Editing Bauhaus (band) (section)

===="Spirit" and ''The Sky's Gone Out''====

In July 1982, Bauhaus released the single "[[Spirit (Bauhaus song)|Spirit]]", produced by [[Hugh Jones (producer)|Hugh Jones]]. This was unusual for the band because they typically produced their own music. Conflicts and compromises subsequently occurred in the studio. David J explained: "It took ages and ages. Usually we recorded very quickly–we'd do an album in three weeks from start to finish–but that took about nine days, which for us was absurd. There was so much agonising over it more from the producer than us." The song used an [[acoustic guitar]] with a [[bossa nova]] drumbeat. According to Shirley, the song was about "...a 'fifth member' of the band–a spirit they felt occupied the stage, lifting them to a higher plane when they were playing well."{{sfn|Shirley|1994|pp=68}} The [[music video]] was originally intended to show a physical representation of the spirit, including "a single dancer with a white face mask and [[Body painting|body paint]] who would come onto the stage whilst the band performed the song and literally 'lift' Peter and give him wings."{{sfn|Shirley|1994|pp=68}} However, the producers changed the spirit to a spectral female figure "who would walk through the theatre along with a motley crew of clowns and jugglers."{{sfn|Shirley|1994|pp=68}} When the band returned from their tour of the United States, they disliked the music video and wanted to redo it. The record label refused, unwilling to provide more money for it, but the band insisted on changing the video. David J explained: "So we raised the money ourselves out of our own bank balances and pooled our money and so we went in and re-edited it, trying to get it into some kind of shape. We did it. Delivered the master to Beggars Banquet. Next week–this was at the time of the video jukebox craze–we went into a pub and we see the original horrible version on the video. So we immediately rang Beggars Banquet and said; 'What's going on?' and they'd send out the wrong one and it had gone off to TV and everything."{{sfn|Shirley|1994|pp=69}} The single was intended to break into the Top 30 but only reached No. 42. The band was displeased with the single and rerecorded it in 1982 for their third album, ''[[The Sky's Gone Out]]''.{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=115}} [[Nico]] made a guest appearance when the band played a gig in [[Salford University]] for a cover performance of the Velvet Underground song, "[[I'm Waiting for the Man]]".<ref name="Mister Moonlight" />

The band wanted to produce their third LP, ''The Sky's Gone Out'', themselves, but arguments ensued in the studio among the band members over creative direction.{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=72}} The band members realised that they needed an objective perspective on their music, and producer Derek Tompkins was hired.{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=72}} Tompkins commented: "I was, however, quite willing to act as an engineer provided the resident engineer was responsible for the engineering and I was only responsible for interpreting what they wanted to him and helping a bit creatively myself."{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=73}}

The band were booked into [[Rockfield Studios]] in [[Wales]] for one month to record the album but had little original material written beforehand. Murphy explained: "The third LP was one of those unwritten albums that was done on the spot. An album of experimentation which was enjoyable to us because we didn't have any songs and we didn't feel like writing stuff and we said, "OK that's fine. If we don't have any songs we'll make the songwriting environment the studio."{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=73}} Although the sessions were successful, conflicts arose between the band and engineer, with Tompkins as the mediator.{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=73}} Although Tompkins did not understand the album's music or lyrics, he "always used to ask them what the song was about so I knew what mood I was aiming for".{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=73}} Some of the lyrics reflected the band's personal feelings and experiences, such as "All We Ever Wanted Was Everything". According to David J, the song "evokes nostalgic memories of a time of innocence and naive yearning."<ref name="Mister Moonlight" /> David J praised Murphy's vocals on the song as "emoting the bittersweet sentiment so perfectly, every word ringing true."<ref name="Mister Moonlight" />

That same year, Bauhaus scored their greatest hit with a cover of [[David Bowie]]'s "[[Ziggy Stardust (song)|Ziggy Stardust]]", which was recorded during a BBC session. The song was chosen by the band in response to critics who had accused them of copying Bowie's sound. Ash explained: "[W]e thought we'd do the opposite of what they'd expect and promptly release 'Ziggy'."{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=77}} The song reached No. 15 on the British charts and earned the band an appearance on the television show ''[[Top of the Pops]]''.{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=78}} ''The Sky's Gone Out'' also became the band's greatest album success, peaking at No. 3.{{sfn|Shirley|1994|p=79}} That same year, Bauhaus appeared in the horror film ''[[The Hunger (1983 film)|The Hunger]]'', performing "Bela Lugosi's Dead" during the opening credits. The final cut of the scene focused on Murphy; this, coupled with his modelling work in a popular ad campaign for [[Maxell]], caused resentment among his bandmates.{{sfn|Shirley|1994|pp=91–93}}