Probably my favourite Siouxsie track after Night Shift. Budgie's drumming was revolutionary at the time, and John McGeoch a very influential guitar player.
Great reaction C and C. This was released in March 1980, the 'Happy House' in the song is a sacastic reference to how things were portrayed on TV at the time in the U.K. making it appear that everything was fine, this was during Thatcherism, there were things going on such as riots and a great deal of social unrest due to some of Margaret Thatcher's policies.
I always thought the HappyHouse was a lunatic asylum! The wall even looks like a "rubber-room" (padded cell!). I think that the Banshees were goonies even before the Haniers...
I saw Siouxie and the band way back in the punk era London around 1978....maybe 1979......anyway i was suprised just how good they were.....far more rock than punk.
Glad to be a goonie. Love that you react to the more alternative artists. As a Kiwi, impressed you know Split Enz. "Israel" is a great Siouxsie and Banshees song.
I always thought of the Happy House as a lunatic asylum. You're getting into the realms of Goth, although Siouxsie hated that term and didn't seem to appreciate the scene she spawned very much.
To me, this is a song about how people are conformists and do not see anything beyond their "happy place". People who do not conform to Society's expectations are considered insane while the conformists consider themselves as "sane".
This Goonie is gathered. Big Siouxise fan. Though could you review Hot Chocolate? What kinda Boy you're looking for....Or maybe Girl Crazy ? ;) They were fun in the 80's. Sadly Errol died last year I think.
According to my own ears and also someone's comment, it is indeed McGeoch on the recording, but he's not in the clip because he wasn't an official member then.
In fact, this was the first song McGeoch did with them. They brought him in and played a demo of this song with no guitar, and he came up with the part on the spot. Siouxsie has said this is when they knew for sure they wanted him in the band.
"She ignites a fire in people that never goes out" ..Clare Grogan on Siouxsie. Thats always stuck in my head as being absolutely true. Iirc, Siouxsie learned to play guitar after this, she broke her leg around the time of the Juju album, and used the time she was in a cast to learn, though it was only ever basic rhythm stuff when they played live, the track, Sin In My Heart comes to mind....theres a monumental live version from the Nocturne show, with Siouxsie playing rhythm while Robert Smith wails over the top with his Ebow, not sure if the audio quality is up to be on the channel though.
The first single from Kaleidoscope & featured John Mcgeoch on guitar 🎸 who was not yet a member of the group. The Weekend sampled this on House Of Balloons 🎈which they played at The Super Bowl. Budgie is an awesome 👌 drummer !
People are usually outcast because they're different in a good way and don't follow the crowd. It's good to walk your own path and sometimes sit on the edge of the road to see the others blindly follow each other.
Yay! My second mention. I am very happy to be a gathered Goonie. Siouxsie & the Banshees are such a talented and underrated band. Kaleidoscope is an amazing album and I heartily recommend 'Desert Kisses' from that album. Take care guys.
Great choice (and not only because I suggested it). Not sure that this happy house is really happy. Some parts of the lyrics seem to mean that it's fake happiness or a sort of artificial utopian world ("We're happy here in the happy house / To forget ourselves and pretend all's well", "There's room for you if you say “I do”/But don't say no, or you'll have to go"). A rather dystopian happy place actually. This is this ironic dimension that makes the song so haunting with this nursery melody.
Kudos. Another great choice of artist and song. Always good to hear Siouxsie And The Banshees. Their best guitarist (John McGeoch, who played with them and the band Magazine), who plays guitar on this song must've been sick when they went to shoot this video. Great, great song by the band. I'm sure this video pre-dates Split Enz use of the kind of outfit Siouxsie's wearing, so someone's following someone, but it's not Siouxsie doing the following. A little info about Siouxsie. Every women with a Gothic look, and I do mean all of them, owes their look to Siouxsie. Their drummer, who goes by the name Budgie, has probably influenced more post-punk drummers than anyone. For a few years, in the early 80's, he was my favorite Post-Punk drummer, but for decades now he's been a close 2nd to another great Post-Punk name Kevin Haskins (of Bauhaus, Tones On Tail, and Love & Rockets fame). Every Post-Punk drummer that's heavy on the tribal toms thing owes a debt to Budgie. I'm sure the song Happy House isn't about their band practice. I'm pretty sure Siouxsie is singing about a nut house...you know, for crazy people.
