Their first single "Hong Kong Garden" reached the top ten in the UK in the summer of 1978. Their debut full-length The Scream (1978) is today considered as a classic. NME wrote in its review, "The band sounds like, some unique hybrid of the Velvet Underground mated with much of the ingenuity of Tago Mago-era Can, if any parallel can be drawn... certainly, the traditional three-piece sound has never been used in a more unorthodox fashion with such stunning results." Indeed, "Switch" placed Siouxsie and the Banshees as pioneers of the post-punk movement.
Their sophomore Join Hands (1979), perhaps their darkest record, followed up. Guitarist McKay and drummer Morris had left the band shortly after its release. This change allowed Siouxsie the Banshees to play different music. They recruited drummer Budgie and the gifted John McGeoch, formerly of Magazine, who would play guitars on the three following records. McGeoch's work with Siouxsie the Banshees would later be praised by the likes of Radiohead and the Smiths.
Their third record Kaleidoscope (1980) released. Including tracks "Happy House" and "Christine", showed a brand new musical departure with liquid guitars and atmospheric synthesizers. This eclectic record was a success and it reached the top five in the national UK charts. One year later, fourth full-length Juju (1981), with the vibrant "Spellbound", was yet another success for the band.
The last session McGeoch recorded with Siouxsie and the Banshees was for the "Slowdive" single off the classic A Kiss in the Dreamhouse (1982). The British press greeted this fifth release enthusiastically. NME wrote on its review, "I promise. This music will take your breath away." McGeoch, worn out by the recording process of these songs, was hospitalized on his return from a promotional trip to Madrid, Spain. At the same era, Siouxsie and drummer Budgie formed the Creatures to record music more based on percussion.
In late 1982, McGeoch was replaced by famed Robert Smith, from the Cure. Smith became a full-time member between the years 1982 and 1984. He contributed to the classic live album, and later would be DVD, Nocturne (1983) and to the sixth studio album Hyaena (1984) as co-composer.
Guitarist John Valentine Carruthers, from band Clock DVA, replaced Smith in May, 1984. He played on the successful seventh full-length Tinderbox (1986), which included the first hit single of the band in the US, "Cities in Dust". The following covers album Through the Looking Glass (1987) with "This Wheel's on Fire", allowed the band to broaden up their sound.
Following a lengthy break, the rest of the band recruited another, new guitarist Jon Klein, from Specimen and the multi-instrumentalist Martin McCarrick to record ninth studio Peepshow (1988). The hit single "Peek-a-Boo" was considered as avant-garde for its abrasive sounds.
After the most impressive tour of their career, Siouxsie and the Banshees stopped for a while and then the Creatures reappeared with critically acclaimed sophomore Boomerang (1989). One of the most languorous songs from this record, "Killing Time", was covered live by Jeff Buckley a few years later.
In May 13th, 1991 Siouxsie the Banshees returned with the single "Kiss Them for Me", mixing the Beatles strings over a dance rhythm. This track peaked in the US singles charts at number 23, allowing them to reach a new audience. Melody Maker praised the last two studio albums by the band, Superstition (1991) and The Rapture (1995). The latter, partially produced by John Cale, included the swansong "Forever".
Morrissey later recorded a duet with Siouxsie titled "Interlude". This one, off-single was published under the banner of the two artists' names. After 20 years together, Siouxsie and the Banshees split in April, 1996. Siouxsie and Budgie thet announced that they would carry on recording as the Creatures. They released their third studio Anima Animus (1999) to critical acclaim.
The box set Downside Up (2004) was released, compiling 51 unreleased B-sides and the highly praised out-of-print The Thorn EP. Most of these numbers like, "Something Wicked (This Way Comes)" and "Red over White", are considered by fans as 'classics.' After carrying on recording as the Creatures, Siouxsie released her debut solo Mantaray (2007). The record was hailed by both Pitchfork and Mojo.
Influence on Other Artists
Siouxsie and the Banshees have influenced musicians worldwide across many genres.
The band had a strong impact on Trip Hop acts such as:
* Tricky covered "Tattoo" to open his second solo album Nearly God. Here's his version: Tattoo. The original version of "Tattoo" was recorded in 1983 and is available on the Banshees Downside Up box set.
