Juju | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 19 June 1981 | |||
Recorded | 1981 | |||
Studio | Surrey Sound, Leatherhead, Surrey | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:06 | |||
Label | Polydor | |||
Producer |
| |||
Siouxsie and the Banshees chronology | ||||
| ||||
Siouxsie Sioux chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Juju | ||||
|
Juju is the fourth studio album by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was recorded at Surrey Sound studio with Nigel Gray as co-producer,and was released on 19 June 1981 by Polydor Records. [1] Two singles were released from Juju:"Spellbound" and "Arabian Knights".
The album was commercially successful in the UK. It was acclaimed by critics upon its release,with praise given particularly to John McGeoch's unconventional guitar playing and Siouxsie's vocal performances. It remains a critical favourite and is seen as a landmark album of post-punk.
After the slightly electronic bent of their previous album,1980's Kaleidoscope ,Siouxsie and the Banshees returned to a guitar-based sound for Juju,due to the presence of now-official guitarist McGeoch. The album also prominently featured the intricate percussion work of band member Budgie. According to Steven Severin:"Juju was the first time we'd made a "concept" album that drew on darker elements. It wasn't pre-planned,but,as we were writing,we saw a definite thread running through the songs;almost a narrative to the album as a whole". [2]
The album was recorded at co-producer Gray's Surrey Sound studio. There,McGeoch experimented with a rarely used guitar effects device called the Gizmo for the album track "Into the Light". Attached to the guitar's bridge,the Gizmo used keyed wheels to press the strings,giving a McGeoch's guitar the sound of a classical string instrument. [3] For "Arabian Knights",McGeoch transformed a tune by Siouxsie,initially in waltz rhythm,that she had composed on a Vox Teardrop guitar. [3] For "Sin in My Heart",McGeoch used an EBow while playing guitar. [4]
The sleeve reproduced a picture of an African statue that the group found at the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill. [2]
Juju is a post-punk album,and was listed solely as such by AllMusic. [5] The record was also qualified as "art rock" by The Guardian ,which also dubbed the two singles as "pop marvels". [6] However,Juju has also been cited by certain critics as gothic rock, [7] though the band dispute such categorisation. [2] BBC Radio 4 called the album "hugely influential dark wave". [8]
Juju reached No. 7 in the UK Albums Chart,remaining in the chart for 17 weeks. [9]
A 180g vinyl reissue of the album,remastered from the original ¼”tapes and cut half-speed at Abbey Road Studios by Miles Showell,was released in August 2018.
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [5] |
Sounds | [10] |
Sounds praised the album,observing that Siouxsie's voice "seems to have acquired a new fullness of melody" with "a rich,dark smoothness". Assessing the band's music,writer Betty Page commented:"The way this unit operates is impressively cohesive,like one brain the inventive musical talents of [guitarist] McGeoch,[drummer] Budgie and [bassist] Severin mesh perfectly with Siouxsie". She also hailed McGeoch as being "the only man who can make an acoustic guitar sound foreboding". [10] NME considered that "Juju,their fourth LP [might be] their second best",qualifying it as "a peak in entertainment". Critic Paul Morley wrote that Siouxsie "exult[ed] with priceless poise". He concluded,naming all the songs,saying :"Side one's highlights –'Spellbound','Into the Light','Arabian Knights','Halloween' and 'Monitor'. The most consistent side since The Scream . Side two's highlights –'Night Shift','Sin in My Heart','Head Cut' and 'Voodoo Dolly'. Juju is the first integrated and sparkling-complete Banshees since The Scream." [11]
In a retrospective review,AllMusic wrote,"The upfront intensity of Juju probably isn't matched anywhere else in the catalog of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Thanks to its killer singles,unrelenting force and invigorating dynamics,Juju is a post-punk classic." [5] The 2004 edition of The Rolling Stone Album Guide ,gave a 3 ouf 5 rating while pairing Juju with Kaleidoscope as albums that,refined "the Banshees' attack,diversifying the sound without losing its swirling impact". [12] Rating the album three out of five in the MusicHound album guide book,Doug Pullen described Juju as "a dark sensual record that combined Sioux's pained lyrics with smartly evocative grooves". [13]
In 2007, The Guardian placed Juju on its "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die" list,writing,"Perennial masters of brooding suspense,the Banshees honed their trademark aloof art rock to its hardest and darkest pitch on Juju." [6] Juju was also featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [14]