The original Banshees line up split not long before this period - drummer and guitarist left the band after an argument with Siouxsie while on their second album tour - They then had Robert Smith fill in for a while then Budgie joined on drums then John McGeoch joined on this record but think he was under contract as he was in the band Magazine so wasn't allowed to appear in the video - something like that - But he is playing guitar on this song and the rest of the Kaleidescope album and he joined for the next few years. Please listen to the Early banshees 1978/79 their best period for me in particular Hong Kong Garden you will both love that and any track from their debut album The Scream - try their take on The Beatles Helter Skelter amazing and very dark
@@SPKdesign1their live version of Helter Skelter is pretty incredible, the one from Nocturne And there a whole album of covers mind! In fact, can we have their version of Trust In Me, Hanier Family? Yes, that Trust In Me, from The Jungle Book. Siouxsie turns it into this unbelievably sultry number!
@SPKdesign1 - The first Siouxsie & the Banshees song I'd ever heard was 'Dear Prudence' - and it was only years later that I found out that too was a cover of a Beatles song! 😅
Ha ! I must be a Goony as well > I have been called a lot of things but Goony was not one of them , most of them questioned the marital state in legal terms about my conception . Happy House is one of the best S and B song ever , just Ace ! I thought it was about a Loony Bin ,please let me know if wrong ! On the Subject of Siouxies out fit ! The Harlequin suit , Freddie Mercury sported one in multi Colours when Queen toured "A Day at the Races " 1976 . and Bill Nelson of the "Be Bop Deluxe " also wore a Harlequin suit on the back of the Album cover for "Futurama" 1975 ! I hired one for a Fancy Dress do at College and was cautioned by Police for directing Traffic at 1.30 in morning ! must be a Goonie thing
Where me n SPK are from Goonies are things that ladies wear in bed or unisex Terry towelling tie at the waist bath robes- but I get the other ref Cynthia was talking about and I’m happy to be a Goonie 😅. King Boomer has his Muppets , now you guys can grow your base by collecting Goonies , genius Cynthia , I seen that “ weird “ comment yesterday and I recognised immediately it was a massive compliment as you also did . Love this track it’s got John McGeogh all over it , so talented , so flawed . Siouxsie is no guitarist 😅.. not much if a vocalist either if I’m honest , but what a front for the band , great look , great drama , integral to the songwriting process with her great lyrics - if this was Juke box jury I’d be saying “ it’s a hit 👍 “.. 😂 👍🏴
There's no guitarist in the video because McGeoch wasn't officially a bandmember at that point, though he plays most of the guitar and horn parts on the album (and of course Steve Jones is on a couple of tracks, and Siouxsie adds some guitar to Paradise Place).
Happy House was the big change, Siouxsie Called it Banshees Phase Two. Out went Morris and MacKay in a taxi and in came Budgie and John McGeoch, a huge upswing in quality and innovation. The Scream and Join Hands were great but this was classy and so was everything after. BTW - I don't think you're weird. I think you are very natural and honest. I love that Cynthia bobbles her head in time and that Chris gives wry smiles and funny glances - this is all natural and as cool as a fridge.
Good to see Siouxie featured! I was a big fan of their debut album 'The Scream' (1978) it is quite dark in mood but really different sounding to anything at the time. Got to see them live just after it came out, really good. They do a great cover of the Beatles 'Helter Skelter', maybe a future 'who did it better' with U2? Cheers.
Siouxsie and the Banshees always get a big thumbs up from me. Thanks for being one of the few who include their music. Now if you think you might be a bit weird then I guess their "Voodoo Dolly" is a must.
@@OnceWasRStrathfield when we were in lockdown I'd go to the supermarket in my fully enclosed deposable biohazard suit with tool belt that had gloves handsanitizer gremkilling kitchen wipes and zip lock bags to throw away used stuff in it still makes me laugh thinking about the looks I'd get
Siouxie playing guitar in the vid is a homage to the fact the band went through three guitarists in the space of five years it was in fact Robert Smith of the Cure that filled in for a lot of their songs in the early 80s and beyond.
This was John McGeogh's first stint with the band - it was what passed his audition as their new guitarist. Not sure if he was fully integrated in the band at that point, and that's why he's not in the video
Try My Mistake and Sweet Dreams.. Siouxsie Sioux kept an eye on Noel Crombie (Split Enz member and custome designer) when she attended their concerts in London circa 1976. Budgie (Banshees drummer) said that Split Enz had no idea with their hairstyles and type of fashion.. but Enz were doing all that in the mid 70's, so they must have had some idea.
@@mightyV444 They were very much in clown suits and big bouncy balls in that video. Not that you need the trivia, but Chris Lofven was behind the ''History Never Repeats'' video. He also made ''I Got You'', ''I Hope I Never'', ''Bold As Brass'', ''Six Months In A Leaky Boat'', ''I Don't Wanna Dance'', ''Next Exit'', ''Never Ceases To Amaze Me''. He also made Daddy Cool's ''Eagle Rock'' video. Nice bloke too...