* Massive Attack covered and sampled the music of Metal Postcard on their song "Superpredators (Metal Postcard)" for the movie soundtrack The Jackal.
Siouxsie and the Banshees also inspired the following artists :
* LCD Soundsystem covered "Slowdive" for the cd-single "Disco Infiltrator". Here's the original Slowdive and the LCD Soundsystem version Slowdive (XFM session)
* Jeff Buckley covered live a Siouxsie / The Creatures song called 'Killing Time' originally composed in 1989 on the album Boomerang. Here's the original Killing Time.
* Morrissey stated this in 'GQ' in 1994 : "None of them are as good as Siouxsie and the Banshees at full pelt. That's not dusty nostalgia, that's fact."
* The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr from The Smiths stated on the BBC radio 2 in february'2008 that he rated very high McGeoch for his work on Spellbound.
* Garbage singer Shirley Manson wrote in the foreword of the official Siouxsie and the Banshees biography in 2003 by Mojo magazine journalist Mark Paytress : "I learned how to sing listening to The Scream and Kaleidoscope."
* Radiohead bassist Colin Greenwood claims that while recording their song "There There", producer Nigel Godrich tried to get guitarist Jonny Greenwood to sound like the Banshees' John McGeoch.
* PJ Harvey selected in her top ten favourite albums of year 1999 : Anima Animus by The Creatures. aka Siouxsie.
*Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro also makes a parallel between his band and the Banshees in Siouxsie's official biography: "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."
*The Beta Band sampled the bridge of Painted Bird on their track Liquid Bird from the Heroes to Zeros album.
*Red Hot Chili Peppers covered Christine live at the V2001 festival. In 2002, their guitarist John Frusciante stated in an article featured on Total Guitar Magazine about Banshees guitarist John McGeoch : "He’s just a great guitar player, full stop. I wanted to listen to these people who weren’t just about technique but more about textures. People like John McGeoch. People who used good chords." also declaring that John McGeoch was an influence for the sound on the Red Hot Chili Peppers album By The Way.
*The Mars Volta covered Pulled to Bits (Live At The Royal Albert Hall) for the 'Wax Simulacra' single.
*Arcade Fire singer Win Butler suggested to the band Devotchka to cover the 1988 Siouxsie song : The Last Beat Of My Heart. One can listen to the Devothcka version on their Curse Your Little Heart ep.
* The Cure leader Robert Smith declared in 2003 in Mark Paytress's Siouxsie biography : "Siouxsie and The Banshees and Wire were the two bands I really admired. They meant something." He also pinpointed what the Join Hands tour brought him musically. "On stage that first night with the Banshees, I was Blown away by how powerful I felt playing that kind of music. It was so different to what we were doing with The Cure. Before that, I'd wanted us to be like The Buzzcocks or Elvis Costello, the punk Beatles. Being a Banshee really changed my attitude to what I was doing." He also talked about the band to Steve Sutherland in 1985 to describe "The Head On the Door" : "It reminds me of the Kaleidoscope album, the idea of having lots of different sounding things, different colors."
*U2 selected Christine for a compilation made for Mojo and The Edge presented an award to Siouxsie at a Mojo ceremony in 2005.
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Split in 2002
The Double Life
Siouxsie and the Banshees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My secret chamber that no outsider views
For entry is forbidden prohibited
Behind this door is my other self
Not a picture in a frame nor a fresh disguise
But my other self, immobile inert and sanguine
My narcissus kisses exhale crimson breath
I stand before myself not Jekyll nor Hyde
Not sibling nor twin separated at birth
I stand before myself unaccountable
I dreamt that I had feet of clay
I dreamt I crossed the seven seas
And when I woke not knowing
I knew I led the double life
All I ever needed is twice removed
I spit my bile in an airless temper
In this vacuum a vampire reversed
This one who breathes life into me
And even dull mirrors reflect the tarnished twosome
I stand before myself not another me
Not doppelganger nor witless clone
I stand before myself unrepentant
I dreamt of sin and aftermath
I dreamt of centuries laid bare
And when I woke not knowing
I knew I led the double life
The lyrics of Siouxsie & The Banshees's song Double Life explore the idea of a hidden aspect of oneself, a secret chamber that is off-limits to outsiders. The locked room represents the singer's other self, separate from the persona they present to the world. The song describes the revelation of this other self as a surreal, dream-like experience. The lyrics also suggest a duality or split personality, with the singer standing "before myself unaccountable" and "unrepentant."
