Showing posts with label Siouxsie and the Banshees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Siouxsie and the Banshees. Show all posts

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Retrovision: Siouxsie and Banshees - Swimming Horses

 Forty years ago, Siouxsie and Banshees released "Swimming Horses" which was the first single from their sixth album Hyæna released in 1984. Unlike their previous singles, this song was based on the piano melody making it a great gothic art pop experiment.

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Best of 1987 - Top 50 Singles

This fall we will continue with our 30 year anniversary of 1987 with the selection of Best single releases. As mentioned, an interesting year which was still sort of a crossover year in which some music styles from the first half of the decade started to transform into new genres raising new musical opportunities and opening stages for new kids. The European market was mostly dominated by SAW releases while in the USA it was mostly Madonna, Whitney Houston, U2 who were holding top positions on the charts for several weeks.
Along the commercial level, creativity was also in bloom in all varieties of sounds from Jangle Pop all the way to new trends in electronic music.

Time has come to reveal the Top 40 singles of 1987, thirty years after as submitted by friends and readers of Burning Flame.



01. New Oder- True Faith
02. The Cure- Just Like Heaven
03. Pet Shop Boys- It’s a Sin
04. Depeche Mode- Never Let Me Down Again
05. Prince- Sign O’ the Times
06. The Jesus and Mary Chain – April Skies
07. Siouxsie & The Banshees - The Passenger   
08. Depeche Mode- Strange Love
09. Black- Everything is Coming Up Roses          
10. U2 - With or Without You
11. The House of Love- Shine On
12. Pink Floyd- Learning to Fly
13. The Pogues- Fairytale of New York
14. M/A/R/R/S- Pump Up the Volume
15. Suzanne Vega – Luka
16. INXS- Need You Tonight
17. The Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
18. Madonna - La Isla Bonita
19. Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield ‎- What Have I Done to Deserve This?  
20. Sinead O’ Connor- Troy 

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Best of 1986- The Album List

n the early months of 1985, the Pet Shop Boys made a significant impact on the UK charts with "West End Girls," a track that would go on to become their signature tune and biggest hit. Alongside Erasure, they played a pivotal role in transforming synth-pop into electro-dance, giving the genre a fresh and contemporary sound. The Communards also contributed to this evolving trend, as their cover of the disco classic "Don't Leave Me This Way" emerged as the best-selling single of the year.

Meanwhile, established artists like Madonna and George Michael continued to be among the best-selling acts, further shaping the pop genre. Madonna's third studio album, "True Blue," stood out as the best-selling album in the UK during this period, solidifying her status as a pop icon. The musical landscape of 1985 reflected a dynamic fusion of synth-pop, electro-dance, and enduring pop influences.


Monday, August 31, 2015

Siouxsie Sioux- New Song in TV Series

Siouxsie Sioux is back! It is her first new offering in almost 8 years. It appeared in the season 3 finale of Hannibal and it is a another masterpiece whose mood and atmosphere remind of early 90's "Face to Face" tune. It is haunting and her voice still sounds amazing. It was written and performed by Siouxsie Sioux and Brian Reitzell, but has not been announced a single.


Friday, October 31, 2014

Siouxsie and the Banshees' Final Albums Reissued

The reissue of the last four albums by Siuxsie and the Banshees has been quite a topic with this month finally giving it an official release announcment. This package include the final four albums (1987′s 'Through the Looking Glass' 1988′s 'Peepshow', 1991′s 'Superstition' and 1995′s 'The Rapture'). All four releases come with remastered audio from the original master tapes, rare bonus and unreleased tracks plus extensive sleeve notes. And just a reminder that in April their debut single "Hong Kong Garden" was reissued on double seven-inch vinyl.

