History Music / TheHorrors

** “Sheena Is A Parasite”, directed by Chris Cunningham of “Come To Daddy” and “Windowlicker” fame.

** ''V'' introduces synth-pop and industrial elements into their music.

** ''V'' introduces elements of synth-pop and industrial music into their music.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_lvnhtpT0FX1r7p0bbo1_500_1361.jpg
[[caption-width:350:The band during their iconic ''Strange House'' era. Left to right: Joe, Rhys, Faris, Tom, Joshua.]]

The Horrors are a band of [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly eclectic stylings]] based in Southend-on-Sea, England, and founded on their mutual fascination with vastly different genres of music and their hobbies of collecting vinyl records. Their debut album, ''Strange House'', brought them tons of media attention through their unique image, their varied and unlikely influences (from Music/JoyDivision and Music/{{Bauhaus}} to [[Music/TheStooges Iggy Pop]] to The Gun Club to Music/{{Kraftwerk}}) and the fact that they simply didn’t care as to what people thought of them. Their stressful stint as an opening act for ArcticMonkeys in 2006 made apparent the potential of the frontman, Faris Badwan, for violence and general antipathy toward the audience. Notable examples include scaling everything in sight, hurling paint buckets and trash cans into the crowd, and threatening the audience with rocks and large pieces of glass.

* ArtifactTitle: The band’s very name. They’re not as theatrically gothic as they once were.
** It was said at one point, however, that [[SubvertedTrope the name wasn't intended to invoke horrific images.]] Rather, it was intended along the lines of a pet name (e.g. "Mummy's little horror").
* BandOfRelatives: In-laws, technically. Joe is engaged to Rhys' sister.

* BodyHorror: The “Sheena Is A Parasite” video. What is that… slimy thing coming out of Sheena’s dress and getting its juices all over the camera? [[spoiler: It’s a rotting squid.]]
** The stanza towards the end of "Gloves" also counts:

** They’ve also done live covers of JoyDivision’s “No Love Lost”.
** They also did a cover of "Umbrella" by Music/{{Rihanna}}.
** More recently, they've covered DavidBowie's "Suffragette City" and Music/{{Beyonce}}'s [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent "Best Thing You Never Had"]].
* ADateWithRosiePalms: Possibly sung about in “I Can’t Control Myself”.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler: In “Excellent Choice”, [[ButtMonkey main character Morgan]] decides to end his fruitless life by calmly laying himself out on the train tracks and waiting for the next train to come by and kill him.]]
** "Dive In" counts, as well.
* EchoingAcoustics: Starting with ''Primary Colours'' and continuing into ''Skying''.

** "I Only Think Of You".
** “Sea Within A Sea”.
** "Moving Further Away", presently the band's longest song, at 8:34.
** "Oceans Burning".

** "I Only Think Of You" also fits.

* MinisculeRocking: “Sheena Is A Parasite” is under two minutes long, but is still one of the band’s best-known songs.

** Also, the narration in "Excellent Choice".
* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: Possibly the closest that any real-life example has come to the actual name of the trope.
** ''Strange House'' is a mixture of Goth rock and garage punk with strains of sixties pop.

* NiceShoes: Josh has/had his white boots.
** The same kind of shoe appears on the [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img-thing_4782.jpg “I AM A HORROR” shirt]].

** "Little Victories" counts, as well.

* PerformanceVideo: A great number of their videos. Notable twists on the concept are:

** The video for “Sheena Is A Parasite” is particularly nightmarish.

* PsychedelicRock: Heavily influences the band at this point.

** “Sheena Is A Parasite” is a ShoutOut to TheRamones' song “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker”. This makes more sense when you realize that the song is actually a short allegory of the history of punk rock.

** The band recently repainted their studio floor [[OrangeBlueContrast orange and blue stripes]] in homage to [[PinkFloyd Syd Barret]].

** Also examples of TheDanza, although Spider Webb is a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]].

* TextlessAlbumCover: ''Primary Colours'', although a sticker has been placed in the corner to aid the ignorant.
** ''Strange House'', too.

