The Thorn (EP)

Background, content and recording

The purpose of the EP was three-fold: Siouxsie stated that she wanted to induct new guitarist John Valentine Carruthers into the Banshees, to try out some string arrangements, and to simply re-record tracks that had evolved on tour. Some of the strings were played by musicians of the London Symphonic Orchestra (LSO), a 27-piece orchestra called the "Chandos Players".

The Thorn features four of the band's tracks recorded with orchestral instrumentation: "Overground" originally appeared on the Banshees' debut album The Scream; "Placebo Effect" was a song from their second album Join Hands, while "Voices" and "Red Over White" were previously released as B-sides from the singles "Hong Kong Garden" and "Israel", respectively. The recording took place in Bavaria, in Germany

Release

The Thorn was released on 19 October 1984 by record label Polydor. The songs from the EP were later included on the fourth disc of Downside Up, a collection of the band's B-sides.

Track listing

Personnel

;Siouxsie and the Banshees

• Siouxsie Sioux – vocals
• Steven Severin – bass
• Budgie – drums
• John Valentine Carruthers – guitar

; Additional personnel

• The Chandos Players – orchestration
• Sam Artiss – conduction
• Gini Ball – strings on "Red Over White"
• Anne Stephenson – strings on "Red Over White"
• Martin McCarrick – string arrangements
• Bill McGee – string arrangements
• Gini Ball – string arrangements
• Anne Stephenson – string arrangements

References

References

1. (2004). "[[Downside Up]]". Universal.
2. Johns, Brian. ''Entranced : the Siouxsie and the Banshees story''. Omnibus Press, 1989. {{ISBN. 978-0-7119-1773-6
3. between August and September 1984.Billy Chainsaw. "Phase Three Issues Three & Four". ''The Siouxsie and the Banshees File [Official magazine]''. 1984.