This one’s going out to anyone who went through a punk, new romantic or – dare I say it – goth phase (or is still going through it!); this week’s Sex Bomb Style Icon is the massively original, influential and multi-talented Queen of the night, Siouxsie Sioux.
Siouxsie’s sound (with band Siouxsie and the Banshees from the late 70s to 90s) much like her signature striking look, was dark and theatrical, strangely poetic and ultimately inspiring. Her distinct voice, a kind of beautifully operatic controlled chaos, was unlike anyone else’s (until Karen O came along, heavily influenced by Siouxsie – but hey, we love you too Karen!), as was her incredibly curated black spiky ‘do, exaggerated cat-eye make-up, and red lips. Even my all-time favourite, Robert Smith, got aesthetic pointers from this extreme-style wonder woman (he was in the Banshees for a few albums).
You might remember the irreverent London-born and based artist’s first brush with fame (or infamy) was as a part of the Sex Pistols entourage, being interviewed by Bill Grundy for the first time on live British television in 1976. Siouxsie coyly quipped that she’d, “always wanted to meet” the conservative Grundy, and when he flirtatiously replied he’d “meet her backstage”, Grundy incited the awesomely foul-mouthed Pistols to swear obscenely at him, giving English viewers their first taste of profanity on television, and a sneak-peek at the punk movement about to erupt and take over England as they knew it. Following the huge success of the Sex Pistols and their rebellious antics, Siouxsie left that scene behind (where she’d had bleached blonde hair), changed up her look and went for an entirely independent approach to music. Her first performance in 1976, as part of an event curated by Malcolm McLaren saw Siouxsie improvise and recite poetry and prayers for 20 minutes – because she had no idea how to actually create music.
But real talent knows no rules, and it was that experimental live performance that catapulted Siouxsie into the pop mainstream, while she remained entirely subversive, in just two short years. Her first album in ’78 The Scream (now considered by many critics as one of the best debut albums of all time) topped the charts and was reviewed by the NME, glowingly with, “Certainly, the traditional three-piece sound has never been used in a more unorthodox fashion with such stunning results.” Siouxsie Sioux, you’re an inspiration – here’s to unorthodox beauty, brains, creativity and eccentricity – the sexiest attributes any woman could possess!
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