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33⅓ Main Series #132
Peepshow
In 1978, Siouxsie and the Banshees declared 'We don't see ourselves in the same context as other rock'n'roll bands.' A decade later, and in the stark aftermath of a devastating storm, the band retreated to a 17th-century mansion house in the deracinated Sussex countryside to write their ninth studio album, Peepshow. Here, the band absorbed the bygone, rural atmosphere and its inspirational mise en scène, thus framing the record cinematically, as Siouxsie Sioux recalled, 'It was as if we were doing the whole thing on the set of The Wicker Man'.
Samantha Bennett looks at how Siouxsie and the Banshees' Peepshow is better understood in the context of film and film music (as opposed to popular music studies or, indeed, the works of other rock'n'roll bands). Drawing upon more than one hundred films and film scores, this book focuses on Peepshow's deeply embedded historical and aesthetic (para)cinematic influences: How is each track a reflection of genre film? Who are the various featured protagonists? And how does Peepshow's diverse orchestration, complex musical forms, atypical narratives and evocative soundscapes reveal an inherently cinematic record? Ultimately, Peepshow can be read as a soundtrack to all the films Siouxsie and the Banshees ever saw. Or perhaps it was the soundtrack to the greatest film they never made.
Samantha Bennett looks at how Siouxsie and the Banshees' Peepshow is better understood in the context of film and film music (as opposed to popular music studies or, indeed, the works of other rock'n'roll bands). Drawing upon more than one hundred films and film scores, this book focuses on Peepshow's deeply embedded historical and aesthetic (para)cinematic influences: How is each track a reflection of genre film? Who are the various featured protagonists? And how does Peepshow's diverse orchestration, complex musical forms, atypical narratives and evocative soundscapes reveal an inherently cinematic record? Ultimately, Peepshow can be read as a soundtrack to all the films Siouxsie and the Banshees ever saw. Or perhaps it was the soundtrack to the greatest film they never made.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
216 pages, Paperback
First published October 18, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 25, 2024
Peepshow (incidentally released on my birthday , 13th November 1978) is Siouxsie and the Banshees most cinematic album. In fact the title itself is a tribute to the voyeuristic nature of cinema. In this tome Samantha Bennett approaches the album through the medium of film criticism, thus each chapter is divided by film genre and each track is dissected by seeing which film it references.
I like it when the 33 1/3 series veer off in interesting directions and this is a pretty good one as it works. Plus alongside the film references, there are paragraphs dedicated to studio tricks behind the song.
One of the better volumes.
I like it when the 33 1/3 series veer off in interesting directions and this is a pretty good one as it works. Plus alongside the film references, there are paragraphs dedicated to studio tricks behind the song.
One of the better volumes.
Read
July 17, 2018Perhaps unfairly, I was a little surprised to see 33 1/3's Siouxsie book covering the obvious hit album, the big, full-production number; if I'd guessed I would have expected one of the earlier, (post-)punkier albums would be more in line with the imprint's aesthetic. And yes, I know it's a big wide line, and contributors propose their own subjects...but you still come to these assumptions, don't you? Still, I'm glad this is where it landed: one of the first goth albums (as against compilations) I taped, one which still sounds strange and spooky today even after the aesthetic has undergone thirty years of mainstreaming. And Bennett has done excellent work here at both close reading, often line by line and sound by sound - the piece on the bridge in 'The Killing Jar' was especially impressive - and at finding a wider context for the record. The influence of the great storm of 1987 on the recording, for instance, would never have occurred to me, despite being one of the most memorable incidents of my childhood - but yes, there it is in band interviews from the time, and once you see that, it all falls into place as making perfect sense. Bennett's overarching theme, though, is of Peepshow as almost a recapitulation of the history of film, which whether or not it's what the band had in mind, is certainly a valid and interesting way to talk about an album which does seem more indebted to the vignettes it describes and soundtracks than to the band's predecessors in pop and rock. This is a reading in which even more than Hitchcock, Bernard Herrmann is a key influence, and in which each song (or pair) is approached via a different genre - noir, musical, vaudeville... And