In 1995, Melody Maker writer Cathi Unsworth described Juju as "one of the most influential British albums ever". [15]
McGeoch's guitar playing in particular was singled out for praise by critics and musicians. In 2006 he was listed at number 89 on Mojo's list of the "100 greatest guitarists of all time" for his work on "Spellbound". [16] Johnny Marr of the Smiths said on BBC Radio 2 in February 2008 that he rated McGeoch highly for his work on "Spellbound". Marr qualified it as "clever",with a "really good picky thing going on which is very un-rock'n'roll". [3] In Uncut ,Marr rated McGeoch as his 10th favourite guitarist for his work on Juju and Real Life by Magazine. [17] Another member of the Smiths,singer Morrissey,commented on "Spellbound" during an interview for the US KROQ-FM radio station in 1997:"Another great single. A hit in England. Certainly not here,I don't think. But they were one of the great groups of the late '70s,early '80s. ... Siouxsie and the Banshees were excellent." [18] Morrissey later named Juju as a major album of the Banshees. [19] Robert Smith of the Cure cited McGeoch's contribution on "Head Cut" in his five favourite guitar tracks,saying:"This is really harsh funk in a weird way –clever choppy chords. There's no real form to it as such,but some interesting sequences". [20]
Radiohead cited Juju,with Thom Yorke,Ed O'Brien and Colin Greenwood all mentioning their liking for the album. [21] O'Brien remembered recording "Spellbound" on a tape recorder after listening to the charts,noting that "it was a great era of music". [22] John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers mentioned it as one of his influences for the album By the Way . He said:"John McGeoch is a guitarist I want to be. He's got a new brilliant idea at each song. I generally listen to the records he recorded with Magazine and Siouxsie and the Banshees,Juju". [23] Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins selected "Arabian Knights" when he talked about some of his favourite music on BBC radio: [24] commenting the song,he said that "Siouxsie and the Banshees were able to unlock certain rhythms and feelings that are still in alt rock today". [25] Duane Denison of the Jesus Lizard chose McGeoch as his favorite guitarist for his playing,especially on Juju,saying:it was "atmospheric and aggressive" and "truly inspiring to me". [26]
William Reid of the Jesus and Mary Chain selected "Spellbound" in a playlist including some of his favourite tracks. [27] Suede's singer Brett Anderson cited Juju as one of his reference points. [28]
All lyrics are written by Siouxsie Sioux, except where noted; all music is composed by Siouxsie and the Banshees (Siouxsie, Steven Severin, Budgie and John McGeoch)
No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Spellbound" | Severin | 3:20 |
2. | "Into the Light" | 4:15 | |
3. | "Arabian Knights" | 3:05 | |
4. | "Halloween" | Severin | 3:37 |
5. | "Monitor" | 5:33 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Night Shift" | 6:06 |
2. | "Sin in My Heart" | 3:37 |
3. | "Head Cut" | 4:22 |
4. | "Voodoo Dolly" | 7:04 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
---|---|---|---|
10. | "Spellbound" (12" extended mix) | Severin | 4:41 |
11. | "Arabian Knights" (12" vocoder mix) | 3:09 | |
12. | "Fireworks" (Nigel Gray unreleased version) | Severin | 4:13 |
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Technical
Chart (1981) | Peak position |
---|---|
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [29] | 29 |
UK Albums (OCC) [30] | 7 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [31] | Silver | 60,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. The Times called the group "one of the most audacious and uncompromising musical adventurers of the post-punk era".
Nocturne is a live double album and video by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on 25 November 1983 by Polydor Records. Co-produced by Mike Hedges, Nocturne features performances recorded at two shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London, on 30 September and 1 October 1983, featuring Robert Smith on guitar.
Magazine were a British rock band formed in 1977 in Manchester in England by singer Howard Devoto and guitarist John McGeoch. After leaving the punk group Buzzcocks in early 1977, Devoto decided to create a more progressive and less "traditional" rock band. The original lineup of Magazine was composed of Devoto, McGeoch, Barry Adamson on bass, Bob Dickinson on keyboards and Martin Jackson on drums.
Susan Janet Ballion, known professionally as Siouxsie Sioux, is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. She came to prominence as the leader and main lyricist of the rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, who were active from 1976 to 1996. They released 11 studio albums, and had several UK Top 20 singles including "Hong Kong Garden", "Happy House" and "Peek-a-Boo", plus a US Top 25 single in the Billboard Hot 100, with "Kiss Them for Me".
