Siouxsie and the Banshees - Nocturne

As part of Record Store Day 2024 Polydor (UK) and Universal Music Recordings release Siouxsie and the Banshees’ 1983 Live album Nocturne performed at the iconic Royal Albert Hall. Pressed on two 140g Black vinyl records, mastered and cut half speed from the original analogue tapes at Abbey Road Studios.

November of 2023 saw Nocturne turn 40 years old and has not had an official vinyl press since. To celebrate this unique live album Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin have overseen a new direction of the already iconic artwork, 16 tracks taken from those two nights over the 30th September and 1st of October 1983, a new gatefold sleeve, printed inners and few extra surprises to discover.

The Royal Albert Hall performances would see Sioux on vocals, Severin on bass guitar, Budgie – drums and Robert Smith (of the Cure) who at the time was a full time member of Siouxsie and the Banshees on guitar. Over the two nights the Banshees would play two different set lists, the songs making up Nocturne are hand picked by the band as their ideal setlist from the two gigs. With songs taken from Juju, it also features a few B-sides and live performances of Beatles covers Helter Skelter and Dear Prudence. The music heard in the introduction before “Israel” is an excerpt from The Rite of Spring, composed in 1913 by Igor Stravinsky Nocturne was lauded for its no-nonsense introduction to the band’s music for neophytes, while fans of the group will appreciate the tight, gutsy, stripped-down performances.