Editing Siouxsie and the Banshees (section)

=== ''Kaleidoscope'', ''Juju'' and ''A Kiss in the Dreamhouse'' (1980–1982) ===
Budgie became a permanent member, and the band entered the studios to record the single "[[Happy House]]" with guitarist [[John McGeoch]], then still a member of [[Magazine (band)|Magazine]]. Their third album, ''[[Kaleidoscope (Siouxsie and the Banshees album)|Kaleidoscope]]'', released in 1980, saw the Banshees exploring new musical territories with the use of other instruments like synthesizers, sitars and drum machines. The group initially had a concept of making each song sound completely different, without regard to whether or not the material could be performed in concert.{{sfn|Paytress|2003|p=101}} ''Melody Maker'' described the result as "a kaleidoscope of sound and imagery, new forms, and content, flashing before our eyes".<ref>{{cite journal |author=Paulo Hewitt |title=Siouxsie's sketches |journal=Melody Maker |issue=26 July 1980}}</ref> ''Kaleidoscope'' was a commercial success, peaking at number 5 on the UK albums chart. This line-up, featuring McGeoch on guitar, toured the United States for the first time in support of the album, playing their first shows in New York City in November 1980.{{sfn|Paytress|2003|p=259}}

[[File:Siouxsie and the banshees 1981's line-up with John McGeoch.jpg|right|thumb|Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1981, left to right: [[Budgie (musician)|Budgie]], Siouxsie, Steven Severin and [[John McGeoch]]]]
For ''[[Juju (Siouxsie and the Banshees album)|Juju]]'' (1981), the band took a different approach and practised the songs in concert first before recording them.{{sfn|Paytress|2003|p=105}} ''Juju'', according to Severin, became an unintentional concept album that "drew on darker elements". ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]'' hailed it as "intriguing, intense, brooding and powerfully atmospheric".<ref>{{cite journal |author=Betty Page |title=''Juju'' review |journal=[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]] |issue=27 June 1981}}</ref> The album later peaked at number 7 on the UK albums chart and became one of their biggest sellers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/17098/siouxsie-and-the-banshees/ |title=Siouxsie & the Banshees – Official Charts |website=[[Official Charts Company]] |access-date=21 July 2013}}</ref> McGeoch's guitar contributions on ''Juju'' were later praised by [[Johnny Marr]] of [[the Smiths]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Johnny Marr Top Ten Guitarists |journal=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |issue=November 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://forums.morrissey-solo.com/showpost.php?p=991889&postcount=2 |title=Johnny Marr Top Ten Guitarists |date=12 October 2008 |publisher=Morrissey-solo.com |access-date=1 November 2011}}</ref>

During the 1981 accompanying tour, Siouxsie and Budgie became a couple.{{sfn|Paytress|2003|pp=110–11}} At the same time, they also began a drum-and-voice duo called [[the Creatures]], releasing their first [[Extended play|EP]], ''[[Wild Things (EP)|Wild Things]]''.

The Banshees followed in 1982 with the [[psychedelic rock|psychedelic]] ''[[A Kiss in the Dreamhouse]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/features/siouxsie-and-the-banshees-we-were-losing-our-minds-2572 |title=Siouxsie And The Banshees: "We were losing our minds" |first=Garry |last=Mulholland |publisher=Time Inc. (UK) Ltd |work=uncut.co.uk |date=November 2012}}</ref> The record, featuring strings on several numbers, was an intentional contrast to their previous work, with Severin later describing it as a "sexy album".{{sfn|Paytress|2003|p=124}} The British press greeted it enthusiastically.<ref name="Sutherland">{{cite journal |author=Steve Sutherland |title=Awakening Dreams [''A Kiss in the Dreamhouse'' review] |journal=Melody Maker |issue=6 November 1982 |quote=Dreamhouse is an intoxicating achievement}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Jim Reid |title=''A Kiss in the Dreamhouse'' review |journal=Record Mirror |issue=6 November 1982 |quote=This is a very fine pop record.}}</ref> [[Richard Cook (journalist)|Richard Cook]] finished his ''NME'' review with this sentence: "I promise...this music will take your breath away".<ref name="Cook">{{cite web |last=Cook |first=Richard |url=http://www.rocksbackpages.com/article.html?ArticleID=123 |title=A kiss in the Dreamhouse review  |date=6 November 1982|access-date=1 October 2012 |work=NME |publisher=[[Rock's Backpages]] (subscription required)}}</ref> At that time, McGeoch was struggling with alcohol problems, and was hospitalised on his return to a promotional trip from [[Madrid]]. The band fired him shortly thereafter.{{sfn|Paytress|2003|pp=126–27}} Severin asked Robert Smith to take over guitarist duties again; Smith accepted and rejoined the group in November 1982.{{sfn|Paytress|2003|p=129}}