www.facebook.com/pages/Siouxsie-And-The-Banshees



Thursday, July 31, 2014

Best of 1984 - Top 50 Singles List

The growing popularity of Michael Jackson which started in 1983 also set foot in 1984 especially after the video for "Thriller" was released. Even though the content of the video was controversial at that time, it was also groundbreaking and it revolutionized the music industry and the world of pop by breaking down the racial barriers and transforming the music video into a work of art.
Even at the other end of the Atlantic the 1983 started with a small scandal which involved Frankie Goes To Hollywood who got banned by BBC for almost a year due to the explicit lyrics in the and provocative video for their biggest hit "Relax". Despite this fact, the band managed  to have major success around the world with their debut album "Welcome to the Pleasuredome". This was also the first big success for ZTT Records and three times platinum in the UK. Towards the end of the year the Frankie Goes to Hollywood ban was slowly lifted and "Relax" was the ultimate anthem of 1984 introducing the Frankie Says Relax trend. 
With the growing popularity of MTV, in 1984 the first MTV Music Awards were given away at the  Radio City Music Hall in New York. Among the winners were Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Herbie Hancock. Madonna has not been up for awards, but manged to make prominence and shake the pop world with her performance at the VMA's. 
Just ahead of Christmas when 1984 was in the fade out, a group of musicians headed by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure got together for a good cause forming Band Aid. This was a group of musicians who recorded a song to raise awareness and funds for the Ethiopian famine in 1983–1985. It included more than 40 musicians and it sold over two million copies around the globe and raised more than $24 million. 
 Towards the end of the year New Gold Dream which could easily be translated as the golden era of new Wave slowly began to vanish and became clear that the new musical term was Pop.

 The following Top 50 represents the result of the 'Best of 1984 - The Album list' from 2014 together with our in-house votes.
 
Updated: 08/2020


01. Bronski Beat- Small Town Boy 
02. Echo & The Bunnymen- The Killing Moon 
03. Talk Talk- It’s My Life 
04. Prince- When Doves Cry 
05. Billy Idol- Eyes Without a Face 
06. Cyndi Lauper- Time After Time  
07. Leonard Cohen- Dance Me to the End of Love  
08. Dead or Alive- You Spin Me Around 
09. Duran Duran- New Moon on Monday 
10. Alphaville - Big in Japan 
11. A-ha- Take on Me
12. Prince and the Revolution- Purple Rain
13. Madonna - Borderline
14. Pet Shop Boys- West End Girls '84
15. Gary Numan- Berserker
16. Siouxsie and The Banshees- Dazzle
17. Eurythmics- Here Comes the Rain Again 
18. Frankie Goes To Hollywood- Two Tribes
19. The Smiths- What Difference Does it Make  
20. The Style Council- Shout to the Top

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Best of 1984- The Album List

The growing popularity of Michael Jackson which started in 1983 also set foot in 1984 especially after the video for "Thriller" was released. Even though the content of the video was controversial at that time, it was also groundbreaking and it revolutionized the music industry and the world of pop by breaking down the racial barriers and transforming the music video into a work of art.
Even at the other end of the Atlantic the 1983 started with a small scandal which involved Frankie Goes To Hollywood who got banned by BBC for almost a year due to the explicit lyrics in the and provocative video for their biggest hit "Relax". Despite this fact, the band managed to have major success around the world with their debut album Welcome to the Pleasuredome. This was also the first big success for ZTT Records and three times platinum in the UK. Towards the end of the year the Frankie Goes to Hollywood ban was slowly lifted and "Relax" was the ultimate anthem of 1984 introducing the Frankie Says Relax trend. 
With the growing popularity of MTV, in 1984 the first MTV Music Awards were given away at the  Radio City Music Hall in New York. Among the winners were Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Herbie Hancock. Madonna was not up for awards, but manged to make prominence and shake the pop world with her performance at the VMA's. 
Just ahead of Christmas when 1984 was in the fade out, a group of musicians headed by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure got together for a good cause forming Band Aid. This was a group of musicians who recorded a song to raise awareness and funds for the Ethiopian famine in 1983–1985. It included more than 40 musicians and it sold over two million copies around the globe and raised more than $24 million. 
Towards the end of the year New Gold Dream which could easily be translated as the golden era of new Wave slowly began to vanish and became clear that the new musical term was Pop.

