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THE CREATURES – The Singles

1981 to 1983

Wild Things / Miss the Girl / Right Now/ Standing There / Fury Eyes / Sad Cunt / Eraser Cut / 2nd Floor / Exterminating Angel / Say

Prettiest Thing

The first release from the Creatures in 1981, which was described as drum & vocals only. Released in early October following legal complications over the fact that Siouxsie & Budgie wanted 5 tracks included on the single. The biggest problem was that a four-track single was all right but a five-track single wasn't a single at all - it was actually classed as an album. It seemed that One song had to be excluded. Which one? In despair Siouxsie & Budgie tried to decide but like all tracks equally.

Siouxsie said " It's the kind of record where one track's your favourite one day and another the next"

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Thankfully someone discovered that five track singles were allowed so long as they only have one serial number The single cover was Siouxsie idea and included pictures of Siouxsie & Budgie in the now Infamous Shower scenes. The idea for the Bands name had come from Steve Severin when he suggested The Creatures. Siouxsie & Budgie seemed to think that the name fit, as "Wild things" by The Creatures sounded right. The single was released on the Polydor label (POSPD 354: double pack; 5000 in gatefold sleeves POSPG 354) and included the tracks: "Mad eyed Screamer", "So Unreal", "But Not Them", "Wild Thing" & "Thumb". The single managed to reach number 24 in the UK charts and spent 7 weeks on the listings.

A year and a half past before the Banshees took a few weeks break at the start of 1983. This gave Siouxsie and Budgie the chance to record once more as The Creatures. They few out to Hawaii, they wrote and recorded the album "Feast" within two weeks. The inspiration for the album plainly came from the Island and several tracks featured The Lamalani Hula Academy Hawaiian Chanters. The inspiration for Single "Miss The Girl" came from J.G.Ballard's novel "Crash" A video was filmed which was unofficially banned by the BBC

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The single was released in May 1983 and was backed by the track " Hot Spring In The Snow". This was the first Creatures single to be released on the Banshees own Wonderland Label (SHE1). The single charted at a higher position than the previous single and reached no 21 in the UK chart, this was higher than any Banshees single since "Happy house" back in 1980.

The same month Siouxsie and Budgie went back into the studio to record the follow up single to "Miss The Girl". They had promised that they would not release anymore singles from the "Feast" album and dually recorded a cover version of Mel Torme's 1962 "Right Now". The song had been written by Karl Sigman and Herbie Mann and had not been a hit in the UK. In stark contrast to the previous recordings the Creatures had made

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"Right Now" boasted a lavish horn section and a fast beat, which was unlike anything that the Banshees had tried before. This was obviously a departure and at the time was compared to Joe Jacksons "Jumping Jive" album. This was also to be the second single to be released on the Banshees own Wonderland label and came in two formats. The first a 7" single (Wonderland SHE2) which also was issued in a limited number of gatefold sleeves. The second was a 12" single (Wonderland SHEX2) both formats featured a new song written by the Creatures the excellent "Weathercade"

Lyrics Right Now / Weathercade

The 12" also featured two tracks that had appeared on the "Feast"album, "Festival of Colours" and "Dancing on Glass" This single was to do better in the charts than the other two releases and managed to reach number 14 in the UK chart. Siouxsie had first heard Mel Torme's version when she was Five years old and it had stuck with her. It took Siouxsie and Budgie three days to produce and mix.

The Creatures were then put on hold while the Banshees got back to recording and doing live shows.

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THE CREATURES

1989

After a long break to fulfil the activities of the Banshees, Siouxsie & Budgie flew out to Spain in May 1989 to record track that would be released as the "Boomerang" album. The first single taken from the album would be the excellent "Standing There" which was released before the album itself.

Written and arranged by the Creatures and produced by The Creatures and Mike Hedges

The single was released on The Banshees own Wonderland label (shecd17) on 11th October 1989 and was released in several formats, 7", 12", Limited Edition number 10" and CD. Its UK chart run was very short and only managed 2 weeks in all and reached a very disappointing Number 53. 3 other tracks appeared on the Single, "Divided", "Solar choir" and an extended version of "Standing there" the "Andalucian mix" which was mixed by Rolon'b b Deth and programmed by Mel T Wesson.