* ''Skying'' (2010)

The Horrors are a band of [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly eclectic stylings]] based in Southend-on-Sea, England, and founded on their mutual fascination with vastly different genres of music and their hobbies of collecting vinyl records. Their debut album, ''Strange House'', brought them tons of media attention through their unique image, their varied and unlikely influences (from JoyDivision and {{Bauhaus}} to IggyPop to The Gun Club to {{Kraftwerk}}) and the fact that they simply didn’t care as to what people thought of them. Their stressful stint as an opening act for ArcticMonkeys in 2006 made apparent the potential of the frontman, Faris Badwan, for violence and general antipathy toward the audience. Notable examples include scaling everything in sight, hurling paint buckets and trash cans into the crowd, and threatening the audience with rocks and large pieces of glass.

** More recently, they've covered DavidBowie's "Suffragette City" and Music{{Beyonce}}'s [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent "Best Thing You Never Had"]].

** They also did a cover of "Umbrella" by [[Music/Rihanna]].
** More recently, they've covered DavidBowie's "Suffragette City" and [[Music/Beyonce]]'s [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent "Best Thing You Never Had"]].

Faris Badwan has done numerous musical side projects, most notably Cat’s Eyes with Canadian opera singer (and possible girlfriend) Rachel Zeffira. He is also an avid drawer and has had an art exhibit, ''Drawing A Straight Number 9'', with another to follow soon as of this writing. He is also a talented soccer/football player (the latter much to people’s surprise). Bassist Rhys Webb and synth player Tom Cowan have collaborated on a side project under the name Spider and the Flies, and have released a self-titled [=EP=].

* ArtifactTitle: The band’s very name. They’re not as theatrically gothic as they once were.

* CarefulWithThatAxe: Faris did this in spades during ''Strange House''.

** “Jack The Ripper”, originally a song by Screaming Lord Sutch, covered on their eponymous debut EP and again, differently arranged, as the opener on ''Strange House''.

** They also did a cover of Umbrella by Rihanna

* EpilepticFlashingLights: In the video for “Sheena Is A Parasite”, which is the reason it got banned from MTV and British television.

** The entirety of ''Strange House'' mixes this with GarageRock.

** ''Strange House'' is a mixture of Goth rock and garage punk with strains of sixties pop-rock.
** ''Primary Colours'' and ''Skying'' mix together elements of shoegaze, plain-ol’ alternative rock, {{Krautrock}}, and post-punk revival. Psychedelic rock becomes more prominent with ''Skying'', though.

** The same kind of shoe appears on the [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img-thing_4782.jpg “I AM A HORROR” shirt]], although it can be black or white.

* ShoutOut: Their career is rife with them, what with the members very invested in music from a young age and continuing to lift elements as they please from various artists and songs as a way of both enjoying themselves and paying respects to their favorite groups.
** “Sheena Is A Parasite” is a ShoutOut to TheRamones' song “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker”. This makes more sense when you realize that the song is actually a short, netaphorical history of punk rock.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: "Gil Sleeping", the only instrumental ever released by the band. It helps that it doesn't sound anything like the other songs on ''Strange House'', either.

** “Sea Within A Sea”. Also the band's longest song, clocking in at 7:58.

The Horrors are a band of [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly eclectic stylings]] based in Southend-on-Sea, England, and founded on their mutual fascination with vastly different genres of music and their hobbies of collecting vinyl records. Their debut album, ''Strange House'', brought them tons of media attention through their unique image, their varied and unlikely influences (from JoyDivision and {{Bauhaus}} to IggyPop to The Gun Club to {{Kraftwerk}}) and the fact that they simply didn’t care as to what people thought of them. Their stressful stint as an opening act for ArcticMonkeys in 2006 made apparent the potential of the frontman, Faris Badwan, for [[ChaoticEvil violence and general antipathy toward the audience]]. Notable examples include scaling everything in sight, hurling paint buckets and trash cans into the crowd, and threatening the audience with rocks and large pieces of glass.

[[caption-width-right:350:The same band, present day.]]

