Worked on Tinderbox

With ex- Clock DVA guitarist John Valentine Carruthers replacing Smith, the Banshees then reworked four numbers from their repertoire, augmented by a string section, for The Thorn EP. NME praised the project: “The power of a classical orchestra is the perfect foil for the band’s grindingly insistent sounds”. The new Banshees line-up spent much of 1985 working on a new record, Tinderbox . The group finished the song ” Cities in Dust ” before the album, so they rushed its release as a single prior to their longest tour of the UK. Tinderbox was released in April 1986. Sounds magazine said: ” Tinderbox is a refreshing slant on the Banshees’ disturbing perspective and restores their vivid shades to pop’s pale palette”. Due to the length of time spent working on Tinderbox , the group desired spontaneity and decided to record an album of cover songs, Through the Looking Glass (1987). Mojo magazine later praised their version of ” Strange Fruit “. After the album’s release, the band realised Carruthers was no longer fitting in and decided to work on new material as a trio.