron'' is derived from the term ''intragenic region'', i.e. a region inside a gene."The notion of the cistron .e., gene ...
''. Santigold
Santi White (born September 25, 1976), known professionally as Santigold (formerly Santogold), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. '' Billboard'' presented her in 2022, saying: "Spanning punk rock, hip-hop, and dance music, S ...
based her track "My Superman", on the music of "Red Light".["Icon: Siouxsie", ''The Fader Magazine'', ''The Icon Issue 67'', April/May 2010. Page 73] In 2003, the Beta Band
The Beta Band were a Scottish musical group formed in 1996. Their style was described as being "folktronica", although it was mainly a blend of folk, psychedelia, electronica, experimental rock and trip hop, often involving stylistic experimen ...
sampled "Painted Bird" and changed the title to "Liquid Bird" on their '' Heroes to Zeros'' album. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...
performed "Christine
Christine may refer to:
People
* Christine (name), a female given name
Film
* ''Christine'' (1958 film), based on Schnitzler's play ''Liebelei''
* ''Christine'' (1983 film), based on King's novel of the same name
* ''Christine'' (1987 fil ...
" at the V2001 festival and introduced it to their British audience as "your national anthem". "Christine" was also revisited by Simple Minds. Indie folk group DeVotchKa covered "The Last Beat of My Heart" at the suggestion of Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member ...
singer Win Butler
Edwin Farnham Butler III (born April 14, 1980) is an American-Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist. He co-founded the Montreal-based indie rock band Arcade Fire with his wife Régine Chassagne.
Early life
Butler was ...
in 2007. The Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...
sampled "Happy House" on the title track of his first mixtape "House of Balloons" in 2011.
Morrissey said that "Siouxsie and the Banshees were excellent. They were one of the great groups of the late 70s, early 80s". In 1994, discussing modern bands, he also stated: "None of them are as good as Siouxsie and the Banshees at full pelt. That's not dusty nostalgia, that's fact". Another member of the Smiths, Johnny Marr, said: "Really my generation was all about a guy called John McGeoch, from Siouxsie and the Banshees. He was a great player". Marr hailed McGeoch for his work on Siouxsie's single "Spellbound". Marr qualified it as "clever" with "really good picky thing going on which is very un-rock'n'roll". Radiohead also cited McGeoch-era Siouxsie records when mentioning the recording of "There There
"There There" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead. It was released as the lead single from their sixth album, '' Hail to the Thief'' (2003), on 26 May 2003. It reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, number one in Canada and Port ...
". Their singer, Thom Yorke
Thomas Edward Yorke (born 7 October 1968) is an English musician and the main vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Radiohead. A multi-instrumentalist, he mainly plays guitar and keyboards and is noted for his falsetto. He has been descri ...
, said: "The band that really changed my life was R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...
and Siouxsie and the Banshees ...". "My favourite show I ever saw then was Siouxsie and she was absolutely amazing. ... She's totally in command of the whole audience". Yorke added that she "made an especially big impression in concert, she was really sexy but absolutely terrifying." Sonic Youth singer and guitarist Thurston Moore
Thurston Joseph Moore (born July 25, 1958) is an American musician best known as a member of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label. Mo ...
named "Hong Kong Garden" as one of his 25 all-time favourite songs.
Siouxsie has influenced other bands ranging from contemporaries Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris.
Sumner and Hook formed the band after atte ...
, U2,[ and the Cure,][Paytress, (interview of Robert Smith by Alexis Petridis), p. 95] to later acts like the Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid. After signing to independent label Creation Records, they re ...
, Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1985. The band consists of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery. Jane's Addiction was one of the first bands fr ...
[ and TV on the Radio.][ Joy Division co-founder Peter Hook said that ''The Scream'' inspired them for the "really unusual way of playing" of the guitarist and the drummer and cited the Banshees as "one of our big influences".][ U2 frontman ]Bono
Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2.
Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
named her as an influence in the band's 2006 autobiography ''U2 by U2''. He was inspired by her way of singing.[McCormick, Neil (ed), (2006). ''U2 by U2''. HarperCollins Publishers, pp. 56, 58 and 96] "I still think that I sing like Siouxsie from The Banshees on the first two U2 albums". With his band, he selected "Christine" for a compilation made for ''Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
* Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* MOJO HD, an American television network
* ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film
* ' ...
'''s readers. U2 guitarist the Edge
David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961), better known as the Edge or simply Edge,McCormick (2006), pp. 21, 23–24 is an English-born Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and backing voca ...
also was the presenter of an award given to Siouxsie at a ''Mojo'' ceremony in 2005.["The Mojo Honours List 2005"](_blank)
Mojo. 2005. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
The Cure's Robert Smith related what the ''Join Hands'' tour brought him musically: "When we supported The Banshees in 1979, we suddenly became aware of how limited our palette was. I felt constrained, so when the opportunity arose to play with them I jumped at it and juggled the two bands for a while. It taught me a lot – they had fantastic rhythm sections and this made me think, ‘Why can’t I have this?’." For Smith's record ''The Head on the Door
''The Head on the Door'' is the sixth studio album by English rock band the Cure. It was released on 30 August 1985 by Fiction Records. Preceded by the single "In Between Days" which had reached No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart, ''The Head on the ...
'' in 1985, he stated: "It reminds me of the ''Kaleidoscope'' album, the idea of having lots of different sounding things, different colours". Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction once made a parallel between his band and the Banshees: "There are so many similar threads: melody, use of sound, attitude, sex appeal. I always saw Jane's Addiction as the masculine Siouxsie and the Banshees".[Paytress, p. 199] Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio hailed the poppiest Siouxsie songs, citing their arrangements: "I've always tried to make a song that begins like "Kiss Them for Me". I think songs like "I Was a Lover" or "Wash the Day Away" came from that element of surprise mode where all of a sudden this giant drum comes in and you're like, what the fuck?! That record was the first one where I was like, okay, even my friends're going to fall for this. I feel like that transition into that record was a relief for me. Really beautiful music was always considered too weird by the normal kids and that was the first example where I thought, we've got them, they're hooked! I watched people dance to that song, people who had never heard of any of the music that I listened to, they heard that music in a club and went crazy".["Icon: Siouxsie", ''The Fader Magazine'', ''The Icon Issue 67'', April/May 2010. Page 74] Dave Gahan Dave may refer to:
Film, television, and theater
* ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver
* ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film
* Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
of Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting).
Depeche ...
said about her: "She always sounds exciting. She sings with a lot of sex–that's what I like". Mark Lanegan stated that he would like to collaborate with her: "In my wildest dreams I would love to sing with Siouxsie". She is also revered by Damon Albarn and Dave Grohl. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb ( ar, عمر بن الخطاب, also spelled Omar, ) was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () as the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate ...
of the Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is an American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band's only constant members are Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, producer, direction) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals, lyrics), whose partnership for ...
mentioned his liking for "the very textural side of Siouxsie".
Siouxsie has been hailed by many female singers. When asked if there was any figure who connected with her when she was just a listener, PJ Harvey replied: "It's hard to beat Siouxsie Sioux, in terms of live performance. She is so exciting to watch, so full of energy and human raw quality". Harvey also selected in her top 10 favourite albums of 1999, the ''Anima Animus'' album by Siouxsie's second band the Creatures. Sinéad O'Connor said that when she started, Siouxsie was one of her main influences. Tracey Thorn
Tracey Anne Thorn (born 26 September 1962) is a British singer. She is best known as being one half of the duo Everything but the Girl from 1982 to 1999. She was a member of the band Marine Girls between 1980 and 1983 and since 2007 has been ...
of Everything But the Girl
Everything but the Girl (occasionally referred to as EBTG) are an English musical duo formed in Kingston upon Hull in 1982, consisting of lead singer and occasional guitarist Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist, producer and singer Ben Watt ...
