History Music / SiouxsieAndTheBanshees

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a [[UsefulNotes/Britain British]] rock band ([[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly for a given definition of "rock," anyway]]) formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux (born Susan Ballion) and bassist Steven [[ShoutOut Sev]][[Music/VelvetUnderground erin]] (born Steven John Bailey). While their roots were very much in the PunkRock scene (the impromptu gig that led to the band's formation featured [[Music/SexPistols Sid Vicious]] on drums) they quickly branched out and began to employ a wide variety of instruments and musical styles. The band's core lineup was rounded out in 1979 by drummer Budgie (born Peter Edward Clarke). Temporary guitarists included Music/{{Magazine}}'s John [=McGeoch=] and Music/TheCure's Robert Smith. The band broke up in 1996.

[[caption-width-right:320: The band at their most normal.[[note]]From L-R: Steven Severin (bass), John [=McGeoch=] (guitar, 1980-1982), Siouxsie Sioux (vocals), Budgie (drums, 1979-1996)[[/note]]]]

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band ([[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly for a given definition of "rock", anyway]]) formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux (born Susan Ballion) and bassist Steven [[ShoutOut Sev]][[Music/VelvetUnderground erin]] (born Steven John Bailey). While their roots were very much in the punk rock scene (the impromptu gig that led to the band's formation featured [[Music/SexPistols Sid Vicious]] on drums) they quickly branched out and began to employ a wide variety of instruments and musical styles. The band's core lineup was rounded out in 1979 by drummer Budgie (born Peter Edward Clarke). Temporary guitarists included Music/{{Magazine}}'s John [=McGeoch=] and Music/TheCure's Robert Smith. The band broke up in 1996.

* ''Hyaena'' (1984)

* AsianStoreOwner: An incident in which a group of workers in a Chinese restaurant were racially harassed by skinheads, which Siouxie witnessed, became the basis for "Hong Kong Garden".

* {{Confucius}}: Mentioned in "Hong Kong Garden".

* DesignStudentsOrgasm: The cover art for ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Siouxsie_%26_the_Banshees-Juju.jpg Juju]]'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Siouxsie_%26_the_Banshees-A_Kiss_in_the_Dreamhouse.jpg A Kiss in the Dreamhouse]]'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Siouxsie_%26_the_Banshees-Hyaena.jpg Hyaena]]'', ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Siouxsie_%26_the_Banshees-Peepshow.jpg Peepshow]]'', and the live album ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Siouxsie_and_the_Banshees_-_Nocturne.jpg Nocturne]]''.

* EthnicMenialLabor: One of the key points in "Hong Kong Garden".
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: From the lyrics of "Slowdive":
--> "It's slowdive
--> When you dive slow"

* GriefSong: Quite a few. "Rhapsody", for instance, although the grief there isn't induced by the death of a person.
* IdenticalLookingAsians: Another factor in "Hong Kong Garden".
* InvoluntaryDance: "Spellbound".

* ManicPixieDreamGirl: "She's a Carnival".

** ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Siouxsie_%26_the_Banshees-Join_Hands.jpg Join Hands]]''
** The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Siouxsie_Israel.jpg Israel]] single.

* NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: They quickly grew out of their punk/post-punk beginnings and began to explore a wide variety of musical genres.
* OminousMusicBoxTune: Combined with LastNoteNightmare in "Carousel".

* ScaryScarecrows: "[[CaptainObvious Scarecrow]]". Differs from most examples in that the lyrics have a vaguely sexual subtext.

* {{Stalker With A Crush}}/{{Murder Ballad}}: A favourite lyrical theme, such as in "Carcass" and "Head Cut".
* TakeThat: "Drop Dead".

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: From the lyrics of "Slowdive"
--> "It's Slowdive

* IdenticalLookingAsians: Another factor in "Hong Kong Garden"
* InvoluntaryDance: "Spellbound"

* {{Confucius}}: Mentioned in "Hong Kong Garden"

* EthnicMenialLabor: One of the key points in "Hong Kong Garden"

----

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: from the lyrics of "Slowdive"

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band ([[NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly for a given definition of "rock", anyway]]) formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux (born Susan Ballion) and bassist Steven [[ShoutOut Sev]][[Music/VelvetUnderground erin]] (born Steven John Bailey). While their roots were very much in the punk rock scene (the impromptu gig that led to the band's formation featured [[Music/SexPistols Sid Vicious]] on drums) they quickly branched out and began to employ a wide variety of instruments and musical styles. The band's core lineup was rounded out in 1979 by drummer Budgie (born Peter Edward Clarke). Temporary guitarists included Music/{{Magazine}}'s John [=McGeoch=] and Music/TheCure's Robert Smith. The band disbanded in 1996.

* AsianStoreOwner: An incident in which a group of workers in a Chinese restaurant were racially harassed by skinheads, which Siouxie witnessed, became the basis for "Hong Kong Garden"
* {{Bishonen}}: Budgie, Robert Smith, John [=McKay=], and Jon Klein.

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band ([[NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly for a given definition of "rock", anyway]]) formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux (born Susan Ballion) and bassist Steven [[ShoutOut Sev]][[Music/VelvetUnderground erin]] (born Steven John Bailey). While their roots were very much in the punk rock scene (the impromptu gig that led to the band's formation featured [[Music/SexPistols Sid Vicious]] on drums) they quickly branched out and began to employ a wide variety of instruments and musical styles. The band's core lineup was rounded out in 1979 by drummer Budgie (born Peter Edward Clarke). Temporary guitarists included Music/{{Magazine}}'s John [=McGeoch=] and Music/TheCure's Robert Smith.

