Siouxsie & The Banshees | The Rapture

On January 16th, 1995, Siouxsie and The Banshees released their 11th and final studio album The Rapture.

Following the writing of the songs at Siouxsie and Budgie’s house near Toulouse, France, in March and April 1993, the band then went on to Léon near Biarritz. They produced the first part of the album at Studio du Manoir in May, then went to London, and finished the album with the help of The Velvet Underground’s John Cale, who produced the remaining tracks.

It was more than pleasant working with John Cale, Siouxsie explains in an interview with BSIDE during February of 1995:

“It was a nightmare,” groans Siouxsie dramatically, quickly laughing. “No, the only question we kept asking ourselves was why didn’t we think him before or SOONER? We’ve been huge fans of the Velvet Underground and that was a band that you were aware it was four individual performers and writers, which was quite a unique thing. I think it’s always been its appeal to people: there’s something more than a bunch of musicians having fun together. And his solo career, there’s been a big journey there.”

In the interview Steven Severin went on to add:

“He produced such landmark albums, too. The first Stooges album, which people still quote today, the first Patti Smith album, the first Modern Lovers album, so we see that this is our first album in many ways because of… it’s one of those things that you have to put it down to synchronicity. It was the right time to work with John Cale. It just happened.”

The Rapture had two singles:

O’ Baby

Stargazer

The songs on The Rapture were some of the most light coming from the band that practically paved the way for the darkness of Goth.

“It’s not cartoon Banshees,” Siouxsie goes on to elaborate in the BSIDE interview:

“It’s not how people perceive us. On our journey, there’s been one thing that’s been part disappointing and part accepted: this cliche of how people perceive Siouxsie and the Banshees. They’re dark, depressing, morbid, introverted… I am really disappointed with reviews, when you get… it’s almost like you can read the first line and go ‘OK, I read this one thirteen years ago!”

But Budgie goes on to defend fans attachment to the gothic legacy:

“It’s like anything, if something affects you in your youth, you always think of that one instance in that artist’s development: that’s where YOU remember them from. After that, you’re not interested in them anymore. So you will always be that to those people, that particular point. ‘Cities in Dust’: from where we were then, it’s been a constant progression for us, but that one image of Siouxsie… it’s ALWAYS from years back. You see it when people come [to shows]…” he breaks into chuckles, “they’re in different parts of where we were.”

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