Siouxsie and the Banshees - Peel Session 1978

The complete session recorded by Siouxsie and the Banshees on 6 February 1978 for the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1 and broadcast on the 23rd of that month.
Tracklist:
1. Hong Kong Garden (0:07)
2. Overground (2:48)
3. Carcass (6:00)
4. Helter Skelter (9:45)

[@derin111]

As a 15 year old Punk in 1978 there were two albums that shaped my life to come. They were The Clash and The Scream. They remain my two favourite albums…ever… even though I’m now 59. I was lucky enough at 15 years old to to see both bands on consecutive nights, at the same venue, in Purley in December 1978. I only saw The Banshees once (☹️)but I saw The Clash live a total of 11 times.

[@simonjones514]

You are one very lucky person to have those live experiences!

[@suegrabbitandrun]

saw them in 1978 brighton poly -what a night - helter skater- still sends shivers...............

[@bobk9879]

Still sounds great after all these years. Thanks for uploading.

[@leethomas255]

Thanks for uploading this session. LOVE, Love, LOVE 💕💕💕 this early version of Overground, it's my favourite Banshees song of all time. Perfect minimalist song writing. This song alone showed how talented the Banshees were. Whoever were lucky enough to see them in their early days, and still listen to them now are so blessed

[@willieluncheonette]

Just uploaded by the excellent Vibracobra23 channel for your listening pleasure. This was the Banshees second Peel session, just a little over three months after their first. They still did not have an album or single out, so John Peel's two studio invites are all the more laudatory. Overground, Carcass and Helter Skelter would eventually turn up on their famous debut album The Scream ( November 14, 1978) Hong King Garden/ Voices was their first single, released on August 18, 1978. For some reason, Hong Kong Garden was the first song on the American version of The Scream. It did not appear on the original British pressing and with its poppy sound, completely ruins the feeling and flow of the album. If you want to hear how The Scream should sound, stick with the British version. Think my comment on the Banshees first Peel still is relevant here, so I'm re-posting it. "John Peel again to the rescue, giving exposure to a band when no one else would. These Peels were recorded EIGHT months before their first single was released, Hong Kong Garden (8/18/78) Siouxsie, as well as the Slits, was one of the last of the '77 bands to be signed to a deal. They were turned down by at least five record labels and had to resort to spray painting SIGN SIOUXSIE NOW on record company buildings. Whether make chauvinism was at play here or merely bad judgement on the part of company executives is still a matter of conjecture. I believe both Siouxsie and the Slits in 1977 had a solid following at a grass roots level. Whatever the case may be, it again took John Peel to shine a light on a fine band unknown to the public. Siouxsie and the Banshees have had many hit records and singles down through the years and their career is too vast to be recounted here. Suffice to say these Peels showcase the first official steps of a very famous and highly influential band and as such are of immense importance. As usual, excellent sound on these Vibracobra23 posts."

[@edfeltch]

willieluncheonette When I lived in Austin in '78,it was punk central in the state,the Banshees had a huge influence on the first bands there,The Next,Boy Problems,etc,but the single was trashed in Sluggo,the zine in town,while the UK lp was appropriately raved about, and only the UK lp was sold in Austin record stores

[@flachi32]

Shouldn't you be on Antiques Roadshow? :)

[@raimywinter2309]

Born on this day.🤘🏻🎱🤘🏻

[@derin111]

I saw them live that year (19th December) as a 15 year old.

[@SimplyReg]

McKay absolute class as usual. Underrated, perhaps more so than McGeoch.

[@pressureworks]

SimplyReg the u word is an insult. It's an interesting phenomenon that folks feel compelled to use such a term.. I even saw such a comment on a Jimi Hendrix video.

[@alain.preudhomme]

Def one of my all time guitar heroes.

[@222caribou]

superb one of my top five bands since then along with the stranglers and i really miss john peel......what would he think of the crap we have to put up with today?

[@rogerhalliwell3104]

I can imagine him being a fan of Death Grips

[@paulprac]

What's not to like.... Happy memories and all that.

[@phoebelane7003]

The sound of the Beeb at it’s best and simply awesome use of the TV Licence fee. May it ever remain so!

[@maurizioantoniovetrugno7150]

Sign The Banshees!!!

[@missyou7462]

Plain and simple! Love Siouxsie

[@CorazonesNegros]

hey, i'm obsessed with ur channel! thanks for these gems

[@Vibracobra23_Original]

You're very welcome

[@caledomoable]

Thanks@@Vibracobra23_Original!

[@maroualchicon1426]

Honk Kong Garden is wonderful !

[@rapbeats1816]

maroual chicon of her whole catalog its the one song I don't like as much as all the others..

[@mikewillis1592]

Crikey - was it really 42 years ago. I remember like last week. Great recording too.

[@marktomlin5484]

Thank you.

[@LarzGustafsson]

Influential, innovative and...well...Susan!

[@curly_wyn]

The John Peel version of Hong Kong Garden sounds better than the regular version.

[@paulcharlton1772]

The beeb producing the band better the band's own record company. See Elvis Costello, etc

[@evetaylor8421]

This is so true. I could also mention Magazine, The Cure, The Adverts etc The Peel Sessions are a musical treasure trove aren't they?

[@humanchannel7825]

@@evetaylor8421 OMD

[@derin111]

So true! I swear that their recording of The Jam’s In the City wasn’t what was used on the single but it sounds like it to me.