I love it. If I have an objection it's that I was in places reminded why I don't read more within film studies: as a discipline it can be prone to overwriting, to trying that little bit too hard to prove it deserves a place among the academic big boys. So I winced at the line where, rather than people living in the country, we got "those residing in the rural surrounds", and the reference to "C.S. Lewis's literary classic The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)" wasn't much better. Still, this was an uncorrected proof from Netgalley, and hopefully the blue pencil will get to those before the finished edition. Though I bet the word 'topoi' will survive, and that one always makes me itchy. Still! I have to respect the dedication of someone who listened through all the presets on the Banshees' synths to confirm that they were creating bespoke sounds in particular places. And I especially enjoyed the section on my favourite track, 'Ornaments of Gold'. I'd forgotten what a banger this is, but Bennett goes a little deeper than that, pointing out the ways in which both words and music subvert the finger-wagging usually associated with masses of gold, referencing then upending a tradition running from sacred texts to Hollywood historical-fantastic and leaving us with pure decadent release.
August 2, 2018
The 33 1/3 series keeps cranking out great stuff. This one, focusing on a mid career album, is written by Samantha Bennett - an Associate Professor at the Australian National University and musician. Bennett takes an academic comparative analysis perspective, using film studies techniques in application to an album from a band heavily influenced by film and paracinematic experiences - and she does an awesome job. It's refreshing to read a positive (but critical) analysis of an album which isn't just a fan-gushing hagiography. Bennett makes detailed comparative analysis to particular film types (horror, epic, etc.), periods (Wiemar, 70s exploitation, etc.), and personnel (Hammer, Hitchcock, Bunuel, etc.) when parsing the fine detailed influence points on the album. This can go from the structural comparative of epic films to the song Rhapsody to the string swells and tonality used on the album which are similar to those found in Hitchcock's Strangers on A Train. While the book is written from an academic perspective, it never feels dense or burdensome to read. Granted Bennett does use some jargon which may require a dictionary, but the richness it provides is actually wonderful. Loved this book, love the album, and they go great together - rereading the book while listen to the album brought forth so many details which I had glossed over before. Highly recommended for anyone interested in music, film, or culture in any way.
November 19, 2018
When I read there would be book-length analysis of Peepshow my first thought was "finally!" On constant rotation in my collection since its release, this has been one of my favorite listens for so long that I kinda forgot how good it is. I just love this album, and Samantha Bennett's book reminded me of all the reasons why. Her technique of talking about the album as a filmic work or the soundtrack of a nonexistent movie works perfectly. If you love Siouxsie and the Banshees, you must read this.
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September 21, 2018An intriguing look at the recording of "Peepshow" by Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Covering the recording location at Berry House in 1987 after the Great Storm had turned the idyllic countryside into a type of haunted landscape.
It explores the title choice and voyeurism influences of each track. It was fascinating for me to read how each track has its roots in a vintage movie or the references that they contain.
A must read for all die-hard fans.
Covering the recording location at Berry House in 1987 after the Great Storm had turned the idyllic countryside into a type of haunted landscape.
It explores the title choice and voyeurism influences of each track. It was fascinating for me to read how each track has its roots in a vintage movie or the references that they contain.
A must read for all die-hard fans.
March 28, 2019
Siouxsie and the Banshees' Peepshow from Samantha Bennett is a wonderful addition to this series. Many volumes focus on lesser known or less popular works by the artists while this one focuses on one of their bigger commercial successes, but does so through a different lens, which shows this work in a different light.
The basic lens through which we come to view this album, it's creation, and the individual tracks is a filmic one. From how they perceived what they were doing to how they went about achieving the results they did. Bennett makes a strong case for her argument and, though certainly not the only way to understand the album, offers a perspective that will enhance other perspectives.
Though academic to an extent this is not so dense that one needs to be versed in theory. Bennett explains the concepts she uses and gives sufficient background of that type for a casual reader to understand her argument. It apparently went over the head of at least one "student of media studies" I saw but that is likely why he WAS a STUDENT and not currently either a student or professional in the area. No shame there, but sometimes a little knowledge ends up obstructing more than it illuminates. Read and take in this book on Bennett's terms, understand what she is trying to say. Once you understand what and how she is making her points, then go back and decide which parts you accept, which you don't, and which you are undecided about. But to stop part way? Well, that says more about you than the book.
I would recommend this to fans of the group as well as those interested in musicology, popular culture and the interplay between different art forms. This is not a light read but is readily accessible to most interested readers. No theoretical background is necessary though it will help to flesh out some aspects of what bennett might be getting at that goes beyond the scope of this book.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
The basic lens through which we come to view this album, it's creation, and the individual tracks is a filmic one. From how they perceived what they were doing to how they went about achieving the results they did. Bennett makes a strong case for her argument and, though certainly not the only way to understand the album, offers a perspective that will enhance other perspectives.
Though academic to an extent this is not so dense that one needs to be versed in theory. Bennett explains the concepts she uses and gives sufficient background of that type for a casual reader to understand her argument. It apparently went over the head of at least one "student of media studies" I saw but that is likely why he WAS a STUDENT and not currently either a student or professional in the area. No shame there, but sometimes a little knowledge ends up obstructing more than it illuminates. Read and take in this book on Bennett's terms, understand what she is trying to say. Once you understand what and how she is making her points, then go back and decide which parts you accept, which you don't, and which you are undecided about. But to stop part way? Well, that says more about you than the book.
I would recommend this to fans of the group as well as those interested in musicology, popular culture and the interplay between different art forms. This is not a light read but is readily accessible to most interested readers. No theoretical background is necessary though it will help to flesh out some aspects of what bennett might be getting at that goes beyond the scope of this book.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
December 29, 2019
“Peepshow” was always one of my least favorite Banshees’ records (although I always liked “Rhapsody,” “Last Beat...,” and “Ornaments of Gold”). I didn’t hate it, I just liked each of the albums that came before it much better. To me, “Peepshow” signified a greater flirtation with pop and it marked the beginning of the end for the band in my eyes.
After reading this very focused theoretical analysis that examines the cinematic elements informing each of the songs, I definitely have a new appreciation for the craft behind the songwriting and the subtle atmospheric nuances littered throughout the album. And that, for me, is ultimately the purpose of the 33 1/3 series — to reinforce one’s love of an album by providing new or deeper insights, or cultivating a newfound appreciation for an album that may have been overlooked.
I’ve carefully selected the 33 1/3 books I’ve bought and read. So far, I’ve enjoyed all of them and learned a lot from each of them. Samantha Bennett’s emphasis on the cinematic might seem a bit myopic and on a few songs like “The Killing Jar” it might even seem to be a bit of a stretch; but her approach proves to be a very successful way to contextualize the album. By the time I got to the discussion of the songs making up the album’s second side, I was like “Of course! Yes! This really works.”
Reading this book has elevated the status of “Peepshow” in my mind to be the last essential Banshees album; it also prompted me to consider the cinematic nature of “Rapture,” the band’s final studio album (and another release that always seemed very spotty to me besides its ‘epic’ title track).
So yeah, I guess I have to rethink my long-standing advice to any potential new fans that they don’t need any of the albums after “Tinderbox!”
After reading this very focused theoretical analysis that examines the cinematic elements informing each of the songs, I definitely have a new appreciation for the craft behind the songwriting and the subtle atmospheric nuances littered throughout the album. And that, for me, is ultimately the purpose of the 33 1/3 series — to reinforce one’s love of an album by providing new or deeper insights, or cultivating a newfound appreciation for an album that may have been overlooked.