The imagery used throughout the song is vivid and unsettling, evoking Gothic and supernatural themes. The reference to vampire, blood, and mirrors add to the eerie atmosphere. The dream sequences where the singer has "feet of clay" and "crosses seven seas" further emphasize the dissociative state of mind.
The song Double Life presents a fascinating insight into the human psyche and questions the idea of what constitutes our true self. It suggests that there may be an alternative self, hidden and locked away. This interpretation is reinforced by the song's unorthodox structure and discordant melody, both of which add to the feeling of unease and disorientation.
Line by Line Meaning
At the top of the stairs is a locked room
There is a room at the highest point of the building that is locked and inaccessible to outsiders.
My secret chamber that no outsider views
It is a private space where nobody is allowed to witness what goes on inside.
For entry is forbidden prohibited
There are strict rules in place that prohibit entry for anyone who is not the owner of the chamber.
Behind this door is my other self
This is a place where the owner's other self resides, separated from their public persona.
Not a picture in a frame nor a fresh disguise
This other self is not represented in the form of a picture or a physical guise.
But my other self, immobile inert and sanguine
Rather, it is a separate entity that is still and unreactive, but with the color of blood flowing within it.
My narcissus kisses exhale crimson breath
The owner's kisses are self-absorbed and passionate, releasing warm breath tinted with the color of love.
And pump ruby to the lip
These kisses fill the heart with a crimson glow that reaches all the way to the lips.
I stand before myself not Jekyll nor Hyde
The owner stands before their other self, not as two separate personalities like the characters in the novel.
Not sibling nor twin separated at birth
They are not even siblings or twins separated from each other before birth.
I stand before myself unaccountable
The owner is not able to account for this hidden side of themselves, but they still stand before it.
I dreamt that I had feet of clay
The owner had a dream where they realized their weakness and vulnerability.
I dreamt I crossed the seven seas
In another dream, the owner roamed across vast bodies of water, experiencing different cultures and perspectives.
And when I woke not knowing
After waking up, the owner felt unsure of what they had just experienced in the dream world.
I knew I led the double life
But they still had an underlying understanding that they were leading a double life.
All I ever needed is twice removed
The owner feels that they are required to remove themselves from their true identity in order to pursue their other self.
I spit my bile in an airless temper
In moments of frustration, the owner expresses their anger in a confined and restricted manner.
In this vacuum a vampire reversed
In this emotional vacuum, the owner feels that they are the ones who are fueling the sustenance of their inner vampire, rather than being the victim.
This one who breathes life into me
Their other self is the one who gives them life and sustains them, even though they are seen as a monster that feeds on their own blood.
And even dull mirrors reflect the tarnished twosome
Even the images in a mirror portray a sense of darkness and damage that is associated with the duality of the owner's identity.
I stand before myself not another me
The owner stands before their other self, not as a separate entity, but as a manifestation of their true identity.
Not doppelganger nor witless clone
This other self is not a doppelganger or a meaningless copy of themselves, but an important part of their identity.
I stand before myself unrepentant
The owner feels no remorse for their other self or their decision to lead a double life, and they stand by this decision with confidence.
I dreamt of sin and aftermath
The owner had a dream where they indulged in sinful and immoral behavior and then experienced the consequences of their actions.
I dreamt of centuries laid bare
In another dream, the owner experienced the passage of time and the effect it had on society and their own identity.
And when I woke not knowing
Once again, after waking up from these dreams, the owner felt unsure of what it all meant and what lessons they could take from it.
I knew I led the double life
But they still had a sense that they were leading separate, distinct lives within themselves.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management
Written by: BUDGIE, JONATHAN DAVID KLEIN, SIOUXSIE SIOUX, STEVEN SEVERIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind