Peter Murphy May 16th, 2005 By Raul Stancov

Do you guys remember an Era of music right after Punk died and just before New-Wave. I’m talking about gothic rock bands! Not Marilyn Manson or magazine goth acclaimed bands like Cold. Gothic Rock bands pioneered their movement around the late seventies during the death of Punk. Morbid isn’t it? Some were established by the media as post-punk and I don’t disagree, there was a lot of Punk in them. They also had other characteristics like rising from a coffin or drenching their eyes and lips with dark colors, wearing pins and chains on leather biker jackets, Dark cowboy hats, sunglasses and a deep echoing voice. It doesn’t sound post-punk like the Buzzcocks or Stranglers? The bands were: Bauhaus, Suxie & The Banshees, The Sister of Mercy, Christian Death, Field of the Nephilim, Alien Sex Fiend and if you don’t get the picture The Cure. Now where vampires with long “Fabio” hair come in, I have no idea?

The night was May 16th and Peter Murphy (ex-lead singer from classic gothic rock band Bauhaus) appeared as usual at midnight in B.B. King’s Blues Club. The cult leader Peter Murphy with his Bowie like charm was received by a crowd of goths, new wavers and blue-jean white-shirt pop rockers. The lifting opening song “Gliding Like a Whale” from his 1995 album release “Cascade,” was followed by a radio friendly single “Idle Flow” from his new album release “Unshattered.”

Peter looked as versatile as the crowd with his beautiful dark suit and new blonde hair. He is not the first pioneer to abandon the dark outdated 80’s fetish and die it blonde (Andrew Eldritch of The Sister of Mercy did it too). That didn’t stop Peter from playing his classics such as “Line Between the Devil’s Teeth” and closing with U.S. top 40 hit “Cuts You Up” from the multi-platinum selling album released in 1990 “Deep.” During the show Peter performed most of his own trademark antics such as the slow-motion run and his spinning around dance.

Peter Murphy who is in his mid 40’s, dances like a 19 year-old. The newly acquainted facial hair is a reminder that he is aging in a line of Pionners with Iggy Pop and David Bowie. The new album “Unshattered” reunites co-writer Paul Statham from the 1990 album Deep. The new album is full of new surprises. It includes: Peter DiStefano (Porno for Pyros), Stephen Perkins, Eric Avery (Jane’s Addiction), Ramy Antoun (Macy Gray), Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus) and it is produced by Gardner Cole (Madonna.) Despite of his divine presence Peter Murphy’s band lacked feel on their performance. His tour band Justin Bennett (drums), Jeff Schartoff (bass) and Mark Gemini Thwaite (guitar) all looked as if they were “play for hire” musicians. I’m sure they get paid but they don’t have to act like it. It just doesn’t look right with an Icon like Peter Murphy.

As Peter returns for the encore we all stand and listen to wise words of love during “Strange Kind of Love” as he sings

“A strange kind of love,
A strange kind of feeling…
This is no terror ground or place for the rage...
Just a taste for the truth, perfect taste choice and meaning,
a look into your eyes.”

As he left so did the room that loved him for who he is and not who he was.