wrote in her autobiography that Siouxsie was one of her heroines. Thorn paid homage to Siouxsie in the lyrics of her 2007 song "Hands Up to the Ceiling". Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins used to have a Siouxsie tattoo on her arm, and mentioned her liking for "Metal Postcard" to the members of Massive Attack in 1998. Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Eugene Spiteri (born 7 November 1967) is a Scottish singer and guitarist, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Texas. She has a contralto vocal range. In 2013, Texas's worldwide album sales were counted at 40 million records. ...
of Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
grew up listening to tracks such as "Hong Kong Garden" and was hooked by the Asian vibe present in the song; she stated that Texas' single "In Our Lifetime" was "our tribute to" "Hong Kong Garden". Garbage singer Shirley Manson cited her as an influence: "I learned how to sing listening to ''The Scream'' and ''Kaleidoscope''". Manson also declared that Siouxsie embodied everything she wanted to be as a young woman. Manson would later write the foreword to ''Siouxsie & The Banshees: The Authorised Biography''. Beth Ditto
Mary Beth Patterson (born February 19, 1981), known by her stage name Beth Ditto, is an American singer and songwriter most notable for her work with the indie rock band Gossip. Her voice has been compared to Etta James, Janis Joplin and T ...
, of Gossip
Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others; the act is also known as dishing or tattling.
Gossip is a topic of research in evolutionary psychology, which has found gossip to be an important means ...
cited her as one of their influences for their 2009 album ''Music for Men''. Ana Matronic
Ana Kirby (; born August 14, 1974), known by her stage name Ana Matronic, is an American singer, best known as the female co-lead vocalist for the pop rock band Scissor Sisters.
Career
She joined Scissor Sisters, founded by Jake Shears and ...
of Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters were an American pop rock band formed in 2001. Its members include Jake Shears and Ana Matronic as vocalists, Babydaddy as multi-instrumentalist, Del Marquis as lead guitar/bassist, and Randy Real (who replaced Paddy Boom) ...
named Siouxsie as a source of inspiration and the Banshees as her favourite band. Siouxsie was also hailed by Romy Madley Croft of the XX
The xx are an English indie rock band from Wandsworth, London, formed in 2005. The band consists of Romy Madley Croft (guitar, vocals), Oliver Sim (bass guitar, vocals), Jamie Smith, also known as Jamie xx (beats, MPC, record production), a ...
, Kim Deal
Kimberley Ann Deal (born June 10, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She was the bassist and the co-vocalist in the alternative rock band Pixies, before forming the Breeders in 1989.
Deal joined Pixies in January ...
of the Pixies
Pixies is an American alternative rock band formed in 1986, in Boston, Massachusetts. Until 2013, the band consisted of Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim Deal (bass, vocals) and David Loverin ...
and the Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, consisting of members Kim Deal (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), her twin sister Kelley Deal (lead guitar, vocals), Josephine Wiggs (bass guitar, vocals) and Jim Macpherso ...
, and also by Josephine Wiggs
Miranda Cordelia Susan Josephine Wiggs (born 26 February 1963) is an English multi-instrumentalist rock musician, best known for her work as bassist in the alternative rock bands The Breeders and The Perfect Disaster. She has also formed mult ...
of the Breeders, and namechecked by Karin Dreijer Andersson
Karin Elisabeth Dreijer (born 7 April 1975) is a Swedish singer-songwriter and record producer. Dreijer was one half of the electronic music duo the Knife, formed with their brother Olof Dreijer. Dreijer released their debut solo album unde ...
of the Knife. Kate Jackson
Lucy Kate Jackson (born October 29, 1948) is an American actress and television producer, known for her television roles as Sabrina Duncan in the series ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1979) and Amanda King in the series ''Scarecrow and Mrs. King ...
of the Long Blondes
The Long Blondes are an English indie rock band formed in Sheffield in 2003 by Dorian Cox (lead guitar and keyboards), Reenie Hollis (real name Kathryn Hollis) (bass guitar and backing vocals), Emma Chaplin (rhythm guitar, keyboards and backing ...
