Kate Bush Is Our Goth Big Sister

Photo: Ian Harrison I can still remember the first time I saw the divine Kate Bush,after all this time. I was only little, she was performing on Top Of the Pops, and she both fascinated and terrified me, singing Wuthering Heights. I thought she was possibly a witch. Now I know she is. Her wideContinue reading “Kate Bush Is Our Goth Big Sister”

Favourite Cover Versions: Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds – Kicking Against the Pricks

Photo: Alamy This 1986 album, entirely comprising cover versions, shows Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds playing with the duality of their sound. There’s the bombast of their take on The Velvet Underground’s ‘All Tomorrow ‘s Parties’ running counter to Jimmy Webb’s legendary ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix’ with a softer, but noContinue reading “Favourite Cover Versions: Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds – Kicking Against the Pricks”

The Future’s Here Today: Mrs Frighthouse

Mrs Frighthouse are my new art crush. Heavy as hell and really beautiful, their music is the real deal: churning industrial goth metal that leaves you punch drunk. My friend Gareth tipped me off about them, for which I’m so grateful. If I had any discernible musical ability, I’d be clawing at their door, beggingContinue reading “The Future’s Here Today: Mrs Frighthouse”

Overlooked Classics: The Cure – Faith

Pornography is often referred to in The Cure’s early eighties trilogy (which also includes Seventeen Seconds) as a classic, but I think their third album, Faith, is absolutely divine, and overlooked. Far from being as miserable as painted, it’s actually pretty diverse in scope. There’s the anthemic ‘Primary ‘, shimmering majesty of ‘The Funeral Party’Continue reading “Overlooked Classics: The Cure – Faith”

Overlooked Classics: Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds – From Her To Eternity

Debut albums rarely feel as raw as From Her To Eternity. The Birthday Party had dissolved pretty messily, amid drug abuse and ego problems, so Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds could have toned things down a little in order to hit that commercial paydirt. Ha, as if. Cave was far too independent, too contrarianContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds – From Her To Eternity”

Album Review: Xmal Deutschland – Early Singles (1981-1982)

It’s strange, but Xmal Deutschland seemed to suffer the same fate as other cult bands like The Stooges, Suicide and Velvet Underground – they didn’t sell many records when they began, but gradually became more influential with time. Bands like Warpaint, VR Sex, Current Affairs and Savages owe them a debt- they definitely share aContinue reading “Album Review: Xmal Deutschland – Early Singles (1981-1982)”

The Future’s Here Today: Erika Angell

Sometimes, a piece of music just stops you in your tracks and pins you to the spot. I was transfixed when MaryAnne Hobbs played this on her BBC6 Music show this morning. Majestic, burbling electronic music with icy, neo-Goth vocals, Erika Angell is worth investigating. Her music is as deep as a well. She’s aContinue reading “The Future’s Here Today: Erika Angell”

Lost In Music: Siouxsie and the Banshees- Juju

I don’t think I’ve really written much about classic Siouxsie and the Banshees albums before, so thought it was time to rectify that. Juju is one of my favourites from my teens. I came to It late, probably the late eighties, as it had already been released in 1981, and I was too young toContinue reading “Lost In Music: Siouxsie and the Banshees- Juju”

Overlooked Classics: Miranda Sex Garden- Fairytales Of Slavery

Many bands soften their sound as they progress, chasing more commercial routes. Not so for the experimental collective, Miranda Sex Garden, who followed up their goth rock album Suspiria with this absolute barnstormer. Fairytales Of Slavery, released in 1994, was co-produced by Einsturzende Neubauten’s Alexander Hacke. The band had toured with them, and some ofContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Miranda Sex Garden- Fairytales Of Slavery”

Lost In Music: PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love

Recently, Ezra Furman said in a podcast that her ideal bar would have PJ Harvey ‘s To Bring You My Love on the jukebox. That sounds like perfection to me. Harvey’s third album, released in February 1995, was a startling departure from her previous brittle albums, Dry and Rid Of Me . A more febrileContinue reading “Lost In Music: PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love”