Siouxsie and the Banshees

• Genre: Goth
• Hometown: London, England
• Siouxsie and the Banshees Website

About

In 1976, the Sex Pistols had a rabid, mobile following -- a sort of a razor blades-and-eyeliner version of Deadheads -- called the Bromley Contingent. Susan Dallion was a member of the contingent, and having reinvented herself as Siouxsie, she started a band with Sid Vicious on drums, Marco Perroni on guitar and bassist Steve Severin. Vicious, of course, went on to join the Sex Pistols and Perroni defected for Adam and the Ants, but eventually Siouxsie's lineup stabilized with the addition of Budgie and John McGeoch. Siouxsie and the Banshees had great success with their dark, intense sound, and they hit the U.K. charts with their first single, the grim and brooding "Hong Kong Garden." Over the years, Siouxsie's somewhat tuneless, hiccupping wail grew into a melodic, powerful voice, and the band's sound followed suit. The chanteuse would dazzle fans with singles such as "Cities in Dust," "Peek-A-Boo" and "Kiss Them for Me" before the Banshees called it quits in 1996 -- twenty years after they began.

- Linda Ryan