John Alexander McGeoch was a Scottish musician and songwriter. He is best known as the guitarist of the rock bands Magazine (1977–1980) and Siouxsie and the Banshees (1980–1982).
Peter Edward Clarke, known professionally as Budgie, is an English drummer best known for his work in Siouxsie and the Banshees. He is also the co-founder of the Creatures.
Once Upon a Time/The Singles is Siouxsie and the Banshees's 1981 compilation album featuring the band's UK single releases to date. The album featured several songs that had been released as singles yet had not appeared on any of the Banshees' four albums. Once Upon a Time/The Singles spent twenty six weeks in the UK albums chart. The sleeve was designed by Stylorouge.
The Scream is the debut studio album by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on 13 November 1978 by Polydor Records. Its innovative combination of angular and serrated guitar with a bass-led rhythm and machine-like drums played mostly on toms, made it a pioneering work of the post-punk genre.
Join Hands is the second studio album by the English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on 7 September 1979 by Polydor Records. Upon its release, it was praised by the British press, including Melody Maker, Sounds, NME and Record Mirror.
Kaleidoscope is the third studio album by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on 1 August 1980 by Polydor Records. With the departure of John McKay and Kenny Morris and their replacement by two new musicians, Budgie on drums and John McGeoch on guitars, the band changed their musical direction and offered an album containing a wide variety of colors. "It was almost a different band", said Siouxsie.
A Kiss in the Dreamhouse is the fifth studio album by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released on 5 November 1982 by Polydor Records. The record marked a change of musical direction, as the group used strings for the first time and experimented in the studio. Guitarist John McGeoch played more instruments, including recorder and piano. For Julian Marszalek of The Quietus, the release proved the Banshees to be "one of the great British psychedelic bands."
Tinderbox is the seventh studio album by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released on 21 April 1986 by Wonderland and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and by Geffen Records in the United States. It was the band's first full-length effort recorded with then-new guitarist John Valentine Carruthers; Carruthers had previously only added a few parts on the 1984 EP The Thorn. The first recording sessions for the album took place at Hansa by the Wall in Berlin in May 1985.
"Happy House" is a song written by Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin and recorded by their band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released as a single in March 1980 by record label Polydor, then later included on the band's third album, Kaleidoscope. "Happy House" was the group's first record made with guitarist John McGeoch and drummer Budgie.
"Israel" is a song by British rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees, released as a stand-alone single in 1980 by Polydor Records.
"Spellbound" is a song by English rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees. The group wrote it and co-produced it with Nigel Gray. It was released in 1981 by record label Polydor as the first single from the band's fourth studio album, Juju.
"Arabian Knights" is a song by English post-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees. The track was written by Siouxsie and the Banshees and co-produced with Nigel Gray. It was released in 1981 as the second and final single released from their fourth studio album, Juju.
"Slowdive" is a song by English post-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees. It was released in 1982 by record label Polydor as the first single from the band's fifth studio album, A Kiss in the Dreamhouse.
Wild Things is the first release by British duo the Creatures. It was issued on 25 September 1981 by Polydor Records as two 7" single records in a "double-album" style card cover, and is usually referred to as an EP. It peaked on the UK Singles Chart at No. 24, and the pair performed "Mad Eyed Screamer" on Top of the Pops. The EP was entirely remastered in 1997 and reissued as part of the A Bestiary Of CD compilation – which was also released on Spotify.
John McKay is an English songwriter and guitarist. He was the first studio guitarist of Siouxsie and the Banshees. He was a member of the group from July 1977 until September 1979. He played a "jagged unorthodox chording", and created a "metal-shard roar" with his guitar. Q magazine included McKay's work on "Hong Kong Garden" in its list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Tracks Ever". He recorded two studio albums with the band, their debut album The Scream in 1978 and Join Hands in 1979.
Juju Release Date 19th June 1981
[Robert Smith:] 1 Jimi Hendrix "Purple Haze" Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967), 2 Hugh Cornwell "Hanging Around" The Stranglers (1977), 3 John McGeoch "Headcut" Siouxsie And The Banshees (1981), 4 Joe Strummer/Mick Jones "White Riot" The Clash (1977), 5 Lou Reed "White Light/White Heat" Velvet Underground (1967). "Headcut": "This is really harsh funk in a weird way – clever choppy chords. There's no real form to it as such, but some interesting sequences."
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)As reference points, I've been listening to lots of my old records, like... Siouxsie & The Banshees' Ju Ju
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)