"Boomerang" was released during 1989 and was followed by the 2nd single to be taken from the album, however the single was to be a remix of the original album track

Lyrics

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Released on 24th February 1990 "Fury Eyes" was to make no impact on the UK singles chart. The single was released as a 7" box set, 12" and CD the CD featured 3 mixes of the track and one new song "Abstinence" all the tracks had been written By The Creatures The tracks on the CD

1. Fury eyes (remix)

2. Abstinence (long)

3. Fury eyes (fever Mix)

4. Fury eyes (20/20 mix)

Tracks 1 and 4 were produced by The Creatures and Mike Hedges and mixed by Pascal Gabriel

Tracks 2 & 3 were produced By The Creatures. The single was released On the Banshees own Wonderland label (shecd18)

Lyrics

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THE CREATURES

1997-1999

(Thanks to Killingjar for contributions to this page)

After the 1989 album "Boomerang" Siouxsie and Budgie again concentrated on the main project of the Banshees, however after "The Rapture" in 1995 the Banshees decided to call it a day a year later. At that point the record company released them from their contract. Siouxsie & Budgie had to form their own label (Sioux records) so that they could release future material. During 1997 Polydor released "the Creatures a Bestiary of" which would see all the tracks from 1881 to 1983 released on one album including the whole of the "Feast" which up to this point had only been released on vinyl

The first record that Sioux records would release was "Sad Cunt" (Sioux 1V) Very Limited numbered 7"(3000 copies) originally a give away to fans at a live show, but later the Official Creatures web site sold it to fans who were desperate to obtain a copy. The B-side of the single was "Sad Cunt" (Chix N Dix Mix). Originally the song was called "TV21" then later "Sad Boy"

Obviously this single made no impact on the UK charts, but it is an excellent track written by Siouxsie and Budgie, only a pity it's not available on CD.

Lyrics

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The next single to come from Siouxsie & Budgie would be a EP "Eraser Cut" (SIOUX 2V/CD) and was released towards the end of 1998 in two formats, CD & Very Limited 10" single. It featured 4 tracks with the excellent "Pinned Down" been the lead track followed by "Guillotine", "Thank You" and "Slipping Away" None of these tracks appeared on the "Anima Animus" album which would follow in 1999 You can visit The Creatures Web site and listen to Real Audio excerpt Here You can download Real player Here

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After a very short period Siouxsie and Budgie would release another single which would be a taster for the new album "Anima Animus"."2nd Floor" (SIOUX 3V/CD) was released on 5th October 1998 on two formats CD single and a very limited 7" Green vinyl. The 7" singles was a double

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A side featured two tracks "2nd Floor" and "Turn It On" (Bound N Gagged Mix) both tracks written by The Creatures. 2nd Floor was recorded on Eel Pie Barge & in Eden and mixed at Bunk Junk and Genius London and was produced by the Creatures and Warne Liversey. The CD Featured Three tracks 1) "2nd Floor" 2) "Turn It On" (Bound N Gagged Mix) 3) 2nd Floor (Girl Eats Boy's Remix)

The single failed to make any impression on the UK charts

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The next single from The Creatures was only available to Gift Horse members and was a Limited Edition with the cover hand painted by Siouxsie & Budgie. The CD featured 4 Mixes of "Exterminating Angel" and was titled "Exterminating Angel 4 Obscure objects of desire" (Sioux5CD) the mixes on the CD are (Lyrics)

Exordium (One Night In France)
Interim (NYC & Paris)
Remake (The James Hardway)
Remodel (From The Album Anima Animus)

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The next single to be widely released was "Say" released during the middle of 1999. The Creatures released this single as a two CD and very Limited clear 7" single (2000 copies). The tracks on the different formats were slightly different. "Say" was dedicated to Billy McKenzie who had been the lead singer with the Associates

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