I’ve carefully selected the 33 1/3 books I’ve bought and read. So far, I’ve enjoyed all of them and learned a lot from each of them. Samantha Bennett’s emphasis on the cinematic might seem a bit myopic and on a few songs like “The Killing Jar” it might even seem to be a bit of a stretch; but her approach proves to be a very successful way to contextualize the album. By the time I got to the discussion of the songs making up the album’s second side, I was like “Of course! Yes! This really works.”
Reading this book has elevated the status of “Peepshow” in my mind to be the last essential Banshees album; it also prompted me to consider the cinematic nature of “Rapture,” the band’s final studio album (and another release that always seemed very spotty to me besides its ‘epic’ title track).
So yeah, I guess I have to rethink my long-standing advice to any potential new fans that they don’t need any of the albums after “Tinderbox!”
August 6, 2018
Very much yes, and very much no. When the subject of this book landed with the 'Peek-a-Boo' single, I liked it a lot, but always thought it was not Siouxsie. Well, what was I to know in my teenaged naivety about Pabst, Dietrich, and other cinematic references that were then hidden to me, and the film-based oeuvre of the band that I was completely unaware of? The chapter discussing this, and indeed the (wannabe-haunted) house setting of the whole album's recording before it were fine reading.
But as soon as the next chapter accuses 'The Killing Jar' of having "a lazy reggae beat" – which it patently does not have – I hit a brick wall. What follows in discussing this song is just Pseuds' Corner. Nowhere does it pick up on the wordless vocal refrain that finally ties this lovely album to the goth roots of the band, but instead declares the instrumentation sounds like frogs, and witters on about "metaphorical mapping" and an "oxymoronic ascription" of actions. W, T, and indeed F. Having been a media studies student I thought I'd gain much insight from an author that clearly knows about both film studies and musicality, but when she spouts such falsity and incoherence I have only one duty, to switch off. The following content may have been accurate, but I just didn't get over said wall to find out. As mad as a box of guiros.
One and a half stars.
But as soon as the next chapter accuses 'The Killing Jar' of having "a lazy reggae beat" – which it patently does not have – I hit a brick wall. What follows in discussing this song is just Pseuds' Corner. Nowhere does it pick up on the wordless vocal refrain that finally ties this lovely album to the goth roots of the band, but instead declares the instrumentation sounds like frogs, and witters on about "metaphorical mapping" and an "oxymoronic ascription" of actions. W, T, and indeed F. Having been a media studies student I thought I'd gain much insight from an author that clearly knows about both film studies and musicality, but when she spouts such falsity and incoherence I have only one duty, to switch off. The following content may have been accurate, but I just didn't get over said wall to find out. As mad as a box of guiros.
One and a half stars.
October 14, 2019
I'm a big Siouxsie & The Banshees (SATB) fan. So I was excited to see this review of Peek-a-Boo, even though it's not my favorite SATB. And I was lukewarm on the book when started, but quickly became engrossed and burned through this. It gave me a much deeper appreciation of this album in particular, as well as the band's technical depth around film and film score.
Listening to and reading about SATB, you know they were influenced by film. But to read Samantha Bennett's track-by-track breakdown of this album, and how each track deftly ties to specific film genres, was really enlightening and built up an even deeper appreciation of a band I already love and admire. I also learned not just about SATB's process around this album, but gained a deeper appreciation of film score in specific genres. An unexpected benefit of an already great book.
I would think it would be a great read for not just SATB fans, but fans of 70s and 80s rock, film and film score, and thoughtful albums with depth behind the music and lyrics.
Listening to and reading about SATB, you know they were influenced by film. But to read Samantha Bennett's track-by-track breakdown of this album, and how each track deftly ties to specific film genres, was really enlightening and built up an even deeper appreciation of a band I already love and admire. I also learned not just about SATB's process around this album, but gained a deeper appreciation of film score in specific genres. An unexpected benefit of an already great book.