 

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Best of 1983 - The Singles List

The year 1982 was all about Michael Jackson's Thriller which became the best selling album of all time. The video for the song proved to be challenging for the MTV airwaves and it is also considered as one of the best videos of all time. Along with Michael Jackson's success other artists followed; David Bowie released Let's Dance, his most commercial album to date and ladies rocked too, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper released their debuts too exploring the weird and unconventional and Kim Wilde won the Brit Award for best British female artist. 
In 1982, the first compact discs were produced in Germany and were already sold in Japan during the third quarter of the same year. In 1983 they also went on sale in the USA and they will certainly revolutionize the music industry in the coming years. 
New Wave slowly faded into Pop and its biggest stars of the decade Michal Jackson, Madonna, Prince and George Michael will rule the charts for the rest of the decade and beyond.
 

The following Top 50 represents the result of the 'Best of 1983 - The Singles List' poll from 2013 together with our in-house votes. 

Updated: 06/2020


01. New Order- Blue Monday 

02. Depeche Mode- Everything Counts 
03. The Smiths- This Charming Man 
04. Michael Jackson - Thriller 
05. The Sisters of Mercy- Temple of Love 
06. Simple Minds- New Gold Dream 81-82-83-84 
07. Frankie Goes To Hollywood- Relax 
08. Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) 
09. The The- This is the Day 
10. Siouxsie and The Banshees- Dear Prudence 
11. Yazoo- Nobody's Diary 
12. Echo & The Bunnymen- The Cutter 
13. U2- New Year’s Day 
14. David Bowie – Let's Dance
15. Cyndi Lauper- Girls Just Wanna have Fun
16. Pat Benetar - Love is a Battlefield 
17. Talking Heads - Burning Down The House 
18. R.E.M.- Radio Free Europe 
19. Spandau Ballet - True 
20. PIL- This is not a Love Song 

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Best of 1982 - The Album List

The rise of synthesizers continued to shape the landscape of pop music, gaining dominance and emerging as a potential formula for future success. The Human League maintained their chart-topping presence and received the BRIT Award for Best Breakthrough Act, solidifying their status as pioneers of the synth-pop movement. Inspired by their success, other bands such as Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Soft Cell adopted synthesizers as primary instruments, contributing to the launch of the Second British Invasion in the United States.
This musical invasion introduced new styles, rhythms, and stars to American audiences, with acts like Duran Duran, The Human League, Eurythmics, Billy Idol, and more making a significant impact. However, the era also saw the dissolution of some iconic bands from the late '70s and early '80s, including Blondie, Adam and The Ants, ABBA, and Japan, marking the end of their influential musical journeys.


Friday, December 30, 2011

Best of 1981 - Top 50 Singles List

Following the tragic death of John Lennon in December 1980, the world was still in mourning after the loss of one of the most influential musical masterminds of all time. All this did also had impact on the charts as where his biggest hits "Woman" and "Imagine" could be found again. Even Roxy Music paid tribute to him by covering "Jealous Guy".
Apart from this, the charts were still dominated by the rising stars of 1980, Adam and the Ants while The Police had more hits. Human League re-formed this year exiting the dark phase and releasing "Don't You Want Me Baby" which together with Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" helped to emblem the music style which would in the coming years be known as Synth-pop.
Along with the increasing popularity of synth driven music, the New Romantic movement slowly grew to fame as new kids adopted synths and started wearing lipstick. Perhaps the biggest event of the year was the launch of MTV which aired "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles. The song became a huge hit and a symbol for the new platform which would give the music industry a new face and dimension.
 
 During our 30 year anniversary of 1981 in 2011, the following album were voted Top 50 singles by Burning Flame friends and readers including in-house votes.