The band cleaned up their act both literally and figuratively with their second album, ''Primary Colours'', generally considered their best by fans and critics alike. Their image became less overtly Gothic, and their sound, while still known for its eclecticism, became heavily influenced by {{Shoegaze}} and PsychedelicRock, especially with the introduction of synthesizers into their music. They followed up with the non-album single ''Whole New Way’’.

Their third album, ''Skying'', was a LighterAndSofter variant on the sound shown in ''Primary Colours''. It gained critical acclaim in the British indie scene, leading to the band winning the NME award for Album of the Year 2012 (despite the fact that 2012 had barely begun when they won it).

* Joshua Hayward: guitar [[note]] Tom’s brother, Freddie Cowan (presently guitarist for The Vaccines) filled in for Josh for a brief stretch during the ''Strange House'' tour, since Josh needed time off to take his exams and earn his physics PhD. Yes, a physics PhD.[[/note]]

Discography:

* ''Whole New Way'' (single) (2009) [[note]]Other singles have, of course, been released, but this is their only non-album single and should be specially noted.[[/note]]

* ArtifactTitle: The band’s very name. They’re not as theatrically Gothic as they once were.
* AwesomeMcCoolname: Faris Adam Derar Badwan.
* BSide: “Horrors’ Theme”, “Kicking Kay”, “Sister Leonella”, and “You Could Never Tell” are some notable originals.

** Also done on “New Ice Age”.
* ChorusOnlySong: “Sheena Is A Parasite”.
* CoverVersion
** “Jack The Ripper”, originally a song by Screaming Lord Sutch, covered twice by The Horrors (once on their eponymous debut EP and again as the opener on ''Strange House'').
** “Crawdaddy Simone”, originally by The Syndicats, also on The Horrors’ self-titled EP.
** They’ve also done live covers of JoyDivision’s early song “No Love Lost”.

* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler: In “Excellent Choice”, [[ButtMonkey main character]] Morgan decides to end his fruitless life by calmly laying himself out on the train tracks and waiting for the next train to come by and kill him.]]
* EchoingAcoustics: Started with ''Primary Colours'' and continuing into ''Skying''.
* EpicRocking

** “Sea Within A Sea”. All seven minutes and fifty-eight seconds of it.

* GothRock: Moreso during the early years than presently.

* MotorMouth: Rhys Webb.

* ObsessionSong

** One of the videos to “Count In Fives” [[RogerRabbitEffect mixes the live-action band members with scrawled animations]] done by Faris Badwan.

** Interspersed with stock footage for “Still Life”.

* SharpDressedMan: During ''Strange House'', their getup was downright Victorian Gothic at points. It still applies to their wardrobe today. Tom Cowan is the suavest of the bunch, though.

** “Sheena Is A Parasite” is a ShoutOut to TheRamones and their song “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker”. This makes more sense when you realize that the song is actually a short, brutally told history of punk rock.
** Faris lifted lines from the Jay and the Americans song “She Cried” for the bridge of “Who Can Say”.
** “Monica Gems” was said to be one to Sixties PsychedelicRock.

* SpokenWordInMusic: “Excellent Choice”, narrated by Rhys/Spider Webb.
* StageNames: Part of the band’s ''Strange House'' image. Back then, they were known as Faris Rotter, Joshua von Grimm (or Joshua Third), Tomethy Furse [[note]]Tom still credits himself as Tom Furse for some unknown reason[[/note]], [[IncrediblyLamePun Spider Webb]], and Coffin Joe.
* StepUpToTheMicrophone: Rhys Webb normally does backing vocals, but his most significant vocal contribution was [[MotorMouth narrating]] “Excellent Choice”.

* WaistcoatOfStyle: Worn often during ([[RunningGag you guessed it]]) the ''Strange House'' era.

** A controversial example is "Count In Fives", the intro and verse of which are uncredited replicas of the We The People song “My Brother, The Man”.

** Tom Cowan’s slicked back hair and rather formal method of dress, plus the fact that he plays the synths, is presumed by many to be a complex ShoutOut to {{Kraftwerk}}.
** Joshua Hayward’s noisy guitar style could be considered a ShoutOut to SonicYouth, his favorite band.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: ''Primary Colours'' may be their best album, but ''Strange House'' remains a fan favorite.

* StageNames: Part of the band’s ''Strange House'' image. Back then, they were known as Faris Rotter, Joshua von Grimm (or Joshua Third), Tomethy Furse [[hottip*: Tom still credits himself as Tom Furse for some unknown reason]], [[IncrediblyLamePun Spider Webb]], and Coffin Joe.

** The same kind of shoe appears on the famous “I AM A HORROR” shirt, although it can be black or white.

The Horrors are a band of [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly eclectic stylings]] based in Southend-on-Sea, England, and founded on their mutual fascination with vastly different genres of music and their hobbies of collecting vinyl records. Their debut album, ''Strange House'', brought them tons of media attention through their unique image, their varied and unlikely influences (from JoyDivision and {{Bauhaus}} to IggyPop to The Gun Club to {{Kraftwerk}}) and the fact that they simply didn’t care as to what people thought of them. Their stressful stint as an opening act for ArcticMonkeys made apparent the potential of the frontman, Faris Badwan, for violence and general antipathy toward the audience. Notable examples include scaling everything in sight, hurling paint buckets and trash cans into the crowd, and threatening the audience with rocks and large pieces of glass.

The band cleaned up their act (both literally and figuratively) with their second album, ''Primary Colours'', generally considered their best by fans and critics alike. Their image became less overtly Gothic, and their sound, while still known for its eclecticism, became heavily influenced by {{Shoegaze}} and PsychedelicRock, especially with the introduction of synthesizers into their music. They followed up with the non-album single ''Whole New Way’’.

* EpicRocking: “Sea Within A Sea”. All seven minutes and fifty-eight seconds of it.

** “Sheena Is A Parasite”, starring Samantha Morton and directed by Chris Cunningham of “Come To Daddy” and “Windowlicker” fame.

* ''Whole New Way'' (2009) [[note]]Other singles have, of course, been released, but this is their only non-album single and should be specially noted.[[/note]]

[[quoteleft:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_lvnhtpT0FX1r7p0bbo1_500_1361.jpg]]

The Horrors are a band of [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly eclectic stylings]] based in Southend-on-Sea, England, and founded on their mutual fascination with vastly different genres of music and their hobbies of collecting vinyl records. Their debut album, ''Strange House'', brought them tons of media attention through their unique image, their varied and unlikely influences (from JoyDivision and {{Bauhaus}} to IggyPop to The Gun Club to {{Kraftwerk}}) and the fact that they simply didn’t care as to what people thought of them. Their stressful stint as an opening act for ArcticMonkeys made apparent the potential of the frontman, Faris Badwan, for violence and general antipathy toward the audience. Notable examples include scaling everything in sight, hurling paint buckets and trash cans into the crowd, and threatening the audience with rocks and large pieces of glass.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_lvnhtpT0FX1r7p0bbo1_500_1361.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The band during their iconic ''Strange House'' era. Left to right: Joe, Rhys, Faris, Tom, Joshua.]]

The Horrors are a band of [[NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly eclectic stylings]] based in Southend-on-Sea, England, and founded on their mutual fascination with vastly different genres of music and their hobbies of collecting vinyl records. Their debut album, ‘’Strange House’’, brought them tons of media attention through their unique image, their varied and unlikely influences (from JoyDivision and {{Bauhaus}} to IggyPop to The Gun Club to {{Kraftwerk}}) and the fact that they simply didn’t care as to what people thought of them. Their stressful stint as an opening act for ArcticMonkeys made apparent the potential of the frontman, Faris Badwan, for violence and general antipathy toward the audience. Notable examples include scaling everything in sight, hurling paint buckets and trash cans into the crowd, and threatening the audience with rocks and large pieces of glass.

The band cleaned up their act (both literally and figuratively) with their second album, ‘’Primary Colours’’, generally considered their best by fans and critics alike. Their image became less overtly Gothic, and their sound, while still known for its eclecticism, became heavily influenced by {{Shoegaze}} and PsychedelicRock, especially with the introduction of synthesizers into their music. They followed up with the non-album single ‘’Whole New Way’’.

