Rd 17
JuJu - Siouxsie & The Banshees (1981)
all hail Susan Ballion (Siouxsie) - the queen of punk/post-punk, godmother of Goth.
she was there from the start, as part of the Bromley Contingent (a group of fans that supported the early punk gigs, also included future Banshee Steven Severin, Adam & the Ants guitarist Marco Pirroni, and William Broad, later to be known as Billy Idol ), to performing at the infamous 100 Club festival (with Sid backing her on drums), to being the cheeky girl who initiated Jonesy's verbal slap of TV host Bill Grundy during the Pistols
NSFW appearance on his show (they were a last minute addition after Queen cancelled).
she formed a proper band with fellow BC member Steve Severin (bass), and they released their first avant-punk-noise platter in '78.
couple more thematic albums came after that initial success, even having Robert Smith (Cure) along for a bit of the ride.
this here is the fourth effort, and it's definitely my favorite of their (her) long and varied catalog. it's a prime snapshot of this group working their most textured magic in the studio, and one which most Siouxsie devoteés will point to as the best to begin exploring if one is not familiar.
the highlight is John McGeoch's nefarious strumming ... this is regarded as one of the great guitar albums of the post punk era, as his brooding chops were the perfect backdrop to Sioux's dark and swirling vocals ... his playing drew utmost praise from the likes of Marr, Frusciante, Corgan, O'Brien & Greenwood (Radiohead), among others. R.I.P.
it's a culling of all that they were, and everything they aspired to be ... the varying pace and soundscapes bleed and bend into each other with each turn, making this a piece of work that defied any attempts to pigeonhole - call it what you will, i'll just call it one of the best of the 80s, a remarkable performance from all involved.
Sioux is the most influential female artist to emerge from that class of late 70s artists ... from her fearless frontwoman stature (she is an amazing live performer), to her endless forays into the darker recesses of the human condition ... to her fashion and style.
matter of fact, Madonna straight-up
jacked Sioux's bastardized Catholic look ... when we started to see waves of girls hitting the streets in fishnets and dangling crucifixes we all thought it was an explosion of Sioux style awareness, which we loved ... 'til we found out they were actually a buncha mall chicks from Poughkeepsie humming "Like A Virgin"
Sioux doesn't get the credit or love she deserves ... one of those artists that greatly shaped the landscape of her era, and is recognized within the industry for that ... but remains a relatively obscure "niche" footnote, for the most part - "oh, that Goff chick ... Suzie and the Band Cheeze, right? PEEEEK A BOOO! yeah, she's all spooky and #### - my cousin once dressed as her for Halloween!!1!"
oooofff.
- my love letter to Susan, and her cast of Banshees.
Spellbound (sound is murky in the vid, but it's essential as it captures this pace so perfectly)
Arabian Nights
ETA: (cleaner "Spell")