said that Siouxsie was a part of her musical background, thanks to her "sharp lyrics" on Creatures' tracks like "So Unreal". Rachel Goswell
Rachel Ann Goswell (born 16 May 1971) is an English singer-songwriter and musician who rose to prominence as vocalist and guitarist of the shoegaze band Slowdive, which formed in 1989. Goswell, along with Neil Halstead, Ian McCutcheon and fo ...
mentioned her as a major influence: "From a singing point of view, I was inspired by Siouxsie Sioux, who I just adored. She's amazing. I've never seen anyone else quite like her"; her band Slowdive
Slowdive is a British rock band that formed in Reading, Berkshire, in 1989. The band consists of Rachel Goswell on vocals and guitar, Neil Halstead on vocals and guitar, Christian Savill on guitar, Nick Chaplin on bass and Simon Scott on d ...
was named on a suggestion of Goswell, inspired by the Banshees' single of the same name. Lush were initially named "the Baby Machines", which the band culled from the lyrics of "Arabian Knights". Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love (née Harrison; born July 9, 1964) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress. A figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s, her career has spanned four decades. She rose to prominence as ...
of Hole
A hole is an opening in or through a particular medium, usually a solid body. Holes occur through natural and artificial processes, and may be useful for various purposes, or may represent a problem needing to be addressed in many fields of en ...
wrote Siouxsie in her favourite records' list when she was a teenager in her diary. While talking about the band Savages, Love also stated: "They are amazing. ... It's kind of very Siouxsie Sioux". Kim Gordon
Kim Althea Gordon (born April 28, 1953) is an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the bassist, guitarist, and vocalist of alternative rock band Sonic Youth. Born in Rochester, New York, she was raised in Los Angeles, Califor ...
of Sonic Youth said: "Initially I was really inspired by ..Siouxsie, Patti Smith". FKA twigs
Tahliah Debrett Barnett (born 17 January 1988), known professionally as FKA Twigs (stylized as FKA twigs), is an English singer, songwriter, and dancer. Born and raised in Cheltenham, she became a backup dancer for numerous famous musicians aft ...
named her as a main influence: "Every bit of music that I made sounded like a pastiche of Siouxsie ..but through that I discovered myself". Róisín Murphy named Siouxsie when asked who were her biggest influences.
Other female artists who have stated their admiration for Siouxsie's work include Charli XCX
Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery ...
, Hayley Williams of Paramore, Dolores O'Riordan of the Cranberries
The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick, Ireland. Originally named the Cranberry Saw Us, the band were formed in 1989 by lead singer Niall Quinn, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler. Quinn was ...
, Jennifer Charles
Jennifer Charles (born Jennifer Asher Zipken; November 15, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, writer, and actor. Along with Oren Bloedow, she co-founded the New York band Elysian Fields. Her work is known for its emotional intensit ...
of Elysian Fields, Ebony Bones
Ebony Bones ('' née'' Thomas; born 9 October 1982) is an English singer-songwriter model, actress, and producer. Her musical style is eclectic and often blends elements of afrobeat, art rock, post-punk, classical, new-wave and electronic. Her ...
, Toni Halliday
Antoinette "Toni" Halliday (born 5 July 1964) is an English musician best known as the lead vocalist, lyricist, and occasional guitarist of the alternative rock band Curve, along with Dean Garcia.
She was also a member of the bands Photofitz ...
of Curve
In mathematics, a curve (also called a curved line in older texts) is an object similar to a line, but that does not have to be straight.
Intuitively, a curve may be thought of as the trace left by a moving point. This is the definition that ...
, Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill, Chan Marshall a.k.a. Cat Power, Gillian Gilbert of New Order (band), New Order, Alison Goldfrapp, Sarah Cracknell of Saint Etienne (band), Saint Etienne, Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, Chelsea Wolfe, Brody Dalle of the Distillers, Dee Dee of Dum Dum Girls, Joan As Police Woman, Lou Doillon, Emel Mathlouthi, Girlpool, Liz Phair, Billie Ray Martin, An Pierlé, Lauren Mayberry of Chvrches, Meshell Ndegeocello, St. Vincent (musician), St. Vincent, Anohni, Jehnny Beth of Savages, Wolf Alice, and Jenny Lee Lindberg of Warpaint (band), Warpaint. Santigold said: "I keep a Rolodex of the women that vocally inspire me. There aren't that many, but she's definitely one of them. I remember one of the first times I heard "Red Light" it was at a party, and I remember going up to the DJ and being like, "Who's this?". It was that good. I kind of stopped and was like ... wow. There's not a tremendous amount of women who are bold and forward thinking as artists. I feel like her music, at the time especially, was pretty unique in the way that it sort of matched her style. The freedom of experimenting with this dark place that doesn't have a place often in modern music".
Personal life
Siouxsie married band mate Budgie in May 1991. The following year, they moved to the southwest of France.
In an interview with ''The Sunday Times'' in August 2007, she announced that she and Budgie had divorced. In an interview with ''The Independent'', she said: "I've never particularly said I'm heterosexual, hetero or I'm a lesbian. I know there are people who are definitely one way, but not really me. I suppose if I am attracted to men then they usually have more feminine qualities."
Awards and nominations
{, class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
, -
! scope="col" , Award
! scope="col" , Year
! scope="col" , Nominee(s)
! scope="col" , Category
! scope="col" , Result
! scope="col" class="unsortable",
, -
! scope="row", Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They have been presented annually in London by the Ivors Academy (formerly the BASCA) since 1956, and over 1,000 statuettes have been a ...
, 2012
, Herself
, The Ivors Inspiration Award
,
,
, -
! scope="row", MTV Video Music Awards
, 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, 1989
, " Peek-a-Boo"
, MTV Video Music Award for Best Post-Modern Video, Best Post-Modern Video
,
,
, -
! scope="row" rowspan=3, NME Awards
, 1980
, rowspan=3, Herself
, rowspan=3, Best Female Singer
,
, rowspan=3,
, -
, 1981
,
, -
, rowspan=1, 1982
,
Discography
''For her works with Siouxsie and the Banshees, see Siouxsie and the Banshees discography.''
''For her works with the Creatures, see The Creatures#Discography, the Creatures discography.''
Solo album
{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
, -
! rowspan="2", Year
! rowspan="2", Album details
! colspan="2", Peak chart positions
, - style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:40px;", UK Albums Chart, UK
! style="width:40px;", Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique, FRA
, -
, 2007
, style="text-align:left;", '' Mantaray''
* Release date: 10 September 2007
* Label: Universal Records
, 39
, 132
Solo singles
{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
, -
! rowspan="2", Year
! rowspan="2", Single
!, Peak positions
! rowspan="2", Album
, - style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:60px;", UK Singles Chart, UK
, -
, rowspan="2", 2007
, style="text-align:left;", "Into a Swan
"Into a Swan" is the debut solo single by Siouxsie for her debut solo album '' Mantaray''. It was released in the UK on W14 on 3 September 2007 and promoted with a video featuring Siouxsie transforming into a black swan.Here Comes That Day
"Here Comes That Day" is a song co-written and recorded by Siouxsie Sioux, Siouxsie, for her 2007 solo album ''Mantaray (album), Mantaray''. It was released as the album's second single in the UK on 29 October 2007. It was critically acclaimed ...
"
, 93
, -
, 2008
, style="text-align:left;", " About to Happen"
, 154
, -
, rowspan="1", 2015
, style="text-align:left;", "Love Crime
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the lov ...
