Bauhaus Ressources on this site
History and Significance
In 1978, brothers David J (bassist) and Kevin Haskins (drummer) got together with guitarist Daniel Ash and Ash's school chum Peter Murphy (vocalist) and formed one of the most influential musical bands in history: Bauhaus. In 79, Bauhaus released their single Bela Lugosi's Dead, an epic song that heralded the birth of the Gothic subculture. After many a song, 4 albums, and 2 live disks, they broke up in 1983. 15 years later (aka: now), they decided they needed our money and our support for their own projects, Peter Murphy's solo career and the remainder's Love And Rockets. Therefore, they got back together for Resurrection, the Gothic concert event of the decade.
So, what the heck did I mean "one of the most influential musical bands in history"? Most people haven't even heard of them! Well, they may not have heard of Bauhaus itself, but the most certainly know, one way or the other, of their legacy. I'm talking here about the Gothic subculture and Gothic music. Very few bands can actually make the claim to fame of being either the pioneers and/or the popularizers of a whole genre of rock. Elvis started it with Rock in general, Black Sabbath gets the honours for Heavy Metal, the Sex Pistols get it for Punk, Nirvana gets it for Alternative... and Bauhaus gets it for Goth. While one may not necessarily like any of these bands, one must admit that to beget a whole genre is a pretty impressive feat! And like these bands, while they created the genre (Goth can still be described, strictly, as any style of music imitating or using elements of music pioneered by Bauhaus), they stand as a pinacle above it. Bauhaus is just plain good.
You could find more about Bauhaus in the biography page.
Partial Song List
Now that you asked, my favorite Bauhaus songs are (in no particular order save the first):
- Bela Lugosi's Dead - This is it. THE Goth song. A 9 minute epic that gave us a whole fun-lovin' new outlook on life. Or undeath as the case may be. Listen to it: if you "get it", then you will "get" Goth. If you don't "get it", then you'll never be able to understand us.
- Boys - The B-side to the Bela single, methinks this song is about the underground transvestite scene in England in the late 70's. Or maybe not. I still like it, and it helped to inspire my purchase of a black feather boa.
- She's in Parties - A rather dancy song, its lovely, if a little maligned by Goths (everybody says its not that good, but we all love it and we know it, so quit pretending!).
- Hollow Hills - The deffinition of a somber Goth song, this one just catches you in its imagry and won't let you go until its over!
- Double Dare - A dare to stand up for what you believe in, I wasn't a big fan of this one until after I saw it performed by them live. It was a really good performance!
- Spirit - like Double Dare, I didn't much care for it before I saw it performed. Their performance struck me with just how stirring a song Spirit truely is.
- Ziggy Stardust - A David Bowie song and perhaps Bauhaus' most commercially successful song to date. Many people malign it for being "by the numbers", but I don't think so. I actually like this version better than Bowie's original... This one has more oomph to it.
Resurrection
Yep, I was there!!! November 3rd 1998, Brielpoort, Deinze Belgium, first row, just in front of the stage, with my two Nikon 801 and a great photo pass ... We was only four authorised photographers. You can see a review of this gig with my photos here
It was amazing! Bauhaus are an incredible band live. They are even better live! Being the concert event of my lifetime. It was a double wammy to, because not only did we go to see Bauhaus, but there were actual Goths there. Real genuine Goths!!! All we get are the wannabe pseudo-Goths who emulate certain obscene and un-Goth pop Industrial shock rockers. But here were real Goths! Ahhh, a taste of the good life. I shouldn't really bore you with express details of the concert itself because those can be found at the Official Resurrection web-page (and some of my pics too), but what I can say is that it was amazing!! From the beginning with Murphy singing Double Dare via black and white video screen, to the cover of Dead Can Dance's Severance, to Murphy's little faux pas with She's In Parties which resulted in the best song of the night for me (he started with a monologue about how we all go to parties, we're bowing before our god, etc; then when he began singing, he was off que and got stuck on one line over and over and over again; and then after catching up and singing a few bars, he switched into the stirring Spirit to the closing rendition of Bela Lugosi's Dead.
Erronious Comparisons
Spitting on the Legend, here're some words about Bauhaus :
- Bauhaus are Goth. They created Goth. They are the epitome of Goth.
- Goth never was "popular" or "relevant" or any of those things they accuse Bauhaus of NOT being.
- We (being Goths) don't care how relevant or popular Bauhaus is to anybody else! WE buy the albums, WE bought the tickets to Resurrection, Bauhaus is OUR band!! And finally,
- Marilyn Manson is NOT Goth! So they dress weird and sing about hate and angst, so what? Lots of bands dress weird: Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, GWAR, Prodigy, Kiss, Twisted Sister, Boy George, David Bowie... that doesn't mean they're Goth. Manson doesn't even dress Goth anyways! When was the last time you saw him in a puffy-sleeved shirt and velvet pants? As for the hate and angst, thats fine except for the fact that Gothic music isn't about hate and angst! Its about beauty, melancholy, and dark poetry. Hate and angst are for a bunch of doped-up kids who think a pop Industrial rock star is the only person on earth who "really" understands them.
Case closed.
Bauhaus (L-to-R):David J, Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, and Kevin Haskins
Bauhaus Ressources on this site
This site is part of
Marcel MELIN 's Homepage
Marcel MELIN 's BAUHAUS Main Page
This page has been accessed 
times
This site is best view with Netscape Navigator 4.5, with a screen resolution of 800 x 600, in 24 bits colors.
