Siouxsie and the Banshees circa Tinderbox
Two weeks after Siouxsie returned to the concert stage for the first time in five years with a pair of performances of 1980′s Kaleidoscope in London, there’s even more good news for Banshees fans: Bassist Steven Severin on Friday revealed in a tweet that, “After a gap of nearly a decades, the Banshees are talking again… The feud is over.”
Now, what, if anything, that means for the future of Siouxsie and the Banshees remains to be seen.
Severin likely was referring to just himself and Siouxise (see tweet below); he recently noted on the Facebook group Siouxsie (The Banshees & Other Creatures) that he and Sioux have “a partnership agreement signed years ago under the mutual understanding that neither of us would use the (Banshees) name WITHOUT the 2 of us involved,” which suggests they alone control the band’s name.
As for Budgie, the Banshees’ former drummer and Siouxie’s ex-husband and bandmate in The Creatures, Severin has very clearly implied the two remain quite estranged.
Any kind of reunion, however, still seems unlikely: Despite being very complimentary of Siouxsie following her recent performances, Severin last week wrote that “there could not be ANY version of the Banshees today as all the parties are estranged. It’s my way of saying that had a miracle ensued and the Banshees had tried to play Meltdown, it would certainly have been a disaster waiting to happen.”
It’s been a quiet half-decade for Banshees fans, with Siouxsie inactive since touring her solo debut MantaRay in 2008 and Universal Music pulling the plug on the band’s reissue campaign mid-stream. In recent years, Severin — who now composes new scores for old silent films — has mentioned the possibility of a 20-disc box set that has yet to see the light of day.
UPDATE 6/30/13: On the Siouxsie (The Banshees & Other Creatures) Facebook group this morning, Severin addressed his initial remark about being on speaking terms with the Banshees once again: “It’s not sarcastic….FFS. And there is NO reunion. We’re talking again. IT’S THAT SIMPLE!!!!!!!”
After a gap of nearly a decade, the Banshees are talking again…The feud is over.http://t.co/SqxCY1HS6M
— Steven Severin (@stevenseverin) June 28, 2013
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Video: Siouxsie closes 2nd Meltdown gig with Banshees classic ‘Spellbound’
- Siouxsie plays ‘Kaleidoscope’ in full at first concert in 5 years (SETLIST, PHOTOS, VIDEO)
- Siouxsie to play first concert in 5 years this summer as part of Yoko Ono’s Meltdown
- Siouxsie and the Banshees 20-disc ‘mega’ box set with 11 albums, live DVDs in works
- Steven Severin: Siouxsie and the Banshees’ reissue program dumped by Universal Music
Grow up already, kiss and make up and play some great music again, If The Police could, so could the Banshees.
I thought his tweet was being sarcastic because of the attached photo?
I’d be happy with a new Banshees album & tour, but I’d be just as happy with another solo album from Siouxsie!
Translation: Our other projects are not making any money and there’s a lot to be had on the reunion circuit. Whatever the reason, it would be a welcome return for sure. Good news.
Dead on the money, literally, lol. No doubt Stevie and Siouxsie are getting less royalties every year, and without touring income the wallets and purses are tightening.
Prediction: I see a show at Coachella ’14, with a reunion tour to follow.
DAMN IT! Just when I was getting used to accepting the fact that Siouxsie & The Banshees will never regroup, NOW, Steven and Sioux, you’ve got my mind thinking about the possibilities. They should have done an album in 2002/2003 right on the heels of THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH (tour). It would have undoubtedly resulted in Universal Music/Polydor reissuing all of the stuff within a few years, due to their reactivation, as opposed to the shaft they’ve given the band and the fans. We can still hope and look forward to the 20-Disc set, since Severin officially started working on the remasters of 1987-1995’s works this Summer.
However, Severin also generously stated last week that Siouxsie is free from being in what was sometimes a very contentious group, as the only female presence. *Also, Siouxsie’s under a solo contract w/ Universal Music/W14, and has been working on a sophomore LP follow-up to her 2007 debut since 2011;, so, unless she’s putting/including some of the material in to a Banshees project (which I’d LOVE in theory), Siouxsie’s future is still a solo one. Severin was also asked the 1st night of MELTDOWN if Budgie might make a surprise appearance: He stated that there was more of a chance of the long-ago deceased Sid Vicious showing up to play drums. Unless some serious changes occurred over the last 2 weeks, I think Severin just means that he and Sioux are on good, respectful ground again. Drummer (and long ago ex-husband) Budgie seems to be a whole ‘nother matter.
However, if the 3 (5, actually, inc. Knox Chandler and Martin McCarrick, hopefully as well) even decided to record a 5 or 6 song EP, I’d be on line at 9am to pick up a copy (remember when people used to do that)the day of its release. Also, an original release from the group would result in getting their catalog a full-on release.
I don’t think Siouxsie and Severin would EVER reactivate The Banshees for financial reasons…that’s never been their M.O. That’s why they had no problem stopping the band in 1996. And then not continuing after the promise of 2002. Still, we can dream…
My sonic, aural senses are all tingling now! And, oddly enough, over the last 24 hours, I’ve listened to the magnificent remastered reissues of both THE SCREAM and A KISS IN THE DREAMHOUSE.
Rock on, Siouxsie and The Banshees, whether it’s in the future, in our past, recurring memories, or just inside our minds always.
Prediction: I will give them my money to see them on that reunion tour.
Prediction: I will give them my money to see that reunion tour.
man sliceing eyeball and the long lost 80s. wow man.
No doubt a reunion tour is being planned for 2014. They’ll ‘talk’ over the summer, perhaps record in the fall…
Again, we’ll see them on the Coachella bill.
Also heard that Depeche Mode will be at Coachella as well.
I just want the rest of the remasters. Stopping just before the last four albums (two of which were their biggest sellers) is silly. OK I also want all the 12″ extended versions even if the band hates them, and I want the single version of “Song from the Edge of the World” to be available to everyone in every country, again, even if the band hates it.
Scott, EVERYBODY WANTS THE 1987 SINGLE “SONG FROM THE EDGE OF THE WORLD” TO BE INCLUDED AS A BONUS TRACK W/ THE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS REMASTER.
(That’s one of their best songs, one of Severin’s best lyrics, and one of Sioux’s best vocals.)
The 12″ singles would also be nice, as well.
I really hope that by The Winter holidays, we have at least 1987-1988’s discography remastered and reissued in 21st Century sound.
@That 80s Guy, Siouxsie’s next solo LP will probably be “dropping” late this Summer or early this Fall; then she’ll start promotion and work on her tour to support the album. By Spring 2014, she should be in the midst of circumnavigating Europe, Canada, The U.S., South America, Japan, then anywhere else she can get support. I’m not sure where The Banshees would figure into the equation.
In 2002, Siouxsie wanted to revisit The Banshees and their music, but Severin wasn’t really interested in going beyond The Seven Year Itch Tour, and didn’t want to really “diversify” the set list for their concerts, which frustrated Sioux and Budgie, which confirmed to them that they weren’t in the same creative mindset anymore. And couple that w/ the fact that Siouxsie and Budgie have been divorced since 2006 (I believe), and have been rather “estranged” since then, I would be VERY (though, HAPPILY) surprised if they could all come back together on a positive level. Heck, Siouxsie and Budgie still have songs/tracks from the LP they were halfway through making in 2004 that were supposed to be on what later became MANTARAY (2007), or a Creatures album. I’d be ECSTATIC if just the material they’d written in 2002-2005 got included on Sioux’s upcoming album (honestly, I’d love Budgie to make an appearance on her next solo album).
I can totally live w/ the band’s great, memorable history being from 1976-1996/2002. All that music will live on forever.
Mortgage payments are due
I know he wasn’t an original member, but a Banshees reunion without Budgie would be hard to accept.
Couldn’t agree more.
Well, they could always ask John McKay and Kenny Morris back then could they not? (Snigger, just playing Devil’s Advocate here!!!) ;)
I just hope they do some live shows here in America this year. That would be really cool.
I know kenny morris who now lives in cork and find him a very sweet man.unfortunatley alcohol is playing a big part of his life which is such a shame.a funny antedote’ kenny and myself were in a bar in cork where a young band were playing and i suggested we go on stage for him to do a spot of drumming but as it goes some yokel bouncers chucked us out cowboy saloon style! Ah still the punks we are.if in cork check out kennyas he has some stories to tell.a really nice creative guy!
Severin is itching for a 40th anniversary event in 2016. Bizarrely, John and Kenny are the only Banshees they could call – Budgie’s obviously out of the picture, McGeogh’s dead, Smith wouldn’t touch it, Carruthers is a postman and Knox is Knox. Hopefully, John and Kenny won’t even consider it. mCKay said it was a ‘travesty’ after they left – going back would only make it worse.
What caused the feuding any way? I forgot the details. It’s been so long ago.
Im here in 2017, just to say, one thing… BUDGIE HOW THE HELL YOU LOST SIOUXSIE, IDIOT… *i can’t understand you man*