"
, —
, style="text-align:left;" rowspan="1", single only
, -
Collaborative singles
{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
, -
! rowspan="2", Year
! rowspan="2", Single
! rowspan="2", Artist
!, Peak positions
! rowspan="2", Album
, - style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:60px;", UK
, -
, 1994
, style="text-align:left;", "Interlude
Interlude may refer to:
*a short play or, in general, any representation between parts of a larger stage production
*''Entr'acte'', a piece of music performed between acts of a theatrical production
*a section in a movement of a musical piece, se ...
"
, Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then ...
& Siouxsie
, 25
, style="text-align:left;", Non-album song
DVD
* 2005 ''Dreamshow
''Dreamshow'' is a live DVD by Siouxsie, released in 2005. It was filmed at the Royal Festival Hall in London in October 2004. The songs are performed on stage with the Millennia Ensemble orchestra. The setlist incorporates music from her bands ...
'' No. 1 UK
* 2009 '' Finale: The Last Mantaray & More Show'' No. 4 UK
Collaborations with other artists
In studio
* Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then ...
: "Interlude (Morrissey and Siouxsie song), Interlude" (single recorded in duet) (1994)
* Hector Zazou
Hector Zazou (11 July 1948 – 8 September 2008) was a prolific French composer and record producer who worked with, produced, and collaborated with an international array of recording artists. He worked on his own and other artists' albums, inclu ...
: "The Lighthouse" (song recorded as guest on the ''Chansons des mers froides
''Chansons des mers froides'' ( French: Songs from the Cold Seas) is a 1994 album by French musician Hector Zazou.
Zazou approached Sony Records with merely the title and the concept of songs from the Arctic. He was accompanied by cameraman Ph ...
''/''Songs from the Cold Seas'' album) (1995)
* Marc Almond
Peter Mark Sinclair "Marc" Almond, (born 9 July 1957) is an English singer. Almond first began performing and recording in the synthpop/ new wave duo Soft Cell where he became known for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image. ...
: "Threat of Love" (song recorded in duet for the ''Open All Night (Marc Almond album), Open All Night'' album) (1999)
* Basement Jaxx: "Cish Cash" (song recorded as guest on the '' Kish Kash'' album) (2003)
* Angelo Badalamenti: "Careless Love" (song recorded as guest for ''The Edge of Love (soundtrack), The Edge of Love'' film soundtrack) (2008)
Live
* Suede
Suede (pronounced ) is a type of leather with a fuzzy, napped finish, commonly used for jackets, shoes, fabrics, purses, furniture, and other items. The term comes from the French , which literally means "gloves from Sweden". The term was firs ...
: "Caroline Says" (written by Lou Reed, performed on 30 July 1993 at a Red Hot Organization, Red Hot & AIDS Benefit concert)
* John Cale: "Murdering Mouth" (a Siouxsie song; performed live as a duet in 1998 during The Creatures/John Cale's US double bill, '' No How Tour'')
* Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野 洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking.
Ono grew up i ...
: "Walking on Thin Ice" (duet performed on 23 June 2013 in London)
References
Bibliography
* Paytress, Mark. ''Siouxsie & the Banshees: The Authorised Biography''. Sanctuary, 2003.
* Johns, Brian. ''Entranced : the Siouxsie and the Banshees story''. Omnibus Press, 1989.
Further reading
*
*
External links
Siouxsie.com official website
SiouxsieandtheBanshees official website
SiouxsieHQ - official website
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sioux, Siouxsie
1957 births
Alternative rock singers
British alternative rock musicians
English people of Belgian descent
British people of Walloon descent
English people of Scottish descent
Bromley Contingent
English contraltos
English women singer-songwriters
English new wave musicians
English record producers
English punk rock singers
English rock musicians
Women punk rock singers
Women new wave singers
Gothic rock musicians
Living people
Melodica players
People from Bromley
Singers from London
Siouxsie and the Banshees members
Ivor Novello Award winners
Musicians from Kent
British women record producers
British post-punk musicians
People from the London Borough of Southwark
20th-century English women singers
20th-century English singers
21st-century English women singers
21st-century English singers