List of Siouxsie and the Banshees members explained

Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band. Formed in September 1976, the group originally consisted of vocalist Siouxsie Sioux, bassist Steven Severin, guitarist Marco Pirroni and drummer Sid Vicious. The first recording line-up featured John McKay and Kenny Morris in place of Pirroni and Vicious. Siouxsie and Severin were members throughout the band's entire lifetime, alongside drummer Budgie who joined in 1979. and a rotating cast of guitarists including John McGeoch. The band broke up in 1996 but reformed for a tour in 2002 with a line-up of Siouxsie, Severin, Budgie, and guitarist Knox Chandler.

History

Vocalist Siouxsie Sioux (real name Susan Ballion) and bassist Steven Severin (real name Steven Bailey) formed Siouxsie and the Banshees in September 1976, debuting with a line-up including guitarist Marco Pirroni and drummer Sid Vicious (real name John Ritchie).[1] Two months after the performance, Pirroni and Vicious were replaced by Peter Fenton and Kenny Morris, respectively, although Fenton was sacked after a live show the following May due to stylistic differences with the other members.[2] By July he had been replaced by John McKay, who also contributed saxophone to the group.[3] The line-up of Siouxsie, McKay, Severin and Morris released two studio albums – 1978's The Scream and 1979's Join Hands – before McKay and Morris both left suddenly on the eve of the start of a UK tour in September 1979.[4]

The tour resumed a few weeks later with the Cure frontman Robert Smith and the Slits drummer Budgie substituting for the departed members.[5] Budgie subsequently became a full-time member of the band, while John McGeoch joined as McKay's permanent replacement early the following year.[6] He became an official member in July.[7] McGeoch performed on Kaleidoscope, Juju and A Kiss in the Dreamhouse, before he was fired at the beginning of November 1982 due to problems with alcohol abuse which resulted in his hospitalisation.[8] The vacated guitarist spot was again taken by Robert Smith.[8] The Cure frontman became a full member of the Banshees, contributing to 1984's Hyæna, before leaving three weeks before its tour due to "nervous strain and exhaustion".[9] [10]

Smith was replaced by former Clock DVA guitarist John Valentine Carruthers, who performed on The Thorn and Tinderbox before leaving in February 1987 due to disagreements with the rest of the band.[11] The band became a quintet in July 1987 when a new line-up was unveiled with Jon Klein on guitars alongside multi-instrumentalist Martin McCarrick on keyboards, cello and accordion.[12] This line-up remained stable for almost eight years, before Klein was replaced by former Psychedelic Furs guitarist Knox Chandler for the tour in support of 1995's The Rapture.[13] After a final run of live shows, Siouxsie and the Banshees disbanded in April 1996.[14] Siouxsie, Severin, Budgie and Chandler reformed the Banshees for a final tour in 2002, which spawned the live release The Seven Year Itch.[15]

Members

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
Siouxsie Sioux
all Siouxsie and the Banshees releases
Steven Severin
Sid Vicious
1976 drumsnone
Marco Pirroni1976 guitar
Peter Fenton1976–1977
Kenny Morris1977–1979
John McKay
Budgieall Siouxsie and the Banshees releases from Kaleidoscope (1980) onwards, except The Peel Sessions EPs
Robert Smith
John McGeoch1980–1982
John Valentine Carruthers1984–1987
Martin McCarrick1987–1996
Jon Klein1987–1994guitar
Knox Chandler

Lineups

PeriodMembersReleases
September 1976 none
February 1977 – May 1977
  • Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
  • Peter Fenton – guitar
  • Steven Severin – bass
  • Kenny Morris – drums, percussion
none
July 1977 – September 1979
  • Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
  • John McKay – guitar, saxophone
  • Steven Severin – bass
  • Kenny Morris – drums, percussion
September – October 1979
  • Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
  • Steven Severin – bass
  • Robert Smith – guitar
  • Budgie – drums
none
Early 1980 – October 1982
  • Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
  • John McGeoch – guitar, keyboards
  • Steven Severin – bass, keyboards
  • Budgie – drums, percussion
November 1982 – May 1984
  • Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
  • Robert Smith – guitar, keyboards
  • Steven Severin – bass, keyboards
  • Budgie – drums, percussion
June 1984 – February 1987
  • Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
  • John Valentine Carruthers – guitar, keyboards
  • Steven Severin – bass, keyboards
  • Budgie – drums, percussion
Mid-1987 – December 1994
  • Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
  • Jon Klein – guitar
  • Steven Severin – bass, keyboards
  • Budgie – drums, percussion
  • Martin McCarrick – keyboards, strings
January 1995 – April 1996
  • Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
  • Knox Chandler – guitar
  • Steven Severin – bass, keyboards
  • Budgie – drums, percussion
  • Martin McCarrick – keyboards, strings
  • "New Skin" (1995)
Band inactive April 1996 – April 2002
April – August 2002
  • Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
  • Knox Chandler – guitar
  • Steven Severin – bass
  • Budgie – drums

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'The Scream': Why Siouxsie & The Banshees' Debut Retains A Primal Power . Peacock . Tim . uDiscoverMusic . 13 November 2018 . 26 June 2019 .
  2. Web site: 5 May 1977 – Siouxsie and The Banshees – Nag's Head . Lewis . Paul . WycombeGigs.co.uk . 5 May 2017 . 26 June 2019 .
  3. Book: Paytress, Mark . Siouxsie & the Banshees: The Authorised Biography . 2003 . 21 July 2003 . London, England . Sanctuary Publishing . 978-1860743757 . 57 .
  4. Banshees bust-up: Walk-outs hit Siouxsie tour . . 15 September 1979 . London, England . .
  5. Siouxsie carries on . . 22 September 1979 . London, England . .
  6. News: John McGeoch . . 15 March 2004 . 26 June 2019 .
  7. Cooper . Mike . Rock Almanac . The Hard Report . 37 . 17 July 1987 . Medford Lakes, New Jersey . 23 . 26 June 2019 .
  8. Web site: Siouxsie And The Banshees: "We were losing our minds" . Mulholland . Garry . . 24 October 2014 . 26 June 2019 .
  9. The Curse of the Banshees . . 21 June 1984 . London, England . .
  10. Rest Cure for Robert . . 9 June 1984 . London, England . IPC Magazines.
  11. Carter . Lee . Live from London Continued . The Hard Report . 16 . 20 February 1987 . Medford Lakes, New Jersey . 24 . 26 June 2019 .
  12. Carter . Lee . Music Now! . The Hard Report . 24 July 1987 . Medford Lakes, New Jersey . 38 . 26 June 2019 .
  13. Web site: Siouxsie and the Banshees – 'Through the Looking Glass'/'Peepshow'/'Superstition'/'The Rapture' (Polydor) . Jupp . Ed . God Is in the TV . 23 October 2014 . 26 June 2019 .
  14. Split in the dreamhouse . . 13 April 1996 . London, England . .
  15. Web site: The Seven Year Itch - Siouxsie and the Banshees. True . Chris . . 26 June 2019 .