this album rules so hard. man!
the banshees were like the new wave stevie wonder in the 80s in terms of how consistent their records were.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Thursday, 8 April 2021 16:12 (three years ago) link
wow, this album is a monster. like others have said the drumming and guitar playing are so good on this one. i think this was my favorite ever listen to this album and i will need to play it again 25 times before voting.
― Bee OK, Thursday, 8 April 2021 21:22 (three years ago) link
SIN MY HEARRT
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 8 April 2021 21:35 (three years ago) link
I was once recruited to play extra toms on "Halloween" because my GF at the time drummed in a band who was covering it for a Halloween set and she was very insistent that the multitrack drum sound was essential to the song
― I like signing up to dead sites (sleeve), Thursday, 8 April 2021 22:05 (three years ago) link
Gonna go with the normie choice of "Arabian Knights." But also admit that "Into the Light" has the sound of a song that should have been a single.
the banshees were like the new wave stevie wonder in the 80s in terms of how consistent their records were
Otm. For that reason it's very hard to pick a favorite in that run of albums.
― Josefa, Friday, 9 April 2021 01:01 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EajKtiDP1Xk
― Bee OK, Friday, 9 April 2021 18:10 (three years ago) link
The Banshees do not get enough love on this board. anyways, found that clip and fell hard, so powerful.
― Bee OK, Friday, 9 April 2021 18:11 (three years ago) link
it would be more powerful if she was in the same key as the band, though
― Dana Jel Pey (DJP), Friday, 9 April 2021 18:22 (three years ago) link
lol
― I like signing up to dead sites (sleeve), Friday, 9 April 2021 18:28 (three years ago) link
Love this album and “Monitor” is my jam.
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Friday, 9 April 2021 18:45 (three years ago) link
what is up with lyrics of Arabian Knights? Probably my favorite musically but uhhh“nightshift” it is
― brimstead, Friday, 9 April 2021 18:48 (three years ago) link
You know, I'd never paid attention to those lyrics but now that I've looked them up, 'uhhh' is right. I'd rather think of it as a song about orientalism rather than an orientalist song, even though I very much doubt that's true.
― pomenitul, Friday, 9 April 2021 18:59 (three years ago) link
I don't recommend looking up the lyrics to "Hong Kong Garden" then. This group were really into, um, ironic orientalism.
― Josefa, Friday, 9 April 2021 20:35 (three years ago) link
Siouxsie once claimed "Hong Kong Garden" was an anti-racist song, a riposte to racist skinheads she encoutrered in a Chinese takeaway. The 70s was a different universe!
Saying that, I have probably heard "Arabian Knights" 1000 times and never previously paid the lyrics any attention.
― stirmonster, Friday, 9 April 2021 20:59 (three years ago) link
Having re-listened, "Halloween", for its combination of manic energy and memorable guitar. I do feel the last three tracks try to get over as hypnotic but don't quite make it.
― Halfway there but for you, Saturday, 10 April 2021 01:13 (three years ago) link
guys i heard siouxsie may have donned a swatiska or two at a gig — is this true??????
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Saturday, 10 April 2021 15:51 (three years ago) link
Cancelled
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Saturday, 10 April 2021 16:12 (three years ago) link
i've often wondered how the british punk scene would have played out in the era of social media.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Saturday, 10 April 2021 16:25 (three years ago) link
I kind of feel like Arabian Knights could be spun as an environmental anthem
― Dana Jel Pey (DJP), Saturday, 10 April 2021 16:46 (three years ago) link
If you take the middle verse as the actual thesis statement and parse the references to “her” as the Earth, it’s still clumsy but it also scans?
― Dana Jel Pey (DJP), Saturday, 10 April 2021 16:47 (three years ago) link
ha!
― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Saturday, 10 April 2021 17:02 (three years ago) link
loved this album back in the day. hope to able to check it out again for this poll, that would be cool. thing is, it’s so far removed from what I tend to listen to these days that I have to make sure to be really in the mood for it, otherwise it will just fall on deaf ears
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 10 April 2021 22:10 (three years ago) link
some hash, some candles, some absinthe, listen at midnight while u have Nosferatu playing muted on a screen, u should be good
― "Gaspar? No way." (sleeve), Saturday, 10 April 2021 22:16 (three years ago) link
solid tips all lolwe’ll see
― Blick, Bils & Blinky • Let's Skip The Shaker Intros (breastcrawl), Saturday, 10 April 2021 22:22 (three years ago) link
I also wanna give a shoutout to the amazing (as usual) B-sides from this album's singles:
https://www.discogs.com/Siouxsie-And-The-Banshees-Arabian-Knights/release/887388
https://www.discogs.com/Siouxsie-And-The-Banshees-Spellbound/release/437434
― "Gaspar? No way." (sleeve), Saturday, 10 April 2021 22:28 (three years ago) link
"Spellbound"
― the future is now, Sunday, 11 April 2021 04:21 (three years ago) link
think I’m with DJP on this one
― assert (MatthewK), Sunday, 11 April 2021 05:45 (three years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Monday, 12 April 2021 00:01 (three years ago) link
in the end i voted for "Monitor."
― Bee OK, Monday, 12 April 2021 16:11 (three years ago) link
Aside from the singles, this record is way more raw than I recall. The album tracks are just a effective as Arabian Nights is lush. "Head Cut" is what ADULT. built their whole sound around.
― Citole Country (bendy), Monday, 12 April 2021 20:38 (three years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Tuesday, 13 April 2021 00:01 (three years ago) link
The #1 is shocking! Is this what ILM used to call 'challops?' I had no idea there was so much love for Into The Light. It's fine, but to me it just screams 'enjoyable album track.' Otherwise this ranking seems right. I voted for Monitor.
― Stem Cell Maria (Dr. Joseph A. Ofalt), Tuesday, 13 April 2021 18:46 (three years ago) link
Listening last night, I noticed how in "Halloween", after each "Trick or Treat", Budgie does a triple hit on the snare like someone knocking on a door. I also wondered if, like "The Lord's Prayer", they recorded "Voodoo Dolly" live in the studio with no overdubs.
― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, 13 April 2021 18:52 (three years ago) link
Also, Into The Light is a direct rip from Eno's 'St. Elmo's Fire.' Which is fun! BTW I've concluded that these people (Siouxsie, Magazine, The Cure, John Foxx's Ultravox, you know the rest) owned just 6 albums: Another Green World; The Idiot; Country Life; Diamond Dogs; Funhouse; and Trans Europe Express.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZKch8dZ61w
― Stem Cell Maria (Dr. Joseph A. Ofalt), Tuesday, 13 April 2021 18:57 (three years ago) link
It sounds more like "Golden Hours" than "St. Elmo's Fire", though?Someone in Magazine definitely owned a Pink Floyd record.
― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, 13 April 2021 19:55 (three years ago) link
Interesting @Halfway there, the verse structure is a lot like Golden Hours, and the McGeoch guitar refrain sounds a lot like St. Elmo's Fire. Maybe he owned only one album then.
― Stem Cell Maria (Dr. Joseph A. Ofalt), Tuesday, 13 April 2021 20:08 (three years ago) link
for a giddy moment I thought you meant John Parr’s “St Elmo’s Fire”
― assert (MatthewK), Tuesday, 13 April 2021 20:47 (three years ago) link
I voted INto the Light because it is a perfect example of why JOhn McGeogh was a fucking god.
― Stoop Crone (Trayce), Thursday, 15 April 2021 04:49 (three years ago) link
Was pondering why John McGeogh isn't more of a name, as he's so well loved and influential just below the surface of things. The Banshees at this point were like Can or Birthday Party - each person in these bands was so good at what they were doing and it was so distinctive no single contribution outshines the others.
― Citole Country (bendy), Thursday, 15 April 2021 13:16 (three years ago) link
Another Green World; The Idiot; Country Life; Diamond Dogs; Funhouse; and Trans Europe Express
don't know if you know 'through the looking glass' at all, but siouxsie covers 'the passenger', 'sea breezes' and 'hall of mirrors', so you score 1 out of 3 for identifying the correct roxy, iggy and kraftwerk albums. sorry, but i reckon that's a fail
― building a hole (NickB), Thursday, 15 April 2021 13:47 (three years ago) link
Mcgeoch is indeed a fucking god!!
― brimstead, Thursday, 15 April 2021 14:32 (three years ago) link
Mcgeogh
I agree and I don't even know how his last name is pronounced
always guessed it was mc-KEE-oh but I don't really know
Does anybody know?
― Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 15 April 2021 15:19 (three years ago) link
Howard Devoto pronounces it mc-GEE-och in a recent interview.
― Halfway there but for you, Thursday, 15 April 2021 15:22 (three years ago) link
Soft "g" sound
Spellbound: The Story of John McGeoch
― visiting, Thursday, 15 April 2021 15:23 (three years ago) link
thanks! I need to watch this.
never would have guessed mi-GEE-och
This is why I am always embarrassed to say names out loud
― Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 15 April 2021 15:34 (three years ago) link
Eastwood Guitars now do a McGeoch tribute model if anyone's interested in that sort of thing:
https://eastwoodguitars.co.uk/products/eastwood-mcgeoch-1000
― building a hole (NickB), Thursday, 15 April 2021 15:34 (three years ago) link
Get yourself a couple of MXR Flangers too
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 15 April 2021 20:13 (three years ago) link
BTW, McGeoch is using a Gizmotron on his guitar in "Into the Light"
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 15 April 2021 20:18 (three years ago) link