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Juju (Siouxsie and the Banshees album)

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Juju
Studio album by
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Released19 June 1981
Recorded1981
StudioSurrey Sound, Leatherhead, Surrey
Genre
Length41:06
LabelPolydor
Producer
Siouxsie and the Banshees chronology
Kaleidoscope
(1980) 		Juju
(1981) 		A Kiss in the Dreamhouse
(1982)
Siouxsie Sioux chronology
Kaleidoscope
(1980) 		Juju
(1981) 		Wild Things
the Creatures
(1981)
Singles from Juju
  1. "Spellbound"
    Released: 22 May 1981
  2. "Arabian Knights"
    Released: 24 July 1981

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.

Background

[edit]

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]

Musical style

[edit]

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]

Release

[edit]

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.

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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]

Legacy

[edit]

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]

Track listing

[edit]

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)

Side A
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Spellbound"Severin3:20
2."Into the Light" 4:15
3."Arabian Knights" 3:05
4."Halloween"Severin3:37
5."Monitor" 5:33
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Night Shift"6:06
2."Sin in My Heart"3:37
3."Head Cut"4:22
4."Voodoo Dolly"7:04
2006 CD remastered reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLyricsLength
10."Spellbound" (12" extended mix)Severin4:41
11."Arabian Knights" (12" vocoder mix) 3:09
12."Fireworks" (Nigel Gray unreleased version)Severin4:13

Personnel

[edit]

Siouxsie and the Banshees

Technical

  • Nigel Gray – production
  • Rob O'Connor – sleeve design
  • Joe Lyons – sleeve photography

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Juju
Chart (1981) Peak
position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[29] 29
UK Albums (OCC)[30] 7

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for Juju
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Silver 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Sullivan-Burke, Rory (April 2022). The Light Pours Out of Me: The Authorised Biography of John McGeoch. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1913172664.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Siouxsie and the Banshees Juju Tour Programme, Siouxsie and the Banshees' Official Press, 1981, Juju Release Date 19th June 1981
  2. ^ a b c Paytress 2003, p. 106.
  3. ^ a b c Mitchell, Pete (February 2008). "Spellbound: The Story of John McGeoch". BBC Radio 2. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2011 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ Sullivan-Burke, Rory (April 2022). The Light Pours Out of Me: The Authorised Biography of John McGeoch. Omnibus Press. p. 108. ISBN 978-1913172664.
  5. ^ a b c DiGravina, Tim. "Juju – Siouxsie and the Banshees". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  6. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (21 November 2007). "Artists Beginning with S". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  7. ^ Blackmore, Neil (2003). Buckley, Peter (ed.). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. pp. 941–942. ISBN 1843531054.
    Reynolds, Simon (2005). Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984. Faber and Faber. ISBN 0571252273.
  8. ^ "Spellbound: Siouxsie And The Banshees". BBC Radio 4. 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Siouxsie & the Banshees [uk charts]". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  10. ^ a b Page, Betty (27 June 1981). "Siouxsie & The Banshees: Juju ****1/2". Sounds. Rock's Backpages. Retrieved 5 June 2013. (subscription required)
  11. ^ Morley, Paul (27 June 1981). "Juju [album review]". NME.
  12. ^ Coleman, Mark; Randall, Mac (2004). "Siouxsie and the Banshees". In Brackett, Nathan; with Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 740–41. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
  13. ^ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 1022. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
  14. ^ Dimery, Robert (2005). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Cassell Illustrated.
  15. ^ Unsworth, Cathi (14 January 1995). "Baby, Come Back". Melody Maker.
  16. ^ "Mojo – 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time", Mojo, June 1996
  17. ^ Marr, Johnny (November 2004). "Top Ten Guitarists". Uncut.
  18. ^ "Morrissey – KROQ Interview, 7-6-97 (pt. 4/4)". morrissey-solo.com. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  19. ^ Deevoy, Adrian (October 2005). "Men of the Year". GQ. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  20. ^ Sinclair, David (May 1984). "The Best Guitar Breaks In The World [Our six favourite guitarists choose their 30-odd favourite guitar tracks]". One Two Testing. [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."
  21. ^ Ryan Dombal. "Radiohead interview". Pitchfork. 28 March 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2016. "Yeah. In rehearsals yesterday, Thom, Ed and I were running through a Siouxsie and the Banshees cover called "Happy House" and Jonny [Greenwood]-- the young one-- was like, "What the fuck is this?" And we're like, "You know, Siouxsie and the Banshees! Check out Juju."
  22. ^ Scaroni, Casandra; Dietz, Samuel (2 September 2011). "You've got to find a voice". Al tuntún. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  23. ^ Borjesson, Tore S (23 March 2003). "Red Hots verkliga frontman". Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  24. ^ "6 music playlist Billy Corgan". BBC.co.uk. Broadcast on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2015
  25. ^ "Billy Corgan plays X tracks while hosting SiriusXM Lithium station". crestfallen.com. 28 October 2011. Archived from the original on 31 August 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  26. ^ "The People You Dig. The Records They Love. Duane Denison, Musician, The Jesus Lizard". Fidelityhigh.com. Archived from the original on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  27. ^ "William Reid Spotify Playlist April 2021". Spotify. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  28. ^ "The Best Thing I've Heard All Year - The Stars Pick Their fave racks of 2010 – Brett Anderson". Mojo. 24 November 2010. Archived from the original on 16 March 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012. 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)
  29. ^ "Charts.nz – Siouxsie & the Banshees – Juju". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  30. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  31. ^ "British album certifications – Siouxsie & the Banshees – Ju-Ju". British Phonographic Industry. 6 October 1981. Retrieved 16 October 2021.

Sources

[edit]
  • Paytress, Mark (2003). Siouxsie & the Banshees – The Authorised Biography. Sanctuary Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-86074-375-7.
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