Track Listing

1. Dear Prudence
2. Hong Kong Garden
3. Cities In Dust
4. Peek-A-Boo
5. Happy House
6. Kiss Them For Me
7. Face To Face
8. Dizzy
9. Israel
10. Christine
11. Spellbound
12. Arabian Knights
13. Stargazer
14. The Killing Jar
15. This Wheel's On Fire

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2252 in Music
• Released on: 2002-09-30
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds
• Running time: 57 minutes

CD Description
Part of the infamous "Bromley contingent" of late-1970s UK punk, Siouxsie & the Banshees co-founders Siouxsie Sioux andSteve Severin went far beyond punk's three-chord roots in their decades with the group. The Banshees developed a highlytextured sound and gloomy-yet-flamboyant look that helped define the goth subgenre, going on to incorporate world-musicand cabaret influences for a unique aesthetic that was boldly exemplified by the unmistakable singing and charismatic presence of Siouxsie.
Although this BEST OF lacks a chronological order, the 15-song compilation does offer up an excellent representation of the Banshees' studio output (including a previously unreleased 2002 track, "Dizzy"). Highlights are the surging goth-dance classic "Cities in Dust", the frenetic "Spellbound", and the group's gauzy take on the Beatles' "Dear Prudence" (which features the Cure's Robert Smith on guitar). Though the combined collections ONCE UPON A TIME and TWICE UPON A TIME boast a more in-depth look at Siouxsie& the Banshees, THE BEST OF is an ideal single-disc introduction to these British post-punk icons.

Customer Reviews

Great songs that improve with age
This collection is ideal for the casual listener or those who wish to investigate the work of Siouxsie And the Banshees based on what they have heard on the radio. As such, it is a more than satisfying collection that offers the greatest hits from 1978’s Hong Kong Garden up to 1991’s Kiss Them For Me and 1995’s Stargazer. It includes two cover versions: The Beatles’ Dear Prudence and Julie Driscoll’s hit This Wheel’s On Fire, both competent if not brilliant interpretations.

Of course the 1980s was their most fruitful period with UK hits like Happy House, Israel, Christine, Spellbound and Arabian Knights. Most of these are atmospheric numbers with just a hint of The Banshees’ proto-goth dark side shining through. Their debut album The Scream still remains one of the most psychotic statements in rock but is not a piece of music that lends itself to hits compilations. Well, perhaps Helter Skelter should have been considered …

My favourites include their first hit, Hong Kong Garden, a powerful punk number with absolutely blistering guitar work and an exotic touch, Kiss Them For Me, their lilting, swaying 1991 hit about a doomed actress, Peek-A-Boo from the 1988 Peep Show album and Stargazer from their last, under-appreciated album The Rapture. Great songs and an innovative edge lend a timeless quality to the music. Those who want more of this great band are advised to investigate the compilations Once Upon A Time (1981) and Twice Upon A Time (1992).

Could do better...
OK, a Siouxsie and the Banshees best of - should be fantastic right? Well, sort of - this one doesn't really do justice to their output.

The first thing that you notice is that those early years that produced great concert favourites, when the original guitarist and drummer were still with the band, like 'Switch', 'The Staircase' is represented by a single song (albeit the best one) - 'Hong Kong Garden'. Also, there is a distinct lack of album tracks; it's true that they made great singles, but they also made great albums.

The period of greatest commercial success seems to be best represented here - 'Happy House', 'Spellbound', 'Arabian Nights', but don't get me wrong - they're great songs, it's just a pity that some of the other periods in their lengthy career is unrepresented.

If this album had been a double album, then it would no doubt have been a fantastic best of album, but it really does suffer from trying to put a couple of quarts into a pint glass.

Not exactly the best of....
I adore Siouxsie & The Banshees, but this so called 'Best of' dissapointed me greatly. It really is 'Banshess-by-numbers', choosing the most commercial songs, creating such a soulless track listing. There is nothing there that really shows the Banshees' life and vigour. Dear Prudence and Hong Kong Garden may have got high in the charts, but they're not songs that are the essence of the Banshees. They're just...there.

This is a good place for beginners to start, but other than that this album serves no real purpose.