Original Harmony Salad

The Most Terrible Time in My Life (1993).

Happy 42nd, Alex Ross Perry.

Photo by Philippe R. Doumic.

Released on this day (13 July 1992): “Face to Face”, the lush, soaring collaboration between life-changing English punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees and composer Danny Elfman from the Batman Returns (1992) soundtrack. I’m pretty sure I bought this on “cassingle” at the time! Probably from the long-defunct big Tower Records in Piccadilly! As Batman Returns director Tim Burton explained, he approached the Banshees because “Siouxsie is one of very few women who can create a realistic primal cat sound.” The lyrics offer a glimpse into the conflicted inner psyche of Catwoman, with punk diva Siouxsie Sioux’s dramatic and sensual delivery peppered with little Eartha Kitt-style purrs and growls. It’s sublime! For me, “Face to Face” represents the Banshees’ last truly great single (I was underwhelmed by their final album The Rapture (1995), and they disbanded in 1996). Funnily enough, I know someone who worked on the accompanying video and of course I pumped her for juicy details! She said bassist Severin and drummer Budgie were good-natured, friendly and cooperative. Siouxsie arrived hours later, was more unapproachable and wore a superhuman amount of make-up. Seriously – would you want her any other way?

shirts featured in ripped: t-shirts from the underground by cesar padilla

René Laloux, July 13, 1929 – March 14, 2004.

Poster for Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979) designed by Eiko Ishioka (July 12, 1938 – January 21, 2012). Artwork by Haruo Takino.

Anne Francis / production still from Frank Tashlin’s Susan Slept Here (1954)

Yul Brynner, July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985.