Everything about Bauhaus Band totally explained
Bauhaus were an
English rock band formed in
Northampton in 1978. The group consisted of
Peter Murphy (vocals),
Daniel Ash (guitar),
Kevin Haskins (drums) and
David J (bass). The band originally went by the name
Bauhaus 1919, dropping the latter portion within a year of their formation. With their dark, gloomy sound and image, Bauhaus are generally considered the most definitive
gothic rock group.
Bauhaus first broke up in 1983. Peter Murphy began a solo career while the other members continued as
Tones on Tail and, later,
Love and Rockets. Both enjoyed greater commercial success in the United States than Bauhaus had, but disappeared from the charts in their homeland. The band reunited for a 1998 tour and on a more permanent basis in 2005. The group announced plans to disband again before the release of their final album,
Go Away White (2008).
History
David J. Haskins, his younger brother Kevin Haskins and their friend Daniel Ash had played together in various bands since childhood, often not lasting more than one gig. One of the more long-lived of these was a band called The Craze, which did a few gigs around Northampton. The band soon split however and Ash once again tried to convince his old school friend Peter Murphy to join him, simply because Ash thought he'd the right look for a band. Murphy, who was working in a printing factory, decided to give it a try, despite never having written lyrics or sung. During their first rehearsal, they co-wrote most of the song "In the Flat Field." Ash's old band mate Kevin Haskins joined as the drummer. Ash made a point of not inviting David J, the driving force in their previous bands, because he wanted a band he could control. After only a few weeks though, Ash reconsidered and invited David J to replace original bassist Chris Barber. Haskins had already agreed to tour American airbases with another band, but decided that joining his friends' group was "the right thing to do." With their lineup complete, the unnamed band played their first gig at the Cromwell pub in Wellingborough on New Year's Eve 1978.
The band chose the name Bauhaus 1919, a reference to the German
Bauhaus art movement of the 1920s, because of its "stylistic implications and associations", according to David J. Bauhaus associate Graham Bentley said that the group was unlike any Northampton band of the time, most of which played predominantly cover songs. Bentley videotaped a performance by the group, which was sent to several record labels in the hope of obtaining a contract. This approach was hindered partly because many record companies at the time didn't have home video equipment or Bentley had to provide it himself, so the group decided to record a demo.
"Bela Lugosi's Dead" and 4AD
Together for only six weeks, the band entered the studio for the first time at Beck Studios in
Wellingborough to record a demo. The band recorded five songs; one of the tracks from the session, "
Bela Lugosi's Dead", running more than nine minutes, was released as the group's debut single in August 1979 on
Small Wonder Records as Bauhaus (the 1919 abandoned). The single received a positive review in
Sounds and stayed on the British independent charts for two years. The song received crucial airplay on
BBC Radio 1 DJ
John Peel's evening show and Bauhaus was subsequently asked to record a session for Peel's show, which was broadcast on
3 January 1980.
The band released three more singles, "
Dark Entries", "
Terror Couple Kill Colonel" and "
Telegram Sam" (originally written by glam rock pioneers
T.Rex) before the debut of their first album
In the Flat Field in 1980 on
4AD.
Simon Reynolds has suggested in his
Rip It Up and Start Again: Post Punk 1978-1984 that the fan base of Bauhaus swelled around this time partly due to the dissatisfaction of a large numbers of
Adam and the Ants fans, who had rejected the Ants' new image and direction when they dropped their previous
S&M,
bondage and
kabuki imagery in search of pop success. Despite negative reviews,
In the Flat Field topped the indie charts and made headway onto the British pop charts, peaking for one week at number 72.
Beggar's Banquet and breakup
Bauhaus' growing success outstripped 4AD's resources, so the band moved to 4AD's parent label
Beggars Banquet Records. Bauhaus released "
Kick in the Eye" as its debut release on the label. The single reached number 59 on the charts. the following single "
The Passion of Lovers" peaked at number 56. Bauhaus released its second album
Mask in October 1981. The band employed keyboards and other instruments to add to the album's sounds. In an unconventional move, the group shot a video for the album's title track as a promotional tool for the band as a whole and not any specific song from the record.
