Fans of Siouxsie and the Banshees had their minds melted when Universal released the three CD and one DVD box set At the BBC back in 2009. At the BBC collected 84 BBC radio sessions, live concert tracks and TV performances recorded between 1977 and 1991. (You can find it reasonably priced used on Amazon these days, for around $20.)

The DVD featured over two dozen live-in-concert sessions shot for The Old Grey Whistle Test, Rock Goes to College, The Oxford Road Show and of course some (barely) lip-synced Top of the Pops appearances. It’s a fantastic visual chronology of one of the greatest and most powerfully iconoclastic bands of the era. Truly this was a group who did things their way. The Cure’s Robert Smith is featured on guitar on several songs, including an early TV session from 1979. We also see the great John McGeoch and their early guitarist, the unsung and underrated John McKay, in action with the Banshees as well.

Most of this stuff has been on YouTube for years, but never before in this sort of quality. There’s not much more I can say, you simply need to press play.

“Metal Postcard” (The Old Grey Whistle Test: 07/11/1978)
“Jigsaw Feeling” (The Old Grey Whistle Test: 07/11/1978)
“Playground Twist” (Top of the Pops: 12/07/1979)
“Love in a Void” (Something Else 03/11/1979)
“Regal Zone” (Something Else 03/11/1979)
“Happy House” (Top of the Pops: 10/04/1980)
“Israel” (Something Else: 15 December 1980)
“Tenant” (Something Else: 15 December 1980)
“Israel” (Rock Goes to College: 09/03/1981)
“Spellbound” (Rock Goes to College: 09/03/1981)
“Arabian Knights” (Rock Goes to College: 09/03/1981)
“Halloween” (Rock Goes to College: 09/03/1981)
“Night Shift” (Rock Goes to College: 09/03/1981)
“But Not Them” (Rock Goes to College: 09/03/1981)
“Voodoo Dolly” (Rock Goes to College: 09/03/1981)
“Eve White/Eve Black” (Rock Goes to College: 09/03/1981)
“Spellbound” (Top of the Pops: 04/06/1981)
“Fireworks” (Top of the Pops: 03/06/1982)
“Melt!” (The Old Grey Whistle Test: 12/11/1982)
“Painted Bird” (The Old Grey Whistle Test: 12/11/1982)
“Melt!” (The Oxford Road Show: 03/12/1982)
“Overground” (The Oxford Road Show: 03/12/1982)
“Dear Prudence” (Top of the Pops: 29 September 1983)
“Dear Prudence” (Top of the Pops: 29/12/83)
“Swimming Horses” (Top of the Pops: 29 March 1984)
“Cities in Dust” (The Old Grey Whistle Test: 29 October 1985)
“Lands End” (The Old Grey Whistle Test: 29 October 1985)
“This Wheel’s on Fire” (Top of the Pops: 22 January 1987)
“Peek-a-Boo” (Top of the Pops: 28 July 1988)
“Kiss Them for Me” (Top of the Pops: 30 May 1991)