* LongRunnerLineUp: While they did go through a lot of lineup changes, mostly guitarists, the core members of the band were the same for nearly all the 17 years of their run: Siouxsie, Steven Severin (the founding members) and drummer Budgie. The latter was recruited to play for their 1979 ''Join Hands'' tour: he was originally supposed to be a temporary member but ended up remaining until the band's breakup in 1995. The fact that [[RomanceOnTheSet he hooked up with and subsequently married Siouxsie]] probably helped.
** [[RevolvingDoorBassist Revolving Door Guitarist]]: They cycled guitarists with every album after ''Join Hands''.

[[caption-width-right:320: The band at their most normal.]]

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band ([[NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly for a given definition of "rock", anyway]]) formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux (born Susan Ballion) and bassist Steven [[ShoutOut Sev]][[Music/VelvetUnderground erin]] (born Steven John Bailey). While their roots were very much in the punk rock scene (the impromptu gig that led to the band's formation featured [[Music/SexPistols Sid Vicious]] on drums) they quickly branched out and began to employ a wide variety of instruments and musical styles. The band's core lineup was rounded out in 1979 by drummer Budgie (born Peter Edward Clarke), and temporary guitarists included Music/{{Magazine}}'s John [=McGeoch=] and Music/TheCure's Robert Smith.

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band ([[NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly for a given definition of "rock", anyway]]) formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux (born Susan Ballion) and bassist Steven [[ShoutOut Sev]][[Music/VelvetUnderground erin]] (born Steven John Bailey). While their roots were very much in the punk rock scene (the impromptu gig that led to the band's formation featured [[Music/SexPistols Sid Vicious]] on drums) they quickly branched out and began to employ a wide variety of instruments and musical styles.

* LongRunnerLineUp: While they did go through a lot of lineup changes, mostly guitarists, the core members of the band were the same for nearly all the 17 years of their run: Siouxsie, Steven Severin (the founding members) and drummer Budgie. The latter was recruited to play for their 1979 Join Hands tour: he was originally supposed to be a temporary member but ended up remaining until the band's breakup in 1995. The fact that [[RomanceOnTheSet he hooked up with and subsequently married Siouxsie]] probably helped.

* MinimalisticCoverArt: The cover of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Siouxsie_Israel.jpg Israel]] single.

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band ([[NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly for a given definition of "rock", anyway]]) formed in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux (born Susan Ballion) and bassist Steven [[ShoutOut Sev]][[VelvetUnderground erin]] (born Steven John Bailey). While their roots were very much in the punk rock scene (the impromptu gig that led to the band's formation actually featured [[TheSexPistols Sid Vicious]] on drums) they quickly branched out and began to employ a wide variety of instruments and musical styles.

They are regularly cited as being one of the more influential punk bands ([[NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly for a given definition of "punk", anyway]]) in the history of the genre.

* BiTheWay: Siouxsie, though she doesn't identify that way. For that matter, she doesn't label herself as hetero- or homosexual, either. What she's said is, "There are guys I have sex with, and there are girls I have sex with and I don't feel the need to label anything."

* DreamTeam: When TheCure's Robert Smith joined the band as a guitarist.

** LooksLikeCesare: Again, Siouxsie and Robert.

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: from the lyrics of the aforementioned "Slowdive"

* {{Goth Rock}}
** Though, much like TheCure, they combined it with [[NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly quite a few other genres]] and were often poppier than the norm for the genre, sometimes bordering on Music/{{NewWave}}.

* LongRunnerLineUp: Played straight and averted at the same time. While they did go through a lot of lineup changes, mostly guitarists, the core members of the band were the same for nearly all the 17 years of their run: Siouxsie, Steven Severin (the founding members) and drummer Budgie. The latter was recruited to play for their 1979 Join Hands tour: he was originally supposed to be a temporary member but ended up remaining until the band's breakup in 1995. The fact that [[RomanceOnTheSet he hooked up with and subsequently married Siouxsie]] probably helped.
* LyricalDissonance: Often.

* MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness: all over the place, but typically 4-5. They sometimes go up to 6, though, especially early on. They've also been known to go lower, or off the scale completely. After all, they were [[NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly eclectic]].

* OminousMusicBoxTune: combined to great effect with LastNoteNightmare in "Carousel".

* PunkRock: at the beginning of their career. They quickly moved on...

* ScaryScarecrows: "Scarecrow", of course. Differs from most examples in that the lyrics have a vaguely sexual subtext.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Drummer Kenny Morris and guitarist John [=McKay=] ditched the group without notice.
* StalkerWithACrush / MurderBallad: A favourite lyrical theme, especially notable in "Carcass" and "Head Cut".

* AnimeHair: Siouxsie, Budgie, Robert Smith, Kenny Morris, and [=John McGeoch=].

* ((Confucius)): Mentioned in "Hong Kong Garden"

* Confucius: Mentioned in "Hong Kong Garden"

** LooksLikeCesare: Again, Siouxsie and Robert.

--> "When you dive slow"

----

* MsFanservice Siouxsie.

* MagnumOpus: According to the band, ''Peepshow''. Before that, it was ''A Kiss in the Dreamhouse''.

* {{Goth}}

* IfYouKnowWhatIMean: Some people believe the song "Slowdive" to be about sex or masturbation.

* BlackAndWhiteBeauty: Siouxsie (depending on the makeup), and Robert Smith.
** EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: Siouxsie, Robert Smith, and John Carruthers.
** LooksLikeCesare: Again, Siouxsie and Robert.