A First Encounter With Darkness
The first time I saw Siouxsie Sioux, I was only nine. My dad had put on the music video for “Spellbound,” and it hit me like a bolt of electricity. There she was—dancing fiercely, dressed in striking black, her hair and makeup both wild and deliberate. It wasn’t just music—it was a whole world. Something clicked in me. I didn’t yet understand what “goth” was, but I knew I wanted to be part of whatever she represented.
As I got older, I came to understand how much Siouxsie and the Banshees had shaped alternative music and style. Their influence stretches far beyond their 20-year run, from their explosive debut in 1976 to their disbandment in 1996. While the goth label has followed them for decades, the band defies easy categorization. They sparked the goth subculture but never allowed themselves to be defined by it, creating a unique sound and image that still resonates.
Siouxsie’s Rise: From Suburbia to the Spotlight
Born Susan Ballion in 1957 in southeast London, Siouxsie came from a troubled background. Her upbringing was marred by trauma and the numbing conformity of suburban life. Two pivotal moments changed her course. The first was watching David Bowie perform “Starman” on TV—a cosmic glam-rock prophet who made the strange seem powerful. The second was finding freedom and belonging in underground clubs and the punk scene, especially as part of the rebellious Bromley Contingent, a group of misfit teens who orbited around The Sex Pistols.
It was through this scene that Siouxsie met Steve Severin, her long-time collaborator. Their first performance as Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1976 was more art experiment than polished set—featuring everything from “The Lord’s Prayer” to “Germany’s National Anthem.” But that raw, chaotic energy captured attention. Soon, with a shifting lineup of talented musicians like Budgie, John McGeoch, and Robert Smith, the Banshees were on their way to creating something entirely original.
Inventing a Sound and Resisting Labels
Their early albums, like The Scream and Join Hands, were dark, intense, and claustrophobic—both a product of the punk scene and a reaction to it. As the lineup evolved, so did their sound. With Kaleidoscope, they ventured into psychedelic territory without losing their eerie edge. Later albums, including Juju, A Kiss in the Dreamhouse, and Tinderbox, showcased their fearless experimentation. Songs like “Happy House” and “Hong Kong Garden” became underground hits, while “Spellbound” solidified their iconic status.
Siouxsie herself was not interested in being a technically flawless singer. As she once said, her goal was to create an atmosphere—to evoke something visceral. Her voice and vision guided the Banshees, and she constantly pushed against what was expected of her. Though fans and media dubbed her the “queen of goth,” she rejected the label, calling herself “gothic” at most. To her, goth felt like a box, and she had always been about tearing boxes apart.
The Legacy of Style and Sound
Beyond the music, Siouxsie’s aesthetic had a seismic impact. Her look—DIY fashion, dramatic makeup, and bold stage presence—became a blueprint for goth style. But it was never about fitting in; it was about standing out. The Batcave, an iconic goth club in London, became a melting pot for these ideas. Clothes were handmade, and fashion was a form of rebellion. Today, while goth fashion is more commercialized, its roots trace back to this era of radical self-expression—thanks in large part to Siouxsie.
Even in her imperfections, Siouxsie was unapologetically herself. In punk’s early days, provocation often came before political awareness, and she participated in that culture—including controversial choices like wearing Nazi symbolism, which she later contextualized as a shock tactic, not an endorsement. It was part of punk’s reckless push to outrage. Over time, she grew past these provocations, leaving behind a legacy that spoke to creativity and transformation rather than controversy.
Still Spellbound After All These Years
Though the Banshees are long gone, Siouxsie never disappeared. She formed The Creatures with Budgie, her then-husband, and continued to make music until 2004. Even now, she performs solo—her 2023 show at the Latitude Festival was a testament to her staying power. Dressed in captivating costumes and heavy eye makeup, she commanded the stage just as she did decades earlier, even echoing the same choreography she used during “Spellbound” in 1981.
Siouxsie Sioux didn’t just inspire a genre—she inspired generations of artists and fans to carve out their own identities. Her influence can be heard in everyone from Joy Division and The Cure to U2 and The Weeknd. While goth has splintered into countless subgenres, the spirit of individualism it was built on still lives on. If there’s one thing Siouxsie proved, it’s that you don’t have to fit a mold—you can make your own.