Bauhaus followed with the single "
Spirit", produced by
Hugh Jones and intended to break into the Top 30. However, "Spirit" only reached number 42. The band was displeased with the single and re-recorded it for its third album
The Sky's Gone Out (1982). In the same year Bauhaus scored their biggest hit with a cover of
David Bowie's "
Ziggy Stardust", which was recorded during a BBC session. The song reached number fifteen on the British charts and earned the band an appearance on the television show
Top Of The Pops. Thanks to the success of the single, the album also became the band's biggest hit, peaking at number three. That same year Bauhaus made an appearance in the horror film
The Hunger, where they performed "Bela Lugosi's Dead" during the opening credits. The final cut of the scene focused on Murphy; this, coupled with the singer's modelling work in a popular ad campaign for
Maxell, caused resentment among the rest of the group.
Prior to the recording of their fourth album
Burning from the Inside (1983) Peter Murphy was stricken with pneumonia, which prevented him from contributing much to the album. Daniel Ash and David J took the reins and became the driving forces behind the record, and even did lead vocals on a few tracks. The album's lead single, "
She's in Parties", reached number 26 on the charts and earned Bauhaus their third and final
Top of the Pops appearance. Bauhaus then embarked on an international promotional tour for the album, with dates in Europe and the Far East. David J recalled that the night before they were supposed to perform two shows at
Hammersmith Palais in London the group decided to disband. The band played their farewell show on
5 July 1983 at the Hammersmith Palais; dedicated fans had been warned by the band's crew not to miss the show without telling them it was the last. After a long
encore consisting of some of their early songs, David J left the stage with the words "rest in peace".
Burning from the Inside was released a week later. The album received largely positive reviews and reached number 13 on the charts. Bauhaus released the single "Sanity Assassin" in limited quantities as a farewell gift for those who joined the group's fanclub.
Post-breakup
After Bauhaus disbanded, all members of the band did various solo work. Peter Murphy worked briefly with bassist
Mick Karn of
Japan in the band
Dali's Car before going solo with such albums as
Deep and
Love Hysteria. Daniel Ash started
Tones on Tail with Bauhaus roadie Glen Campling as a side-project in 1981; after Bauhaus broke up, Kevin Haskins joined the group, which released an album and several EPs before breaking up following a 1984 American tour.
David J has released multiple solo albums and has collaborated with several other musicians such as
The Jazz Butcher, as well as with comics writer/spoken-word artist
Alan Moore in the band
The Sinister Ducks, on the album
V, based on Moore's comic
V for Vendetta and on Moore's performance piece
The Birth Caul, over the years.
During a discussion about the state of their projects at the time, Ash and David J began talking about reforming Bauhaus. All four band members arranged a rehearsal, but Murphy failed to show up the day it was scheduled. The other three band members rehearsed regardless, and were inspired by the chemistry they'd as a trio. As a result, Ash and the Haskins brothers formed
Love and Rockets in 1985. Love and Rockets scored a US hit four years later with "
So Alive". The band broke up after seven albums in 1999. Both Daniel Ash and David J released solo albums during the Love and Rockets years; Peter Murphy contributed backing vocals to David J's 1992 single "Candy on the Cross."
Reformation
Bauhaus reunited for the "Resurrection Tour" in 1998, which featured a new song, "The Dog's a Vapour", which was also included in the soundtrack for the film
Heavy Metal 2000. A live album recorded during the tour,
Gotham, was released the same year. They also performed some cover versions not previously heard ("Severance", by
Dead Can Dance and "
The Passenger", by
Iggy Pop) on official releases. A studio recording of "Severance" was also included on the live
Gotham album.
2005 saw Bauhaus play a reunion gig at the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in
Indio, California on
30 April 2005. No new songs were expected and Peter Murphy followed the Coachella performance with his own solo tour to support his new album. At the opening of their set, Peter Murphy was lowered to the stage upside-down singing "Bela Lugosi's Dead".
Following Peter Murphy's 2005 tour, Bauhaus embarked on a full tour beginning in
North America and
Mexico in the Autumn of 2005 - ending in
Europe in February 2006. The band also mentioned that they hoped to record new music following the tour. In May 2006 the band toured with
Nine Inch Nails on the summer leg of the
With Teeth tour. Bauhaus unveiled two new songs: "Adrenalin" and "Endless Summer of the Damned."
Bauhaus released their first new album since 1983, titled
Go Away White on March 3rd, 2008. This marks the end of the band and there will be no tour to support the album. Drummer Kevin Haskins said in an interview that they "were getting along really well, but there was an incident that occurred." As a result, "some of us just felt that we didn't want to carry on as a working unit". In an interview with
SuicideGirls, bassist David J said about the breakup "You have a test tube, and you pour in one chemical, and you pour in another chemical, and something happens. It starts to bubble. Pour in another chemical, and it starts to bubble a bit more. You pour in a fourth chemical, and it bubbles really violently, and then explodes. That's my answer". While the singer Peter Murphy, claimed in another interview that ..."he was most satisfied with the bonding on an emotional level. It was good to be working together and to put the past behind us and it was very positive. The result was coming out really fast, so it was exciting and it was very enjoyable" but in the end "....That rocky character worked and I think it was a bit right to finish it, really." The new album, which was recorded in 2006, was released digitally via iTunes and on CD via the band's own Bauhaus Music imprint through Red Eye Distribution (North America) and Cooking Vinyl (the rest of the world).
Musical style
Bauhaus combined a number of influences including
punk music,
glam rock, and
Krautrock - even
funk and
dub - to create a gloomy, but passionate sound which appealed to many fans left disillusioned by the
New Wave that arose in the wake of punk's collapse. Their sound proved influential, inspiring or bringing attention to a whole wave of
post-punk groups delving into the intense, gloomy style that would eventually come to be known as gothic rock. Its crucial elements included Peter Murphy's deep and sonorous voice, Daniel Ash's innovative guitar playing and David J's dub-influenced bass.
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
Press the Eject and Give Me the Tape (Beggars Banquet) - 1982
(Nemo/Beggars Banquet) - 1992
Gotham (Metropolis) - 1999
Singles and EPs
"Bela Lugosi's Dead" - (Small Wonder) 1979
"Dark Entries" - (4AD) 1980
"Terror Couple Kill Colonel" - (4AD) 1980
"Telegram Sam" - (T.Rex cover) - (4AD) 1980
"Kick in the Eye" - (Beggars Banquet) 1981 #59 UK
"The Passion of Lovers" - (Beggars Banquet) 1981 #56 UK
"Kick in the Eye (Searching for Satori E.P.)" - (Beggars Banquet) 1982 #45 UK
"Satori in Paris" - (4AD/New Rose) 1982
"A God in an Alcove" - (4AD/Flexi Pop) 1982
"Spirit" - (Beggars Banquet) 1982 #42 UK
"Ziggy Stardust" - (David Bowie cover) - (Beggars Banquet) 1982 #15 UK
"Lagartija Nick" - (Beggars Banquet) 1983 #44 UK
"She's in Parties" - (Beggars Banquet) 1983 #26 UK
"Sanity Assassin" - (Beggars Banquet) Limited fan club single only, 1983
Compilations
4AD (4AD/12" single) - 1983
1979-1983 Volume 1 (Beggars Banquet) - 1986
1979-1983 Volume 2 (Beggars Banquet) - 1986
(BBC/Beggars Banquet) - 1989 #169 US
Crackle - The Best of Bauhaus (Beggars Banquet) - 1998Further Information
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