Steven Severin: Siouxsie and the Banshees’ reissue program dumped by Univeral Music

Universal Music Group is scrapping its Siouxsie and the Banshees reissue program midstream, meaning the band’s’ final four albums — 1987’s Through the Looking Glass 1988’s Peepshow, 1991’s Superstition and 1995’s The Rapture — won’t receive expanded re-releases as planned, ex-bassist Steven Severin says.

The Banshees launched their reissues in 2005 with a 2CD deluxe edition of the band’s 1978 debut, The Scream In 2006, single-disc reissues of Join Hands (1979), Kaleidoscope (1980) and Juju (1981) followed. And last year, three more titles — A Kiss in the Dreamhouse (1982), Hyaena (1984) and Tinderbox (1986) received single-disc reissues.

Severin this morning reported the news on his Facebook fan page, adding that the Banshees are seeking other options to release single-disc reissues of the final four albums:

“Universal have decided not to release any more single disc remasters. As the final four albums don’t have enough extras to warrant the double disc ‘deluxe’ treatment, they have halted our programme four albums short. They have given us the opportunity to license the last four (Peepshow, Glass, Super, Rapture) to another label. We are looking into this.”

Severin’s update was met my immediate fan outcry, as well as suggestions that the band try to license the final four albums to Rhino Records, Mute or Domino. When some fans asked why Universal is trying to get the Banshees to release double-disc reissues when only the band’s first album received that treatment, Severin responded, “It’s a way of using ‘policy’ to only focus on the big sellers. You have to read between the lines.”

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS

• Banshees’ Steven Severin brings ‘Music for Silents’ concerts to U.S.
• New releases: Siouxsie and the Banshees, Killing Joke box sets
• Siouxsie and the Banshees reissuing 4 more albums, releasing ‘At the BBC’ box set