Their third album, ‘’Skying’’, was a LighterAndSofter variant on the sound shown in ‘’Primary Colours’’. It gained critical acclaim in the British indie scene, leading to the band winning the NME award for Album of the Year 2012 (despite the fact that 2012 had barely begun when they won it).

Faris Badwan has done numerous musical side projects, most notably Cat’s Eyes with Canadian opera singer (and possible girlfriend) Rachel Zeffira. He is also an avid drawer and has had an art exhibit, ‘’Drawing A Straight Number 9’’, with another to follow soon as of this writing. He is also a talented soccer/football player (the latter much to people’s surprise). Bassist Rhys Webb and synth player Tom Cowan have collaborated on a side project under the name Spider and the Flies, and have released a self-titled [=EP=].

* Joshua Hayward: guitar [[note]] Tom’s brother, Freddie Cowan (presently guitarist for The Vaccines) filled in for Josh for a brief stretch during the ‘’Strange House’’ tour, since Josh needed time off to take his exams and earn his physics PhD. Yes, a physics PhD.[[/note]]
* Tom Cowan: synthesizer; bassist during ‘’Strange House’’ era
* Rhys Webb: bass/backing vocals; organist/keyboardist during ‘’Strange House’’ era

* ‘’The Horrors’’ [=EP=] (2006)
* ‘’Strange House’’ (2007)
* ‘’Primary Colours’’ (2009)
* ’’Whole New Way’’ (2009) [[note]]Other singles have, of course, been released, but this is their only non-album single and should be specially noted.[[/note]]
* ‘’Skying’’ (2010)

* CarefulWithThatAxe: Faris did this in spades during ‘’Strange House’’.

* CoverVersion:
** “Jack The Ripper”, originally a song by Screaming Lord Sutch, covered twice by The Horrors (once on their eponymous debut EP and again as the opener on ‘’Strange House’’).

* CuteLittleFangs: Joshua’s got very impressive dogteeth.

* EchoingAcoustics: Started with ‘’Primary Colours’’ and continuing into ‘’Skying’’.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: ‘’Primary Colours’’ may be their best album, but ‘’Strange House’’ remains a fan favorite.

* ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow: An element of the band’s ‘’Strange House’’ image. [[SubvertedTrope Not so much evil as theatrical and sinister]], but definitely excessive, and definitely eyeshadow.

* LighterAndSofter: ‘’Skying’’.
* LongHairedPrettyBoy: When Joshua has long hair, this trope often comes into effect.
* LooksLikeCesare: An element of the band’s ‘’Strange House’’ image.

** ‘’Strange House’’ is a mixture of Goth rock and garage punk with strains of sixties pop-rock.
** ‘’Primary Colours’’ and ‘’Skying’’ mix together elements of shoegaze, plain-ol’ alternative rock, {{Krautrock}}, and post-punk revival. Psychedelic rock becomes more prominent with ‘’Skying’’, though.
* NewSoundAlbum: ‘’Primary Colours’’, and to an extent ‘’Skying’’.

* ObsessionSong:

* SharpDressedMan: Most prominently during ‘’Strange House’’, when their getup was downright Victorian Gothic at points. It still applies to their wardrobe today. Tom Cowan is the suavest of the bunch, though.

** A controversial example is ‘’Count In Fives’’, the intro and verse of which are uncredited replicas of the We The People song “My Brother, The Man”.

* SpokenWordInMusic: “Excellent Choice” on ‘’Strange House’’, narrated by Rhys/Spider Webb.
* StageNames: Part of the band’s ‘’Strange House’’ image. Back then, they were known as Faris Rotter, Joshua von Grimm (or Joshua Third), Tomethy Furse [[hottip*: Tom still credits himself as Tom Furse for some unknown reason]], [[IncrediblyLamePun Spider Webb]], and Coffin Joe.

* TextlessAlbumCover: ‘’Primary Colours’’, although a sticker has been placed in the corner to aid the ignorant.

* WaistcoatOfStyle: Worn often during ([[RunningGag you guessed it]]) the ‘’Strange House’’ era.

* ExcessiveEvilEyeshadow: An element of the band’s ‘’Strange House’’ image. [[Subverted Trope Not so much evil as theatrical and sinister]], but definitely excessive, and definitely eyeshadow.