Siouxsie Sunday: 'Mantaray' by Siouxsie

(Alright, I know I promised to write this two weeks ago but things happen. Anyhow, here it is now - let's get on with it!)

2007 marked an unusual year for Siouxsie Sioux - for the first time during her nearly 30-year career, she was going solo. The album, titled Mantaray, wasn't actually the first project she had done under solo moniker, though: three years prior, she had embarked on the Dreamshow tour (with her then-partner and one half of The Creatures, Budgie) where she performed songs from both of the bands she had fronted, The Creatures and The Banshees. A DVD of the show was released afterwards, topping the UK music DVD charts upon its release. The duo of Siouxsie and Budgie also included several songs from their previous (and unfortunately, last) Creatures studio album Hái! (accompanied by Leonard Eto, who played on the album) and billing the tour as a Siouxsie tour was most likely merely a way to incorporate Banshees songs into the setlist.

This time, however, she's really going solo, as in 2007 she announced that she and Budgie had divorced. The subsequent absence of Budgie on the record is a major change - this was the first Siouxsie album since 1979's Join Hands that doesn't feature his work. Siouxsie had previously done amazing records in both of her groups with thriving artistic chemistry, so how does she fare solo?

Happy birthday to the legendary Siouxsie Sioux!

The iconic post-punk legend Siouxsie Sioux celebrates her 57th birthday today, congratulations! Having been a force to be reckoned with in the music world for nearly 40 years, this high priestess of punk has recorded groundbreaking and uncompromisingly avant-garde records in four different decades, and has apparently been working on a follow-up to her 2007 solo debut Mantaray (a review of it is on its way this week). That's what she said three years ago, at least, so she's certainly taking her time. On the other hand, it took Grace Jones nineteen years to make a proper comeback but the comeback album Hurricane was simply so marvellous that it was worth the wait, so that's there.

She did make a critically acclaimed live comeback last summer in the sold-out Meltdown concerts, curated by none other than Yoko Ono. But after that, there's been no news whatsoever. I've read some rumours online but as put by Siouxsie herself: "I heard a rumour / It was just a rumour" so I'll keep on waiting for any official news with great enthusiasm. I do hope she doesn't keep us waiting for too long, though...

Anyway, it's her birthday now so that obviously calls for celebration - there's always a good reason for such! Me, I'm going to have a glass of wine but you can now for example find all the Siouxsie Sunday reviews put together conveniently in one singular tab - you can find it either next to the other tabs or just by clicking here. Also, for a Siouxsie and the Banshees -themed playlist, you can head over here. Yay, am I right? There's only one studio album left to be reviewed (her aforementioned solo album Mantaray) but I might write more stuff in there, such as reviews of her compilation albums etc. so do watch that space if you're interested. 

Thank you for the music, Ms. Sioux, and do come back soon - we miss you. Meanwhile though, here's the lead single from Mantaray, titled "Into A Swan". Enjoy!

Top image via Fame Magazine.

Watch Siouxsie and Sporty do a bit of a Q&A

I'm afraid I've got some bad news - the first proper Siouxsie Sunday is postponed. I know, heartbreaking!! But the fact is, I've had all this pre-moving packing taking my time not to mention a farewell party I'm throwing today with a mate who's also moving abroad... so much to do, so little time. Next Sunday, I promise, I will get things done. Do however enjoy of this funny clip of Siouxsie and Melanie C hanging out and answering random questions from a teapot. The high priestess of punk and Sporty Spice get along surprisingly well!

It's Siouxsie Sunday!

Now, if you're reading (and hopefully also following) this blog, the chances are that you are a music lover yourself. And if you're a music lover, it is highly likely that you have a favourite band or a favourite singer too. That one artist or act that will always have a special place in your heart, the one whose music you'll always return to, time after time. I most certainly do. And that musician is Siouxsie Sioux.

Siouxsie, born Susan Janet Ballion, is an English singer-songwriter, who's most famous for having been the frontwoman of post-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees. With the Banshees she recorded 11 studio albums between 1978 and 1996. Even though the '80s revival in the mid-2000s wasn't quite as favourable to Siouxsie as they were to many of her peers - such as Joy Division, The Cure and The Smiths - and no such hype was built around the Banshees, she's every bit as iconic as the frontmen of the aforementioned bands (Ian Curtis, Robert Smith, Morrissey). Widely recognised as one of the most significant British rock singers - especially of the female ones - she has had a huge impact on other musicians, and has been praised and considered influential by everyone from Radiohead, U2 and Red Hot Chili Peppers to PJ Harvey, Santigold, Gossip and Shirley Manson of Garbage, not to mention the previously mentioned Robert Smith and Morrissey or Tricky and Massive Attack - post-punk had a great impact on the trip-hop movement. Quite some names right there.