[@derin111]

@@evetaylor8421 add to that list their early recording of The Jam.

[@kobalt77]

The words "Siouxsie and the Banshees" and "under-rated" kind of go hand in hand, sadly, or maybe not........ fame and fortune usually f**k everything up. Siouxsie and Steve were on a mission to prove themselves to the world, and they did, more than they will ever comprehend..................... for those that know about these things, wink, wink. S and the B = Integrity and creativity.

[@pressureworks]

Dub Siren it seems mandatory for folks to label their favorite bands/members/songs/albums as underrated.

[@derekmcluckie9946]

you're right x

[@lemmingbcn]

I find them to be hugely overrated instead.

[@pabloandresrodrigobarriosj3161]

excelente performance del pop de mítica banda del pop británico siousix and banshees.!

[@otherstuff6958]

Haven't heard this stuff in years and yet I expected Metal Postcard to cone on after Helter Skelter.

[@simonbestre2339]

Stays with you due its sheer brilliance!

[@patrickyorke1743]

Siouxie forever yeah!!!

[@eckstatic934]

Pre vinyl release so, Rather revolutionary.

[@pressureworks]

On their 1984 Dazzle tour, they closed the gigs with Helter Skelter.

[@felinagonzalez5752]

Excelso la esencia puro del Punk

[@ACoincidentalLife]

Amazing band! I always find it amusing that Robert Smith always wanted to be in them even though his The Cure baby wrote Pornography, A Forest and many other gems! I know he was their occasional guitarist. Isn't it the case that Mr Peel refused to offer U2 a session, ever?

[@179rich]

I would be curious to know what the answer is.

[@ACoincidentalLife]

@Dick Burpin I love Boy as an album but that's it as far as U2 go for me. Maybe because it was there and new in the great years of post punk. I can also acknowledge that Bono does have one of the most emotional voices but ego can ruin a persons integrity. Being a good person comes through whatever you do in life, no matter what that is. Sad that some bands John championed or helped forgot about him and his importance in bringing them to attention. We, the fans, haven't though!

[@johnandkate1000]

She is mint x

[@williamjackson1408]

The Scream was the ne plus ultra of UK punk outside of the Pistols and the Clash from this US persp.

[@willieluncheonette]

the U.S. version started the album with the poppy Hong Kong Garden single, thus completely ruining the atmosphere and flow of the U.K. version.

[@edfeltch]

William Jackson More punk_less rock, then those other 2.And I met 'em all.

[@stephensaunderson237]

Still sounds marvellous after all these years. Siouxsie and the banshees were one of the most influential bands of the new wave era. The fact they influenced the God awful U2 was a very unfortunate consequence. Still thank goodness for the off switch used to very good effect when bono head crawls into earshot.

[@wayne1445]

boy and october were amazing

[@ACoincidentalLife]

Agreed, before Bono got infected by his ego!

[@pterafirma]

This influenced the cool era of U2. The godawful U2 came later, around 1986.

[@curly_wyn]

I would say that U2 have sucked since the mid-90s.

[@robertroberts2666]

Siouxsie, Queen of Pop!

[@fredloizeau2415]

Indémodable 🤙

[@jimkilgallon3814]

Susan Ann Bellingham was and still is fit X

[@craigbutler8351]

Susan Janet Bellion is still even fitter

[@SimplyReg]

*Ballion

[@craigbutler8351]

Yep my bad always having trouble with my a`s and e`s , my real name is Creig Butlar ;-)

[@catherinebernadettehopkins6262]

Bellingham? Who's she?

[@Cl4rendon]

Susan Ann Birmingham - Yeah, she`s the lead singer 😅

[@TheDerroLondon]

💕💓💖

[@PeppeDiSanto]

Oggi, 28 Maggio, è il compleanno di Susan! Tanti auguri!!!

[@philipbadiz6189]

Siouxsie & Bs is fabulous! John Peel put out 2 near perfect recordings months before the début album release. but i have to say, i miss his voice between tracks 😕

[@pterafirma]

Carcass is the kinda sound that influenced Simple Minds during that time, specifically on Life in a Day.

[@pterafirma]

Remember when Hong Kong seemed exotic?

[@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.]

prefer this version of Hong Kong garden

[@pressureworks]

I wonder who was wailing on the organ ?

[@sergiosozi]

Porca miseria, cantava assai meglio da giovanissima! Era sempre intonata e aveva anche una bellissima voce. Fresca. Chiara. Altro che negli anni Novanta... eccola, la "vera" Siouxsie... bellissima esecuzione e limpidezza.

[@LarzGustafsson]

Edge, where did YOU get your guitar style from...?

[@maroualchicon1426]

right ! musically "HK Garden" could be a U2 song of the early times. Edge and Bono told that SATB had influenced them.

[@kenmills30]

Bono even stole his stage movements from Siouxsie.

[@AliceYobby]

I always thought they got their sound from early Cure stuff.....

[@damianconzolino9236]

7:00 moood

[@peterfreeman6677]

Does Helter Skelter cut off early?

[@carne_verde]

No. It ends just as abruptly @ the same "...then I stop" line on _The Scream_ album version as well as every live version I've heard. It's a fitting 'punk rock' conclusion to a song

[@pressureworks]

Certainly expected to be slated, but this drummer, who is just a pounder, just doesn't have the talent of Budgie. Imagine though, if they kept Sid Vicious on drums !

[@sexobscura]

*"too many jews for my liking.... na na na"*