The entrance to the The Banshees garden of eden is held within the live recording “Nocturne”.
Released on the 25th of November-1983, this set acted as a makeshift ‘greatest hits’ although the sound and the performances are astounding that it transcends any best of label. For fans of Siouxsie And The Banshees this is perhaps their finest and most treasured moment, for newcomers do not be put off by the ‘Live’ tag, the quality is beyond compare to most other live-albums recorded then and perhaps still today.
A recording of two shows in London’s Royal Albert Hall captured the band at the height of their powers while on support of the sublime “A Kiss In The Dreamhouse”, with the added dimension of The Cure’s Robert Smith who stood in to handle guitar-duties for the tour, it is his feedback-screeches that invade the sound with whips of white-noise.
The performance was a milestone in eighties-music, the band work as a cohesive unit throughout as the conjuring of Siouxsie Sioux drags the passion from punk with all the dark-cool of goth. The hypnotic-beats created by Budgie and the layers of bass runs by Steve Severin cemented the foundations of what could only be described as emotional voodoo, ensnaring the listener as much as it had the audience.
There is tension mixed with drama and paranoia, “Eve White/Eve Black” highlights the psychological spell Siouxsie Sioux can manifest with howls and cries from the abyss into the ether, whereas the inclusion of two Beatles covers in the thundering “Helter Skelter” and the mesmerizing “Dear Prudence” showcases the influences which had crept into the bands sound.
A presence of demonic spirituality gathers in the versions here of “Paradise Place” and “Spellbound”, the more honed sound of punk seems to be eradicated and replaced with a dark sophistication of despair all the time though it is executed with brilliance, this is Siouxsie And The Banshees captured beautifully in their natural habitat, the stage.
“It hurts
There's a pain in my head
I wish it would stop
But it never stops”.
Original 1983 Track List;
Israel
Dear Prudence
Paradise Place
Melt!
Cascade
Pulled to Bits
Night Shift
Sin in My Heart
Slowdive
Painted Bird
Happy House
Switch
Spellbound
Helter Skelter
Eve White / Eve Black
Voodoo Dolly
[KB]