Updated: 05/2020


01. Ultravox- Vienna 

02. The Cure- Charlotte Sometimes 
03. The Human League- Don't You Want Me 
04. Siouxsie and the Banshees- Spellbound 
05. New Order- Ceremony 
06. Soft Cell- Tainted Love 
07. Talking Heads- Once in a Lifetime 
08. Duran Duran- Planet Earth 
09. Ultravox-The Voice 
10. Japan- Quiet Life 
11. Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough 
12. Simple Minds- Love Song 
13. Kraftwerk- Computer Love 
14. The Specials - Ghost Town 
15. Heaven 17 -We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang 
16. David Bowie - Up The Hill Backwards 
17. Kim Wilde - Kids in America 
18. Depeche Mode- New Life 
19. Men At Work - Down Under 
20. Soft Cell - Memorabilia 

Thursday, September 15, 2011

OMD Revisit Eric's Club

The legendary music club in England has opened its doors again. Eric's Club which was opened in Liverpool on October 1, 1976 in a building basement on Mathew Street, has became notable for hosting early performances by many punk, new wave and post-punk bands as well as by The Beatles. Joy Division, Ultravox, Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Clash are among of the groups who performed some of their first gigs there. For OMD it all started at the Eric's club where they had their debut in 1978 and they came back to re-open the club after 33 years.
 
OMD performing "Electricity"

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Retrovision: Siouxsie and the Banshees- Spellbound

"Spellbound" is one of the finest Siouxsie and the Banshees songs which was released in 1981. Thirty years ago, the song was the first single release from the album Juju and topped the UK charts at #22.More important, both the album and the single were hailed by both critics and musicians. In 1995, Melody Maker placed 'Juju' as "one of the most influential British albums of all time" and Mojo honoured John McGeoch by rating him in their list of 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time for his work on "Spellbound".

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Best of 1980 - Top 50 Singles List

It was an interesting year at the crossroads still very influenced by the 70's music and culture but also slowly opening the doors to the new decade and adopting new trends and styles. Blondie, Abba, The Police and The Jam still ruled the charts. David Bowie scored his second number one hit this year while Kate Bush became the first British female artist to have a No.1 album. It was also a sad year in music as the music world lost two very influential musical artists and iconic figures. Ian Curtis of Joy Division hanged himself just days before the US Tour kick off and John Lennon was shot dead outside his apartment building in New York City, both leaving their families and thousands of fans in mourning and sorrow. The year ended with John Lennon's song "{Just Like) Starting Over" reaching number one in the UK charts announcing the new decade.

During our 30 year anniversary of 1980 in 2010, the following albums were voted Top 50 Singles by Burning Flame friends and readers including in-house votes.

Updated: 05/2020


01. Joy Division- Love Will Tear Us Apart 
02. Visage- Fade to Grey 
03. Orchestral Manouvers in the Dark- Enola Gay 
04. Joy Division- Atmosphere 
05. David Bowie- Ashes to Ashes
06. The Cure- A Forest 
07. Spandau Ballet- To Cut A Long Story Short
08. Blondie- Atomic 
09. The Korgis - Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes 
10. Siouxsie and the Banshees- Happy House 
11. Peter Gabriel- Games Without The Frontiers 
12. Robert Palmer - Johnny and Mary
13. John Foxx- Underpass
14. Martha and The Muffins- Echo Beach
15. The Clash - Train in Vain
16. The Jam- Going Underground
17. Kate Bush- Babooska 
18. The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
19. Bauhaus - Dark Entries
20. Ultravox- Passing Strangers 

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Instant Hit: Siouxsie & The Banshees- Happy House

"Happy House" was the first single Siouxsie & The Banshees released from their third album Kaleidoscope. It was released in March in 1980, and became their second top 20 hit in the UK. The songs intorduction was sampled by Italian dance act Cappella in their song "U got to Know" during the 90's when Cappella was sued by the band and lost. The original celebrates the 30 years anniversary.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Siouxsie Sioux- MantaRay

Siouxsie Sioux, the iconic frontwoman of both The Siouxsie & The Banshees and The Creatures, has made a solo comeback with her new album, 'MantaRay.' This release marks her return to the music scene after an illustrious thirty-year career. The album has already been released in the UK under Universal Records, with the US release scheduled for October 2, 2007. 
The album gained positive reviews from music critics, including Pichfork Media. The first single fom the album is "Into A Swan" and it was released three weeks before the album release.




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