To say that Siouxsie Sioux hasn’t been the most prolific artist of late is a remark that falls very much within the realm of understatement.
After Siouxsie and the Banshees broke up in 1996, Siouxsie continued – along with her husband (and former Banshee), Budgie – with what had formerly been a side project for the twosome, the Creatures, and released two further albums: 1999’s Anima Animuis and 2003’s Hái! From there, she released her debut solo album, 2007’s Mantaray, after which she went silent until 2015, when she released the one-off single, “Love Crime,” which you may or may not have heard in the series finale of NBC’s Hannibal.
Since then? Not a peep. At least not in terms of new material.
Although they've never recorded together before this, both artists did perform at the 2023 Cruel World Festival.
Siouxsie has, however, done a few live shows, including an appearance at the 2023 Cruel World festival, an event which also featured Iggy Pop, whose 1977’s song, “The Passenger,” was covered by Siouxsie and the Banshees for their 1987 covers album, Through the Looking Glass.
Which brings us to the present, not to mention what may well be the strangest timeline, one in which Siouxsie and Iggy have teamed up to record a new version of “The Passenger” which has made its debut in a TV advert for Magnum ice cream bars. It's a decidedly different arrangement of the classic track, one that's far more languid than the original version or Siouxsie's cover, but both vocalists sound in top form in the new surroundings in which they find themselves.
"Siouxsie can sing like a bird," Iggy said in the press release announcing the collaboration. "I've always thought she was a great lady. She's been a friend too, she took me to The Nutcracker once, at the Royal Court. Her version of the song was already special, but what happened here, singing together, is really unique. Like 'Volare,' the orchestral treatment and marriage of voices flies free, in a spirit of joy. I'm very proud."
"I love this song and I’ve always loved Iggy’s voice," added Siouxsie in the same release. "Yet even with perfect ingredients, to make something wonderful, you need a touch of magic. In this instance it’s what steered the song on its new and unexpected journey. I adore how instinctive and spontaneous it all feels and to hear my voice with Iggy's is such a dream.”
Co-written by Iggy and his guitarist, Ricky Gardiner, "The Passenger" was released as a single by Iggy in October 1977, it failed to chart in either the US or the UK. Oddly enough, however, it found a second life when it was used in a car commercial in 1998 and was reissued as a single in conjunction with "Lust for Life" and "Nightclubbing," at which point it climbed to No. 22 on the UK Singles chart.
The version by Siouxsie and the Banshees was also released as a single, and it hit No. 41 in the UK. When asked about it during an interview on MTV's 120 Minutes, Iggy praised their version, saying, "She sings it well and she threw a little note in when she sings it that I wish I had thought of, it's kind of improved it." (He also praised their decision to add horns to the track.)
While it's decidedly strange that this new version of "The Passenger" hasn't yet hit streaming services, it's doubtlessly due to Magnum's desire to have as many people click on their ad as possible before the song finally does earn a proper release. And to be fair to the ice cream company, they've clearly got top-shelf taste in music: others they've brought into their campaign include Peggy Gou’s remix of Kylie Minogue’s "Can’t Get You Out Of My Head," Neil Hannon's version of Tony Bennett's "The Good Life," and Jack White's "High Ball Stepper."
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