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Bauhaus to Reform?


MANCHESTER, ENGLAND -- Could Bauhaus -- the rock quartet from Northampton, England who defined the gothic rock music style with their song "Bela Lugosi's Dead" in 1979 -- be reuniting once again to please their old fans (and the multitudes of new ones they've gained since they broke up in '83)?

From 1978 to 1983, Bauhaus consisted of lead singer Peter Murphy, guitarist Daniel Ash, bassist David Jay Haskins, and (David's brother) drummer Kevin Haskins. They were originally named "Bauhaus 1919" after the German art movement, but in '79, they shortened their title to simply "Bauhaus".

Releasing only four albums: In The Flat Field (1980), Mask (1981), The Sky's Gone Out (1982), and Burning From The Inside (1983), they nonetheless succeeded in virtually defining goth rock. They are best known for their aforementioned 1979 single about deceased Dracula actor, Bela Lugosi. Often mistaken and misunderstood, Bauhaus always had qualms about being labeled with the "goth rock" label. Their music was actually full of unique, pioneering style and humor, and though they did develop a very dark aesthetic, their music was not all "doom and gloom". Nonetheless, their musical style closely resembled other goth rock acts from that era such as Birthday Party, UK Decay, and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, and for nearly three decades, they have been cherished as the Founding Fathers of Goth.

After breaking up in 1983, Daniel Ash, David J, and Kevin Haskins went on to form "Love & Rockets," an Indie/Neo-Psychadelia group that still retained strong goth undertones. Peter Murphy, on the other hand, formed a short-lived Indie/Goth act called "Dali's Car" with Mick Carn (former bassist of "Japan"). They only released one album in 1984, entitled "The Waking Over," which wasn't much of a hit. That group fell apart and Peter Murphy launched his own surprisingly successful solo career. Murphy put out seven solo albums between 1986 and 2004, his most recent one being "Unshattered".

Gaining his own immense fanbase, Murphy seemed to be content with going solo as the other three Bauhaus members were doing well with "Love & Rockets". However, news sent the goth community scurrying in 1998 when Bauhaus announced they would reunite for a tour and put out a new CD. The news was true. They did so, and the following year Love & Rockets broke up. After the tour, the three L&R members went their ways, putting out a little material but laying low mostly.

That was until July of 2005, when Peter Murphy made surprising statements in an interview with BBC on the last stop for his Unshattered tour.

Murphy stated, "I've actually been working on reforming the band for the last year. It's come to the point now what we are going to tour here in the winter and do a world tour and an album."

How long Bauhaus will remain together after this second reunion and whether or not they will put out any brand new songs is uncertain, although many fans are hoping they will not abandon their golden oldies. Bauhaus got together to play at Coachella, a music festival in California, in April of 2005, but the prospect a world-wide tour plus a new album has Bauhaus fans talking.

Keep your eyes peeled for more news on this situation.

See Also...

Bauhaus Come Back
Bauhaus Considering New Album
Bauhaus Reunite, Again

Ministering in the underground community since March 28, 2003
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