Two years later, The Banshees were doing quite well. With Siouxsie singing Steve Severin playing bass, John McKay on guitar and Kenny Morris on drums, the Banshees were on the cutting edge of new wave. Their 1978 album, The Scream, spoke of bleak visions of urban collapse in brooding music. They closed the album with the Beatle's classic Helter Skelter. Acclaim and sales followed.
While touring in 1979 in support of their latest effort Join Hands, the Banshees split. Siouxsie and Steve remained in the band however and they brought in ex-Slits drummer Budgie and guitar player John McGeogh.
After 1980, the Banshees started to move away from their hardcore punk roots. Because of this, they began building a wider audience. Their 1981 album Juju was vastly influential in propelling them towards the very front of the alternative rock scene. |