I would think it would be a great read for not just SATB fans, but fans of 70s and 80s rock, film and film score, and thoughtful albums with depth behind the music and lyrics.
June 16, 2021
First, don't let my one star rating really impact whether you believe the author is a strong writer or not, because, let's be clear, the book is well researched and well written, so that wasn't merely my issue. For me, while I understand the proposal and linking an album to the study of film, it just didn't connect for me. I read these book in part because I want to see what makes people love a record, and what they can tell me that maybe I did or didn't hear. Sadly, this book has very little to do with the record as a whole, and even in minute details, what the album sounds like. Is it written well, sure. Is the research thorough, yes. Does the book highlight or encourage insight into the album? Absolutely not. Thus, my 1 star.
February 12, 2020
Very academic and heavily reliant on flim theory, I enjoyed the work nonetheless. And the album rocks as well. I think the argument that Peepshow uses aesthetics of film and the subversion inherent in doing that within the context of popular music is interesting to me. I mean, I took Narrative Cinema and Media studies so I might be more amenable to this kind of analysis/critique. At the very least check it out while blaring Peepshow!
December 3, 2024
3.5/5. This is a really interesting read of a truly great album. Plus, the author introduced me to several pieces of film that (may have) inspired some of my favorite tracks. Looking forward to exploring some of those. If you like Siouxsie and/or Peepshow, you'll probably enjoy this deep dive into the cinematic inspirations behind the album.
March 16, 2019
As a fan, some of the band's background and commentary was very interesting, and I was really looking forward to this one, but the depth as which Bennett analyzes the films she attributes to each song is so deep that it starts to get boring and even a bit thin relatively quickly.
dnf-partial-read
January 5, 2025You kind of need a degree in filmmaking to make sense of this one. But I understood the main theme: Siouxsie and the Banshee were heavily influenced by film.
December 2, 2019
I enjoyed this edition of the 33 1/3 series. I liked the correlation between the songs and films. I've seen a number of them, but I'm adding the rest to my list of movies to watch.
Read
March 20, 2024I wish I could give this a 3.5, but I can't quite bring myself to give it a full 4. It's a good book, and it's written by an obvious fan who wants to give this album the critical attention it deserves. But while I greatly appreciate the author's decision to view the music through the lens of critical film studies, it means that I miss some of her defter allusions and deeper points because I haven't seen many of the movies she mentions.
Yes, she's an excellent writer who ensures that the reader doesn't need to have seen the movie to understand what's she's describing, but I can help but wonder what I might be missing. To that end, I want to use the book going forward to guide some of my exploration into cinema history, because there's a great education to be had in these pages.
Yes, she's an excellent writer who ensures that the reader doesn't need to have seen the movie to understand what's she's describing, but I can help but wonder what I might be missing. To that end, I want to use the book going forward to guide some of my exploration into cinema history, because there's a great education to be had in these pages.
June 5, 2022
I do love Siouxsie and the Banshees and I also love the 33 1/3 imprint so a volume on the band's Peepshow offering seemed too good to pass up. The thing is, if you ever met another fan that could painstakingly deconstruct each track on the album and pin it all to obscure arthouse cinema references you would hear them out, nodding politely. If they were to bang on about it for hours on end though, you wouldn't be having it.
Don't get me wrong, the author clearly knows her stuff but at times it just feels like you are wading through treacle. It is a rare thing to suck the life from a Banshees album but this achieves it with almost vampiric efficiency.
Don't get me wrong, the author clearly knows her stuff but at times it just feels like you are wading through treacle. It is a rare thing to suck the life from a Banshees album but this achieves it with almost vampiric efficiency.
July 19, 2018
I loved this book. It briught back memories of when Siouxsie and the Banshees were amongst my favourite group.
It full of informations, well researched and it helped me to better understand their songs.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
It full of informations, well researched and it helped me to better understand their songs.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews