In 1981 Siouxsie & the Banshees released arguably their strongest material. The band had status as you could argue they were amongst the first wave of the UK punk scene. Their early material is good but the band found their true feet at the dawn of the 80′s.
With a refreshingly strong frontwoman the band had something unique and an image to take note of. The unsung hero of the band was John McGeogh. With a visual vocalist that strong the guitarist went practically unnoticed?
“Spellbound” is one of the best singles I’ve ever heard. Imagery. Pounding rhythm. It is a track that stands-out. The more you listen to “Spellbound” the more its true impact is slowly revealed.
The track has fantastic chord progression. It is deeply evocative. More importantly it is massively influential. I cannot imagine The Smiths could have developed such a widely appreciated sound without them being influenced by John McGeogh.
Forget the imagery of the band (Siouxsie & the Banshees) for a moment. Listen to the guitar alone. That, to me, is the birth of 80′s indie guitar. At 2:33 in you can hear The Smiths being born a full two years before their incarnation? No McGeogh – No Marr. Then think of the bands The Smiths then went on to influence. I’m rambling, listen to it. What a great, generally unsung guitar hero… “We Are Entranced”, indeed.
